SYDNEY - Pakistan's former captain Rameez Raja is adamant that the national team management should include legspinner Yasir Shah in the playing XI for the cricket World Cup quarterfinal match against Australia. "They made a big mistake by ignoring wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfraz Ahmed for the first four games of the World Cup and now they are doing the same with Yasir," he said.
Rameez said Yasir should have been played in all the matches. "He is an attacking bowler and will take wickets and he should have been played against other teams including Sunday's match against Ireland and I don't understand why they are ignoring him," he said. "I am disappointed with the team management's decision and strategy because in Australia even if the ball doesn't turn much a specialist legspinner is always a wicket-taker," he added. "If you do not use a legspinner in a match against Australia then when will you use him," he asked.
Rameez also felt the decision to drop senior batsman Younus Khan for the game against Ireland, after he had scored 37 against South Africa, was not fair. "I think it was unfair on Younus but he must also now decide his future as a one-day player because perhaps the message is clear for him."
Yasir was selected as the lone specialist spinner in the World Cup squad but the tour selectors have preferred to play legspinning allrounder, Shahid Afridi, instead of Yasir after the defeat to India. Rameez noted that if Pakistan had fielded the right XI for the game against West Indies, which they lost badly, they could have won that match and avoided Australia in the quarterfinals. "But to me it is an open match and Pakistan has a fair chance even though it is Australia's home ground they will be under lot of pressure being the home side and carrying so many expectations with them."
Pakistan's former captain and pace great Wasim Akram felt that the team's fortune against Australia would depend on the toss. "They must bat first in these knockout matches as if the batsmen put up a competitive total the bowlers are in good rhythm and can cause problems to any team.