Pakistan announces World cup 2023 squad without Naseem Shah
In a significant development, Hasan Ali has been called up to replace the injured Naseem Shah in Pakistan’s ODI World Cup 2023 squad, with Naseem expected to face an extended period of recovery.
Adding to their arsenal, Pakistan has also introduced an additional leg-spinner, Usama Mir, into the mix. Mir made his ODI debut earlier this year against New Zealand but was not part of the Asia Cup squad. Pakistan’s pace attack will now feature the talents of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Mohammad Wasim, with Mohammad Haris serving as a reserve option. Meanwhile, the spin-bowling all-rounder, Mohammad Nawaz, retains his place in the squad, but Faheem Ashraf misses out on selection.
Chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq shed light on the fast bowlers’ situation, stating, “Naseem was injured, he was our main bowler and it was unfortunate. [Mohammad] Hasnain has an ankle injury and is out injured and so is Ihsanullah. If you see how Hasan Ali performed in the LPL, or other performances, he has performed better than most. He is an experienced bowler who has played big mega events for Pakistan and performed well in them. And when Naseem was ruled out, we needed someone who could bowl with the new ball. He bowls well with both old and new ball, and is a team man. His presence lends energy to the team.”
Amid intense speculation surrounding Pakistan’s squad announcement, a meeting was held involving chairman Zaka Ashraf, captain Babar Azam, vice-captain Shadab Khan, technical committee members Misbah-ul-Haq, and Mohammad Hafeez, as well as head coach Grant Bradburn and bowling coach Morne Morkel. While the specifics of the discussions were not disclosed, they occurred amidst a backdrop of intrigue regarding the timing and nature of the squad selection. Adding to the intrigue, Hafeez resigned from the technical committee just before the squad announcement.
Pakistan is set to kick off their World Cup 2023 campaign with a behind-closed-doors warm-up match against New Zealand on September 29, followed by another against Australia on October 3. Their first official tournament match is scheduled against the Netherlands on October 6 in Hyderabad.
The finalized Pakistan squad for the World Cup comprises the following players: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam (capt), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Agha Salman, Shadab Khan, Usama Mir, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jr, and Hasan Ali.
| No. | Player Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Fakhar Zaman |
| 2 | Imam-ul-Haq |
| 3 | Abdullah Shafique |
| 4 | Babar Azam (capt) |
| 5 | Mohammad Rizwan (wk) |
| 6 | Saud Shakeel |
| 7 | Iftikhar Ahmed |
| 8 | Agha Salman |
| 9 | Shadab Khan |
| 10 | Usama Mir |
| 11 | Mohammad Nawaz |
| 12 | Shaheen Shah Afridi |
| 13 | Haris Rauf |
| 14 | Mohammad Wasim Jr |
| 15 | Hasan Ali |
