Pakistan Banking On All-Rounders For T20 Tri-Series In Rawalpindi

KEY POINTS

Captain Salman Ali Agha and coach Mike Hesson believe versatile players provide strategic advantage
Abdul Samad may return to the lower middle order after Hasan Nawaz was dropped
Sri Lanka’s squad was reshuffled after captain Charith Asalanka and bowler Asitha Fernando were sent home due to illness
Dasun Shanaka named captain and Pavan Rathnayake added in the squad

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan: Pakistan will rely on its all-rounders rather than specialists in the upcoming T20 tri-series in Rawalpindi, which also features Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

The tournament begins on Tuesday at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, which will host all matches.

Pakistan’s approach, guided by white-ball head coach Mike Hesson since May, prioritizes players who can contribute with both bat and ball.

While critics have questioned the strategy for sidelining specialist roles, captain Salman Ali Agha defended it as a practical advantage.

“As you may have seen, we try to go for all-rounders mostly, and thankfully, we have some who bowl and bat equally well,” said Salman during a pre-series press conference. “All of the all-rounders we have can bowl all four overs, and they bat really well too. So why would we not try to utilise them?”

Key players like Mohammad Nawaz and Faheem Ashraf are highlighted as true all-rounders capable of delivering in both departments. Salman believes Pakistan can match top teams worldwide by focusing on versatility.

Squad adjustments include the potential return of Abdul Samad to the lower middle order following the exclusion of Hasan Nawaz due to inconsistent performances.

“We have Abdul Samad, so we may give him a go. He bats at number six and can play the finisher’s role,” Salman explained.

The tri-series is also a key preparation step for the upcoming T20 World Cup in February-March. “We’ll try to give opportunities to all of the 15 players in the squad, but the priority is to win matches,” added Salman.

He also expressed confidence after his ODI form, including a century against Sri Lanka and a half-century against South Africa, following a disappointing Asia Cup performance.

Sri Lanka faced setbacks ahead of the series as captain Charith Asalanka and fast bowler Asitha Fernando were sent home due to illness.

Experienced all-rounder Dasun Shanaka was appointed captain, and young batter Pavan Rathnayake joined the squad as a replacement.

The tri-series format features each team playing four league matches before the top two sides contest the final on November 29. All matches will start at 6:00 pm, with tosses at 5:30 pm.

Pakistan Squad

Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wk), Usman Tariq.