Pakistan Cricket’s Selection Mess: Why Fakhar Zaman and Faheem Ashraf Don’t Belong in the XI
Pakistan cricket is stuck in a cycle of poor selections, unclear roles, and political favouritism. The continued inclusion of Fakhar Zaman and Faheem Ashraf in the playing XI perfectly sums up the problem.
Fakhar Zaman – Hit or Miss, Mostly Miss
Fakhar Zaman is the definition of inconsistency. For every one good knock, he fails in nine. T20 cricket demands consistency and clarity of role, not random bursts of runs once in a blue moon. His time as a regular starter should have been questioned long ago.
Faheem Ashraf – A Political Parchi
Faheem Ashraf has no clear role. He isn’t a reliable finisher with the bat, nor an impact bowler. Comparing him to India’s Hardik Pandya is a joke. Pandya is a proven allrounder; Faheem is nowhere near that standard. His presence in the XI creates imbalance instead of solving problems.
Lack of Clarity in Team Selection
India have clear role definitions – Jasprit Bumrah as a specialist pacer, Hardik Pandya as a batting allrounder. Pakistan? Confusion. Wasim Jr, Khushdil Shah, and Hussain Talat travelled with the squad but didn’t play a single Tri-Series match. Why take them if you won’t use them?
The Bigger Problems – Dot Balls & Clueless Batting
Pakistan’s openers are failing to provide a solid platform, while the middle order struggles to rotate strike or build partnerships. In the latest clash vs India in the AsiaCup2025 played on 14th September in Dubai, Pakistan wasted 63 dot balls restricted themselves to 127 runs in 20 overs which India went on to win easily by 7 wickets 25 balls earlier. That’s lack of game awareness – it’s not what modern Cricket requires.
Modern Cricket vs Pakistan’s Approach
Modern T20 cricket isn’t about reckless slogging. Look at India’s Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, or England’s Phil Salt, Harry Brook, and Jos Buttler – they play with intent and intelligence. England even smashed 304 against South Africa in a T20I at Manchester. Pakistan, meanwhile, continue to struggle with basics.
The Root Cause – Weak Domestic Structure
Pakistan’s PSL-first approach has damaged player development. Without a strong domestic and first-class system, you cannot produce world-class cricketers. Other big nations have robust structures; Pakistan doesn’t.
The Way Forward – Meritocracy & Accountability
For years, I’ve highlighted the decline of Pakistan cricket on my channel. The issues are well known, but solutions require sincerity, accountability, and above all, meritocracy. If politics in selection continues, improvement will remain a dream.
Final Word
Fixing Pakistan cricket is not rocket science. But unless performance is valued over connections, Pakistan will keep slipping further down the ranks. The PCB must act now — or accept mediocrity as the new normal. 🚨
