In order to get Shaheen Shah Afridi back in time for the Asia Cup, the Pakistani squad is trying to manage his "long-term workload and health," according to captain Babar Azam.
At a news conference held prior to Pakistan's departure for the Netherlands, Babar stated, "We're taking a few of physicians on the way to take care of Shaheen." "We are considering his overall health and fitness. If he is healthy and prepared for the Asia Cup, we want him to participate in a match against the Netherlands. Our combo works well. The middle order in T20s handled difficulties well."
Hasan Ali's departure from the team creates an opportunity for less experienced fast bowlers to make a name for themselves in the Netherlands, especially as Babar thinks the circumstances will be comparable to what England puts up and thus likely favourable to fast bowlers. As part of the travelling team, Haris Rauf, Shahnawaz Dahani, Naseem Shah, and Mohammad Wasim are all anticipated to play significant roles in the three ODIs.
The choice of Pakistan's opening bowling tandem will be of special interest because, despite Afridi's dependable talent, Pakistan has struggled in ODIs in this area. At some point or another, Rauf, Dahani, and Wasim have all taken the new ball. Since the 2019 World Cup, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Amir, and Usman Shinwari have also done so. Apart from Afridi, Haris and Hasan have been given this duty the most frequently. They have the worst economy and strike rate with it. That will be a weakness Babar hopes to adequately address in Afridi's absence.
He declared, "Our quick bowling bench strength is fantastic." "I support Hasan Ali because he's a team player. Yes, he's not in form, but it's not like he has to prove anything. Domestic cricket is coming up. He'll play that and hopefully make a big comeback. This is how you extend your pool.
"11 cards are our trumps. Every one of them has the potential to win a game. Whether they are bowlers or batters, I believe in each and every one of them. The weather will probably be like it is in England. The temperature will drop. We rehearsed indoors with the air conditioning on; perhaps this better replicated the environment!
In addition, Shoaib Malik's rumoured return to the team ahead of the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup looked to be shot down by Babar, who emphasised the value of supporting the young players chosen to take his place.
"Following conversations with everyone, the team has been revealed. We had a meeting with the coach and top selector and decided what Pakistan needed most. There won't likely be time for modifications because there are matches right after Netherlands.
"Senior players leaving the team require replacements to pay close attention. Players like Asif Ali, Khushdil Shah, and Iftikhar must step up in Hafeez and Malik's absence because they were significant contributors who would be greatly missed. These players have performed well, and we want to give them a lot of games and confidence. Shadab Khan's batting will also be utilised because T20 cricket currently values batting depth highly.
"We won't only rest our senior players; we'll use a mix of senior and junior guys to play. We cannot lose because there are crucial Super League points at stake. The Netherlands will be my first visit as well. We'll face criticism if things go poorly when we field young players. Although not everyone may agree with our choices, we must act in Pakistan cricket's best interests."
Babar or any of his teammates may not have a need for anything or require an introduction in Pakistan, but the same cannot be said for other athletes who compete in sports other than cricket. Babar lavishly praised Pakistan's most accomplished athletes at the Commonwealth Games, when the nation won gold medals in both the weightlifting and javelin throwing competitions. He pleaded for more help for players in all sports, lamenting the "inadequate" facilities they had access to.
"I was very proud to see Noah Dastagir and Arshad Nadeem win gold medals. There's so much respect for how much hard work they put in. You cannot praise them enough. But you need to give them better facilities. I saw the conditions they were practicing in, and I think that was unacceptable. When you give the athletes better facilities, they'll win many more gold medals." He said while giving tribute to Pakistan athletes at CWG.
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