Pakistan have dropped experienced opener Ahmed Shehzad and selected uncapped batsman Fakhar Zaman for their crunch clash with South Africa on Wednesday at Edgbaston.
The impending debut of Fakhar, who has played three T20Is, is one of two changes to the Pakistan side that was thrashed by India in their ICC Champions Trophy opener on Sunday, with the injured Wahab Riaz replaced in the XI by fellow left-armer Junaid Khan.
Rumman Raees takes Wahab’s place in the squad, with the spearhead’s tournament over after he sustained an ankle injury against the Indians.
Pakistan came in for heavy criticism following their heaviest-ever defeat in an ICC tournament to their fierce rivals, with 1992 World Cup winning captain Imran Khan suggesting a lack of fight from Sarfraz Ahmed’s side, as well as calling for an overhaul of the country’s cricket infrastructure.
Another former captain, Aamir Sohail, said selections had been poor and selectors had failed to assist in the development of those players chosen.
“We don’t know about players’ potentials. We waste them by playing in the formats they are not suited for. We don’t have people who can develop players,” Sohail told a Pakistani television network.
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“A selector’s job is not to just select players but also tell them that what the team wants from them. “We mentioned before the match that Pakistan should have some left-handers, Fakhar Zaman and Haris Sohail, in the batting line up.
“Virat Kohli after the match said the same thing – that they knew Pakistan would be having right-handers in the team.”
Pakistan haven’t played South Africa since beating them at the 2015 World Cup in Auckland; on that occasion, they won by 29 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis method, bowling the Proteas out for 202.
Champions Trophy 2017 Guide
Squads: Every Champions Trophy nationSchedule
1 June – England beat Bangladesh by eight wickets
2 June – New Zealand v Australia, No Result
3 June – Sri Lanka lost to South Africa by 96 runs
4 June – India beat Pakistan by 124 runs
5 June – Australia v Bangladesh, No Result
6 June – England v New Zealand, Cardiff (D)
7 June – Pakistan v South Africa, Edgbaston (D/N)
8 June – India v Sri Lanka, The Oval (D)
9 June – New Zealand v Bangladesh, Cardiff (D)
10 June – England v Australia, Edgbaston (D)
11 June – India v South Africa, The Oval (D)
12 June – Sri Lanka v Pakistan, Cardiff (D)
14 June – First semi-final (A1 v B2), Cardiff (D)
15 June – Second semi-final (A2 v B1), Edgbaston (D)
18 June – Final, The Oval (D)
19 June – Reserve day (D)
