5 Surprising Omissions From Pakistan’s T20 Squad

The Pakistan Cricket Board announced its squad for the prestigious World T20 starting from 23^rd October 2021 to be played in the United Arab Emirates.

With the new selector Ramiz Raja, they picked a squad that lacks experience matching the top nations. Pakistan has been clubbed with archrivals India, New Zealand, Afghanistan and 2 qualifiers.

Apart from few permeant members, PCB selector, Mohammad Wasim did not pick many good players in the squad and dropped other quality players.

Here we look at the 5 surprising omissions from Pakistan’s T20 squad

Shoaib Malik

With the lack of experience in the middle order, Shoaib Malik has been not selected in the Pakistan World T20 squad. The veteran played lots of T20I cricket on UAE soil and would have created a major impact.

Malik has played a total of 116 T20I matches for Pakistan (106 innings) with 2335 runs. He is one of the leading runs scorers in the shorter formats. Malik would been handy for Pakistan in the middle order.

Fakhar Zaman

Fakhar Zaman has been selected by the Pakistan selectors in the reserves. With the style he poses, Zaman could change the course of game with his power-hitting. Zaman made his T20I debut for Pakistan in 2017.

Since his debut, Zaman scored 1021 runs from 53 matches (48 innings) with a career-best score of 91. His ability to create on the opposition bowlers makes him a dangerous player. With Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan likely to open the innings, Fakhar Zaman would have been a brilliant asset with his power-hitting in first six overs.

Sharjeel Khan

Sharjeel Khan is another big omission in the Pakistan World T20 squad. With the power-hitting he possesses, Khan can do damage during the first six overs and put opposition bowlers under immense pressure.

Khan has not been given a regular chance in the T20I squad. Since his debut in 2013, Sharjeel Khan played a total of 21 matches (18 innings) and just 406 runs with a career-best score of 59. He made his return to the squad in the series against South Africa this year.

During that series, Khan got only 1 chance and was then dropped due to poor fielding. He has not been given a chance in the reserves also which could damage Pakistan’s chances in the prestigious tournament against top-quality sides.

Sarfaraz Ahmed

Sarfaraz Ahmed is one of the best captains that Pakistan has produced in the shorter format. He led Pakistan to big wins away from home and helped Pakistan win their first-ever Champions Trophy defeating arch-rivals India in 2017.

With the lack of form during recent times, Sarfaraz Ahmed has been selected in the 15-member squad for the prestigious tournament.

Pakistan would miss him in big moments during the prestigious tournament. He could have been handy with the bat and contributed big time while wicketkeeping if given a chance.

Wahab Riaz

Wahab Riaz is one of the best bowlers in the T20I format for Pakistan. He has done wonders for Men in Green with his quick deliveries and produced yorkers at will in death overs.

Riaz played a total of 36 T20I matches (35 innings) grabbing a total of 34 wickets. He registered figures of 3 for 18. The pace bowler would have been handy on good batting pitches in the United Arab Emirates against top-quality batters.

With the likes of Haris Rauf, Hasnain, Hasan Ali in the squad, Riaz would have been an ideal choice that could create pressure on the batsmen in the first six overs and control run flow in death overs.