Former Pakistani cricketer Basit Ali has strongly criticized the selection of Pakistan’s cricket team for the upcoming series against New Zealand. He suggests that favoritism and unfair exclusions have played a role in the team composition.
Ali claims that some deserving players were ignored, while others who may not have deserved it secured their places through unofficial means. This criticism comes after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced significant changes to the T20I squad. Salman Ali Agha is set to replace Mohammad Rizwan as captain for T20Is, and Shadab Khan will be the vice-captain. However, Rizwan will remain the ODI captain, and Babar Azam will stay in the ODI team despite being dropped from the T20I squad. Many players who underperformed in the Champions Trophy have also been retained.
Notable exclusions include Saud Shakeel, who performed well against India in the last match, and fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain, who was not given a chance in the Champions Trophy and is now also left out of the squad.
Basit Ali voiced his disappointment on his show, questioning the logic behind these decisions. He specifically mentioned Saud Shakeel’s good innings against India and asked why he was dropped.
He also criticized the exclusion of Mohammad Hasnain, calling it unfair to a talented young player who has proven his abilities but continues to be overlooked in both formats of the game.
Ali further alleged that team selection is being influenced by reputation rather than actual performance. He stated that some players are in the squad because of their public image and that their inclusion is happening through ‘backdoor entries’.
Pakistan is scheduled to play five T20Is and three ODIs in New Zealand, starting on March 16. The selection controversy is likely to continue as concerns about the fairness of the team selection process grow.
