In Lahore, on September 22, 2023, Pakistan unveiled their roster for the upcoming Men’s Cricket World Cup based on outstanding performance and continuity, which will take place in India later this year. The selection committee, led by Inzamam-ul-Haq, made a single substitution from the team that recently participated in the Men’s ODI Asia Cup 2023.
Due to a shoulder injury sustained during a match against India in the Asia Cup on September 11, fast-bowler Naseem Shah has been replaced by Hasan Ali. Exhaustive medical examinations led to the suggestion for surgery, estimating his recovery time to be around three to four months.
The Pakistani squad consists of Babar Azam as the team captain along with Shadab Khan as the vice-captain. Other team members include Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Usama Mir. In addition to these players, the selectors named Mohammad Haris, Abrar Ahmed, and Zaman Khan as the three traveling reserves.
Demonstrating faith in the team, Inzamam-ul-Haq, the Chief selector, emphasized that with their splendid performance in the past few years, the players have earned their place in the World Cup squad. He expressed optimism about the team’s chances and their readiness to deliver stellar performances for their country in the crucial World Cup tournament.
The squad will compete in two warm-up games before the official tournament begins. First against New Zealand on September 29, followed by Australia on October 3, leading up to their inaugural match against the Netherlands on October 6.
Pakistan’s team steps into this major international cricket event as the top-ranked side, boasting the best win-loss ratio of 2.400 in this World Cup cycle amongst all teams that played The One Day International format. Despite narrowly missing out on a semi-final place in the 2019 event due to a lower net run-rate, Pakistan’s best showing was the crowning victory in the 1992 edition and has been a constant contender, reaching numerous semi-finals over the years. Pakistan’s quest for glory is high, and they are all geared up to make their nation proud.
