Ramiz Raja: “Abrar Ahmed can be included [in the playing XI]”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja wants mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed to be included in the playing XI.
Currently, Shadab Khan and Imad Wasim are Pakistan’s go-to spinners in T20Is, but with Shadab not having taken any wickets since April 2024, Ramiz feels it’s time to try out a different option.
Abrar, 25, made his T20I debut in Pakistan’s five-match T20I series against New Zealand in April and took two wickets in three games at an average of 23 and an economy rate of 5.75.
“Abrar Ahmed can be included [in the playing XI],” Ramiz said on his YouTube channel as quoted by Geo Super.
Abrar didn’t feature in the 2024 T20 World Cup, while Shadab went wicketless in four games and didn’t even bowl in Pakistan’s matches against India and Canada.
As for Imad, he picked up three wickets in three games at an average of 14.66 and an economy rate of four.
Pakistan began their campaign with successive losses to the United States of America and India before fighting back to defeat Canada and Ireland.
Even though they ended the group stage on a high, it was not enough to get them through to the Super Eights.
Pakistan Squad for 2024 T20 World Cup: Babar Azam (capt), Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Azam Khan (wk), Usman Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Abbas Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed