Mohammad Wasim Not Happy With Asif Ali's Exclusion From The Pakistan Team

Northern head coach, Mohammad Wasim has questioned the omission of middle-order power-hitter, Asif Ali from the Pakistan limited-overs team for about a year.

Ali last played an international game for the men in green in a T20I in November last year against Australia. His last ODI inning came in the 2019 World Cup. The right-hander doesn’t have a great average but is known for his excellent strike rate and late finishing.

Asif Ali is one of the best power-hitter in the country: Mohammad Wasim

Ahead of Pakistan’s T20I series against New Zealand, Mohammad Wasim has opined that Asif Ali should be in the reckoning of the national team. He said that Asif’s strength is his power-hitting and believes that the 29-year-old is the best finisher in Pakistan. Wasim feels that Khushdil Shah is picked for that role; however, Asif is better than any other options Pakistan has.

Speaking to PakPassion, Mohammad Wasim said, “Asif’s game has always been about power-hitting and in that regard, he is the best option in Pakistan. In that category, you also have the likes of Khushdil Shah, but for me, Asif is one of the best power-hitters in Pakistan.”

The former cricketer reasoned out Asif’s inconsistency for him being ousted from the team. Wasim understands that the batsman needs to work and improve on a few aspects of his batting if he has to make a return in the national setup.

“It’s a pity that he hasn’t been that consistent because I know him and have seen him play well in domestic cricket and he even started off well in international cricket as well. Having said that, I do feel that he needs to improve on a few things and that is something I am working with him on at the moment as he plays red-ball cricket for us,” he added.

Currently, the Pakistan team led by Babar Azam is in New Zealand for two T20Is starting 18th December followed by two Test matches.

Also Read: 6 Members Of Pakistan Squad In New Zealand Test Positive For Covid-19