‘Don't have time to do experiments’ - Imam-ul-Haq on Pakistan building final squad ahead of ODI World Cup

With the all-important ODI World Cup approaching, all teams will be eyeing to put up their best squad. Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq opined on the side obtaining a core team for the forthcoming championship tournament, considering that the Men in Green have only a few games left in the bilateral series against New Zealand. 

As things stand, Babar Azam-led Pakistan have taken an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match ODI series to clinch the series. However, Imam expressed that the Men in Green will need to keep momentum at their end and cannot be complacent as there are only two matches left in the ODI series. Moreover, he also added that it would be too late to tinker with the squad and begin ideating plans to obtain a core unit for the mega ODI event in India in October. 

"We don't have time to do experiments. We have only two games left (against New Zealand) and it's really very important to go into a bigger tournament, you have to be settled as much as you can with your main players. We have less cricket and I don't think we have enough time to find a workaround,” Imam was quoted as saying by the ICC.

You find yourself under pressure playing for Pakistan: Imam

Imam was also not convinced with the side playing Iftikhar Ahmed or Mohammad Haris as power-hitters in the middle-overs. He added that with the likes of Agha Salman, Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz, the side has options to field but the management will need to back them to give confidence.

"With Agha (Salman), Shadab (Khan), and (Mohammad) Nawaz, we have enough power-hitting to improvise. It's just a matter of giving them confidence. When you play for Pakistan, you find yourself under pressure in every situation and coming out of it is something that defines you,” added Imam.

Notably, Imam won the Player of the Match award in the third ODI as he notched up 90 off 107 balls in Pakistan’s win. Prior to the ODI World Cup, Pakistan will engage in a three-match ODI series against Afghanistan in August as per the Future Tours Programme.

Following the conclusion of the series, the Men in Green are also to host the Asia Cup 2023. However, with the ongoing controversy regarding the venue of the event, it remains to be seen what transpires.