Mark Butcher has said that Usama Mir could be Pakistan’s X-factor in the upcoming 2023 World Cup, and argued that he should be given a chance in the XI over the out-of-form Shadab Khan.

Pakistan added leg-spinner Mir, who made his ODI debut at the start of the year but did not play in the Asia Cup, to their World Cup squad, with concerns over the form of Shadab in ODI cricket. Shadab has not had the best run in 2023, averaging 19.71 with the bat and 39.07 with the ball.

He has registered three successive scores of below 10 and has gone wicketless in four of 11 innings this year, conceding his runs at more than 5.5 an over.

He has also not been at his best in T20 cricket, arguably his best format, picking up a solitary wicket in three games in The Hundred. Shadab also ended with a bowling average of 31.20 in the Major League Cricket.

Mir, on the other hand, has been more consistent this year in white-ball cricket, and troubled New Zealand on their return trip to the country in April, with six wickets, including best figures of 4-43.

He also enjoyed an excellent Pakistan Super League campaign, ending with 17 scalps at an average of 20.05, the same tournament where Shadab averaged nearly 30 with the ball. Mir also impressed in The Hundred, ending with a bowling average of 23.16. He also had a batting strike rate of 178.26 in the competition.

Speaking on Wisden Cricket Weekly Podcast, Butcher said that he would start with Mir in Pakistan’s XI in their opening game of the competition against Netherlands on October 6.

“Usama Mir is the guy for them,” said Butcher. “Watching him during the PSL in February and March, and then he had a really good Hundred for the Manchester Originals with the bat and with the ball. Shadab’s been bowling kind of hit-me’s [deliveries] for a long, long time now. Really just lost all of his bite and it just seems to go out of the park every time he lets it go.”

Both leg-spinners played in Pakistan’s final warm-up fixture against Australia; Mir took 2-31 from five overs, Shadab claimed 1-69 from his ten.

He also said that he would look to play Mir with slow left-arm orthodox spinner Mohammad Nawaz.  He added: “I think they might have to be a little smart here. I’d play Mohammad Nawaz here with Usama Mir, if they are going to go with double spin.”

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