Arthur was questioned about the future of players such as Imad Wasim, Haris Sohail, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Amir and Umar Akmal in Pakistan’s ODI setup
In an interview with a local TV channel, Pakistan’s team director, Mickey Arthur, shared his thoughts on the player pool for the upcoming 2023 Asia Cup and World Cup tournaments.
When asked about the future of players like Imad Wasim, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Amir, Haris Sohail, and Umar Akmal in Pakistan’s ODI team, Arthur acknowledged the recent promise shown by a few players within that group. However, he chose not to mention any names specifically.
Regarding the squad selection for the World Cup and Asia Cup, Arthur mentioned that there would not be many changes compared to the lineup that played in the recent ODI series against New Zealand.
“The squad we will pick for the Asia Cup and World Cup will be drawn from the team that played against New Zealand. Haris Sohail was part of that squad but couldn’t play due to fitness issues. Some players have impressed us recently, but there won’t be significant differences between the squads for the New Zealand series and these upcoming events,” Arthur explained.
He further elaborated that although there were around 20 players in the previous series, the final squad would consist of 15 players. Arthur emphasized the importance of providing stability to the players, allowing them clarity in their roles within the team. He aimed to avoid situations where players felt insecure about their positions or played with the fear of losing their place.
When questioned about any concerns regarding the World Cup venues, Arthur expressed satisfaction and reassured that there were no issues related to the venues. He believed in the capabilities of the squad to defeat any team, regardless of the location.
“We are not concerned about the venues. We have a strong enough squad to beat any team anywhere. I am content with the chosen venues,” he stated.
The highly anticipated India-Pakistan match at the 2023 World Cup is scheduled to be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 15. Arthur anticipated the challenges of playing in front of a large crowd, particularly in Ahmedabad, where Pakistani supporters might be fewer in number.
“We cannot control certain factors. What we can control is our preparation and performance. Playing in Ahmedabad in front of 100,000 people might be tough for us, and the stands might not have many Pakistani supporters. However, closer to the World Cup, we will discuss this with our players and focus on turning things into a positive experience. If we play good cricket and keep the stadiums quiet, it will be our fans and support base,” Arthur concluded.
