Basit Ali: “Amir has a lot of experience but I haven’t kept him in my squad. If Haris Rauf is unfit, then the selection committee could opt for Amir”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan batsman Basit Ali said he wouldn’t pick veteran left-arm seamer Mohammad Amir in the squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Amir recently reversed his decision to retire from international cricket and made his comeback in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, where he took three wickets in four games at an average of 28.66 and an economy rate of 8.32.
The 32-year-old followed that up with two wickets in two T20Is against Ireland at an average of 38 and an economy rate of 9.50.
Even though Amir decided to play for Pakistan again, Basit insisted that he would leave him out of the T20 World Cup team.
However, he pointed out that if pace bowler Haris Rauf is deemed to be unfit for the tournament, then he would bring in Amir as his replacement.
Rauf hasn’t played any cricket since dislocating his shoulder while playing for the Lahore Qalandars in the 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL).
“Amir has a lot of experience but I haven’t kept him in my squad. If Haris Rauf is unfit, then the selection committee could opt for Amir,” Basit said on his YouTube channel as quoted by Cricket Pakistan.
Pakistan’s next assignment will see them play four T20Is against England from May 22 to May 30.
After this, they will be kickstart their T20 World campaign, with their first match being against the United States of America in Dallas on June 6.
Pakistan Squad for Ireland and England T20I Series: Babar Azam (capt), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan
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