Ahmed Shehzad has criticized the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and chief selector Mohammad Yousuf over the exclusion of Kamran Ghulam from the squad for the first Test against England. The PCB announced a 15-member team for the series opener in Multan starting October 7, but Ghulam, despite his strong domestic performance, was left out.
Since September 2023, Ghulam has been in outstanding form, scoring seven centuries in 13 first-class matches for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with five of those coming this year alone. He was part of the squad for the recent Test series against Bangladesh but didn’t get a chance to play. While the PCB claims Ghulam remains in their plans, many are questioning his exclusion, especially given his impressive statistics.
At 28 years old, Ghulam has only played one ODI for Pakistan, which was against New Zealand last year, where he didn’t bat or bowl. His recent performances in the Champions One Day Cup also highlight his potential, with 248 runs at an average of 49.60 and a strike rate of 100 over five matches, although he did struggle in a recent qualifier match.
Shehzad’s comments were pointed. He questioned Yousuf’s decision-making, especially since other players like Khurram Shahzad are injured and Aamer Jamal and Shaheen Shah Afridi are not fully fit. Shehzad expressed frustration that Ghulam and Sahibzada Farhan were overlooked, asking for clarity on the rationale behind these selections.
He raised a controversial point: is Ghulam’s exclusion linked to Babar Azam’s position in the batting order? Ghulam and Babar both bat at number three, leading Shehzad to wonder if the selectors are favoring established players over deserving newcomers. In a video shared on his social media, he emphasized the need for accountability in selection decisions and asked for an explanation regarding Ghulam’s omission, highlighting the inconsistency in the selection criteria.
Overall, Shehzad’s critique underscores a broader concern about player selection in Pakistani cricket, especially when talented players like Ghulam are performing well but remain on the sidelines. He urges the selectors to provide logical justifications for their choices to ensure fairness and transparency in the process.
