Pakistan Asia Cup 2023 Squad Breakdown: Which of these 18-men will make the Pakistan 2023 Cricket World Cup Squad?

Let’s breakdown Pakistan Asia Cup 2023 squad, which is basically Pakistan’s 18-member preliminary World Cup 2023 squad.

Here is a quick preview: Pakistan is banking on youth to help them go all the way in this upcoming World Cup.

Let’s dive right in.

Key Takeaways from Pakistan’s Asia Cup 2023 ODI Squad Announcement

• The average age of Pakistan Asia Cup 2023 squad is 26.9. Pakistan is going with a young squad, especially in the pace department. They have youngsters like Naseem Shah (20), Mohammad Wasim (21), Mohammad Haris (22), and Shaheen Shah Afridi (23). Fakhar Zaman is the oldest member of squad at just 33.
• The 18-member Pakistan’s preliminary World Cup squad has average ODI match experience of only 29 ODIs. Babar Azam (100), Fakhar Zaman (70) & Imam-ul-Haq (59) are their most experienced players, while Tayyab Tahir is yet to debut in international cricket.
• Pakistan’s squad composition is as follows: 8 proper batters, 5 all-rounders, and 5 proper bowling options. In total, Pakistan has 10 bowling options (2 off spin, 1 left arm pace, 1 left arm spin, 2 leg spin, and 5 right arm pace) in their squad if absolutely needed.
• Pakistan has 4 left-handed batting options (Imam, Fakhar, Saud Shakeel, Nawaz) and two wicketkeeping options.

Pakistan Cricket World Cup Team at a Glance

Player	Role	Age
Imam-ul-Haq	Batter	27
Fakhar Zaman	Batter	33
Babar Azam (C)	Batter	28
Iftikhar Ahmed	All-Rounder/Off Spin	32
Abdullah Shafique	Batter	23
Agha Salman	All-Rounder/Off Spin	29
Mohammad Rizwan	Batter/Wicketkeeper	31
Saud Shakeel	Batter	27
Shadab Khan	All-Rounder/Leg Spin	24
Mohammad Nawaz	All-Rounder/Left Arm Spin	29
Faheem Ashraf	All-Rounder/Medium Pace	29
Haris Rauf	Fast Bowler	29
Shaheen Shah Afridi	Fast Bowler	23
Naseem Shah	Fast Bowler	20
Mohammad Wasim	Fast Bowler	21
Usama Mir	Right Arm Leg Spin	27
Mohammad Haris	Right Hand Bat/Wicketkeeper	22
Tayyab Tahir	Right Hand Bat	30

Also Read:

• India vs Pakistan World Cup (The Ultimate Guide): Highest Run Scorer, Highest Wicket Taker, Records, and More!
• The Magician with the Yorker – Umar Gul
• Babar Azam, Rizwan, Shaheen: The Case for Pakistan Players In the IPL

Pakistan Cricket World Cup 2023 Potential XI

1. Imam-ul-Haq
2. Mohammad Rizwan (WK)
3. Fakhar Zaman
4. Babar Azam
5. Iftikhar Ahmed
6. Faheem Ashraf
7. Shadab Khan
8. Mohammad Nawaz
9. Naseem Shah
10. Shaheen Shah Afridi
11. Haris Rauf

Injury News

• Shaheen Shah Afridi has been ruled out of the Asia cup due to a knee injury.
• 20-year old pacer, Ihsanullah has been in Pakistan’s plans but has been out with an elbow injury recently.

6 Pakistan Players Who Were Unlucky to Miss Out

• Shan Masood, Imad Wasim, Haider Ali, Haris Sohail, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Hasnain

2 Surprise Picks for Pakistan’s World Cup Squad

• Usama Mir, Tayyab Tahir

Pakistan Asia Cup 2023 Squad – Complete List of Players

1. Imam-ul-Haq

Role: Left-Hand Bat (Opener)

• Matches/Innings: 59/59
• Runs: 2719, Best: 151
• Average/SR: 51.30/82.99
• 100/50: 9/16

Recent ODI Form: 11, 6, 60, 24, 90

Last ODI: May 3, 2023

Age: 27

Embed from Getty Images

2. Fakhar Zaman

Role: Left-Hand Bat (Opener, #3)

