Pakistan surprised many by reaching the finals of the 2022 T20 World Cup. They had also done well in the 2021 T20 World Cup. Hence, there is an expectation that they will do well in the upcoming 2023 ODI World Cup, which will happen in India. It will also be a matter of pride for them to do well on Indian soil. However, it will be interesting to see how the squad shapes up before the event. We can expect some major surprises. Here, we take a look at two players who might shockingly miss the Pakistan squad for the 2023 ODI World Cup.
1) Shan Masood
Not long ago, Shan Masood was the vice-captain of the white-ball squads for Pakistan. However, his name did not feature in the recent squad named by Pakistan for the Afghanistan ODI series and the Asia Cup. Hence, it is clear that he may not be in the plans, although the Chief Selector has mentioned that he is not out of it.
Nevertheless, it is safe to assume that it is only Masood’s performance that has put him out of the squad. His recent shows have not been impressive. Moreover, Pakistan already has a lot of run accumulators at the top of the order. Therefore, despite his ability to step up on the big stage, Masood might miss out.
2) Faheem Ashraf
Faheem Ashraf is one of the players who might shockingly miss the Pakistan squad for the 2023 ODI World Cup. The bowling all-rounder has earned his spot back in the squad. However, although he is experienced, he might still miss out on the final squad.
Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah are certain to act as the pacers. Mohammad Wasim Jr is likely to be the backup. Pakistan might be inclined to pick an extra spinner like Usama Mir. Hence, Faheem might miss out on the final squad.
