Mohammad Wasim: “A very special player”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan chief selector Mohammad Wasim believes opening batsman Abdullah Shafique is “a very special player” brimming with huge potential.
Shafique is Pakistan’s go-to opener in Test cricket as he has scored 1,220 runs in 14 matches, which includes four centuries and four fifties, at an average of 50.83.
Most recently, he was handed the chance to earn his spot in the ODI team during the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup.
The 23-year-old from Sialkot made the most of his opportunity as he amassed 336 runs in eight games, which included a century and three fifties, at an average of 42.
Having shown he is capable of shining on the biggest stage, Wasim feels the future is very bright for Shafique.
“A very special player,” he said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Pakistan won their first two World Cup matches against the Netherlands and Sri Lanka before falling to India, Australia, Afghanistan and South Africa.
They fought back to beat Bangladesh and New Zealand, but it was not enough to earn them a spot in the semi-finals.
In their last group stage game, the men in green lost to England by 93 runs.
Pakistan Squad for 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam (capt), Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Usama Mir, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Hasan Ali