Pakistan Chief Selector Haroon Rasheed is keeping the door open for former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed to make a comeback to the World Cup squad. With the approval of the “hybrid model” Asia Cup by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), Pakistan is likely to participate in the World Cup in India.
Under this new arrangement, Pakistan will retain hosting rights for the Asia Cup, while a few matches will be held in Sri Lanka. The Asia Cup will witness the top Asian teams battling it out for the title, with Sri Lanka being the defending champions from the previous edition.
The tournament will serve as a dress rehearsal for all teams as they prepare for the World Cup. In an interview with Cricket Pakistan, Pakistan Chief Selector Haroon Rasheed discussed Sarfaraz Ahmed’s chances of featuring in the World Cup.
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“Regarding Sarfaraz Ahmed, he has delivered outstanding performances in Test cricket, without a doubt, which is why you see him in the Test squad. However, it is premature to talk about his performances in One-Day and shorter formats,” Rasheed stated.
He also emphasized that no player should be ruled out from contention for the World Cup and that the Asia Cup would be utilized to identify players who are best suited for Indian conditions.
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“The Asia Cup will be held in Sri Lanka, and we are unsure about the decision regarding the World Cup in India. India has spin-friendly and slow pitches, where you need batsmen who can handle spin well. So, we cannot rule out anyone. During the final selection, we will assess their strengths and weaknesses and determine who can benefit us the most in those conditions,” Rasheed added.
The Asia Cup 2023 will be co-hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka, with Pakistan hosting the first four matches and Sri Lanka hosting the remaining nine matches, including the final. The Asia Cup is scheduled to take place from August 31 to September 17.
As for the ICC World Cup 2023, it is set to be held from October 5 to November 19. The highly anticipated India versus Pakistan match is currently scheduled to take place in Ahmedabad.