20-20 World Cup: 5 Players who were unlucky to miss out the spot in squad of Pakistan

In a recent piece of news, Pakistan selectors have announced the squad for the upcoming 20-20 World Cup 2022 to be played in Australia next month in October. Pakistan recently participated in the Asia Cup 2022 where they finished as the runners-up after losing to Sri Lanka by 23 runs in the final of the tournament.

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The men in green will be seen with few changes in the squad during the World Cup 2022. It is being said because a few players who could’ve been there in the plans but unfortunately, will not be seen in the marquee tournament commencing on the 16^th of October.

So, here we’ll have a look at five players who missed out on a spot in the squad picked for the eighth edition of the World Cup of the shortest format.

Shoaib Malik

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Shoaib Malik ( Image Credit: Twitter)

Former skipper and senior batter, Shoaib Malik has been in good touch with the bat in the ongoing domestic T20 tournament in Pakistan. Even at the age of 40, the veteran right-hander is contributing brilliantly with the bat in the shortest format of the game. Notably, Malik is the only player in Pakistan who is still playing after starting his international career in the decade of 90s.

Speaking of his T20I career, then the Sialkot-born batter has played 124 matches in the T20I format since his debut in the year 2006 against England. In these matches, he has scored 2435 runs with an average of 31.21 and nine half-centuries to his name. Even after the handsome records to his name, the senior batter had to miss out on the Pakistani squad for the 20-20 World Cup 2022.

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Sharjeel Khan

The senior batter from Hyderabad has been in excellent form with the bat in the ongoing domestic T20 tournament in Pakistan. He has smashed a century against Balochistan while playing for Sindh. Sharjeel played a swashbuckling knock of unbeaten 107 runs off just 62 balls with 13 boundaries and four sixes to his name.

The 33-year-old registered an amazing strike rate of 172.58 during Sindh’s run chase. Thanks to his amazing century, Sindh completely outplayed Balochistan by a massive margin of nine wickets. But still, his name was not in the plans of the selectors while they were picking the team for the World Cup 2022.

Hasan Ali

The name which is constantly in the headlines of social media for the last couple of weeks since the start of the Asia Cup 2022. Hasan Ali was picked for the team after Dahani got injured. But he couldn’t deliver up to the expectations of the team and Pakistani cricket fans as well.

Ali came into the limelight after dropping a catch of Australian batter Mathew Wade in the very crucial semi-final of the last year’s 20-20 World Cup. This dropped catch eventually cost the match for Pakistan and Mathew wade ended the match smashing three consecutive sixes on Shaheen Afridi in the end. The 28-year-old has scalped only five wickets in the last five international matches across all the formats. So, he couldn’t make it to the squad.

Fakhar Zaman

Everybody was expecting the senior batter Fakhar Zaman to perform for the team in the recently-concluded Asia Cup 2022. But he couldn’t deliver up to the hopes of the team. Although, selectors have decided to pick him in the reserves for the World Cup. Speaking of his recent performances in the last couple of matches, then he has scored only 86 runs with an average of 17.20 having only a half-century to his name.

Media reports have also learned that Fakhar has sustained an injury but it is yet to be confirmed by the management.

Shahnawaz Dahani

The Larkana-born young pacer featured in two matches for Pakistan in the recently-concluded Asia Cup 2022. He scalped one wicket in these matches. Apart from this, he also smashed quick 16 runs off just six balls against India in the first group Pakistan during the tournament.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t secure a berth for the World Cup 2022. Although, he is in the list of reserves in the World Cup team.