• Matches/Innings: 70/70
• Runs: 3148, Best: 210*
• Average/SR: 48.43/93.27
• 100/50: 10/15

Recent ODI Form: 101, 117, 180*, 19, 14, 33

Last ODI: May 7, 2023

Age: 33

Embed from Getty Images

3. Babar Azam (C)

Role: Right-Hand Bat

• Matches/Innings: 100/98
• Runs: 5089, Best: 158
• Average/SR: 59.17/89.24
• 100/50: 18/26

Recent ODI Form: 49, 65, 54, 107, 1

Last ODI: March 7, 2023

Age: 28

Embed from Getty Images

4. Iftikhar Ahmed

Role: Right-Hand Bat/ Right Arm Off spin

• Matches/Innings: 12/11
• Runs: 246, Best: 94*
• Average/SR: 41.00/101.65
• 100/50: 0/1
• Wickets: 8, Best: 5/40
• Economy: 5.38

Recent ODI Form: 2, 8*, DNB, 28, 94* & 1/36, 0/38, 1/38, 0/21

Last ODI: May 7, 2023

Age: 32

Embed from Getty Images

5. Abdullah Shafique

Role: Right-Hand Bat

• Matches/Innings: 3/3
• Runs: 28
• Average/SR: 9.33/66.66
• 100/50:0/0

Recent ODI Form: 2, 7, 19

Last ODI: May 3, 2023

Age: 23

Embed from Getty Images

6. Agha Salman

Role: Right-Hand Bat/Right Arm Off spin

• Matches/Innings: 11/10
• Runs: 337, Best: 58
• Average/SR: 48.14/108.7
• 100/50: 0/3
• Wickets: 3, Best: 2/42
• Economy: 5.57

Recent ODI Form: 7, DNB, 31, 58, 57 & 0/15, 0/34, 1/42, 0/49, 0/60

Last ODI: May 7, 2023

Age: 29

Embed from Getty Images

7. Mohammad Rizwan (WK)

Role: Right-Hand Bat/Wicketkeeper

• Matches/Innings: 57/52
• Runs: 1408, Best: 115
• Average/SR: 34.34/88.22
• 100/50: 2/9
• Catches/Stumpings: 52/2

Recent ODI Form: 77, 42*, 54*, 32, 24, 9

Last ODI: May 7, 2023

Age: 31

Embed from Getty Images

8. Saud Shakeel

Role: Left-hand Bat/Left Arm Spin

• Matches/Innings: 5/4
• Runs: 67, Best: 56
• Average/SR: 22.33/66.33
• 100/50: 0/1

Recent ODI Form: 5, 56, 3*, 3, DNB

Last ODI: March 21, 2022

Age: 27

Embed from Getty Images

9. Shadab Khan (VC)

Role: Right Arm Leg spin/Right-Hand Bat

• Matches/Innings: 56/33
• Wickets: 73, Best: 4/28
• 4-fer/5-fer: 4/0
• Economy: 5.13
• Runs: 631, Best: 86
• 100/50: 0/4

Recent ODI Form: 86, 48*, DNB, DNB, 21*, 14 & 4/62, 0/47, 1/41, 1/56, 0/45, 2/67

Last ODI: May 7, 2023

Age: 24

Embed from Getty Images

10. Mohammad Nawaz

Role: Left Arm Spin/Left-Hand Bat

• Matches/Innings: 28/22
• Wickets: 37, Best: 4/19
• 4-fer/5-fer: 3/0
• Economy: 4.94
• Runs: 283, Best: 53

Recent ODI Form: 4/38 1/53, 0/55, 0/40. 0/26 & 3,8,8*, DNB, 11*

Last ODI: May 3, 2023

Age: 29

Embed from Getty Images

11. Faheem Ashraf

Role: Left-Hand Bat/Right Arm Medium

• Matches/Innings: 31/30
• Wickets: 23, Best: 5/22
• 4-fer/5-fer: 0/1
• Economy: 5.11
• Runs: 218, Best: 28

