By: Muhammad Siddiq Kayani
After a clean sweep in the recent T20 series against Bangladesh, Shaheen Eleven is now set to face both Bangladesh and the West Indies in T20 and ODI series during July and August. These series carry great significance as top cricketing nations currently dominate the shorter formats of the game. Teams like Pakistan, Bangladesh, West Indies, and Sri Lanka are lagging in rankings, while India, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and England continue to perform exceptionally well across formats. Pakistan is yet to announce its final squad. However, a training camp is underway in Lahore where 22 players, including Shaheen Afridi, Babar Azam, Abdullah Shafique, and Mohammad Rizwan, have been called up for fitness and form assessments by the selection committee. Both new and senior players are seen in full action. Team captain Salman Ali Agha has expressed satisfaction with the performance of emerging players such as Hassan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris, Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, and notably, Hassan Ali—all of whom impressed during the recent Bangladesh series.
New head coach Mike Hesson, known for his high-performance coaching style, is focusing on improving team rankings, collective performances, fielding, bowlers’ line and length, and batters’ strike rates. He is also playing a key role in refining Salman Ali Agha’s captaincy. Against the Bengal Tigers, Agha led with strategic brilliance, utilizing his bowlers and batters efficiently and maintaining excellent working relationships on the field. Shaheen Eleven appeared rejuvenated in all departments, with young players displaying an aggressive style, often scoring at strike rates above 200—an essential element in modern cricket. The current team seems to have found a new identity, playing selflessly for team victories rather than personal milestones. It is suggested that with just a few tweaks, the same T20 squad could be extended for the ODI format. However, the performances of Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan, Khushdil Shah, and Faheem Ashraf in the Bangladesh series were below par. Despite this, they are likely to continue featuring in upcoming matches. Shadab Khan’s continued selection, despite underwhelming performances even against weaker sides like Bangladesh, has previously sidelined quality spinners such as Usman Qadir, Usama Mir, Zafar Gohar, and Zahid Mahmood. Despite consistent domestic success, quality spinner Sufiyan Muqeem has yet to convince selectors. Similarly, promising young spinners Mehran Mumtaz, Saad Masood, Faisal Akram, Arafat Minhas, and Mubasir Khan remain dependent on selection committee discretion. Pacer Akif Javed, who performed well in New Zealand, and top PSL performers Khurram Shehzad and Ali Raza also deserve a chance. These emerging pacers could serve as reliable alternatives to Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf. A rotation policy is essential to give young players exposure against weaker teams and provide rest to senior players. Continuous play has affected our elite pacers. Three years ago, Shaheen, Haris, and Naseem were considered world-class bowlers, but excessive participation in international leagues has worn them out. Now, they are struggling even in T20s and have failed to win any major tournaments. The need for replacements is urgent.
Naseem Shah’s recurring fitness issues stem largely from his high-arm bowling action, which puts undue strain on his back. Without making adjustments to his technique, his career could end prematurely. For the upcoming tours of Bangladesh and the West Indies, promising young players like batter Shahzaib Khan, spinner Sufiyan Muqeem, and pacer Ali Raza must be included. In ODIs, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan should be part of the squad as their roles are vital in the 50-over format. Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah should be rested, while a fit Shaheen Afridi should lead the bowling attack as a senior pacer. In a promising development, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to form a new oversight committee to supervise all cricket matters—including selection, coaching, and domestic structure. The committee will include two former cricketers: former national captain Sarfaraz Ahmed and senior analyst Sikander Bakht. They will review squad selections and monitor all cricket affairs, including domestic reforms. The official announcement is expected soon. Reliable sources indicate that Shaheen Afridi, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Abdullah Shafique, and Sufiyan Muqeem will be part of the upcoming Bangladesh and West Indies tours. All these players are highly talented, and only those performing well deserve a spot in the squad. This approach will help in building a strong winning combination of seniors and juniors ahead of the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup.
