Pakistan World Cup squad
Wikimedia Commons photo by JJ Hall shared under a Creative Commons (BY 2.0) license.

An in-depth look at Pakistan’s World Cup squad

Qasim Mujtaba Naqvi·
One Day International (ODI)
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Bowlers

Imad Wasim (left-arm orthodox/left-hand bat)

Welsh-born Imad has always been more than brilliant for Pakistan in T20Is, establishing himself as the team’s top bowler in the format. However, he’s shown he can complement Asif while accelerating the innings in the later stages. A left-arm spinner who’s always shown potential to score with the bat, Imad’s performance with the ball in ODIs had seen his place threatened. He doesn’t spin the ball much and depends on accuracy rather than traditional guile. That being said, his brilliant batting record seems to have gone under the radar. He has an average of 40 in ODIs for Pakistan, breaching fifty 5 times in 33 innings – at a strike rate of 107.

Although his bowling has left room for improvement, Imad seems to have taken the place of Faheem Ashraf in Pakistan’s World Cup squad. He’s now the all-rounder who promises so much with both bat and ball. If he performs in even one of those departments, he can seriously hurt the opposition. Faheem’s failure to do so in either discipline has led to his axing from the team just before the tournament – and it’ll be intriguing to see if Imad can survive a similar fate. He does possess great ability, and may be an X factor of sorts for Pakistan if delivers during the tournament. His place in the XI will present a tiebreaker of sorts, with the return of Shadab in the line-up pushing Imad to second-choice in the spin department. Whether Pakistan decides to play him instead of an extra batsman will be interesting to see given the number of batsmen who can bowl 10 overs collectively.

Shadab Khan (right-arm leg-spinner/right-hand bat)

Shadab made his debut after breaking through in the second season of the PSL. He’s progressed to become the team’s front-line spinner in white ball cricket – and done so less than three years after playing for Pakistan in the U19 World Cup. Starting as a batsman in his childhood, he developed his leg-spin over time and it’s now his greatest weapon. A googly that seems difficult to read provides plenty of ammunition. Shadab’s value, like Imad and Faheem, is enhanced by the potential he possesses with the bat. The 21 year-old is arguably Pakistan’s best fielder too. Despite promising so much, he’s often flattered to deceive. Whereas Imad has shown quality with the bat to keep his place, Shadab’s bowling has saved his spot. Even on the bowling end, his figures seem to be deteriorating.

His wicket-taking form has taken a nosedive similar to that of fellow Champions Trophy hero Hasan Ali. However, he has no real competition and his place in the line-up isn’t exactly in danger. Age is also on his side and there’s still plenty of room for improvement. That benefit of the doubt, the overall lack of competition, and the incredible early performances have made Shadab the only traditional spinner in Pakistan’s World Cup squad. The exclusivity of his position makes Shadab very important to Pakistan’s cause and to prospective success at the tournament. Returning from a viral infection that ruled him out of the England series, Shadab will be hoping to perform to the best of his abilities at his first senior World Cup.

Hasan Ali (right-arm fast)

The rise of Hasan Ali has been steady and yet somewhat meteoric. His best performances in a green shirt have come at a time when Pakistan have been spoilt for choice with the riches it possesses in the fast bowling department. The player of the tournament and the best bowler in 2017’s historic Champions Trophy triumph, the Peshawar Zalmi find has become a mainstay in Pakistan’s wobbly line-up of seamers. Slingy and pacey, Hasan found his calling while opening the bowling and picking up crucial wickets for the team. That used to be preceded by good bowling up-front.

As that luxury has vanished and he’s gained more experience on the international circuit, Hasan’s wicket-taking abilities havee dwindled. His record is still great, having picked up 80 wickets in 49 matches at an economy rate of just under 5.5 per over. However, it’s his exploits from the last time Pakistan played an ODI tournament in England that make him crucial to Pakistan’s hopes. He’s also developed a knack of giving the ball an almighty whack, managing two fifties in the past year under difficult circumstances. That occasional batting contribution, coupled with his bowling ability, make him a pivotal component Pakistan’s attack and an undisputed pick in the current squad.

Shaheen Shah Afridi (left-arm fast)

If one considers Hasan’s rise to be meteoric, Shaheen Afridi strapped a rocket to his back and sent himself to the moon. Ironically, he isn’t the least experienced of Pakistan’s squad either. Younger brother of former Test cricketer Riaz Afridi, Shaheen says he was spotted at an U16 tournament. Bursting on to the scene with the Lahore Qalandars in the PSL’s third season, Shaheen had come off a terrific U19 World Cup and saw a 5-wicket haul against the Multan Sultans propel him into the national set-up.

