(Source X)
Pakistan batsman Imam-ul-Haq recently unveiled his all-time ODI XI for the Pakistan National Cricket Team, selecting only one current player, skipper Babar Azam, whom he considers among the premier ODI batsmen today.
Imam-ul-Haq chose Saeed Anwar, renowned as one of Pakistan’s finest batsmen, to partner with Babar Azam as the opening pair in his XI. He justified Azam’s selection as an opener due to the challenge of deciding on middle-order players and highlighted Azam’s exceptional consistency over the past seven years in ODIs.
Speaking on a television show, Imam-ul-Haq elaborated on his decision.
“Since it was very difficult for me to set [him] in the middle order. So, I went for Babar Azam as the opener. The way he has performed in ODI cricket for the last seven years his performances for Pakistan are very good.”
Imam-ul-Haq has chosen Javaid Miandad, Inzamam-ul-Haq, and Mohammad Yousuf as the three batters in his all-time ODI XI, acknowledging their pivotal roles in Pakistan’s success in the 50-over format. These stalwarts formed the backbone of the team during their respective eras and contributed significantly to Pakistan’s achievements in ODIs.
For leadership, Imam-ul-Haq selected Imran Khan, under whose guidance Pakistan clinched their historic World Cup victory. Khan, renowned as an exceptional all-rounder across all formats, played a crucial role in Pakistan’s dominance in the 1990s and their World Cup triumph.
In the wicketkeeper-batsman role, Imam-ul-Haq opted for Kamran Akmal, citing his numerous match-winning innings for Pakistan in ODIs. He emphasized Akmal’s ability to deliver under pressure as a significant factor in his selection.
Discussing his choices, Imam-ul-Haq elaborated on the contributions and impact of each player in shaping his all-time ODI XI.
“I’ll go with Kamran Akmal as the wicketkeeper-batsman. It was a bit tricky for me. There were a lot of options like Moin bhai and Saifi bhai but I’ll go with Kamran Akmal because he has a lot of match-winning performances in ODIs.”
Imam-ul-Haq completed his all-time ODI XI by selecting Saqlain Mushtaq as the spin bowling maestro, alongside the pace duo of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, with Mohammad Asif rounding out the fast bowling attack. He notably chose not to include Shahid Afridi in the playing XI but supported him as the 12th man.
Acknowledging Pakistan’s reputation as a factory for producing formidable fast bowlers, Imam-ul-Haq highlighted the immense threat posed by Akram and Younis, who were regarded as among the most fearsome bowlers in the history of cricket.
Imam-ul-Haq picks all-time Pakistan ODI XI
Saeed Anwar, Babar Azam, Javed Miandad, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf, Imran Khan (c), Kamran Akmal (wk), Saqlain Mushtaq, Mohammad Asif, Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram.
