Naseem Shah And...? Rizwan Likely To Drop These 3 Players For 2nd T20I vs Australia

Naseem Shah was abysmal with the ball in the 1st T20I [Source: @CricWick/X]Naseem Shah was abysmal with the ball in the 1st T20I [Source: @CricWick/X]

After incurring a 29-run defeat in the first T20I in Brisbane, Pakistan are preparing to face Australia in the must-win second match of the ongoing three-game series. Led by Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan had an ordinary start to the T20I leg of the tour, with the hosts swatting them aside in a rain-curtailed encounter in Brisbane. 

Abbas Afridi was the lone shining light for Pakistan in an otherwise forgettable match. Apart from scalping two crucial wickets, the right-arm fast bowler struck a quick-fire 20*-run cameo lower down the order, helping the visitors breach the 50-run mark. 

However, the performance of several big names was unsatisfactory, which is why the Mohammad Rizwan-led think tank might make some bold changes for the second T20I in Sydney. As the stage is set for a riveting encounter, let's see which players might be dropped from Pakistan's playing XI for the penultimate affair. 

Naseem Shah

The promising fast bowler challenged the Australian batters with his seam movement in the ODI leg, playing a pivotal role in Pakistan's clinical series victory. However, he had a forgettable outing in the first T20I in Brisbane, conceding 37 runs in two overs. His expensive bowling spell was the primary reason the hosts hammered 93 runs in seven overs. 

With the in-form Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf retaining their place and Abbas Afridi impressing the Pakistani management with his all-round skills, Naseem might have to warm the bench at SCG, where seam bowlers like him don't get enough purchase off the wicket. In fact, considering the home-like conditions in Sydney, the visitors could consider replacing him with left-arm wrist spinner Sufiyan Muqeem, who can play a handy role at this venue. 

Irfan Khan Niazi

The middle-order batter looked out of sorts with the bat in the first T20I in Brisbane. He hasn't seemed convincing as a quality middle-order batter against the Australian quicks and hasn't had a great tour so far. So, instead of giving him another opportunity, Pakistan might consider bringing Arafat Minhas into their playing XI. 

Hailed for his hard-hitting attributes, Arafat Minhas recently enjoyed stellar success in the Emerging Asia Cup tournament in Oman, amassing 82 runs at an average of 41 and a blistering strike rate of 157.69. So, slotting him as an impactful finisher down the order will make more sense rather than persisting with Irfan Khan for this must-win contest. 

Haseebullah

Pakistan committed a basic error in the first T20I, trying to fit several openers in their playing XI. With Sahibzada Farhan and Mohammad Rizwan opening the innings, the Men in Green have the luxury to test Omair Bin Yousuf, the top-scorer for Pakistan Shaheens in the Emerging Asia Cup. 

In four outings, he slammed 116 runs at a healthy strike rate of 136.47, exhibiting his class in the competition. Although he batted at number three in the tournament, Yousuf has a better game than Haseebullah against pace and spin. Therefore, he can be a valuable addition to their lineup if Pakistan decide to strengthen their batting for the Sydney contest.