He has gone on to play for Pakistan in all three formats since then. A lanky, pacey bowler, he reaches heights of 145+ kph. Shaheen has accumulated 24 wickets for Pakistan since the Champions Trophy in 14 innings, bettered only by Usman Khan Shinwari with 28 (who hasn’t been in the conversation for selection at all recently). Widely considered to be Pakistan’s second-best current bowling option, it’ll be interesting to see Shaheen at his first senior World Cup. If his exploits at junior level are anything to go by, he’ll do well – and at 19, he has a very bright future ahead of him.

Mohammad Amir (left-arm fast)

What can be said about Mohammad Amir that hasn’t already been said? The 26 year-old’s exploits and case have been widely discussed and suffice to say, he has made his case for selection while absent instead of actually performing. Picking up an abysmal five wickets in the last two years of ODIs, Amir contracted chicken pox on the England tour and couldn’t play in a series that was supposed to define his selection potential. However, the team’s lacklustre performance pushed chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq back on his word and he picked Amir for Pakistan’s World Cup squad nonetheless.

Therefore, he plays the tournament due to his reputation and the belief that his previous performances in England will lead him to do really well. It may be the last straw for a man whose career has already been derailed once. Even so, he seems to be Pakistan’s only option when it comes to actually swinging the new ball instead of seaming it like the others. The uniqueness of his bowling and his reputation as a ‘big game player’ have renewed the nation’s hope for the Rawalpindi native. Finding his wicket-taking touch while maintaining his economy will be pivotal to his performance during the tournament. If he does well, it can only mean good things for a team devoid of someone like him – someone who can change games in an instant.

Mohammad Hasnain (right-arm fast)

Four months ago, Hasnain was playing at Pakistan Cricket Club in Karachi. His club manager, Azam Khan, planned on going to Dubai for the PSL with the Quetta Gladiators. After an unfortunate injury to compatriot Naseem Shah, Hasnain was named Naseem’s replacement for the PSL season. The rest, as they say, is history. Hasnain debuted for the Gladiators as part of their emerging quota, replacing Ghulam Mudaasar in the lineup. He bowled one over where most viewers rubbed their eyes in disbelief as the speed gun read upwards of 145 kph – breaching 150 kph twice. From then on Hasnain, showed decent control while bowling at a staggering speed.

Fast forward to the final, Hasnain was man of the match just days after being named in Pakistan’s squad for the series against Australia in the UAE. He picked up 3 wickets for 30 runs as Quetta Gladiators were crowned champions. A star was apparently born. Hasnain has since gone on to make his ODI debut and at the tender age of 19, promises to be one for the future. He looks to be developing a good slower ball which will be handy given his unrelenting pace but has work to do on both line and length. Recent games have shown his pace is right up there, but 5 wickets in 5 games is below what was expected of the youngster. Given how Pakistan rely on their pacers for wickets, Hasnain can also be an unknown commodity in games at the tournament. With breathtaking pace, Hasnain has the potential to really light up the tournament if he performs well.

Wahab Riaz (left-arm fast)

On to the final selection, which has proven decisive in Pakistan. “Wahab Riaz offers experience, the ability to reverse swing the ball, the ability to bowl at all stages of the innings, and raw pace that the likes of Faheem and Junaid don’t.” These were the words of Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed when asked about why Wahab, who wasn’t even on the initial list of 25 probables, was picked as part of the final 15 for the tournament. On the surface, it makes sense as Wahab does possess the aforementioned qualities. He’ll also become the only player who’s been part of all three of Pakistan’s World Cup squads since 2011. In fact, like former captain Rashid Latif pointed out, his issue with the selection of Amir, Asif and Wahab isn’t that the others (Abid Ali, Junaid Khan, Faheem Ashraf) were better players. In fact, it was with the manner in which these players were picked.

He, like many other critics, felt the players should’ve been in the original 15. This would’ve saved others from the confidence-shattering decision to get picked and then dropped from a World Cup squad. However, Wahab does bring a different aspect to Pakistan’s attack. As mentioned by Sarfaraz and chief selector Inzamam, who just two years claimed Wahab was “nowhere near their plans for the tournament”, he does bring raw pace. Conditions and pitches in England have been flat and bring no swing, which means raw pace could be the best option for all teams. Wahab brings a 150+ kph presence with plenty of experience. Many hope he can provide the type of performances he managed in 2011 and 2015: a semi-final five-wicket haul against India in 2011, and an infamous spell against Australia, particularly Shane Watson, in the 2015 quarter-final. If he can perform that way regularly, there’ll be no argument over Viki’s selection and spot in Pakistan’s World Cup squad.

Hence, Pakistan walks into the tournament on their worst ever ODI run, incurring 10 straight losses. The belief they can bag the trophy, too, is based on their unpredictable nature. However, it’s crucial to note this team possesses all the tools to win in a squad not too different to the one that won the Champions Trophy in 2017. It’s performing as a unit and winning that needs to happen. If the players apply themselves and perform to their true potential, it’s hard to argue against the squad’s abilities. Whether that happens is yet to be seen, but we hope they do.

Best of luck, Team Pakistan!