Salman Butt: “I think Akif Javed should have been picked because none of the fast bowlers selected for Pakistan are 100% fit. I think he was someone who was bowling fast, taking wickets, and had good line and length, so he should have been considered”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt believes pace bowler Akif Javed should have been picked for the ongoing three-Test series against England as he is “bowling fast” and “taking wickets”.
Salman added that with none of Pakistan’s main seamers being fully fit, Akif should have earned a call-up to the national team, especially since he is capable of maintaining a “good line and length”.
The 24-year-old has played 23 first-class matches to date and taken 52 wickets at an average of 43.53.
That said, he has been performing well in domestic cricket lately as he took seven wickets in five matches for the Markhors in the Champions One-Day Cup at an average of 22.
The Kohat native then proceeded to play one match for the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) in the President’s Cup Grade-I (1-Day) competition, but went wicketless.
“I think Akif Javed should have been picked because none of the fast bowlers selected for Pakistan are 100% fit. I think he was someone who was bowling fast, taking wickets, and had good line and length, so he should have been considered,” Salman was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Prior to the England series, Pakistan took on Bangladesh in a two-Test series and lost 2-0.
Their ongoing series against England is tied 1-1 heading into the third Test, which starts on October 24 in Rawalpindi.
Pakistan Squad for 2nd and 3rd Tests against England: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Haseebullah Khan (wicketkeeper), Kamran Ghulam, Mehran Mumtaz, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Hurraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Zahid Mahmood.
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