ICC T20 World Cup 2022: Aap Dekh Lijiye Sabke Stats Nikalke - Former Pakistan Skipper Salman Butt On Pakistan's Selection For World Cup Tournaments

For the first time in 17 years, Pakistan is hosting a seven-match T20 series against England. England beat Pakistan in the sixth T20I by 8 wickets with 33 balls to spare at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Friday, September 30 and levelled the series at 3-3.

Pakistan will start their T20 World Cup campaign against archrival India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Melbourne on the 23rd of October. Former cricketers have criticized Pakistan’s T20 World Cup squad.

Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt stated that there are times when selectors do not know the ability of players before the big tournaments. He said that Shahzaib Hasan was fast-tracked into the Pakistan squad ahead of the 2009 T20 World Cup and Pakistan won the tournament, but Hasan hasn’t played well.

Selectors Were Asking ‘Yaar Shahzaib Ko Kisine Dekha Hai Khelte Hue’ – Salman Butt

“I don’t want to make a controversy but there are some facts. Shahzaib Hassan had been taken into the squad. His was the biggest jump, so big that at the time the team was in Dubai and so were the selectors. They were actually asking, ‘Yaar Shahzaib ko kisine dekha hai khelte hue (Has anyone seen Shahzaib play)?” said Butt on ARY News.

Pakistan’s legendary leg-spinner Abdul Qadir resigned as chief selector in 2009,  after being in the job for barely six months.

“Abdul Qadir sahab had resigned, why had he done that? Just go back and check. God knows exactly who it is that puts the players in the squad. I am not saying that neither the selectors nor the captain or coach takes the players. Someone does but no one comes in front,” he said.

When asked if he feels there are players like that in the Pakistan squad for the 2022 World Cup, Butt said that “Aap dekh lijiye sabke stats nikalke (Just take out their stats and see)

Butt said that top-order batsman Shaun Masood should have been included in the T20 team long ago. Masood, who will captain Yorkshire in county cricket in 2023, has played only six T20s in his career.

“I have been saying since the past one year that there should be a proper batter after the openers. Even when he did play, he was played in a position that had never trained in his life but even then he gave the result.

“I actually feel that he can negate the pace and bounce of Australia much better than some of our current players whose job is to just hit. When will we start using these players intelligently,” Butt added.

Also read: PAK vs ENG: Practice Karte Ho Toh Imply Kyun Nahi Karte? – Wasim Akram Asks Mohammad Yousuf On Pakistan’s Batting