Usman Qadir or Zahid Mahmood – Who would you pick for PAK vs SA T20 series?

PAK vs SA: Pakistan will be playing against South Africa in a three-match T20 International series. All the matches will be held in Lahore, Pakistan after the Test series was held in Karachi and Rawalpindi respectively.

South Africa announced a weaker T20I squad due to the Australia Test series was supposed to be played next week in South Africa. However, the Australian team pulled out of the tour due to COVID-19 pandemic and despite that, the main players who played the Test series will not be playing the T20I series as the squad has already been announced.

Here is South Africa’s T20I squad:

Heinrich Klaasen, Nandre Burger, Okuhle Cele, Bjorn Fortuin, George Linde, David Miller, Dwaine Pretorius, Tabraiz Shamsi, JJ Smuts, Glenton Stuurman, Nandre Burger, Junior Dala, Reeza Hendricks, Janneman Malan, Andile Phehlukwayo, Lutho Sipamla, Jacques SnymanPite van Biljon

Meanwhile, Pakistan will be coming back from a 2-1 loss against New Zealand in the T20I series. They won a previous T20I series at home against Zimbabwe. Now taking on a slightly weaker South African side, Pakistan may test a lot of new boys in the side.

Here is Pakistan’s T20I squad:

Babar Azam, Haider Ali, Khushdil Shah, Hussain Talat, Danish Aziz, Asif Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Zafar Gohar, Faheem Ashraf, Aamer Yamin, Amad Butt, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Hasan Ali, Usman Qadir, Zahid Mehmood.

Pakistan will look to put an indifferent performance in the T20I series against New Zealand behind them and will be going with a full on confidence given that they will be the clear favourites simply because of the youthful, and inexperienced side South Africa line up they will be playing against. The visitors have not won any of their last five T20I series since winning against Sri Lanka.

PAK vs SA: Usman Qadir or Zahid Mahmood – Who would you pick?

Pakistan have picked two leg-spinners in Usman Qadir and Zahid Mehmood in the absence of their regular spinner Shadab Khan. Usman Qadir, son of late Abdul Qadir, has already represented Pakistan. He played the Zimbabwe T20I series in 2020, where he picked eight wickets and was the “Player of the series” in the series.

PAK vs SA: Here is Usman Qadir bowling in the third T20I match against Zimbabwe.

Zahid Mahmood, a Pakistan leg-spinner of the age of 32, is also slotted in the shortest format of the international cricket.

In the absence of their start performer and all-rounder Shadab Khan, who should play in the PAK vs SA series as the first choice leg-spinner in the side? Let’s take a look at their stats.

In the last Pakistan Cup 2020, both of them played for their respective sides.

Usman Qadir picked up 10 wickets at an average of 27.5 and striking at 18.6 with and economy of 8.87.

However, Zahid Mahmood was more better than his counter part as he picked up 12 wickets at an average of 24.8 and striking at 17.5 with and economy of 8.51.

Overall in Twenty20 cricket, Usman Qadir picked up 41 wickets in 37 matches at an average of 22.6 and striking at 18.7 with and economy of 7.25 as compared to Zahid Mahmood, who took 47 wickets in 34 matches at an average of 18.5 and striking at 16.5 with and economy of 6.72.

So who should play in the T20 International matches against South Africa? Would you pick Usman Qadir or Zahid Mahmood? Or would you pick both leg-spinners to play against South Africa in this PAK vs SA series?

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