Babar returns as Pakistan name T20 World Cup squad despite tournament doubt

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Elated Elk

Pakistan's T20 World Cup Squad Takes Shape Amid Uncertainty

A day after casting doubt over the team's participation in the tournament, Pakistan has named its 15-man squad for the Twenty20 World Cup. Former captain Babar Azam has been given a surprise recall to the team, sending a clear message of intent from the PCB to field their strongest lineup despite the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the tournament.

Babar, who was dropped from the previous squad for the three-match T20 series against Australia, returns along with spin-bowling all-rounder Shadab Khan and fast bowler Naseem Shah. However, wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has been left out of the squad, raising eyebrows among fans.

The decision to name a team ahead of schedule was made despite Pakistan's cricket board chief casting doubt over their participation in the tournament just hours earlier. The PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirmed that the government will make the final call on whether the team would travel to Sri Lanka for the tournament.

Pakistan will be playing exclusively in Sri Lanka due to strained relations with India, who are hosting the majority of the matches. Haris Rauf, the T20 regular, has been left out of the squad and head coach Mike Hesson stated that they don't see him opening the batting at the World Cup.

Despite this, Babar's inclusion is seen as a positive move by the selectors, with Hesson praising his ability to control the middle overs and feed the strike to certain players. The team's strength lies in its bowling attack, with three fast bowlers - Shaheen Shah Afridi, Salman Mirza, and Naseem Shah - selected for their abilities to bowl in all three T20 phases.

The four spinners included in the squad - Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Abrar Ahmed, and Usman Tariq - are expected to thrive on the slow pitches in Sri Lanka. With the tournament set to begin on February 7, Pakistan will be looking to make a statement and cause some upsets in the group stages.

Here's a look at the complete Pakistan squad for the T20 World Cup:

1. Salman Agha (captain)
2. Abrar Ahmed
3. Babar Azam
4. Faheem Ashraf
5. Fakhar Zaman
6. Khawaja Nafay (wicketkeeper)
7. Mohammad Nawaz
8. Salman Mirza
9. Naseem Shah
10. Sahibzada Farhan (wicketkeeper)
11. Saim Ayub
12. Shaheen Afridi
13. Shadab Khan
14. Usman Tariq
 
I'm guessing they're gonna pull it off this time 🤞, right? I mean, Babar's back in the squad and that bowling attack looks fire 🔥! The slow pitches in Sri Lanka should play to their strengths. Still a bit weird leaving Rizwan out though... 👀
 
just saw this news and i cant believe they named the squad already its like how can u make a decision on the biggest tournament in cricket when theres still so much uncertainty 🤯, but at least babar azam is back which is awesome, hes one of the best batsmen in world cup history, shadab khan also makes me happy 🙌
 
🤔 just hope babar can lead the team to a good show 🏆 and i think wicketkeepers should be in squad for that many matches 💦 but shadab's return is a big boost 🚀 i'm loving that fast bowling attack 🔥 shaheen, salman naseem are gonna make some fireworks ⚡️ fingers crossed they don't get injured 🤕
 
I'm surprised they managed to pick a decent squad despite the uncertainty 🤔. Babar's inclusion is a big plus, but Mohammad Rizwan's absence is puzzling – he's been in great form lately 😐. The bowling attack looks solid, though, and I think they've got a good chance of causing some upsets in the group stages 💥. One thing that worries me is Haris Rauf being left out, though... does this mean we'll see him play more for his club team? 🤷‍♂️
 
The way Pakistan is handling the T20 World Cup preparations is quite concerning 🤔. First, they're naming the squad without even confirming their participation in the tournament - that's a pretty big gamble. And now, they've included Babar Azam who was dropped from the previous team for the Australia series... it just doesn't add up.

I think the selectors are trying to send a message of confidence by naming a strong lineup, but at the same time, they're playing with fire by not even confirming their participation in the tournament. And Haris Rauf being left out is a bit puzzling considering his experience and form.

It's going to be interesting to see how this all plays out, especially given Pakistan's history of ups and downs in major tournaments 🤞. One thing's for sure, though - they'll definitely be making some noise at the World Cup! ⚡️
 
idk why pakistan is being so extra about this t20 world cup tho... i mean, they're already gonna play in sri lanka or whatever and the gov't is still deciding on it 🤔 anyway, babar's back and shadab and naseem are in too... that's some good news for them! but whats up with mohammad rizwan being left out tho? 🤷‍♂️ haris ruf's benching is a bit weird 2 tho... i guess the selectors just wanna see how he does at opening the batting or something 🎯
 
I'm low-key excited for the Pakistan squad, even though they left out some big names 🤔. I mean, Babar's back in and that's a huge plus, he can totally control those middle overs ⚾️. The bowling attack is looking pretty solid too, those three fast bowlers are gonna cause some trouble 😬. But seriously, the question on everyone's mind is... will they even be able to make it to Sri Lanka? 🤷‍♂️ It's all about the politics and how that affects their participation in the tournament. Fingers crossed for the team, they've got this! 💪
 
just read that paks squad is out and its like they're making a big statement with babar back in the mix 🤯 i think shadab khan's inclusion is gonna be huge too, his spin can be game changer on those sri lankan pitches 💥 but seriously tho, mohsin naqvi saying the gov't will decide if paks even makes it to the tournament is super sketchy 🤔 what's goin on here? 🤷‍♂️
 
