T20 World Cup 2022: Pakistan's best XI among non-selected players for mega event

Pakistan have named their 15-member squad for the next month’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia with batting sensation Babar Azam to lead them and Shadab Khan as his deputy. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been criticized heavily by experts and many former greats of the game for not bolstering their fragile middle-order which has kept getting exposed since the Asia Cup 2022. While veteran Shoaib Malik and former skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed’s non-selection was what made the experts angry, there are other promising players who rightfully deserved a chance to represent the Men in Green in the showpiece event down under. While some of them are well-known names, other are emerging talents and without further ado, here’s a look at Pakistan’s best XI among the non-selected players for the marquee tournament: 1. Sharjeel Khan Sharjeel Khan was one of Pakistan’s promising batters who regularly used to feature in the playing XI before a Pakistan Super League (PSL) spot-fixing scandal in 2017 sabotaged his playing career. Since then he has only made sporadic appearances for Pakistan and has not played a game for them since August 2021. However, the selectors did not consider naming him even in the reserves for the upcoming T20 World Cup despite showcasing consistent performances in the Pakistan National T20 Cup and scoring runs in crunch games. Sharjeel amassed 328 runs across 12 games in the National T20 Cup at an impressive strike rate of 138.39. His outings included a century and a half-century. Sharjeel finished the tournament as the fourth-highest run getter. 2. Fakhar Zaman Despite showcasing forgettable performances in Asia Cup 2022, Fakhar Zaman did get selected in the T20 World Cup, but as a reserve player in the 15-member squad. Unfortunately, the selectors’ headache only increased after the southpaw picked up a knee injury and is currently nursing the same. The southpaw injured his knee and the damage was reportedly done during the Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka in Dubai earlier this month. Fakhar is currently undergoing a rehab in London. Meanwhile, Zaman who has not been in good touch for the last few months could have been a handy number three batter and could have scored at a brisk rate, but now his place has been taken up by the promising Shan Masood for the tournament. 3. Azam Khan Emerging batter Azam Khan has only made three T20I appearances for Pakistan in his young career. He should have been nurtured well by the Pakistan Cricket Board just like Khushdil Shah and could have become a finished product by now. Azam got his first big breakthrough not too long ago when he became the first Pakistan cricketer to sign up for the International League T20 in the UAE for its inaugural season next year where he will be representing the Desert Vipers. The youngster plays spin really well and is seen taking on spinners with ease especially in the Pakistan Super League. In the 86 T20 matches that he has played so far, Azam has amassed 1706 runs at a strike rate of just under 141.45. 4. Saim Ayub Saim Ayub got instant recognition after his splendid stint during the recently-concluded National T20 Cup. He was one of the key performers for Sindh along with Sharjeel Khan as they went on to bag the title beating Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by eight wickets. Ayub was adjuged the Player of the Tournament for scoring 416 runs from 12 innings, averaging 34.66 and at a wonderful strike rate of 155.22. He scored two half-centuries for Sindh during the tournament. If not in the main squad, the 20-year-old could well have been added in the reserves of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup squad. 5. Haris Sohail Haris Sohail was once a key member of Pakistan’s playing XI. But due to some or the other reasons has been in and out of the team for a long time. Sohail’s inclusion in the T20 World Cup could have well an truly bolstered Pakistan's brittle middle-order. However, the selectors had other ideas and he was overlooked yet again as Haider Ali and Shan Masood received call-ups for their aggressive batting while the inconsistent Asif Ali got another chance. While there is time to alter the T20 World Cup squad till October 15, captain Babar Azam and chief selector Mohammad Wasim might look into this matter seriously especially after how the middle-order performs in the ongoing home T20Is against England. 6. Sarfaraz Ahmed Sarfaraz Ahmed was ignored by the selection committee when it came to picking up Pakistan’s 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup and they preferred to take a rookie in Mohammad Haris as their second-choice keeper (in reserves) to Australia. Sarfaraz, who led Pakistan to their maiden Champions Trophy triumph in 2017 was axed from captaincy after the team’s poor outing in the 2019 World Cup and since then has only been making sporadic appearances as a player. With the current ICC Men's T20I top-ranked T20I batter Mohammad Rizwan performing outstandingly well for the last 12 months, Sarfaraz’s comeback as a proper wicketkeeper-batter is as good as over. The 35-year-old was adjudged the Best Wicketkeeper of the Tournament in the National T20 Cup as Sindh went on to win the title. 7. Shoaib Malik Having played in different franchise leagues across the globe, Shoaib Malik is the most experienced campaigner for Pakistan who is still going strong at 40 . However, he has not been in the selectors' and the team management’s scheme of things since the end of 2021. Malik’s presence could have been very handy for the middle-order, but Pakistan selectors were not interested in giving the veteran a chance in the next month’s showpiece event down under. Moreover, he was neither selected for the Asia Cup 2022 nor in the ongoing T20I series against England. While Shoaib Malik did have a good outing in the National T20 Cup 2022 for Central Punjab, it is highly unlikely that he would be recalled into the T20 World Cup squad especially after his controversial tweet in the Asia Cup 2022 final where he had accused PCB of practicing internal politics and favouritism. 8. Imad Wasim Imad Wasim is yet another candidate, who was deprived from bagging a spot in Pakistan’s 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup and he could have worked in tandem with vice-captain Shadab Khan with both the ball and bat. The spin all-rounder showcased consistent performances in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2022 and finished as the third-highest wicket-taker with 12 scalps to his name from ten outings for Jamaica Tallawahs. His bowling efforts were one of the prominent reasons behind Tallawahs' success this season. As far as the decision of altering the squad is concerned, Pakistan's think tank might consider about Imad’s inclusion taking his excellent form into consideration. 9. Mohammad Imran Mohammad Imran is yet another budding pacer who could have found a spot in Pakistan’s 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup next month as he is arguably the ‘next big thing’ in Pakistan cricket. The 21-year-old has so far represented Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings in the last two editions of the PSL though he is yet to play for Pakistan at the highest level. Imran enjoyed an excellent run at the National T20 Cup where he finished with 16 wickets from ten games that he featured in. 10. Faheem Ashraf Promising all-rounder Faheem Ashraf who has been good with the ball in hand in the shortest format for Pakistan in the last few years has also been in and out of the national team and with Pakistan giving a nod to spin all-rounders due to the dearth of quality pace bowling all-rounders, his comeback seems difficult at the moment. With Faheem not in Pakistan’s scheme of things right now, the pacer has signed up with Sussex and is representing them in the ongoing County Championship 2022. It remains highly unlikely that the 28-year-old will get a chance to feature in Pakistan’s T20 World Cup squad next month and would rather be hoping to complete his County stint. 11. Hasan Ali Hasan Ali, who once featured regularly in Pakistan’s playing XI has now been sidelined by the PCB in the shortest format. Despite being a seasoned campaigner, he did not even get a single game in Asia Cup 2022 where the Men in Green made the finals. Therefore, his exclusion from the T20 World Cup 2022 was not at all surprising when the Pakistan Cricket Board announced the 15-member squad earlier this month. With so many pace bowling options already available to them including their pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi for the showpiece event, PCB did not feel the need to consider Hasan in the T20 World Cup squad either in the list of the main or reserve players. Here’s Pakistan’s best XI among non-selected players for the tournament: Sharjeel Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Azam Khan, Saim Ayub, Haris Sohail, Shoaib Malik, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Imran

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T20 World Cup 2022: Pakistan's best XI among non-selected players for mega event

Some of the seasoned players like Shoaib Malik, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Haris Sohail, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, among others have not been included in Pakistan's 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup 2022.

2. Fakhar Zaman

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