PCB under fire over poor team selection for World Cup
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Former Pakistani fast bowler Muhammad Asif has expressed his dissatisfaction with the selection of players who underperformed in the Asia Cup and still made it into Pakistan's World Cup 2023 squad. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) recently unveiled a 15-member squad for the upcoming World Cup, and it raised eyebrows as star pacer Nassem Shah was left out, while all-rounder Shadab Khan, despite a lackluster performance in the Asia Cup, secured a spot.
During the Asia Cup 2023, 24-year-old all-rounder Shadab Khan managed to secure just six wickets, four of which came against Nepal. In addition, he could only muster 13 runs in five matches of the tournament. Mohammad Nawaz and Agha Salman also failed to make a significant impact with their performances on the field.
Media reports had anticipated Shadab Khan's omission from the ODI World Cup squad due to his underwhelming performance in the Asia Cup. However, to the surprise of many, he retained his place in the team, alongside Agha Salman, who struggled to take wickets and scored only 40 runs in four matches during the Asia Cup 2023.
Following the squad announcement, Muhammad Asif, the former Pakistani pacer, vehemently criticized the selection of Agha Salman, stating that he does not even consider him a player. Asif remarked that Agha Salman tends to score when Pakistan is already in a commanding position and labeled him a "waste of time."
Regarding Pakistan's current pace attack, Muhammad Asif expressed his opinion that the bowlers selected for the World Cup squad are merely average, lacking any standout talent. His assessment raises questions about the team's prospects in the upcoming tournament.