🤔 The PCB's decision to name the squad ahead of schedule is a bit curious, don't you think? They were just saying how uncertain they are about participating in the tournament... but now it seems like they're going all-in with their strongest lineup! 🎯 Babar's recall is definitely a positive move - he brings a lot of experience and skill to the team. And I'm intrigued by Haris Rauf being left out, but apparently Mike Hesson thinks they don't need him opening the batting... interesting. ⚡️ Overall, I think this squad has some real potential - especially with that strong bowling attack! 💥
 
I gotta say, Babar's back in the squad after that surprise drop from the previous series and I'm loving it 💯! It's like they knew all along he was gonna come through big time. The bowling attack is looking fierce with Naseem, Shaheen, Salman, and the spinners too 🌪️. Still a bit weird about Rizwan being left out tho... maybe he just needs a tweak to his game? Either way, I'm hyped for this squad and how they're gonna cause some waves in Sri Lanka ⚡️.
 
this squad looks solid to me, i mean they've got a good balance of power hitters and bowlers... Babar's inclusion is a big plus, he's always been the one to watch for pak cricket 🤔 but it's also a bit surprising that rizwan didn't make it, wonder if he was feeling a bit miffed after being dropped from the australia series 🙏

anyway, i think they've got a good shot at making some noise in the group stages... but you know how tournaments go, can be one week we're riding high and the next we're struggling to get our act together 💔
 
im loving the move by PCB to name the squad already, feels like a big step forward for them 🤩 especially with babar back in the mix, he's gonna be so clutch in the middle overs 💪 also gotta say i'm hyped for shadab and saheen shah afridi together on the pitch, that bowling attack is gonna be fire 🔥
 
omg i cant believe pakistan is gonna play in the t20 world cup 🤩 they've got a pretty strong squad, like what's up with mohammad rizwan being left out tho? 🤔 he was doing so well for the team and now hes just... gone? anyhows, babar azam is back and shadab khan too which is awesome news 🎉 and their bowling attack looks solid with shaheen shah afridi and naseem shah on board. can't wait to see how they do in the tournament! 😁
 
ugh its like pakistan is trying to make a big statement before the tournament even starts lol they named the squad so early, but babar's inclusion is kinda cool i guess. its weird that mohammad rizwan got left out tho idk if thats a good move or not 🤔 they have some strong bowlers tho, esp those 3 fast guys shaheen, salman mirza & naseem shah are gonna be fire! 😎
 
I think its a good move for Pakistan to name the squad now 🤔. They can start building some momentum before the tournament starts and get a feel for how the team will work together under pressure. Babar's inclusion is definitely a positive, he's such an experienced leader on the field 👍. But I'm still kinda surprised they didn't pick Rizwan, I mean he's been in great form lately 🤷‍♂️. The bowling attack looks super strong with those three fast bowlers, can't wait to see them in action 🎥. Sri Lanka might be a bit of an advantage for Pakistan in terms of pitch conditions, but we'll have to wait and see how it all plays out ⚔️.
 
omg, i'm loving the drama that's unfolding with pakistan's t20 squad 🤩 they're really sending a clear message to the world that they're not messing around despite all the uncertainty surrounding the tournament 🙌 babar azam's surprise recall is definitely a positive move, he's been playing some top-notch cricket lately and his ability to control the middle overs will be a game-changer for them 🤞 i do feel bad for mohammad rizwan though, being left out of the squad must be tough 😔 but overall, i think this team has got what it takes to make some waves in the tournament 💥
 
omg 🤯 i wonder how mohammad rizwan is feeling rn 😔 he was one of the top batters in the last t20 series against australia and now hes left out of the squad...i guess shadab khan and naseem shah coming back will definitely make a difference 🤔
 
Stats are out 📊, and I'm loving the bounce back from Babar Azam 🔄! 26.5% chance of Pakistan winning the tournament 🤞, with a 75% probability of reaching the semi-finals ⏰. Fast bowlers are gonna bring the heat 🔥, with Naseem Shah & Shadab Khan making up 45% of the bowling attack 🚀.

Here's how many times we can expect Babar to bat in each phase: middle overs (70%), powerplay (20%), and death overs (10%) ⏰. What do you guys think about the team selection? 🤔 Would they have picked a different 15 🤷‍♂️?

And, fun fact 🎉: Pakistan's spin attack is expected to thrive on Sri Lanka's slow pitches 🌴, with an average economy rate of 7.5 runs per over! 👀 Here's the breakdown:

- Mohammad Nawaz: 7.2
- Shadab Khan: 7.1
- Abrar Ahmed: 6.8
- Usman Tariq: 6.9

Pics or stats, please 📸?
 
Meh thinkz this is all good rite now? Pakistan's squad iz out, but PCB chairman casts doubt just 1 day b4 naming it, like they cant even trust themselves. What if they dont show up in Sri Lanka? Who knows, maybe Haris Rauf gets a call-up afterall 😐. Babar Azam back in, nice, but Mohammad Rizwan left out, whatz the story there? PCB saying strongest lineup, but still got uncertainty, sounds like a recipe 4 disaster 🤔. And dont even get me started on Sri Lanka's pitches, 4m slow buns, might just be perfect for Pakistani bowlers to run riot ⚾️.
 
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