The Pakistan cricket team has decided to leave batsman Hasan Nawaz out of their upcoming One Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 (T20) squads, sending him instead to participate in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. While his replacement in the ODI squad has yet to be confirmed, Fakhar Zaman has been called up to fill his spot in the T20 side.
Nawaz’s international career began in spectacular fashion. In just his third T20 match, he scored a match-winning century against New Zealand at Eden Park. Following this early success, he became a key player in the team, recognised for his ability to play powerful shots in the middle and death overs. His performances in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) were equally impressive, as he guided Quetta Gladiators to the final and finished the tournament with a strike rate of 162, earning him the title of the third-highest run-scorer.
However, the last two months have seen Nawaz’s form take a worrying decline. During the Asia Cup, he suddenly lost consistency, and in the four ODIs against the West Indies, he managed to play only three innings, averaging just over 56 runs. In South Africa, his dismissal in the first match—being stumped while attempting to hit George Linde—highlighted technical issues that have raised concerns.
The T20 format has been even more challenging for him. In his last eight T20 matches, Nawaz has averaged fewer than seven runs per innings, reaching double figures on only one occasion. With Pakistan set to play three ODIs against Sri Lanka from 11 November and then participate in a tri-nation series involving Zimbabwe from 17 November, his omission underscores the team management’s concern over his recent struggles.
Pakistan Squad
| Format | Players |
|---|---|
| ODI | Shaheen Shah Afridi (Captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Fahim Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasibullah, Hussein Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (Wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Saima Ayub, Salman Ali Agha |
| T20 | Salman Ali Agha (Captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Fahim Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Shahibzada Farhan (Wicketkeeper), Saima Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (Wicketkeeper), Usman Tariq |
Nawaz now faces the challenge of regaining his form in domestic cricket before he can hope to return to the national side. His omission is a clear signal from Pakistan’s selectors that recent performance is paramount, even for promising young talent.