Pakistan batsman Ahmed Shehzad: “I don’t want special treatment. I just want honest treatment with me like other players”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Ahmed Shehzad, the Pakistan batsman, has pleaded for “honest treatment” and to be given the same respect as other players by the national selectors.
The 31-year-old was once a regular member of the Pakistan side, but his opportunities started to dry up and he last played international cricket in October 2019.
Shehzad has been trying to get back into the national team and knows he faces stiff competition. However, he wants the selectors to be transparent with him so that he knows where he stands in regard to his hopes of representing his country once again.
“I don’t want special treatment. I just want honest treatment with me like other players,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Shehzad was not picked for the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup, but has been in excellent form on the domestic circuit.
In the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, which is Pakistan’s first-class competition, he amassed 482 runs in six matches for Lahore Region Whites, which included two centuries and a fifty, at an average of 96.40.
As for the Pakistan Cup, he wasn’t able to maintain his momentum as he mustered 53 runs in four games at an average of 13.25.
The Pakistan team recently concluded their World Cup campaign, which saw them start with wins over the Netherlands and Sri Lanka before losing four in a row to India, Australia, Afghanistan and South Africa.
Despite bouncing back to beat Bangladesh and New Zealand, the men in green were unable to make it to the semi-finals.
In their final group stage game, Pakistan couldn’t finish on a high as they 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