Pakistan have been forced to make a late change to their Asian Games cricket squad after fast bowler Salman Mirza was ruled out of the tournament with a finger injury.
Mirza’s withdrawal comes just before Pakistan begin their campaign and leaves the team without one of the pace options originally selected for the competition. Mohammad Wasim Junior has been brought into the 15-member squad as his replacement.
The call-up gives Wasim an opportunity to return to Pakistan’s international set-up after several months away. The pacer last played an international T20 for Pakistan in January. Since then, he had been out of the national side, making his selection for the Asian Games a significant opportunity to regain his place in the team.
Wasim will now be expected to fill the role left vacant by Mirza as Pakistan prepare for the knockout stage of the tournament. His return also comes at a time when the squad is being built largely around younger players.
Opener Sahibzada Farhan has been named captain of the 15-member Pakistan side. The squad includes several promising cricketers who have limited international experience, with a number of players still waiting to make their senior debuts.
Aqib Javed, Ali Raza, Maaz Sadaqat and Saad Masood are among those yet to play international cricket. Their inclusion underlines the youthful nature of Pakistan’s squad and provides them with an opportunity to gain experience in a major multi-sport competition.
For Farhan, leading a relatively inexperienced side will bring an added responsibility. The captain will have to manage a group containing several players who are still establishing themselves at the higher level, while also ensuring the team remains focused during the knockout stages.
Pakistan are scheduled to begin their Asian Games campaign with a quarter-final match next Monday. Their opponent for the last-eight fixture has not yet been confirmed, leaving the team waiting for clarity before tailoring its preparations to a specific opponent.
Pakistan’s record in Asian Games cricket has been limited. Their only medal in the competition came in 2010, when they defeated Sri Lanka to win bronze.
Since then, Pakistan have twice fallen short in the bronze-medal contest. At the 2014 edition, they lost the bronze-medal match to Bangladesh. The same result followed at the most recent edition, when Bangladesh again defeated Pakistan in the contest for third place.
Those results form part of the backdrop to Pakistan’s latest campaign. With a youthful squad and several players looking to make an impression, the tournament represents an opportunity for the team to challenge for another medal while giving emerging cricketers valuable exposure.
Mirza’s injury has disrupted the squad shortly before the competition, but Wasim’s return provides Pakistan with an experienced international option in his place. His performance could prove particularly significant as the team moves into the knockout phase.
The first test will come in Monday’s quarter-final. With the opposition still to be determined, Pakistan’s young squad will have to adapt quickly once the tournament gets under way.
