Asad likely to replace Kamran in playing eleven
Khalid Hussain
PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka: Desperate times call for desperate measures and it seems that Pakistan are now ready to go for them as they look to bounce back after getting demolished by New Zealand’s Ross Taylor here on Tuesday.
‘The News’ has learnt through reliable sources that Pakistan are seriously considering including young batsman Asad Shafiq in their playing eleven besides mulling the idea of axing Kamran Akmal from their line-up for next Monday’s World Cup match against Zimbabwe.
The erratic wicketkeeper dropped three catches in the match against New Zealand that included a couple of let-offs for Taylor off three deliveries from a Shoaib Akhtar over. Taylor went on to smash an unbeaten 131 to guide the Black Caps to a commanding 110-run triumph in the Pool A match.
Sources said that the team management is seriously mulling the idea of dropping Kamran after his howlers against New Zealand and hand over the gloves to his younger brother Umar. The younger Akmal kept for Pakistan when his brother was unavailable for national duty last year.
Some experts believe that he is a better ‘keeper than his elder sibling.
“The Pakistan team management is certainly giving the option of playing Umar Akmal as a wicketkeeper some serious consideration,” said the source. “It is fuming over Kamran’s poor showing behind the stumps and want to take measures to ensure that such performance is not repeated again,” he added.
Kamran is not the only Pakistan player on the team management’s hit list. Team officials including coach Waqar Younis and captain Shahid Afridi are unhappy with the way their openers — Mohammad Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad — have performed in the tournament so far and are mulling the possibility of reshuffling the batting order for the match against Zimbabwe.
According to a well-placed source, there are strong chances that Asad Shafiq could get his World Cup debut against the Zimbabweans as an opener.
Asad, 25, has played 12 One-day Internationals and is regarded as a reliable batter by the team officials. But so far the Karachi youngster, who now features in the middle-order in spite of the fact that he has played most of his first-class cricket as an opener, has not been given any opportunity to play in the World Cup.
“The team management sees Asad Shafiq as perhaps the most technically-correct opening batsman in their World Cup squad,” said the source. “The reason why he hasn’t been playing is that the team management wanted to give ample opportunities to the Hafeez-Shehzad combination. But it’s clear that it’s not working which is why Asad is a serious contender for a place in the playing eleven.”
Pakistan have so far kept their faith in Hafeez and Shehzad in spite of the fact that they have failed to give them a single substantial stand in four World Cup matches. Together the duo has scored a mere 93 runs in the four matches against Kenya, Sri Lanka, Canada and New Zealand.
The Pakistanis also considering the idea of promoting senior allrounder Abdul Razzaq up the order. Razzaq has been coming to bat at number eight spot and top scored with a 74-ball 62 against New Zealand on Tuesday.
There is also this possibility of retaining Kamran Akmal, but as a specialist opener. But the fact that the combative ‘keeper hasn’t scored much in his last three World Cup outings should stop the team management from going for that option.
ICC World Cup 2011
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