NEWS
Follow UsPakistan head coach Misbah ul Haq admitted that some of the players' form in the ongoing Pakistan Super League was tempting to consider for national selection, but felt that they had enough chances in the international circuit.
The likes of Iftikhar Ahmed and Asif Ali, who are not a part of the squad that will tour England, have been instrumental for Islamabad United's run at the top of the table. However, PCB had decided on the squad before the PSL's second leg had begun at Abu Dhabi on June 9.
"Ideally, we could have waited for the PSL but then there are logistical challenges during Covid-19," Misbah said in an online press conference on Monday. "A few of the players' form is tempting and it appears like we are missing out but the major concern is their international performances. They all have had their chances and were picked up last year for their domestic performances but unfortunately, they couldn't translate it to the top level."
The Babar Azam-led squad will depart to England on June 28 from Abu Dhabi and will play three ODIs and three T20Is from July 8-20.
Senior batsman Mohammed Hafeez is going through a rough patch having scored 155 runs in 13 T20Is matches at an average a strike rate of 99.35 since February. However, Misbah was confident that the 40-year old will overcome his difficulties.
"There is a worry that most of the players are seen collectively out of form other than Babar (Azam) and (Mohammad) Rizwan but it's just a matter of one good game. In franchise cricket, players playing every day against different teams but in the international arena, there is a different mindset. The best factor for us is that they are coming up playing hard cricket and they are charged up," Misbah said.
"Players like Hafeez whose bad patch has extended a bit longer - and it happens - but he is an experienced player. He scored heavily and he has a tendency to come out of the bad patch. England has been good for him last year and I am very optimistic that he can deliver well for us."
