'This looks like a very serious team' - Shoaib Akhtar on Pakistan's revised T20 World Cup squad

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced a revised 15-member squad on Friday for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to begin on October 17. The selectors have brought in the experienced duo in Sarfaraz Ahmed and Fakhar Zaman, and have also included a youngster in the form of Haider Ali. The trio have replaced Azam Khan, Mohammad Hasnain, and Khushdil Shah respectively.

PCB originally announced its squad on September 4 with some notable exclusions like Shoaib Malik, Zaman, and Ahmed. Few of the former players came hard down at the team and criticized the selectors for excluding the seasoned performers and going for the youth instead. Now with the inclusion of Zaman and Ahmed, Pakistan have gone back to experience for the global event.

Cricketer-turned-expert Shoaib Akhtar is mighty impressed with the new additions in the squad and feels the team should now be able to make a mark in the T20 World Cup. “Sarfaraz Ahmed is selected in place of Shoaib Malik, which is okay but not as appropriate. Haider Ali has been preferred in the middle order. Azam Khan has been dropped and Sarfaraz has replaced him. One keeper is dropped and another has come. There is also stability given in the middle order by bringing Sarfaraz,” Akhtar said on a video posted on his official Twitter account.

This looks like a very serious squad, says Shoaib Akhtar

The former Pakistan pace bowler further opined that Shoaib Malik should have been in the squad for the global event. Nonetheless, he concluded by saying that the team now looks great and should do well under Babar Azam’s leadership.

“Big news from the squad is Azam Khan is dropped. I think the team now looks great but I would have still liked to have Malik in the team. Now, this looks like a very serious squad, and Pakistan should be able to make a mark during the World Cup”.

Earlier, the cricketer-turned-expert Akhtar wanted four changes in the team and was keen to have players such as Sharjeel Khan and Shoaib Malik in the 15-member squad.

Here’s Pakistan’s updated squad for T20 World Cup

Squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sohaib Maqsood.

Traveling reserves: Khushdil Shah, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir