Shan Masood and Abdullah Shafique have been proposed as potential replacements for Babar Azam in Pakistan’s ODI batting lineup by former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez.
He highlighted the importance of the number three position by sharing his views on X. If Babar Azam due to workload management or injury is unavailable, then Hafeez stressed the need to have reliable backups.
He mentioned the upcoming World Cup in South Africa, and urged the team management to think long term. The bench strength should be prepared now so problems do not arise if replacements are needed in major tournaments.
The ODI record of Shan Masood is modest, he has had limited appearances in ODIs yet. What stands out is his List A performance. He has an average exceeding 50 with over 6400 runs.
Masood hence is a strong candidate for Babar Azam’s replacement due to his consistency in domestic cricket. He can help stabilise the middle order under pressure due to his experience in longer formats.
Abdullah Shafique on the other hand has had exposure at the international level. He has played 27 ODIs and in them he scored 737 runs, with six half centuries and one century.
Observers have been impressed by his temperament and technique. He is capable of adapting tpo different match situations and many see him as long tem prospect.
The injury of Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman is also being investigated by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
It was revealed by the selector Aaqib Javed that both the players were suffering from injuries sine the T20 World Cup 2024.
Recently Pakistan lost a 3-match ODI series to Bangladesh. In the series emior players were rested and this sparked criticism.
Javed defended the approach, stating the inclusion of uncapped players was pre-planned. He added that the move was aimed at grooming young talent for future international challenges.
Also read: Mohammad Yousuf slams Babar Azam’s omission from ODI squad
