Pakistan was dealt a further setback when two members
of its much-heralded fast-bowling triad failed to finish the first innings with
the ball or emerge with the bat in the closing stages of the second, as if
their record-breaking 228-run loss to India wasn’t terrible enough. The fact
that Naseem Shah would not be competing in the Asia Cup and that Haris Rauf is
doubtful severely hurts Pakistan’s prospects of winning a third championship.
Since then, fast-bowling reinforcements have been sent into Sri Lanka.
Three weeks before the World Cup, any injury to a
major player is sure to create concern, and Pakistan was quick to emphasise
that they would want to err on the side of caution when it comes to managing
Naseem and Rauf’s return. Pakistan’s reputation, though, is one of excellent
quality and high quantity when it comes to fast bowling. Pakistan may contend
that by bringing in Shahnawaz Dahani and Zaman Khan, they are utilising guys
who would play international cricket far more frequently in a side where competition
for fast-bowling positions wasn’t as fierce.
Zaman Khan
In just his ninth 50-over game, Zaman will make his
ODI debut today. The 22-year-old only made his T20 debut at the National T20
Cup two years ago, but in the PSL that followed, he built a name for himself as
an express speed bowler with a slingy movement. Although control was initially
a problem, he made a name for himself during the PSL season earlier this year,
taking 15 wickets and earning a reputation as an excellent death-overs bowler.
He is also famous for bowling the tournament’s final over, which helped Lahore
Qalandars defeat Multan Sultans by one run.
Due to this, he is now in high demand on the T20
circuit and has made his debut in the format internationally. While the economy
rate is a little on the high side, Zaman’s yorkers at their most accurate can
be as near to unplayable as it gets. He spent a large portion of the summer in
England playing for Derbyshire in the T20 Blast and the Manchester Originals in
the Hundred.
Shahnawaz Dahani
Dahani has been called up as backup in case Rauf is
entirely ruled out but is not currently a member of the team. In the 2021 PSL,
Dahani was a genuine revelation, winning the most wickets in the competition
while also pleasing with his vivacious personality, natural talent, and a media
persona that hadn’t yet been standardised by professional sport.
However, he has struggled with accuracy, and his
limited game time for Pakistan is due to the possibility of making large runs
on off days. Dahani has fallen down the pecking order as a result of the
white-ball success of Naseem, as well as the presence of Mohammad Hasnain (who
is now injured) and Zaman. He spent a large portion of the summer playing
first-class and List A cricket in Zimbabwe, where he was competent but didn’t
exactly light up the globe. He does, however, have a talent for getting wickets
whenever he plays. The high point of his career was a five-wicket haul for
Pakistan A against Nepal. This was followed by an ok stay in the Lanka Premier
League, when he grabbed four wickets in as many games.