They may or may not make the squad to the USA and the Caribbean, but have done enough to get on the selectors’ radar
Danyal Rasool20-Mar-2024Haider AliThere is no evidence that Haider Ali has changed, but he merely served a reminder of what he is like at his best, a seductively clean ball-striker. Having seemingly regressed after a string of low scores over the past couple of years, he was left unpicked at the draft before Islamabad United plumped for him as a late replacement. And two nerveless, unbeaten innings in virtual knockouts for United conjured flashbacks of the kind of player Pakistan thought they were getting with Haider.Earlier in Haider’s career, Pakistan tried to use him up the order, but with a paucity of lower-order hitters at United, he was deployed there, and that now offers possibilities for Pakistan. Competition for places is much less fierce in those lower-middle-order positions, and the upcoming T20Is against New Zealand will be the perfect time for a trial.There’s no reason 23-year-old Haider cannot improve, but if Pakistan think he has turned a corner, they may be disappointed. He failed to reach double-figures in 12 of his last 19 innings, so a clarity of thought around the purpose of Haider will be essential. In him, a side acquires an occasional big-hitter, not a guaranteed run-scorer.Imad Wasim might not be done with international cricket yet•PCBImad WasimImad Wasim last played for Pakistan over a year ago, and has officially retired from international cricket, but it’s difficult to ignore him. A player who effortlessly polarises opinion, Imad’s consistently effective all-round showings this tournament were a throwback to a time when he opened the bowling for a side that won 11 T20I series in a row. Injuries, and a perceived lack of commitment to fitness, have seen his international career fade, but with the bulk of this year’s T20 World Cup in the Caribbean, the case for one last dance with the international side has only become stronger.His economy rate of 6.60 was matchless – no bowler (minimum 25 overs) came within almost a full run of it – and his ability to nibble away at opposition top orders without being a run-leaker is far too alluring a combination to ignore. Add to that his record in the CPL, where his 61 wickets have come at under 19, and an economy rate second only to Sunil Narine’s in the history of that competition, and he begins to look like a shoo-in.And that’s without talking about his batting. While not a power-hitter by any stretch of the imagination, Imad’s contributions lower down the order kept Islamabad alive through the group stages, and his presence at the death in the final held the tail together.An unretirement then?The mystery with Mehran Mumtaz is how exactly he gets the ball to grip and turn while bowling at near 100kph•PCBMehran MumtazThere are mystery spinners who appear gimmicky, and mystery spinners who offer a function. The mystery with Mehran Mumtaz is how exactly he gets the ball to grip and turn while bowling at near 100kph. Mumtaz, the 20-year-old left-arm bowler, didn’t play much of the PSL, but in the five games he did, he was both captivating and effective. He took five wickets, but it was the economy rate that stood out – 6.63, a smidge over Imad’s.Five games might not be a significant sample size, but if there are questions over Imad’s longevity and fitness, there should be no similar concerns for Mumtaz. He bowls the bulk of his balls in powerplays, and provided significant breakthroughs in all but one game, counting Reeza Hendricks, Shadab Khan and Saud Shakeel among his victims. He remains an unknown quantity to most in Pakistan, but Pakistan have 12 games before the T20I World Cup, and an ideal opportunity to test him.Abrar Ahmed isn’t a red-ball specialist, and proved that again at the PSL this year•Getty ImagesAbrar AhmedThis, perhaps, is the safer and more likely play for Pakistan’s selectors. Abrar Ahmed broke through at the PSL with Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi before injuries wiped years off his career. But when he re-emerged, Pakistan, for some reason, viewed him as a red-ball specialist, handing him his international debut against England in Multan. He made an instant impression, taking five wickets before lunch and since, the six matches he’s played have all come in the Test format.He was viewed as Pakistan’s frontline spinner for the tour of Australia before a pinched nerve in his right leg ruled him out, but at the PSL this year, he demonstrated his T20 nous has not quite deserted him. He was the third-highest wicket-taker of the tournament, taking a wicket every 15 deliveries at an economy rate superior to Usama Mir’s or Mohammad Ali’s, the only bowlers more prolific. He was an invaluable part of the Quetta Gladiators side, bowling his full quota in all ten games. If he can remain injury free over the upcoming swing leading to the World Cup, expect to see him in a green shirt with white ball in hand at some point. Perhaps even in the Caribbean.At the PSL, only Babar Azam scored more runs than Usman Khan, and the latter played four fewer games•PCB/PSLUsman KhanYeah, yeah, we know this is a bit of a cheat. He’s not even a Pakistan player, having changed his affiliation to the UAE in 2022. That he’s good enough isn’t a doubt at the moment – at the PSL, only Babar Azam scored more runs and Usman played four fewer games, scoring two of the PSL’s four hundreds at an average in excess of 107 and a strike rate exceeding 164.But he’s still got 14 months left to qualify for the UAE, and though he was lukewarm about his ambitions to play for Pakistan, there is little doubt Pakistan wouldn’t want to let a player like him slip away quite so easily. It all comes too quickly for this year’s World Cup, but Usman in a Pakistan shirt? Don’t rule it out just yet.
