T20 World Cup 2021: Salman Butt Questions India's Decision To Leave Mohammad Siraj Out Of Squad

Former Pakistan player Salman Butt was astounded as to why Team India’s selectors decided to leave pacer, Mohammad Siraj out of the squad for the T20 World Cup. Siraj had the best economy rate in the IPL 2021 season, giving away runs at just 6.79 rpo.

Last night, the Indian team was decimated by the Kiwis, led brilliantly by Kane Williamson. The second loss has meant that the Men in Blue still have a mathematical chance to make it to the semifinals, but practically, it’s over for them. Butt felt that the bowling attack was quite poor, and this was one of the reasons why the team lost.

“I think India didn’t select their best combination. How can you not select a player with the best economy rate in the IPL? And the fastest bowling speed in terms of the England series? Yes, Siraj. Then you have many fast bowlers.“

“There should have been some surprising pace element in the team. When the opposition knows that there’s no bowler who can bowl over 145kph, or threaten with bouncers and yorkers then your bowling can’t create the wicket-taking impact. You are not going to make people think twice before they attack you because the pace isn’t there,” Butt said in a video on his YouTube channel.

India should have bowled and set their fields like Test matches – Salman Butt

Salman Butt further mentioned that the total put up by the batsmen was impossible to defend, especially against a strong Kiwi squad. For low-scoring matches like these, aside needs specialist wicket-taking bowlers that India lacks other than Jasprit Bumrah.

“How many times have we seen such bowling sets defend low totals? It’s difficult unless you have specialist wicket-takers in there. When there’s a low total, [opposition] batters will have to make a lot of mistakes, you can’t induce them easily. Today India should have bowled and set their fields like Test matches but this bowling isn’t suited to that,” Butt added.

India put up a woeful target of 110/7 in their 20 overs, which was chased down in the 15th over by New Zealand.

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