Pakistan squad for T20 World Cup 2021

The last month has been a bit tough for Pakistan cricket with the international tours getting cancelled. That has forced their team to not have a few T20Is in the Asian conditions before heading to the T20 World Cup. In the past, Pakistan has shown a great fighting spirit and have turned up from adversity to play their best cricket. However, this time it won’t be easy. 

With some of their squad players not performing well in the National T20 Cup, there are murmurs already about some potential changes in the squad. In fact, reports also suggest that former captain and current Prime Minister Imran Khan has asked the new chairman Ramiz Raja to review the squad. On paper, the squad which has been named has talent, but most of them will have to play out of their skin to lift the T20 World Cup for the second time. 

This will mark a start of a new era in Pakistan as this will be the first time Babar Azam will be leading them in an ICC event. He is their leading batter as well but there are three more specialist batters in the squad. Sohaib Maqsood has retained his spot since PSL ended while Khushdil Shah and Asif Ali’s careers have got another shot, having been named in this squad. 

Spin-heavy Pakistan looking to use past experiences in the UAE as their advantage

Mohammad Rizwan and Azam Khan have been named as wicketkeeping options, with both expected to start in the XI against India in the opening match. Mohammad Hafeez along with Imad Wasim and Shadab Khan provide a brilliant balance to Pakistan, something which will be handy in the UAE. 

Apart from them, spin-bowling all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz and pace-bowling all-rounder Mohammad Wasim Jr. have also been included. With a packed spin-bowling department, Pakistan has also sorted their pace-bowling department with Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali, Haris Rauf and Mohammad Hasnain. Three of these four pacers are expected to start in the playing XI with Hasnain likely to start on the benches. 

Leg-spinner Usman Qadir, experienced batter Fakhar Zaman and up and coming pacer Shahnawaz Dahani have been named as reserves. All of these three players have done well in the ongoing domestic T20 competition and any one or two of them might end up in the final 15. Only time will tell if that happens or not. 

Squad: Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Azam Khan, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sohaib Maqsood

Reserves: Shahnawaz Dahani, Fakhar Zaman, Usman Qadir