Shoaib Malik: “Saud Shakeel is there, he can bowl [but] you don’t give him the ball”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik believes that the men in green should let part-time left-arm spinner Saud Shakeel bowl and see what he is able to do.
Shakeel is a middle order batsman who has secured his place in the Test squad for the foreseeable future.
He was also solid during the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup as he amassed 241 runs in nine matches, which included two fifties, at an average of 34.42.
Since Pakistan’s regular spinners, which include Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz and Usama Mir, have not been very effective as of late, Malik wants the team to think outside the box and give Shakeel a go.
“Saud Shakeel is there, he can bowl [but] you don’t give him the ball,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Pakistan triumphed in their first two games against the Netherlands and Sri Lanka before succumbing to successive defeats at the hands of India, Australia, Afghanistan and South Africa.
Despite bouncing back to take down Bangladesh and New Zealand, it was not enough to earn them a spot in the semi-finals.
The men in green failed to end their campaign on a high as they lost their last group stage match against England by 93 runs.
Shakeel will now play for Pakistan in their three-match Test series against Australia, which will start on December 14 in Perth.
Pakistan Squad for Australia Test Series: Shan Masood (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi
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