The preparations for the 2022 T20 World Cup are well underway as some top international teams have started to announce their squads for the mega-event over the past few days. The deadline for squad announcement is 16 September and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is also expected to announce its squad over the next few days.
The Men in Green recently succumbed to an embarrassing loss in the final of the 2022 Asia Cup at the hands of Sri Lanka which truly showcased the flaws in the line-up. It is expected that a few changes will be made to the squad ahead of the mega-event with some out-of-form players being replaced with top performers in the domestic circuit.
Furthermore, Pakistan’s express pacer, Shaheen Afridi, is also expected to make a comeback after suffering a knee injury over a month ago which will further boost an already tremendous fast bowling line-up.
Here’s what we think how Pakistan’s 15-man squad for the 2022 T20 World Cup should look like:
All-format captain, Babar Azam will be the opener of the side despite his recent failures in the shortest format of the game. Babar has been one of the most consistent performers in world cricket over the past few years and Pakistan will be banking on the star batter to come good in Australia.
The world’s number one T20I batter, Mohammad Rizwan, has been in sensational form in 20-over cricket in the past year. He has received some criticism over his slow strike rate at the top of the order but he will be a shoo-in as the opener in the side.
Pakistan’s white-ball vice-captain, Shadab Khan, is one of the most important players in the squad. His all-round ability makes him one of the first names on the team sheet. Shadab’s versatile batting style makes him a real asset in the batting unit as well.
Pakistan’s explosive lower-order batter, Asif Ali, is one of the mainstays in the squad due to his match-winning ability. While Asif might not score heavily, his ability to score quick runs and hit sixes at will makes him an important cog in the side.
Pakistan is blessed to have two all-rounders who can bat anywhere in the middle order. Mohammad Nawaz has been in outstanding form recently, both with bat and ball, and just like Shadab, he should be one of the first names on the list of players traveling to Australia.
Now, this is where it gets exciting, the fast bowling battery of the Men in Green. The leader of the pack, Shaheen Afridi, is expected to complete his injury rehab in time and get on the plane to Australia. The express pacer will be a handful on bouncy tracks down under.
Shaheen’s partner-in-crime, Haris Rauf has stepped up big time in the absence of Shaheen. Rauf was sensational in the recently concluded 2022 Asia Cup and will look to continue his fine form in the mega-event. Haris’ ability to bowl with the new ball and at the death makes him one of the best T20 pacers in world cricket.
Ace young pacer, Naseem Shah, made a dream T20I debut for Pakistan in the 2022 Asia Cup. Naseem’s speed along with his swing makes him a lethal weapon with the new ball and watching him bowl alongside Shaheen in the first spell will be a treat to watch for fans across the globe.
Shahnawaz Dahani was impressive in the Asia Cup before being ruled out of action due to an injury. Dahani should be the fourth pacer in the squad as he provides something different compared to the other three pacers above. Dahani generates pace off the pitch and his ball skids rather than coming onto the bat which makes him a real threat.
There is a place for another pacer in the squad and it was a toss-up between Mohammad Wasim Jnr. and Mohammad Hasnain. Wasim Jnr.’s lower-order hitting ability is what gives him an edge over Hasnain, who is also not a very good fielder.
Usman Qadir would be our choice for the backup spinner in the squad. Qadir’s amazing variations make him a decent option as Shadab Khan’s replacement as compared to the other available spinners in the domestic set-up. Qadir does need to work on his line and length but nevertheless, he is the best available option at the moment. He has also played plenty of cricket in Australia which he can use to his advantage if given the chance.
This is where things heat up as middle-order woes have left the team in a dilemma. With four batting places to fill, Pakistan will need to be very clever in its approach while selecting them. Here are our four choices for the batting unit.
Haider Ali would be our first pick for the middle-order due to his ability to play at a high strike rate. The talented young batter possesses a wide range of strokes and true bonce pitches in Australia would suit his strokeplay as well. Haider’s ability to up the tempo would provide a real impetus to Pakistan’s batting unit.
Shan Masood is one of the most in-form batters in world cricket. The left-hander has been in sublime form in all three formats of the game and has been especially impressive in the shorter formats. He has re-invented his game and is now batting at the fourth spot in the ongoing National T20 Cup. Shan has the ability to play at any position and his natural strokeplay would come in handy on fast Australian pitches.
Khushdil Shah disappointed in the recently concluded 2022 Asia Cup. He was not amongst the runs and looked short of confidence which resulted in poor displays throughout the tournament, barring one match against Hong Kong. We would still keep him in the team due to his ability to hit big and he could be a useful player if required to come in.
Our last pick for this team would be the talented wicket-keeper batter, Azam Khan. Azam’s natural ability to hit big makes him a real asset in T20 cricket. While there are question marks regarding his fitness, his pros outweigh his cons.
Azam Khan is regarded as one of the finest hitters against spin in the world while his ability to smash the pacers is equally impressive. He would be our pick as a back-up to Rizwan and could even play alongside Rizwan, with the latter handing over the gloves to him.
Here is our 15-man squad:
| Babar Azam (c) | Mohammad Rizwan (wk) | Shadab Khan (vc) | Asif Ali | Mohammad Nawaz |
| Shaheen Afridi | Haris Rauf | Naseem Shah | Shahnawaz Dahani | Mohammad Wasim Jnr. |
| Usman Qadir | Haider Ali | Shan Masood | Khushdil Shah | Azam Khan |
Mohammad Hasnain, Iftikhar Ahmed, Sharjeel Khan, and Shoaib Malik were all considered for different positions, however, the team combination doesn’t allow to include them. They will surely be on the selectors’ radar and it would be interesting to see how the final squad stacks up.
What changes would you make to this squad? Write your suggestions in the comments!
