Shoaib Malik: “Smart decision by Lala Shahid Afridi to use Sarfaraz Ahmed in [the] Test playing 11. I would suggest [him] to use him in ODIs too as he is very handy in the middle overs, as the next white-ball World Cup is around the corner”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik wanted former interim chief selector Shahid Afridi to pick wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed in the ODI squad.
This came after Sarfaraz enjoyed a fabulous Test comeback in the two-match series against New Zealand, where he scored 335 runs, which included a century and three fifties, at an average of 83.75.
However, despite urging Afridi to select Sarfaraz, the 35-year-old was not included in Pakistan’s team for the three-match ODI series that followed.
Malik believes that Sarfaraz could actually be a handy middle order batsman for the men in green, especially with the 2023 50-over World Cup taking place in India this year.
“Smart decision by Lala Shahid Afridi to use Sarfaraz Ahmed in [the] Test playing 11. I would suggest [him] to use him in ODIs too as he is very handy in the middle overs, as the next white-ball World Cup is around the corner,” he said on Twitter.
Right now, Sarfaraz will be preparing to captain the Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which will be held from February 13 to March 19 in Karachi, Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi.
As for Malik, he will represent the Karachi Kings after being traded to them with Haider Ali from the Peshawar Zalmi in exchange for Pakistan captain Babar Azam.
The Kings will play the Zalmi on February 14, while the Gladiators will begin their PSL 8 campaign against the Multan Sultans on February 15.
Karachi Kings Squad for PSL 8:Â Haider Ali, Imran Tahir, Matthew Wade, Imad Wasim, James Fuller, James Vince, Andrew Tye, Mohammad Amir, Shoaib Malik, Aamer Yamin, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Akhlaq, Sharjeel Khan, Tayyab Tahir, Irfan Khan Niazi, Qasim Akram, Mohammad Umar and Tabraiz Shamsi, Ben Cutting, Musa Khan and Faisal Akram
Quetta Gladiators Squad for PSL 8:Â Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Wanindu Hasaranga, Iftikhar Ahmed, Jason Roy, Odean Smith, Ahsan Ali, Mohammad Hasnain, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Mohammad Zahid, Naveen-ul-Haq, Umar Akmal, Umaid Asif, Will Smeed, Aimal Khan, Abdul Wahid Bangalzai, Martin Guptill, Omair Bin Yousuf, Qais Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Dwaine Pretorius, Will Jacks and Nuwan Thushara