Imad Wasim: “I think it is important to include Fakhar Zaman in the Pakistan team”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan left-arm spinner has urged the selectors not to drop opening batsman Fakhar Zaman, saying “it is important to include” him in the team.
Zaman’s form has been a major talking point over the past couple of months as he hasn’t been scoring runs consistently.
During the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup, the 33-year-old was dropped after the opening game against the Netherlands.
He subsequently missed the next five matches before being added back into the playing XI at the expense of fellow opener Imam-ul-Haq, who has also struggled with the bat.
Having been gifted a second chance, Zaman made the most of it as he returned with a vengeance, smashing 81 and 126 not out against Bangladesh and New Zealand respectively.
Given the extraordinary power-hitting he displayed in both those games, Imad believes it would be a mistake to axe the Mardan native from the Pakistan team.
“I think it is important to include Fakhar Zaman in the Pakistan team,” he told Geo News.
Pakistan started off by beating the Netherlands and Sri Lanka before losing four straight against India, Australia, Afghanistan and South Africa.
Despite fighting back to defeat Bangladesh and New Zealand, the men in green failed to progress to the semi-finals.
Pakistan’s World Cup campaign ended in disappointing fashion as England thumped them 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