Pakistan’s likely playing XI for first ODI against Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD: The opener of a three-match series between Pakistan and Afghanistan will begin tomorrow in Hambantota. Pakistan has selected an 18-person team for the aforementioned series; however, after the end of the ODI series against Afghanistan, the team will be reduced to 17 players for the Asia Cup.
Pakistan’s starting lineup for the first ODI of the series is likely to be unchanged. Imam ul Haq and Fakhar Zaman, Pakistan’s usual openers, will bat first in the batting order. Fakhar wants to keep up his stellar ODI play after becoming Pakistan’s leading run-scorer in their most recent match against New Zealand earlier this year.
Babar Azam, the team’s captain, will move up to the third spot as usual. He’ll be driven to maintain his position as the best ODI batsman in the world. Mohammad Rizwan, who has established his ODI credentials by maintaining an outstanding batting average of 68.60 this year, will bat at position number four.
Salman Agha and Iftikhar Ahmed will take the fifth and sixth spots, respectively. In his ten ODIs, Salman Agha has displayed a great average of 48 and a healthy strike rate of 108. His most recent outings against New Zealand were two straight 50s. Iftikhar Ahmed, who is renowned for his influential late-order batting,Pakistan is expected to choose Shadab Khan and Usama, two all-round spin bowlers, due to the spin-friendly conditions in Hambantota.
Even though Mohammad Nawaz offers a diversity option with his left-arm spin, Usama Mir’s remarkable form will be difficult for Pakistan’s squad management to overlook. Additionally, Mir has taken six wickets in his past two ODIs, including his best 4/43 against New Zealand in Karachi earlier this year. Mir has also taken six wickets in his last two T20Is.
Published in EDP BLOGS on August 21,2023.
