The Pakistan Cricket Board has announced the squad for upcoming Asia Cup. The 15-member squad will be led by skipper Babar Azam and Shadab Khan will be his deputy. The team will miss its star pacer Shaheen Afridi who has been ruled out of the tournament due to a ligament injury in his right knee. Pakistan has won the Asia Cup for five times. They last won the tournament in 2014. In the recent years, Pakistan have done really well in the shortest format of cricket and therefore they definitely have the potential to win the Asia Cup this year. Several expected names have failed to make into the squad for Asia Cup. Veteran fast bowler, Wahab Riaz also failed to get a place in the squad. Although it was not quite shocking to not see his name in the squad but let’s see Why Wahab Riaz is not playing in Asia Cup 2022?
Pakistan’s Squad for Asia Cup 2022
Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir, Mohammad Hasnain.
Why Wahab Riaz is not playing in Asia Cup 2022?
Wahab Riaz is not playing for Pakistan in Asia Cup 2022 because he has not been a part of team for a long time. Its more than a year since his last appearance for Pakistan in an international game. Wahab Riaz last played for Pakistan in a T20I against New Zealand in December 2020. He last played in an ODI match for Pakistan on 3 November 2020 against Zimbabwe. His last Test appearance came against Australia on 7 October 2018. So it is quite clear that he has lost his place from Pakistan’s squad.
Wahab Riaz came to limelight during the 2011 edition of ODI World Cup. In the semi-final against India at Mohali, he delivered a magnificent performance. Although, Pakistan lost that match but still his five-wicket haul in the match is unforgettable. In the 2015 Cricket World Cup quarter-final at the Adelaide, he again rose to the occasion with his spell against Australia. His approach towards batter Shane Watson is one of the finest displays of fast-bowling in the World Cup.
