Prominent Pakistan stars who might not play a single game in South Africa T20Is

Pakistan stars who might not play vs SA [Source: AFP Photo]

After a crushing defeat in the second Test vs South Africa, Pakistan will turn their attention towards the white-ball series against the same opponent, with the T20I leg taking place first. The hosts have been poor in this format and recently suffered a defeat in the Asia Cup finals at the hands of India.

The selectors picked a strong squad for the T20Is with Babar Azam back in the team after his recent Asia Cup snub. The team looks strong on paper, but will face a stern test against one of the strongest T20I units. However, there are quite a few players in the Pakistan team who might not get a single game to showcase their skills, and here are 3 such players in the list.

1) Hasan Nawaz

Hasan Nawaz was supposed to be the next big thing for Pakistan in T20Is, but for some reason, the Men in Green dropped him from their Asia Cup playing XI, midway through the campaign. He was their only power-hitter on the lineup, but the explosive batter played only three games before getting replaced.

While he is an exceptional hitter, Nawaz’s inconsistency is one of the reasons why he might not play against the Proteas.

(Hasan Nawaz in T20Is)

• He has scored 449 runs with a strike rate of 158, and is the only batter who can torment the opposition bowlers. However, PCB is after consistency, and Nawaz doesn’t fit that bill.
•  Moreover, with Babar back in the team, and Saim Ayub, and Sahibzada Farhan in the squad, there is no place for him at the top, and hence, he might not play in the series.

2) Abdul Samad

Just like the Pakistan top order, the middle order also looks quite settled with Salman Ali Agha preferred at 4, and the all-rounders at 5, and 6. Just like Nawaz, Abdul Samad also deserves a place in the playing XI, but with the team already stacked, he might not get his chance.

Plus, despite scoring truckloads of runs in domestic circuit, Samad’s Pakistan record goes against him for a selection in the playing XI.

(Samad for Pakistan in T20Is)

• He has scored heavily in T20s, but in T20I cricket for Pakistan, he has a strike rate of 113, and that might go against him. Plus, the obsession of having multiple all-rounders could cost him a place in the XI.

3) Mohammad Wasim Jr

Reportedly, Pakistan are eager to prepare slow and low surface for T20Is, mainly due to the fact that they will play the T20 World Cup 2026 matches in Sri Lanka, and there the team will get slow wickets. As a result, Pakistan may not field too many pace bowlers in the playing XI.

Pakistan already has Shaheen Afridi, who is a guaranteed starter, and they also have Salman Mirza in the squad. If the team is planning to go ahead with a two-man pace attack, then these two will be the first choices.

 The team might go in with two spinners, and two pacers in Shaheen and Mirza, and hence, Wasim Jr might not get a game in the series.

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