Where – Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
When – 22 September 2023
It is the biggest cricketing event of the year. We hope that the squad we have selected return with the World Cup trophy.
Q: Hasan Ali has been out of international cricket for a while. Considering it is a mega-event, can you tell us the basis of his selection.
Inzamam ul Haq: Before everything else, Naseem Shah’s injury, and other fast bowlers getting injured -- like Hasnain and Ihsanullah, constricted our pace bowling options. Hassan Ali is an experienced bowler, even though he has been out of international cricket for a while. He has performed for Pakistan in mega events. We had to replace Naseem Shah. Hassan Ali can bowl with the new ball and the old ball as well, and he is experienced.
Q: Considering that you did not attend the review meeting, is it because you had already made up your mind about the World Cup squad after the Asia Cup?
IuH: I was not able to attend the review meeting because I had a personal commitment. The meeting with the chairman was to review the injuries incurred during the Asia Cup. The coaches and captain were called to ask if they need any help or support from the PCB. We wanted to see where we could improve; what resources we could provide to the team, what medical facilities were needed and if there was anything else that the team needed. It helped with their morale.
Q: Considering the spin conditions of India, can you elaborate on the combination of the team you have selected?
IuH: Pakistan team has been playing with this combination for the past year. I did not want to tweak the combination a lot. We have kept Abrar [Ahmed] in the reserves, in case there is any need. I did not want to make too many changes. The three spinners [Shadab Khan, Usama Mir and Mohammad Nawaz] have been with the team and are good players. They need to work harder to be effective in the middle overs, as it is very important for the spinners to play their role in the middle overs.
Q: We saw that Zaman Khan did well in the Asia Cup match. Why has Hassan Ali been selected over Zaman Khan?
IuH: Hassan Ali was injured during the Asia Cup. He was my first choice back then, but he was not cleared and that is why we went with Zaman Khan. Zaman is with the team in reserves as he is a good bowler especially in the death. But in an event of this kind, we need someone who has experience.
Q: Our players seem out of touch before the mega-event. As the chief selector, what are your hopes for the World Cup?
IuH: We are hoping that the team will do well. Pakistan is the number one team. They had just two bad games in the Asia Cup. We discussed this extensively during our meetings. We reviewed whether our players are playing too much cricket. They played the Test series [against Sri Lanka], LPL, Afghanistan series, and then the Asia Cup. That was a long stretch of cricket, especially in hot and humid conditions. But otherwise, we are the number one team so we should have good hope from the team.
Q: Faheem Ashraf was given a chance in the Asia Cup, but dropped afterwards. What has been the rationale behind that?
IuH: We had the opportunity to name 17 players for the Asia Cup but this time we could name 15 players only. So we had to look on the team combination closely. We realised that winning matches in India requires proper fast bowling options who can get you wickets, especially in the middle. So we have tried to make sure that we pick bowlers who can get us wickets.
Q: There are varying reports on Naseem Shah. Could he have been taken to India and played in the latter half of the World Cup?
IuH: We cannot play someone half a world cup. Unfortunately, as far as I know according to the medical review reports, Naseem will be out for a longer period. He was bowling really well for Pakistan and I consider him one of the best bowlers in the world right now. While Pakistan will suffer from his loss, we should pray for his speedy recovery.
Q: Hasan Ali has been out of ODI cricket for a long time; was there any pressure to get him in the side?
IuH: There was no pressure. We had to look at various factors. We have been struggling to pick fast bowlers because of injuries. It was not just Naseem’s injury. Which is why we focused on choosing experienced players as we wanted someone familiar with the conditions and could take the pressure of a big event like the World Cup. That is why we picked Hasan Ali.
Q: Imad Wasim has been performing in the CPL and Sarfaraz Ahmed has done well in domestic cricket. Were they considered?
IuH: While I am the selector, I am not keeping anyone out of the team. The doors are open for both Sarfaraz Ahmed and Imad Wasim. They have been out of ODI cricket for a long time, but if Pakistan requires them, they will be picked. I would like to highlight that we count performance in Pakistan’s domestic cricket and anyone who does well there would be considered for selection. There are no two ways about it.
Q: Is there anything being done to manage and monitor player workload?
IuH: I do not decide whether a player plays in white ball or red ball. That is the player’s choice and we respect that. However, we will be monitoring how much league cricket is being played by one player and what Pakistan’s commitments are at that time. In my opinion, for example, playing for two or three months in Sri Lanka can cause fatigue and can be detrimental for the player. We will be reviewing that as it falls under our work, but we cannot control whether a player plays red or white ball cricket.
Q: Whose input was taken for the selection and was Shan Masood considered?
IuH: In the selection meeting, we just require the captain and coach. When it comes to Shan Masood, we had considered him. He was in the 25 names sent to ICC a month earlier. He is great player, but we could not fit him in the 15. While Fakhar has been a bit out of form, he has performed well for Pakistan for the past few years. He is a game-changer. Abdullah Shafique has performed too. The competition is healthy as it raises the standard of performance. All players, whether selected for the World Cup squad or not, are great options.
Q: Our spinners did not do as well as other players like Kuldeep Yadav in the Asia Cup. Can you elaborate on the choice of spinners in the team and if there would be any bowling coach announced to help them?
IuH: I could not select Kuldeep Yadav, he is not from Pakistan. We have selected Shadab and Nawaz because we wanted continuity. The world cup squad is planned for year ahead, and cannot be changed abruptly. Shadab and Nawaz have been doing very well for Pakistan for the past two years. They have not been taking wickets in the middle and performing up to their own caliber but they have done so in the past and we have confidence in them. Usama Mir’s presence provides options. The coaching set-up right now, with Morne [Morkel] as the [bowling] coach, should be continued. When I was the chief selector last time, we used to call domestic performers to the academies according to the needs of the Pakistan team. We can send specialised coaches right now as well to overcome our struggles.
Q: Was Mohammad Amir considered for selection?
IuH: I am unaware about Mohammad Amir’s status. He is a good player but he is retired. If he takes his retirement back and does well, he will be considered [for selection]. The PCB does not close doors for anyone. Whoever wants to play, should play first-class cricket. If they give performances there, they will be considered for the team. This is not just about Mohammad Amir, this is about everyone who wishes to play for Pakistan.
