Former Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir and batsman Ahmed Shehzad have reshuffled the national team’s top order ahead of their crucial Super Eight clash at the Ballegale International Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
During a detailed discussion of team strategy in a recent interview Jio News’ On the special Harna Mana Hai, Aamir and Shehzad shared their insights on the national team’s lineup and tactical approach for the upcoming matches.
The left-arm fast bowler outlined his perspective on the batting and bowling line-up, emphasizing balance and flexibility in the team.
“Sahibzada Farhan, Faqar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha and Khawaja Nafey form the top order. Usman Khan will not be out as a wicketkeeper. Then Shatab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz will come in. If Saeem bats out, Abrar can take his place while Nafee can go to Babar, Shaheem, Naseem, Naseem continued,” Naseem said.
Meanwhile, Shehzad offered his advice on tactical adjustments and team management, stressing the importance of playing according to available resources rather than expecting a spectacular performance from the bench.
“Go with the expert. Please don’t split the team in half for tomorrow’s match – play your batsmen and bowlers according to the information you have,” said Shehzad.
“You don’t have Dan Bradman sitting on the bench, so you have to make small changes. You can easily replace Shatab with Abrar, Nafey in place of Babar – this way, both your batting and bowling will be complete,” he added.
Notably, Pakistan are currently third in Group 2 standings with one point from two matches.
To beat New Zealand, who have a net run rate of 1.390, the Green Shirts need to beat Sri Lanka by roughly 65 runs – or chase down the target within 13 overs – to improve that ratio. Pakistan’s net run rate currently stands at -0.461.
England’s recent win over New Zealand has kept Pakistan’s semi-final ambitions alive, although their fate now hinges on a crucial result against the co-hosts in Kandy.
If they fall short of the required margin, New Zealand will join England in advancing from Group 2 to the semi-finals.
Historically, Pakistan have had a slight edge in the shorter format. The two teams have met 24 times in T20 Internationals, with Pakistan winning 14 to Sri Lanka’s 10.
However, T20 World Cups have drawn head-to-head matches.
In the four previous meetings in the tournament, both teams have won two each, which adds an extra layer of intrigue to tonight’s high-pressure clash.