'Dropped or unfit?' - Mohammad Hafeez questions Mohammad Abbas' exclusion from the Gabba Test

The much-anticipated Pakistan Test tour of Australia kickstarted at the Gabba in Brisbane on Thursday and it turned out to be an eventful day for a multitude of reasons. Going into the Test match, all the talks leading into the game was around the make-up of the Pakistani pace attack.

Pakistan had roped in a plethora of youngsters for this all-important tour, showing confidence in the likes of 16-year-old Naseem Shah, left-armer Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Muhammad Musa Khan along with the returning 32-year-old Imran Khan and the experienced duo of Mohammad Abbas and leg-spinner Yasir Shah.

With 66 wickets in 14 Tests at an average of 18.86 and a strike-rate of 46, Mohammad Abbas was expected to lead the pace attack in Australia. But things changed when Imran Khan wrecked through Australia A batting unit during the first practice match in Perth. The right-hander claimed 5/32 in just 12 overs, and all-of-a-sudden came storming back into the contention to be picked as the first-choice paceman for the Gabba Test. 

But, Mohammad Abbas showed why he is referred to as one of the rising talents of world cricket when he claimed 2/22 against Cricket Australia XI during the second practice match. So, when the team for the first Test at the Gabba was announced by Azhar Ali, it took everyone, including former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez by surprise regarding the exclusion of Abbas as Misbah opted to field the trio of Imran Khan, Naseem Shah, and Shaheen Shah Afridi. Hafeez took to Twitter where he asked whether the right-hander was injured or dropped.

Pakistan fold for 240 after a promising start

Meanwhile, Pakistan squandered what was looking like a great start to their innings after openers Azhar Ali and Shan Masood had stitched 75 runs. One wicket led to another and the Men in Green went from being comfortably placed at 0/75 to being in a precarious position at 5/94. Asad Shafiq and Mohammad Rizwan performed a recovery act of sorts before the latter was unfortunately given out on a Pat Cummins no-ball. 

Shafiq (76) stitched a valuable 84-run-stand with Yasir Shah to take the Pakistani total past 220 before Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins finished off the proceedings with the second new ball, bowling the visitors out for 240 at stumps on Day 1.

Here’s what Mohammad Hafeez tweeted

Dropped or Unfit @Mohmmadabbas111 ?

— Mohammad Hafeez (@MHafeez22) November 21, 2019