Mohammad Yousuf: “Fast-track these players into the academy to prepare them mentally, physically, and ethically. Develop their skills to make them future stars for Pakistan cricket”
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Legendary Pakistan batsman Mohammad Yousuf has called for rising players Sameer Minhas, Shamyl Hussain, Arafat Minhas, Maaz Sadaqat, Hunain Shah, Ali Raza and Ahmed Daniyal to be developed into the country’s future stars.
Yousuf believes all seven players possess considerable potential but wants them to be properly developed before being selected for the national team.
He added that they should not be selected ahead of current national players who are more skilled and experienced. Instead, he wants the seven players to hone their skills in domestic cricket before being unleashed at the international level.
“Fast-track these players into the academy to prepare them mentally, physically, and ethically. Develop their skills to make them future stars for Pakistan cricket. Do not push them ahead of better developed, skilled and experienced players at the international level until the work is done and proved in the next domestic season. Sameer Minhas, Shamyl Hussain, Arafat Minhas, Maaz Sadaqat, Hunain Shah, Ali Raza, Ahmed Daniyal,” Yousuf said on X.
The Pakistan team recently played a three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, which they won 2-1.
Of the seven youngsters, Sadaqat and Arafat took part in the series, with the former scoring 146 runs, which included two fifties, at an average of 48.66 and a strike-rate of 175.90.
Arafat was only selected for one game and struck 34 not out while also picking up a wicket.
Arafat could see more game time coming his way as he was included in Pakistan’s squad for the ODI tri-series against Sri Lanka and England, which will be held from October 18 to 31 in Rawalpindi and Lahore.
Pakistan’s Squad for the ODI tri-series against Sri Lanka and England: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Razaullah, Saad Baig (wicketkeeper), Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Sufyan Moqim