Here’s Pakistan’s Best XI for 2022 T20 World Cup

With the 2022 T20 World Cup just over two weeks away, Pakistan national team management is still in a dilemma regarding the best line-up leading up to the mega-event.

The Green Shirts have a settled opening partnership and a fiery bowling attack but the middle order has been a long-standing issue. The middle-order woes became apparent during the recently concluded 2022 Asia Cup and the Men in Green were also unable to resolve the issue during the seven-match T20I series against England.

Let’s have a look at what could possibly be the best line-up for Pakistan as they aim to win their second T20 World Cup title.

1. Babar Azam (c)

Babar Azam has been one of the star performers in T20I cricket at the top of the order. While there have been some questions raised regarding his low strike rate as an opener, there is no doubt about his quality as a batter and it would not be a surprise to see him amongst the top run-scorers at the end of the tournament.

2. Mohammad Rizwan (wk)

The number one T20I player in the world, Mohammad Rizwan, has been in a sublime run of form over the past couple of years. His consistency at the top of the order and understanding with his fellow opener, Babar Azam, has been a treat to watch for the Pakistani fans. Again, there have been questions about his low strike rate but with flat tracks on offer in Australia, Rizwan has the ability to further enhance his game.

3. Fakhar Zaman

Fakhar Zaman is the surprise entrant into this line-up as he is not originally included in the 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup. Fakhar, however, is enlisted as a reserve player in the squad, and owing to the horrible run of form of Khushdil Shah, it is expected that Fakhar will be called up to the squad. While Fakhar himself has not been in a consistent run of form but he still offers a lot of strength to Pakistan’s otherwise fragile middle order.

The 32-year-old is said to have fully recovered from his injury and would prove to be a vital cog in the Men in Green’s batting unit.

4. Iftikhar Ahmed

The experienced all-rounder, Iftikhar Ahmed, has showcased his glimpses with the bat over the course of the past year. His consistency at the top level has been a worrisome sign but on his day Iftikhar can prove to be a handful with both bat and ball. Iftikhar’s ability to hold down the innings and hit when required makes him an important part of the setup. His batting position can be switched according to the situation of the game.

5. Shadab Khan (vc)

Pakistan’s superstar all-rounder, Shadab Khan, has turned out to be one of the most consistent performers recently. His accurate leg spin has been a game-changer for the Men in Green but his batting ability has not been fully utilized by the national team management. Shadab’s exceptional ability to get off to a fast start and play spin makes him a real asset with the bat. Shadab should be used as a proper batter and his position in the batting unit can be altered judging by the game situation.

Shadab can bat anywhere from the fourth to the seventh spot.

6. Mohammad Nawaz

Shadab’s partner in crime, Mohammad Nawaz can also play the exact same role as Shadab, which offers a lot of flexibility to the batting unit. Nawaz’s ability to deal with the back-of-the-length delivery and also spin bowling makes him an important part of the batting line-up. Another advantage of Nawaz is that he is left-handed which could be utilized by the management to disrupt the opposition’s bowling rhythm.

The 28-year-old can also play anywhere from the fourth to seventh spot.

7. Asif Ali

Asif Ali’s consistency with the bat has been questioned in the cricketing fraternity but there is no doubt about his six-hitting and match-winning ability. Asif’s role in the team is simple, that is to hit maximums and help the team post better-than-expected scores. His batting position can be varied according to the situation of the match as he should only be sent into bat at the latter part of the innings.

The 31-year-old is a vital player in Pakistan’s T20I team.

8. Mohammad Wasim Jr.

We have opted for Mohammad Wasim Jr. in the line-up as he provides the right balance to the side. His pace bowling and lower-order hitting ability make him a versatile player who could be useful in Australian conditions. The inclusion of Wasim Jr. also provides an opportunity to play four pacers and given the bouncy pitches in the region, this could prove to be a crucial pick.

9. Shaheen Afridi

The Pakistani cricket fans are desperately waiting for their star pacer, Shaheen Afridi, to recover from his knee injury and come back to the national setup. Shaheen’s absence was dearly felt by Pakistan in the 2022 Asia Cup and his return in the 2022 T20 World Cup could provide the impetus to the national side to make it to the final four of the mega-event.

10. Haris Rauf

Haris Rauf has been the spearhead of the bowling unit in the absence of Shaheen Afridi. Rauf is regarded as one of the best T20 pacers and probably the best death bowler in the world. His experience in the Big Bash League (BBL) will also help him in Australian conditions and it would not be a surprise to see him amongst the leading wicket-takers of the tournament.

11. Naseem Shah

Yet another speed demon, Naseem Shah rounds off the bowling attack perfectly. Having made his T20I debut recently in the Asia Cup, Naseem has quickly established himself as a must-have in the national side. His deadly opening partnership with Shaheen forms perhaps the best pace bowling attack in the world.

Here is the line-up:

1.	Babar Azam (c)
2.	Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
3.	Fakhar Zaman
4.	Iftikhar Ahmed
5.	Shadab Khan (vc)
6.	Mohammad Nawaz
7.	Asif Ali
8.	Mohammad Wasim Jr.
9.	Shaheen Afridi
10.	Haris Rauf
11.	Naseem Shah
Sub	Haider Ali
Sub	Shan Masood
Sub	Mohammad Hasnain
Sub	Usman Qadir

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What changes would you make to this line-up? Give your suggestions below!