KARACHI: Former Pakistan fast bowler Tanveer Ahmed has expressed concern over the selection of young wicketkeeper-batsman Ghazi Khori ahead of in-form Saad Baig in the national squad for the two-match Test series against Bangladesh next month.
On social media platform X, Tanveer expressed deep frustration over the selectors’ recent results, questioning the criteria used for national team selection.
He pointed to what he described as a disconnect between domestic shows and international calls, arguing that established artists were being overlooked.
“Saad Baig’s current season performance: 10 matches, 1000 runs, ranked 1. He was not included in the Test squad against Bangladesh,” Tanveer wrote.
“Who is Ghazi Ghori and on what basis was he selected? He has zero games, has played only one match this season and yet he has been included in the Test squad. I curse such a selection,” he added.
The former fast bowler continued to comment on domestic cricket programs and selection debates, insisting that short-term rankings or performance in a single match should not outweigh long-term consistency across tournaments.
He emphasized that players should be judged on sustained output rather than isolated performance.
“If Qazi Ghori is number 2 in the President’s Trophy, so what? He has played only one match in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. On the other hand, Saad Baig has scored 1,400 runs in 17 matches.
Having represented Karachi Blues in the 2025-26 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, Saad Baig has been one of the standouts in the domestic circuit.
He crossed the 1000-run mark in 10 matches at an average of 55.55, including three half-centuries and four centuries.
In contrast, Ghazi Ghori featured in just one match in the same tournament, where he scored 83 runs for the Karachi Blues.
However, in the 2025–26 President’s Trophy, he became the second highest run-scorer for State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), amassing 531 runs at an average of 48.27 in seven matches, including two centuries and a half-century.
The upcoming Test series as part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle will begin with the first Test from May 8 to 12 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka.
The second Test will be played at the Sylhet International Cricket Ground from May 16 to 20.
Shaun Masood will continue to lead the team while four uncapped players – Abdullah Fazal, Amat Butt, Azan Awais and Ghazi Ghori – have been called up to the squad.
The training camp, which will convene in Karachi on April 27, will continue till May 1 before leaving for Bangladesh on May 2.
Pakistan Squad for Bangladesh Test Series:
Shaun Masood (catch), Abdullah Fazal, Amat Butt, Azan Awais, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Gazi Ghori (wk), Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Shakeel and Salman Ali Agha.
comments