http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ahmed-Shehzad-c42359’s T20 exclusion – Cricket News Update
Pakistan chief selector Iqbal Qasim on Sunday defended selectors’ move to drop hard-hitting top-order batsman Ahmed Shehzad in favour of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 and the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka, saying latter’s
experience gave him an edge over rookie Shehzad.
Exclusion of the 20-year-old right-hander, who was recalled for the T20 matches against Sri Lanka last month, came as a surprise to many in Pakistan cricket circles as he was reckoned as a strong contender for the mega event, especially after proving his
T20 credentials by scoring the fastest century in the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747 Premier League (BPL) earlier this year.
The opening batsman was earlier overlooked for the Asia Cup in Bangladesh, in March, on disciplinary grounds and it is being speculated that he has been once again snubbed on disciplinary reasons.
The PCB chief selector, Iqbal Qasim however, rubbished the reports of disciplinary issues costing Shehzad his spot in the World T20 squad, saying his replacement Imran Nazir was a far more experienced and specialist T20 player and had been in fine form as
well.
Shehzad debuted in international cricket in April 2009 and has so far played 19 One Day Internationals and eight T20 Internationals for Pakistan, and is yet to debut in the Test format of the game. On the other hand, 30-year-old Imran Nazir has an international
experience of over 13 years under his belt, during which he played 79 One Day Internationals and 16 T20 Internationals. Though he has not donned green shirt since February 2010, national selectors are confident his experience will be a real boost to a fragile
top order.
A source in the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mohammad-Hafeez-c76898 refused to have Shehzad in his team.
"Hafeez was not very comfortable with having Shehzad in his side and instead preferred Imran Nazir," the source had said last week.
It is not only Imran Nazir returning to the squad at the cost of Ahmed Shehzad, PCB selectors have also recalled likes of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Abdul-Razzaq-c41623 in their 30-man provisional squad for the mega event.
"We are banking on experience to do well against Australia and in the T20 World Cup, that is why we have also recalled Kamran (Akmal) and Abdul Razzaq and stuck with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Yasir-Arafat-c98241," said Qasim during a media encounter here in Lahore, on Sunday.
The latest edition of the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 on September 18.
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