Recent ODI Form: 11, 1, 5, 1, 10 & 1/62, 0/30, 0/33, 0/45, 0/34

Last ODI: July 13, 2021

Age: 29

Embed from Getty Images

12. Haris Rauf

Role: Right Arm Fast

• Matches/Innings: 22/22
• Wickets: 39, Best: 4/65
• 4-fer/5-fer: 3/0
• Economy: 5.85

Recent ODI Form: 0/41, 2/65, 4/78, 2/37, 1/45

Last ODI: May 7, 2023

Age: 29

Embed from Getty Images

13. Mohammad Wasim

Role: Right Arm Fast

• Matches/Innings: 14/7
• Wickets: 24, Best: 4/36
• 4-fer/5-fer: 1/0
• Economy: 5.32

Recent ODI Form: 0/46, 2/35, 2/50, 3/40, 1/24

Last ODI: May 7, 2023

Age: 21

Embed from Getty Images

14. Naseem Shah

Role: Right Arm Fast

• Matches/Innings: 8/8
• Wickets: 23, Best: 5/33
• 4-fer/5-fer: 0/2
• Economy: 4.73

Recent ODI Form: 5/57, 3/58, 2/29, 1/49, 2/42

Last ODI: May 3, 2023

Age: 20

Embed from Getty Images

15. Shaheen Shah Afridi

Role: Left Arm Fast

• Matches/Innings: 36/35
• Wickets: 70, Best: 6/35
• 4-fer/5-fer: 5/2
• Economy: 5.52

Recent ODI Form: 1/17, 2/63, 2/53, 1/34, 3/46

Last ODI: May 7, 2023

Age: 23

Embed from Getty Images

16. Usama Mir

Role: Right Hand Leg spin

• Matches/Innings: 6/6
• Wickets: 10, Best: 4/43
• 4-fer/5-fer: 1/0
• Economy: 5.29

Recent ODI Form: 2/42, 1/42, 1/61, 0/66, 4/43, 2/53

Last ODI: May 7, 2023

Age: 27

Embed from Getty Images

17. Tayyab Tahir

Role: Right Hand Bat

*Has debuted in T20Is, but not ODIs yet.

List A Record:

• Matches/Innings: 53/53
• Runs: 53/53, Best: 169
• 100s/50s:4/16
• Average/SR: 44.23/90.83

Age:

Embed from Getty Images

18. Mohammad Haris

Role: Right Hand Bat/Wicketkeeper

• Matches/Innings: 5/4
• Runs: 27, Best: 17*
• 100/50: 0/0
• Average/SR: 9.00/103.84
• Catches/Stumpings: 4/2

Recent ODI Form: DNB, 6, 0, 4, 17*

Last ODI: May 5, 2023

Age: 22

Embed from Getty Images

Final Thoughts

Pakistan’s fast bowling unit has always been good, but this time they also have a stable top order, an in-form keeper, variety of spin options, and a Babar Azam.

Oh yes, and in Shadab Khan, they have one of the best fielders going around.

Take Pakistan lightly at your own peril.

What do you all think? How far can Pakistan go in the upcoming Asia Cup and the 2023 ODI World Cup?

Related ODI World Cup Articles

If you liked this article, be sure to check some of the other World Cup content:

• 2023 Cricket World Cup South Africa Squad Breakdown (The Definitive Guide): Which 15 players will make the final squad from the Preliminary Squad of 18?
• Bangladesh Asia Cup 2023 Squad Breakdown: Which of the 19-men Squad will make the Bangladesh 2023 World Cup Squad?
• India Asia Cup 2023 Squad Breakdown: Which of these 18-men will make the India 2023 Cricket World Cup Squad?
• ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Schedule (Complete Guide): What is the Schedule of Each Team for the 2023 ODI World Cup?
• 2023 Cricket World Cup England Squad (The Definitive Guide): Can England Continue their ODI Legacy?
• 2023 Cricket World Cup Australia Squad Breakdown (The Definitive Guide): Which 15 players will make the final squad from the Preliminary Squad of 18?
• Who Has Scored the Most Runs in ODI Cricket World Cups (Men’s)?| List of Top 21 Most Runs in Cricket World Cup (Updated 2023)

Frequently Asked Questions

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, LLC 2023. Originally published on 08/19/2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Broken Cricket Dreams with appropriate and specific direction to the original content (i.e. linked to the exact post/article).