Pakistan did not have a memorable outing in the 2023 ODI World Cup. There were expectations that they would reach the semis. However, a poor show by the experienced batters and bowlers led to their early exit. The management also had a role to play, with some unconvincing tactics. Here, we take a look at three players Pakistan did not use well in the 2023 ODI World Cup.
1) Fakhar Zaman
If not for Fakhar’s performance at the end, Pakistan might have finished even lower on the table. Yes, Fakhar had a disappointing start but for a player of his experience, a longer rope is needed.
On his day, as we saw against the Kiwis, Fakhar can kill the game within the first 10 overs. In the modern era, at least one such batter is needed at the top of the order. If the management had stuck with him for a few more games at the start, the team could have been in a better situation.
2) Mohammad Wasim Jr.
Mohammad Wasim Jr. is one of the players Pakistan did not use well in the 2023 ODI World Cup. Despite the continuous poor outings of Hasan Ali and Haris Rauf, Pakistan did not make use of the services of the talented pacer.
Mohammad Wasim impressed many with his display in the fag end of the tournament. This is despite him bowling at difficult phases. Had he started right from the beginning, Pakistan bowling could have been more impressive.
3) Saud Shakeel
There were a lot of expectations from Saud before the tournament started. A few also expected that he might end up opening a few innings. However, that did not happen.
More often than not, Saud was put under pressure in the middle-order. With experienced batters around him, had he got an opportunity to express himself more freely, Saud could have had a good tournament. Maybe, Pakistan could have used him differently to get the best out of him.
