Giving a major hint of their plans ahead of the 2023 Cricket World Cup, Pakistan used Abdullah Shafique as an opener over Fakhar Zaman in their warm-up game against New Zealand on Friday (September 29).

Pakistan opted to bat first after winning the toss in Hyderabad, and made the surprise move sending out Shafique as opener along with Imam-ul-Haq. Shafique displaced Zaman at the top of the order following the latter’s prolonged poor form. Zaman has been unable to cross 35 in his last 10 ODI innings, with his form taking a dip after a blazing start to 2023.

Zaman made three successive hundreds along with a fifty in five innings at the start of the year, but averages 19 since then, with a high score of 33. The left-hander was set to be dropped from the last Asia Cup clash against Sri Lanka, but managed to find a place due to a number of players being unavailable due to injuries or illness. Pakistan’s XI had looked settled a few weeks ago, but a poor Asia Cup campaign, in which they finished bottom of the Super Fours stage, has led to calls for changes to the line-up.

The clamour to include Shafique, who made his ODI debut against the Netherlands last year, comes on the back of his stunning beginning to life in Test cricket. In 14 Tests, he has made four hundreds and four fifties at an average of 50.83.

Shafique has made 2, 7, 19 and 52 in four ODIs thus far, averaging 20 with a strike rate of 72.02.

On Friday, against New Zealand, he was dismissed for a 25-ball 14, stumped off the bowling of Mitchell Santner.

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