Shoaib Malik: “Keep it simple, if a right-hander gets out, Haris should come in at number three, while Fakhar Zaman shifts down”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik wants batsman Mohammad Haris coming in at number three in T20Is and big-hitter Fakhar Zaman to be pushed down the order.
Explaining the logic behind his thinking, Malik noted that the men in green should follow a specific pattern whereby if a right-hander gets out, he should be replaced by another right-handed batsman. The same would apply to left-handers in the squad.
“Keep it simple, if a right-hander gets out, Haris should come in at number three, while Fakhar Zaman shifts down. The pattern should remain right-hander for right-hander, left-hander for left-hander,” he was quoted as saying by A Sports.
Haris and Zaman recently played in Pakistan’s T20I tri-series against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Afghanistan in Sharjah, with the former scoring 33 runs in five matches at an average of 6.60 and a strike-rate of 84.61.
As for Zaman, he made 155 runs five games, which included a top score of 77 not out, at an average of 38.75 and a strike-rate of 138.39.
They then featured in the 2025 Asia Cup, with Haris amassing 131 runs in seven matches, which included a top score of 66, at an average of 21.83 and a strike-rate of 133.67.
Zaman was one of Pakistan’s top batsmen in the tournament, accumulating 181 runs in seven games, which included a top score of 50, at an average of 30.16 and a strike-rate of 120.66.
The men in green made it to the final of the Asia Cup, where they ended up losing to India by five wickets.
Pakistan’s next assignment will be a home series against South Africa, which will consist of two Tests, three T20Is, and three ODIs to be played from October 12 to November 8.
Pakistan squad for UAE T20I tri-series and 2025 Asia Cup: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem