Tag: Imad Wasim

Former Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim has raised concerns over the decision to push Babar Azam up the order in ODIs, questioning whether the country is truly lacking specialist openers.

Babar, who has been struggling to regain his best form, hasn’t scored a century since August 2023, when he smashed 151 against Nepal. His performances have come under intense scrutiny, especially after Pakistan’s disappointing ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign.

Ahead of the tournament, Pakistan’s management experimented with Babar as an opener in the tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa, where he could only manage 10, 23, and 29.

Despite those underwhelming numbers, he retained the role in the Champions Trophy but failed to make a significant impact, scoring 64 and 23 against New Zealand and India, respectively.

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This move hasn’t gone down well with many former cricketers, and Imad Wasim has now joined the list of critics questioning the logic behind it.

“Nobody has achieved what Babar has in ODI cricket so far,” Imad said. “You had a player who could bat for 40 overs and was doing great at No. 3, so why would you suddenly make him open?”

He further pointed out that Pakistan has historically produced quality openers, making it baffling why the management felt the need to alter Babar’s role.

“Don’t we have any other opener in the whole country?” Imad asked. “Sometimes, I fail to understand the logic behind some of these decisions. We are not moving in the right direction; in fact, we are going backwards.”

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Former Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim has discussed his innings of 15 runs off 23 balls in the narrow defeat to arch-rivals India during the T20 World Cup 2024 in New York.

In that match, India set a target of 120 runs on a challenging pitch at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium.

Although Pakistan began their chase well, they ultimately fell short, losing by six runs. Imad came in to bat when Pakistan was at 73 for 3 in 12.2 overs, needing 47 more runs from 46 balls.

He explained that the plan was to take the run chase deeper, but he found it difficult to execute that strategy effectively.

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Despite a relatively modest target of 120 runs, the Pakistani batting lineup faced 59 dot balls, finishing with a score of 113 for 7.

In a recent interview, Imad Wasim reflected on the criticism he faced after his performance.

“When I scored 15 runs off 23 balls against India, the criticism I received made me feel as though I hadn’t achieved anything in my life. I did my best and sincerely apologized to the team and management,” he said.

It’s important to note that Imad Wasim previously announced his retirement from international cricket but continues to play in domestic leagues and franchise cricket.

He shared his decision on X (formerly Twitter), mentioning that it came after considerable thought.

“To all fans and supporters: After much thought and reflection, I have decided to retire from international cricket.”

“Representing Pakistan on the world stage has been the greatest honor of my life, and every moment wearing the green jersey has been unforgettable,” said Imad Wasim.

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Following the unexpected retirement of all-rounder Imad Wasim and pacer Mohammad Amir, left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Irfan has also chosen to step away from international cricket.

Irfan took to his official X (formerly Twitter) account and announced his decision while thanking his teammates and coaching staff for their support over the course of his career.

“I have decided to [take] retirement from international cricket,” he posted. “I want to express my deepest gratitude to my teammates, [and] coaches.”

“Thank you for the love, the cheers, and the unforgettable memories and I will continue to support and celebrate the game that has given me everything. Pakistan Zindabad!”

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The 7’1″ bowler made his international debut in an ODI against England in 2010. He went on to represent Pakistan in 4 Tests, 60 ODIs, and 22 T20Is, taking a total of 109 wickets across formats.

He was part of Pakistan’s squad in the Champions Trophy 2013, ODI World Cup 2015, and T20I World Cup 2016. He last played for Pakistan in a T20I against Australia in 2019.

It is notable that Mohammad Irfan announced his retirement on the same day as Mohammad Amir. Additionally, Imad Wasim bid farewell to international cricket one day before them.

READ: Sarfaraz Ahmed reacts to retirements of Mohammad Amir, Imad Wasim

Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed has reacted to the shocking retirement of pace bowler Mohammad Amir and all-rounder Imad Wasim.

Amir and Wasim came out of international retirement earlier this year and made themselves available for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, which was played in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA) in June.

Wasim managed three wickets in three games at an average of 14.66 and scored a meagre 19 runs in two outings. Meanwhile, Amir was Pakistan’s best bowler in the tournament, taking seven wickets in four matches at an impressive average of 10.28.

However, their presence did not help as Pakistan crashed out of the tournament from the group stage, mainly due to their gut-wrenching defeats against the United States of America (USA) and arch-rivals India.

Both players were not considered for Pakistan’s white-ball assignments after the T20 World Cup, which resulted in them stepping away from international cricket.

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Sarfaraz Ahmed, who is currently mentoring Dolphins in the Champions T20 Cup, posted a story on his official Instagram account, extending his best wishes to both players for their future endeavours.

“Happy retirement to both my teammates and brothers, best of luck for your future,” the former captain posted.

“Maddy [Imad] and I share great memories, winning [the] U19 World Cup final and Champions Trophy final.

“[Amir is a] Champion bowler and champion player, I Will never forget your world-class spell in [the] Champions Trophy final game.

“Be happy wherever you are with lots of prayers.”

It’s worth noting that Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir were part of the Pakistan squad that won the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 under the inspired leadership of Sarfaraz Ahmed.

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LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) thanked pace bowler Mohammad Amir and all-rounder Imad Wasim for their contributions on Saturday after they announced their retirement from international cricket.

Amir and Wasim came out of international retirement earlier this year and made themselves available for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, which was played in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA) in June.

Wasim managed three wickets in three games at an average of 14.66 and scored a meagre 19 runs in two outings. Meanwhile, Amir was Pakistan’s best bowler in the tournament, taking seven wickets in four matches at an impressive average of 10.28.

However, their presence did not help as Pakistan crashed out of the tournament from the group stage, mainly due to their gut-wrenching defeats against the United States of America (USA) and arch-rivals India.

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Both players were not considered for Pakistan’s white-ball assignments after the T20 World Cup, which resulted in them stepping away from international cricket.

The PCB released a statement, thanking both players for their services and wishing them well in their future endeavours.

“All-rounder Imad Wasim and left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Amir have announced their retirements from international cricket. Both players last featured for Pakistan in this year’s ICC T20 World Cup held in the USA and West Indies,” the PCB said in a statement.

“On behalf of the PCB, I extend sincere gratitude to Amir and Imad for their services to Pakistan cricket and wish them the very best in their future endeavours,” PCB Chief Operating Officer Sumair Ahmad stated.

READ: Mohammad Amir once again retires from international cricket

Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim on Friday, left his fans stunned as he officially announced his retirement from international cricket.

Imad took to X (formerly Twitter) and announced his decision to bid farewell to international cricket after a nine-year-long career.

“To all fans & supporters, after much thought and reflection, I have decided to retire from international cricket,” he posted. “Representing Pakistan on the world stage has been the greatest honor of my life, and every moment wearing the green jersey has been unforgettable.”

“Your unwavering support, love, and passion have always been my biggest strength. From the highs to the lows, your encouragement has pushed me to give my best for our beloved country.

“While this chapter comes to an end, I look forward to continuing my journey in cricket through domestic and franchise cricket, and I hope to keep entertaining you all in new ways.

“Thank you for everything. Pakistan.”

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For the unversed, Imad Wasim previously retired from international cricket in November 2023, however, he reversed his decision in March earlier this year and declared his availability for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.

The all-rounder managed three wickets in three games at an average of 14.66 and scored a meagre 19 runs in two outings during Pakistan’s disastrous World Cup campaign as they crashed out of the tournament from the group stage.

Notably, Imad Wasim, who made his international debut in 2015, represented Pakistan in 75 T20Is and 55 ODIs. He scored 1540 runs across formats with the help of six half-centuries and claimed 117 wickets.

He was also part of the Pakistan side that won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017, under the inspired leadership of Sarfaraz Ahmed.

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Pakistan white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan recently discussed the absence of experienced pacer Mohammad Amir and all-rounder Imad Wasim from the squad for the upcoming T20I series against Australia, which starts tomorrow.

Amir and Wasim came out of international retirement earlier this year and made themselves available for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, which was played in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA) in June.

Wasim managed three wickets in three games at an average of 14.66 and scored a meagre 19 runs in two outings. Meanwhile, Amir was Pakistan’s best bowler in the tournament, taking seven wickets in four matches at an impressive average of 10.28.

However, their presence did not help as Pakistan crashed out of the tournament from the group stage, mainly due to their gut-wrenching defeats against the United States of America (USA) and arch-rivals India.

Since the T20 World Cup, Pakistan cricket has undergone many changes, including Mohammad Rizwan replacing Babar Azam as the white-ball captain.

In his first assignment as captain, Rizwan successfully guided his team to a historic victory, breaking a 22-year drought by securing an ODI series win in Australia.

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During a media talk before the first T20I in Brisbane, Rizwan was asked about the changes in the squad since the T20 World Cup, especially the exclusion of key players such as Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Iftikhar Ahmed, and Fakhar Zaman.

The wicket-keeper acknowledged the services of the aforementioned players and stated that it would not be easy for the youngsters to fill in their shoes.

“The names you’ve mentioned [Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Iftikhar Ahmed, and Fakhar Zaman] are big names. It’s not easy to fill the gap they have left. You can’t replace them overnight; it will take some time,” he said.

“All four have contributed a lot to the team, and it’s hard to say how long it will take to fill their roles in the Pakistan lineup fully. Hopefully, with time, especially in T20s, we’ll find the right balance.”

However, he mentioned that he and his team is currently focusing on the upcoming series and aiming to win that in the first place.

“But right now, our focus is on the current series and how we can field the best XI. We’re working on it and have something in mind for that,” he concluded.

READ: Champions Trophy: Pakistan demands explanation for India’s refusal

Pakistan’s all-rounder Imad Wasim, representing Antigua & Barbuda Falcons in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2024, was in the middle of a major controversy in their game against Trinbago Knight Riders.

Chaos erupted in the 20th match of the tournament when the Pakistani all-rounder was controversially given out by the third umpire.

The incident unfolded when West Indian spinner Sunil Narine appealed for an LBW against Imad Wasim.

After the on-field umpire ruled in Wasim’s favour, Trinbago Knight Riders went for a DRS review.

The third umpire, after reviewing replays of the LBW, overturned the original decision and declared the Pakistani all-rounder out.

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The decision, however, did not sit well with the left-handed batter, who was visibly frustrated and exchanged a few words with the on-field umpire.

After pleading his case that the ball first made contact with his bat before hitting his pad, Imad Wasim had to walk off the field.

As he was walking, the Pakistani all-rounder signalled to spectators to watch the replay of his dismissal, which according to him was wrong.

Curtly Ambrose, part of the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons’ support staff for the CPL 2024, also showed his frustration with the decision.

Things escalated further when Imad Wasim was recalled after the umpires discussed the decision, leading Trinbago Knight Riders captain Kieron Pollard to confront the umpires.

 

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It was then Pollard’s turn to engage in an intense discussion as he protested the umpires’ decision to recall the Pakistani all-rounder back into the ground despite him crossing the boundary curtains.

However, the on-field umpires allowed Imad Wasim to resume batting, making it one of the rare instances in cricket where a player returned to the crease after walking off.

In an earlier game at the CPL 2024, Imad Wasim left his teammates and commentators in shock with his lacklustre fielding display.

During their game against Barbados Royals, Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir delivered a short ball, which Quinton de Kock ramped fine over the wicketkeeper’s head.

As the ball was going towards the boundary, Imad Wasim, stationed at deep third-man, casually jogged towards the ball instead of sprinting to stop the boundary.

The Antigua and Barbuda Falcons captain then replaced him with another fielder as a video showed Imad leaving the deep third-man boundary.

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Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim recalled getting ‘surprised’ when Babar Azam was reinstated as the white-ball captain ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, earlier this year.

Imad Wasim, along with pacer Mohammad Amir, came out of retirement ahead of the mega-event. However, his performance in the tournament was underwhelming, as he managed only three wickets and 19 runs throughout Pakistan’s campaign.

According to an interview quoted by Hindustan Times, Imad Wasim said: “Yes, I was surprised, what can I say, it’s ultimately the selector’s call.”

“Whatever they thought was the best option, they picked and they picked the team [accordingly].

“Everybody in Pakistan was surprised, not just me. So, I can’t say no that I was not surprised.”

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For the unversed, Babar Azam has been under fire following Pakistan’s lacklustre ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 campaign, where they got knocked out from the group stage.

Many fans and critics have attributed the Green Shirts’ disastrous performance to Babar’s captaincy and called for his removal as captain.

The right-handed batter previously relinquished captaincy in all formats after the team’s group-stage exit from the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 in India.

Shan Masood was named Test captain whereas pacer Shaheen Afridi was named T20I captain. However, Babar was reinstated as the white-ball skipper for the series against England and Ireland leading up to the T20 World Cup.

READ: Multan to host first-ever T20I series as Pakistan face South Africa tomorrow

Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi equalled the record made by all-rounder Imad Wasim during their game against Ireland in the T20 World Cup 2024.

Afridi became the second Pakistani bowler to have taken three wickets inside powerplay twice in T20Is as he dismissed three Ireland batters in Sunday’s game in Florida.

All-rounder Imad Wasim was the first Pakistani bowler to have achieved the record by taking three wickets in a T20I power-play in 2016 and 2018.

Pakistan’s experienced pacer Mohammad Amir alongside former speedsters Sohail Tanvir and Umar Gul have taken three wickets in powerplay once in their careers.

Shaheen Afridi’s three scalps included two wickets in the first over of Ireland’s inning in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024.

Meanwhile, Pakistan, who had already been knocked out of the Super 8s contention, registered a consolation victory over Ireland in their last match.

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Shaheen Afridi starred with his all-round abilities as he backed his three wickets with an unbeaten blistering cameo.

He came out to bat when Pakistan needed 11 off 14 deliveries and steered Pakistan to glory with 13 not out off five deliveries. He smashed two sixes during his match-winning cameo.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam anchored the run-chase with his sensible knock and top-scored with an unbeaten 32 off 34 deliveries.

Besides Shaheen Afridi, Imad Wasi also claimed three wickets while Mohammad Amir bagged two. Haris Rauf, on the other hand, made one scalp.

The three-wicket victory over Ireland helped Pakistan to finish third in Group A standing of the T20 World Cup 2024.

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