Basit Ali reveals his all-time greatest Pakistan XI, leaves out Babar Azam, Shoaib Akhtar

Pakistan’s cricketing history is rich with legends who have left an indelible mark on the game. When reflecting on the finest players to have graced the field for Pakistan, a few names come to the fore, and now Basit Ali unveiled his all-time greatest playing XI.

Majid Khan topped Ali's list as the finest Test batter he has witnessed from Pakistan. Known for his exceptional skill, “Majestic Khan” has a rare feat to his name of scoring a century before lunch. He also recalled “Great Khan’s” memorable partnership with Zaheer Abbas, dubbed the "Asian Bradman," during a World Cup semi-final, which Pakistan narrowly lost.

Basit Ali’s Greatest Pakistan XI features legends from Javed Miandad to Wasim Akram

Next on the list was another great Saeed Anwar, whose elegance and top-class performances made him an iconic player of his era. Anwar’s name was synonymous with elegance and flair, and his style was a blend of grace and power. Basit said on his YouTube channel: “Number two, my buddy, who helped me in changing my life, Saeed Anwar. Top-class player. Elegant player. What a player. Nowadays, I don't know; no one has seen him playing. What a player.”

Ali picked Zaheer Abbas at number three while comparing him to India’s Virat Kohli for his role in this position. He mentioned that Abbas delivered many memorable performances for Pakistan, including scoring two double-centuries in England.

He said that Abbas’ influence extended beyond the field, offering guidance to players like Mohammad Azharuddin of India and proving his legacy. The former coach noted: “He gave a lot of tips to Azhar Bhai. People used to say Azhar Bhai plays like Asian Bradman. Very risky player. I saw him in the end. I saw him in the 80s in the India-Pakistan series. When he tied the handkerchief and scored 200, he was a top-class player.”

Ali assigned the number four position to Javed Miandad while recalling his iconic last-ball six in Sharjah and his crucial contribution to Pakistan's 1992 World Cup victory. Younis Khan, who has the record of amassing over 10,000 Test runs, earned the number five spot in Basit’s all-time greatest playing XI.

Praising Younis’ relentless dedication and exceptional run-scoring ability, the former Pakistan selector hailed the former captain as the best beast, who scored “a lot of runs with his hard work," saying “there was no comparison and no one scored 10,000 runs” in Tests in Pakistan.

There's no other bowler like him, and there won't be another: Basit on Wasim Akram

Inzamam-ul-Haq, known for his devastating batting, was one of the most dangerous batters of his era, and Ali picked the former chief selector at the number six, praising his unmatched skill in handling fast bowlers. He also mentioned Mohammad Yousuf as another outstanding batter but preferred Inzamam due to his personal experiences of batting with him.

Basit picked the legendary all-rounder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan as his number seven, emphasizing his role as the 1992 World Cup-winning captain. The former batter further noted: “My number eight is Wasim Akram, who is Pakistan’s Sachin Tendulkar. There's no other bowler like him, and there won't be another. The current left-arm bowlers are all kids.”

On the other hand, Ali picked Sarfaraz Ahmed for the wicketkeeper’s role but mentioned Kamran Akmal as one option as well. He said that Rashid Latif is Pakistan’s best wicketkeeper-batter, but Sarfaraz's batting brilliance earned him the keeper’s spot at number nine in his all-time greatest playing XI.

Basit’s bowling department also featured Abdul Qadir’s leg-spin magic at number ten. Basit Ali was confused for the 11th player in his team so he went on to name Mohammad Asif and Waqar Younis as 2. Ali rounded off his list with Saqlain Mushtaq, labeling him as Pakistan’s greatest off-spinner, as the twelfth man.

Here's Basit Ali's all-time greatest Pakistan XI:

Majid Khan, Saeed Anwar, Zaheer Abbas, Javed Miandad, Younis Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Abdul Qadir, Mohammad Asif/Waqar Younis. 12th Player: Saqlain Mushtaq