Abdullah Shafique succumbs to nerves in international cricket: Chief Selector

Pakistan team chief selector, Haroon Rasheed, spoke about the importance of strengthening the middle-order and addressed the issues of young batsman, Abdullah Shafique, succumbing to nerves in international cricket.

Rasheed recognized Shafique's potential, but highlighted that some batsmen tend to struggle when their batting order is changed.

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"Abdullah Shafique possesses immense potential, but he tends to succumb to nerves in international cricket. It is common for batsmen to get rattled when their batting order is switched. However, if the middle-order can step up and perform well in the upcoming ODI matches, they can solidify their spots in the national squad," he said.

The former Pakistan cricketer also stated that top-performing batsmen often struggle when shifted to the middle-order and has also praised Pakistan all-rounder Salman Agha's exceptional performance for the national side.

"We cannot deny the fact that strengthening our middle-order pairs is crucial. Top-performing batsmen often struggle when shifted to the middle-order, which is why we are considering switching three to four players in our batting lineup. Salman Agha's exceptional performance is a testament to the success of this strategy," he said.

The 70-year-old also highlighted the value of Haris Sohail's batting, particularly on spin-friendly tracks.

 He commended Sohail's commitment to fitness and improving his form and expressed high expectations from him given his previous performances in the ODI squad.

"Haris Sohail's left-handed batting makes him a valuable addition to the middle-order, especially on spin-friendly tracks in the subcontinent. His commitment to fitness and improving his form is commendable, and we have high expectations from him, given his previous performances in the ODIs," said Haroon.

Rasheed also highlighted the significance of a strong middle-order for the Pakistan cricket team in ODI format.

 "With Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan also in the middle-order in the ODI, having two to three promising batsmen will strengthen our combination significantly," he concluded.