Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Rashid Latif expressed disappointment on inclusion of Mohammad Haris.© Twitter
Right-handed batter Mohammad Haris had made his ODI debut for Pakistan in the first game of the three-match series against West Indies. The batter did not get a chance to bat in the game. However, former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Rashid Latif has expressed his disappointment at giving Haris a go in the middle-order for ODI series on the back of his T20 form as an opener. He cited the example of Babar Azam’s press conference where the Pakistan skipper had said Shan Masood cannot be played as a middle-order batter as he is an opener.
“In the pre-match press conference, when asked about Shan Masood, Babar Azam had said that he’s not a middle-order batter, he’s an opener. But the next day, Haris gets into the middle-order on the basis of his T20 performances. I didn’t like it. I actually felt bad,” Latif said on his YouTube channel.
“Everyone is involved in it. When a team is selected, the committee makes the playing XI first, which means Haris already got into the XI. I don’t get it. I’ve seen Haseebullah performing so well for Balochistan, he keeps as well. He had two centuries in Under-19 (2022 U-19 World Cup). Do Balochistan players not have the right to play?” he asked.
Further citing the example of Shan Masood, Latif said: “On one hand, you’re saying that Shan Masood can’t play in the middle order. On the other hand, you have a batter, who performed as an opener in PSL in the middle-order. How do you justify that?”
Mohammad Haris has so far played 14 T20s and 21 List-A matches.
The right-handed batter has played four first-class games, scoring 75 runs.
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Pakistan had defeated West Indies by five wickets in the first ODI, owing to a 103-run knock by skipper Babar Azam. Haris did not get a chance to bat in the match.
In the 2nd ODI, he could score just 6 before being caught behind off Alzarri Joseph.
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