LAHORE: Opener Abid Ali’s World Cup dream might be over even before it starts and all-rounder Faheem Ashraf could lose his place in the Pakistan side just when he wouldn’t want it to happen.

To accommodate experienced pacer Mohammad Amir and hard-hitting batsman Asif Ali, Pakistan’s final 15-man squad for the World Cup might not include Abid and Faheem when it is announced on May 23.

Faheem has been given chances in the ongoing five-match One-day International series against England. On the other hand, Abid has not been tested in any of the matches — including against county sides — in England so far.

Abid, who finished as the highest run-scorer in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy — Pakistan’s premier first-class cricket tournament — and scored a century on his debut against Australia in the UAE, was expected to be in the World Cup squad initially.

Amir was not selected in the preliminary squad for the World Cup due to poor form, but after the Pakistan bowling attack’s drubbing in the first two England ODIs, critics have pointed out Pakistan were missing Amir. The selectors are seeming to have been shaken by the pressure.

Published in Dawn, May 17th, 2019