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Imam-ul-Haq, the Pakistan batter, recently unveiled his all-time ODI XI for the Pakistan National Cricket Team. His selection reflects a blend of iconic players spanning different eras of Pakistan cricket.
Opening prowess
For the opening pair, Imam chose Saeed Anwar and Babar Azam. Saeed, widely regarded as one of Pakistan’s best batters ever, earned his place at the top due to his prolific run-scoring and consistency. Babar, current captain of the team and one of the finest ODI batters globally, was selected to open alongside Anwar, primarily because of his outstanding performances over the past seven years.
“Since it was very difficult for me to set [him] in the middle order. So, I went for Babar Azam as the opener. The way he has performed in ODI cricket for the last seven years his performances for Pakistan are very good,” Imam was quoted as saying by A Sports.
Middle order dominance
Moving to the middle order, Imam picked Javed Miandad, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Yousuf. These three stalwarts were pivotal in Pakistan’s success in ODIs, providing stability and match-winning performances throughout their careers.
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Captain Marvel
Imran Khan, the legendary all-rounder who led Pakistan to their maiden World Cup victory in 1992, was chosen as the captain of the team. Known for his exceptional leadership and all-round skills, Imran Khan’s influence on Pakistan cricket in the 80s and 90s was immense.
Safe hands and power with the bat
In the wicketkeeper-batter role, Imam opted for Kamran Akmal. Despite other options like Moin Khan and Sarfaraz Khan, Akmal’s ability to deliver match-winning innings in ODIs swayed Imam’s decision.
“I’ll go with Kamran Akmal as the wicketkeeper-batsman. It was a bit tricky for me. There were a lot of options like Moin bhai and Saifi bhai but I’ll go with Kamran Akmal because he has a lot of match-winning performances in ODIs,” Imam concluded.
Bowling arsenal
Turning to the bowling department, Imam selected Saqlain Mushtaq, Mohammad Asif, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. Saqlain, known for his mastery of spin bowling and invention of the “doosra,” provided variety to the attack. Asif, renowned for his accuracy and ability to trouble batter, complemented the lethal pace duo of Akram and Younis, who are considered among the most feared bowlers in cricket history.
The 12th Man
Shahid Afridi, a dynamic all-rounder known for his explosive batting and effective leg-spin bowling, was named as the 12th man in Imam’s XI, highlighting his impact despite not making the starting lineup. While his son-in-law and Pakistan’s current leader of pace attack, Shaheen Afridi failed to make his place in the roaster.
