Asia Cup

Biggest flaw in Pakistan squad ahead of Asia Cup

by
Zainab Shafiq
August 23, 2023

Ramiz Raja identifies Pakistan’s spin bowling woes as a major issue for upcoming tournaments.
He emphasizes the need to address this challenge for success in spin-friendly conditions.
Pakistan relies heavily on captain Babar Azam, despite his recent dismissal.

Ramiz Raja, the former captain of Pakistan and a well-known cricket commentator, has pinpointed a critical issue facing the Pakistan squad as they prepare for this year’s Asia Cup and ICC World Cup.

In Raja’s view, Pakistan’s batsmen need to significantly enhance their ability to handle spin bowling, particularly in the context of playing in Asian conditions. Both the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka and the World Cup in India are set to be contested in conditions that are historically favorable to spin bowlers.

Raja voiced his concerns on his YouTube channel, emphasizing the urgency of addressing this challenge. He warned that if the issue remains unresolved, Pakistan could face formidable obstacles in the upcoming tournaments.

Using a vivid analogy, Raja likened Pakistan’s batters to rabbits caught in the glare of a car’s headlights, highlighting their vulnerability against spin bowling.

Additionally, Raja emphasized Pakistan’s heavy reliance on their skipper, Babar Azam, who, despite being dismissed for a duck in the first ODI, consistently shoulders the team’s expectations across all formats of the game.

In the first ODI, Pakistan secured a resounding victory in Hambantota, winning by 142 runs thanks to an exceptional five-wicket performance by pacer Haris Rauf. The series’ second match is scheduled to take place at the same venue tomorrow.

Here are the squads for the series:

Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Tayyab Tahir, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Haris (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi.

Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ikram Alikhil (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Rahmat Shah, Shahidullah, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rehman, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Abdul Rahman, Mohammad Saleem Safi, Wafadar Momand.