Saeed Ajmal: “He can play at a strike rate of 140, even if he is coming at number seven”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Saeed Ajmal believes spin-bowling all-rounder Imad Wasim can slot into the number seven spot in Pakistan’s ODI team and bat while maintaining a strike-rate of 140.
Imad is capable of hitting big and scoring quick runs, which was evident during the 2023 Pakistan Super League (PSL), where he captained the Karachi Kings.
In the 10 matches he played, he amassed 404 runs, which included three fifties, at an average of 134.66 and a strike-rate of 170.46.
He also finished with nine wickets to his name at an average of 28.22 and an economy rate of 7.93.
Imad then proceeded to make 95 runs in the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, which included a top score of 64 not out, at an average of 47.50 and a strike-rate of 98.95.
The 34-year-old also took two wickets at an average of 20.50 and an economy rate of 5.12.
In the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, most of his damage was done with the ball as he snapped up eight wickets at an average of 10.37 and an economy rate of 5.92.
Imad hasn’t played ODI cricket since November 2020, but Ajmal feels that Pakistan are missing a trick by not including him in the team and utilising him lower down the order.
“He can play at a strike rate of 140, even if he is coming at number seven,” the legendary spinner from Faisalabad told Cricket Pakistan.
Pakistan recently defeated Sri Lanka 2-0 in their Test series and will now face Afghanistan in a three-match ODI series, which will be held in Sri Lanka from August 22 to 26.
After that, they will take part in the Asia Cup, which will be played in Pakistan and Sri Lanka from August 30 to September 17.
Pakistan Squad for Afghanistan ODI Series and 2023 Asia Cup:Â Babar Azam (capt), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Saud Shakeel (Afghanistan series only), Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Tayyab Tahir, Mohammad Haris (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr