Sufiyan Muqeem Exclusion Raises Questions
The exclusion of Sufiyan Muqeem has sparked a debate about the selection process, with former coach Jason Gillespie believing that the young spinner's inclusion could have benefited Pakistan's campaign, and interim coach Aqib Javed citing limited experience as the reason for his exclusion.
Pakistan's interim white-ball coach Aqib Javed has explained the exclusion of spinner Sufiyan Muqeem and middle-order batter Irfan Khan from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 squad, citing their limited experience in ODIs and other formats. However, former head coach Jason Gillespie has expressed surprise and disappointment at the decision, believing that the inclusion of Muqeem and Khan could have benefited Pakistan's campaign.
Javed emphasized the importance of differentiating between performances in different formats, highlighting Khan's limited ODI experience and Muqeem's lack of experience in ODIs, List A matches, and first-class cricket. Despite this, Gillespie praises Muqeem as a talented cricketer with immense potential, who can be a great servant for Pakistan cricket. He thinks that the selectors and team management made a mistake by leaving Muqeem out of the Champions Trophy squad.
Pakistan's campaign in the tournament has been poor, with back-to-back defeats against India and New Zealand, leading to their early elimination. The team will face Bangladesh in their final group-stage match on February 27. Gillespie cited the exclusion of Niazi and Muqeem as a "glaring mistake" and believes that their inclusion could have made a difference in the team's performance.
The debate over the exclusion of Sufiyan Muqeem and Irfan Khan from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 squad highlights the challenges faced by the Pakistan cricket team in selecting the right players for different formats. As the team looks to regroup and rebuild, the decision to leave out these young players will likely be scrutinized and debated by fans and experts alike.
