Ahmed Shehzad: “And where are you willing to adjust Saud Shakeel? Another one [who] came directly into the Champions Trophy squad”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan cricketer Ahmed Shehzad has questioned where batsman Saud Shakeel will bat after he was recently included in the ODI team.
Shakeel has mostly been utilised in Test cricket as of late, but was surprisingly selected for the recent ODI tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa, and the 2025 Champions Trophy.
In the ODI tri-series, he batted at number three and made 23 runs in two matches at an average of 11.50.
As for the Champions Trophy, he opened the batting in the first game against New Zealand before coming in at number three against India.
Overall, Shakeel finished with 68 runs in two matches, which included a top score of 62, at an average of 34.
With Shakeel having moved up and down the batting order, Shehzad questioned whether the selectors had a plan for him when they decided to pick him.
“And where are you willing to adjust Saud Shakeel? Another one [who] came directly into the Champions Trophy squad,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Pakistan are now facing New Zealand in a limited overs series, but Shakeel was not included in both the T20I and ODI squads.
The men in green are 3-1 down in the T20I series going into the 5th T20I on March 26 in Wellington.
Following the T20Is, the ODI series will get underway on March 29 in Napier.
Pakistan Squad for T20I Series against New Zealand: Hasan Nawaz, Omair Yousuf, Mohammad Haris, Abdul Samad, Salman Ali Agha (captain), Irfan Khan Niazi, Khushdil Shah, Shadab Khan, Abbas Afridi, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Khan
Pakistan Squad for ODI Series against New Zealand: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Irfan Khan Niazi, Naseem Shah, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir
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