Wahab Riaz: “We have Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf but the other three spots are still available”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan left-arm fast bowler Wahab Riaz said two spots in the national team’s pace attack already belong to Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf.
While the duo are undroppable due to the fact they have performed well and taken wickets regularly, Wahab feels that there are still three spots up for grabs.
Even though there are a number of talented seamers, it remains to be seen which of them excel consistently and impress the selectors.
“We have Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf but the other three spots are still available,” Wahab, who was recently appointed Punjab Sports Minister, told Samaa News as quoted by Cricket Pakistan.
The 37-year-old is now representing the Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), while Afridi and Rauf are playing for the Lahore Qalandars.
Wahab has taken four wickets in five matches at an average of 45.25 and an economy rate of 9.52.
Afridi is currently the second-highest wicket-taker with 10 wickets in five matches at an average of 15 and an economy rate of 8.33.
As for Rauf, he has picked up four wickets in five games at an average of 42 and an economy rate of 9.88.
Peshawar Zalmi Squad for PSL 8: Babar Azam, Sherfane Rutherford, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Haris, Aamir Jamal, Salman Irshad, Tom-Kohler Cadmore, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Rovman Powell, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Danish Aziz, Arshad Iqbal, Saim Ayub, Usman Qadir, Suifyan Muqeem, Haseebullah, Jimmy Neesham, Khurram Shahzad, Haris Sohail, Richard Gleeson (partial replacement for Rovman Powell), Peter Hatzoglou (partial replacement for Mujeeb ur Rahman), Shakib Al Hasan (available for playoffs), Azmatullah Omarzai
Lahore Qalandars Squad for PSL 8: Rashid Khan, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, David Wiese, Abdullah Shafique, Kamran Ghulam, Zaman Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Hussain Talat, Sikandar Raza, Liam Dawson, Dilbar Hussain, Mirza Tahir Baig, Ahmed Danlyal, Shawaiz Irfan, Jalat Khan, Ahsan Bhatti, Sam Billings (partial replacement for Rashid Khan), Shane Dadswell (replacement for Harry Brook), Shai Hope (replacement for Kusal Mendis)