Shoaib Akhtar Unsure About Pakistan Team Management's Thinking Behind The Squad Selection Ahead Of Test Series Against England

Shoaib Akhtar, former Pakistan fast bowler, has raised questions on the team-management over their squad selection for the upcoming three-match Test series against England.

Pakistan recently announced a 20-man squad for the Test series against Joe Root’s men, one that will signal their return to international cricket after the Covid-19 enforced halt in proceedings.

The first Test of the three-match series will place at the Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester from August 05. Pakistan has selected as many as eight fast bowlers – Wahab Riaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Usman Shinwari, Sohai Khan, Imran Khan Jr, Faheem Ashraf- in their 22-man squad.

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‘So far as we know right now, nothing’- Shoaib Akhtar on Pakistan’s probable team combination in the 1st Test

Taking a dig at the number of pace bowlers that the Misbah Ul Haq-led team management has selected for the Test series, Shoaib Akhtar said that he would like to see skipper Azhar Ali’s mindset when he picks the XI for the 1st Test. He, however, refused to predict the playing XI.

“That we don’t know. They have announced a 20-member squad. In that twenty, there are around 22 fast bowlers. Let us see whom they select. Depends on the captain and the management, with which mindset they go in,” Shoaib Akhtar said on Geo Cricket.

“What they want and how the pitch is? How the management sees the whole scenario. Zero idea what they are going to do. When the team list comes, you will come to know the exact mindset they are going in with. So far as we know right now, nothing,” he added.

Pakistan has drawn each of their last two-Test series in England [2-2 in 2016 and 1-1 in 2018] but considering England’s recent form and lack of proper game time, it could prove to be a challenging series for Azhar Ali’s men.

 

Pakistan squad for the three-match Test series against England;

Azhar Ali (c), Babar Azam, Abid Ali, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood, Sohail Khan, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz, Yasir Shah, Asad Shafiq, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Imam-ul-Haq, Imran Khan Sr, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk)