RASHID LATIF QUESTIONS THE SELECTION OF THREE PLAYERS IN THE PAKISTAN’S TEST SQUAD FOR THE SL SERIES

RASHID LATIF QUESTIONS THE SELECTION:

Former captain of the Pakistan team, Rashid Latif analyzes the squad for the TEST series against Srilanka and questions the selection of three players for Pakistan’s TEST squad.

The TEST squad of the Pakistan team for the series against Srilanka was announced on Saturday and the former captain of the Pakistan team raised some concerns about the inclusion of some players in Pakistan’s TEST squad.

Rashid Latif, the former Pakistani cricketer on his YouTube channel, shared his views about the selected players in Pakistan’s TEST squad for the Srilanka tour, he questioned the inclusion of players like Shan Masood, Hassan Ali, and Nauman Ali in the TEST team of Pakistan.

Shan Masood, the first player whose selection was questioned by Rashid Latif, was mainly because the left-hander has struggled big time in the recent matches he has played for Pakistan and has looked so ordinary in his previous matches.

• Shan Masood has been with the Pakistan team for a long time but has failed to create any impact as he has just scored 155 runs in the last 14 innings he has played for Pakistan, he averages just 11 in his last 14 innings and this is what doesn’t justifies his selection.

Rashid Latif raised more concerns as he says that he thinks that as far as he knows, the selection committee relies on data and previous performances for the selection of a player, and if that’s the case then Shan Masood doesn’t finds a place in the TEST team of Pakistan and this is where the problem begins.

‘’ If you are using data, then that means you have selected Shan Masood after you have turned the computer off ‘’, Rashid Latif takes a dig at the selection committee.

‘’ We need evidence while judging the selection of a player and I am not getting evidence of Shan Masood’s selection. His selection is not justified ‘’, he further added.

Another player whose inclusion was questioned by Rashid Latif is Hassan Ali, former Pakistani captain accepts that there is no doubt in Hassan Ali’s talent and dedication to his country but still he also spoke about the selection of the right-arm pacer in the TEST squad of Pakistan as his previous performances aren’t up to the mark.

Hassan Ali, the right-arm Pakistani pacer hasn’t performed up to the mark and he has also accepted this in his recent interview with Cricket Pakistan, he has picked up 10 wickets in the last 12 innings he has played for Pakistan in TEST cricket, which also raises the question on the selection of Hassan Ali in TEST team of Pakistan.

‘’ There is no doubt that Hassan Ali is a good bowler and he gives his 100% in the match. However, if you look at his stats, what do you think is the justification of his selection in Pakistan’s TEST squad? ‘’, Rashid Latif questions the selection committee.

• Hassan Ali’s previous form for Pakistan wasn’t that good but in the recent cricket he has played at the county championship for Warwickshire County Team, the right-arm pacer has picked up 22 wickets in 5 matches he has played in this season along with some good knocks of fifty+ for his team in the tournament.’

• But, if County Championship is the criteria then selectors should’ve also looked upon the performances of Mohammad Abbas who has picked 32 wickets in 7 matches and is the second-highest wicket-taker of the tournament so far.

The former Pakistani captain of his YouTube channel also asked for a justification for the TEST selection of Nauman Ali, and the reasons for that are his previous bad performances as well as his age factor on which Rashid Latif questions his future for Pakistan.

• Nauman Ali in his last 6 TEST matches for Pakistan has picked up only 18 wickets, he averages 47 with the ball and his strike-rate is 84+ which certainly doesn’t justify his place in the TET squad of Pakistan, he was also part of the last TEST tour to Srilanka.

‘’ Nauman Ali will represent Pakistan, but for how long? Age is a big factor in this case ‘’, he added.

Rashid Latif also named the replacement of Nauman Ali in the TEST squad of Pakistan, the former Pakistani captain thinks that it’s the right time to think about Mehran Mumtaz, who gave some impressive performances on his recent tour to Zimbabwe – Mehran Mumtaz was the highest wicket-taker of the TEST series as he claimed 15 wickets in two FC matches.

Rashid Latif thinks that the inclusion of Mehran Mumtaz will be a valuable opportunity for him to get international exposure and grooming.

‘’ When you are lacking spinners for this tour, you could’ve taken Mehran Mumtaz. If not anything else, you can just give him international exposure ‘’, he concluded.

The TEST squad of Pakistan for the two-match TEST series against Zimbabwe was announced earlier, some new faces like Muhammad Huraira and Aamer Jamal received their maiden call for the TEST team of Pakistan and the squad will play two matches under the captaincy of Babar Azam next month.