Pakistan head coach Azhar Mahmood elated with return of Mohammad Amir, Imad Wasim

After a successful edition of the PSL, members of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) held talks with Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim, who previously announced their decision to retire from international cricket. They eventually managed to convince the duo as both have been named for Pakistan’s upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand. 

With the hope of winning the upcoming T20 World Cup, Pakistan made significant changes to their squad, which included the appointment of Babar Azam as T20I captain, bringing Amir and Wasim back into the scheme of things and appointing Azhar Mahmood as the new head coach of the side. Analysing the current squad, the former cricketer stated that he is happy that all the aspects are currently covered and added that the batting line-up possesses the best talent available in Pakistan.

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“We cover all aspects of the game with this squad. We have two all-rounders, and our fast bowling department is also very strong. The return of (Mohammad) Amir and Imad (Wasim) also gives us an edge, because we can use them at any given time. Our batting lineup possesses the best possible talent in Pakistan,” Mahmood was quoted as saying by the ICC.

Notably, Pakistan qualified for the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup in 2021 and finals in 2022. Mahmood believes that they have got a squad that can go the distance this time around as he mentioned that others can’t write off Pakistan, especially in the shortest format of the game.

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“We know we have not won a big tournament since 2009 (the Men's T20 World Cup) or the Champions Trophy (2017). But you can never write off the Pakistan team, especially in the T20 format. We have the depth and strength, but there are always areas for improvement. Looking at those aspects, especially in the areas that we have lagged behind, is something that I have worked on. So till the World Cup, we would like to develop a structure and game plan, to give role clarity to players,” said Mahmood.