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Thursday March 28, 2024

Junaid Khan vs Wahab Riaz: Who's more deserving for World Cup 2019?

ICC World Cup 2019: Chief selector Inzaman-ul-Haq has recalled Asif Ali, Mohammad Amir and left-arm paceman, Wahab Riaz, dropping the fast bowler Junaid Khan, all-rounder Faheem Ashraf and opener Abid Ali for the mega event of cricket.

By Web Desk
May 21, 2019

LONDON: It was being expected that Amir and Asif  would make  their  place in the World Cup squad, but the shocking return of Wahab Riaz  has caused quite a stir. 

Chief selector Inzaman-ul-Haq  Monday announced   final 15-man squad for the ICC World Cup. He recalled  Asif Ali, Mohammad Amir  and left-arm paceman, Wahab Riaz, dropping the fast bowler Junaid Khan, all-rounder Faheem Ashraf and opener Abid Ali for the mega  event of cricket.

It  would surely be a  shocking moment for all three  players to have the news of  their expulsion from  the   final 15  even after  being selected in the  preliminary squad.

Junaid Khan, who had  suffered  the same twice   in 2011, 2015,  appeared to be  heartbroken and could not stop himself from protesting the decision that left  him and others  in  tears.

Though Junaid Khan did not achieve much  in his two outings against England either, leaking runs at a high rate in both, yet he  has reservations over his ouster in favour of Wahab that itself has question marks all over it.

"I don't want to say anything. Truth is bitter," he tweeted along with the photo, which he later deleted.

The 33-year-old, a veteran of two World Cups in 2011 and 2015, played the last of 79 ODIs against India in the ICC Champions Trophy in Birmingham on June 4, 2017. Wahab was smashed for 87 runs from just 8.4 overs as India thrashed Pakistan by 124 runs. Though Pakistan went on to win the title, he played no further role in their Champions Trophy campaign.

Wahab Riaz  has taken  two wickets in his last 10 ODIs  and  not  played an ODI in two years. In 2018,   Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur had famously discarded Wahab Riaz "for not winning the team any matches in years."

Have a look at  Junain Khan and  Wahab Riaz's  achievements.


Some ODI numbers on Wahab v Junaid

In England:

Wahab - 4 wickets, average 96 & economy of 6.7

Junaid - 11 wickets, average 36 & economy of 5.6

Since 2015 World Cup:

Wahab 25 wickets at average of 47 & economy of 5.8

Junaid 35 wickets at average of 36 & economy of 5.7