'Usama Mir Is The Guy For Them': England Great Urges Pakistan To Drop Shadab Khan From Playing XI For World Cup

Published - 04 Oct 2023, 03:17 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:19 AM

Shadab Khan
Shadab Khan [PC: PCB]

With Shadab Khan constantly failing to do well with the ball, the Pakistan team management faces a big call ahead of their World Cup opener. Not very long ago, the leg-spinner was an indispensable part of the playing eleven but question marks are now being raised on his spot.

The reason is his failure to take wickets in recent times. In the spin-friendly conditions in Sri Lanka where most of the spinners managed to make a big impact, Shadab Khan had a disappointing campaign last month during the Asia Cup.

He began his campaign with a 4-wicket haul against Nepal before going wicketless against India and Bangladesh. In the Super 4 game against India, he conceded 71 runs in 10 overs and managed one wicket. In the do-or-die match against Pakistan, the Pakistan vice-captain conceded 55 runs in 9 overs and took 1 wicket.

Mark Butcher on Shadab Khan vs Usama Mir debate:

After the poor performances in the Asia Cup, there were calls from several quarters to drop him from the team but the selectors have showed faith in him for the ODI World Cup. But the team management must be worried about their spin spearhead after his poor performance against Australia in the warm-up game on Tuesday (October 3).

In 10 overs, he conceded 69 runs and managed to pick up only one wicket. The poor performance has once again triggered a debate on Shadab Khan’s spot in the playing eleven. There are calls to drop him and include Usama Mir in the team who has picked up four wickets in the warm-up games.

And while only time will tell how Pakistan line up in their World Cup opener, former England cricketer Mark Butcher has also shared his views on the Shadab Khan vs Usama Mir debate. Throwing his support behind Mir, Butcher suggested that the leg-spinner could prove to be Pakistan’s X-factor in the 2023 World Cup.

“Usama Mir is the guy for them. Watching him during the PSL in February and March, and then he had a really good Hundred for the Manchester Originals with the bat and with the ball. Shadab’s been bowling kind of hit-me [deliveries] for a long, long time now. Really just lost all of his bite and it just seems to go out of the park every time he lets it go,” Mark Butcher was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.

“I think they might have to be a little smart here. I’d play Mohammad Nawaz here with Usama Mir if they are going to go with double spin,” he further added.

Pakistan are scheduled to open their World Cup campaign on Friday (October 6) against the Netherlands in Hyderabad.

Tagged:

ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 ICC ODI World Cup 2023 ICC World Cup 2023 Mark Butcher Pakistan National Cricket Team Shadab Khan Usama Mir
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