Pakistan players (PTI Image)
New Delhi: Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has courted controversy in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 after he urged Pakistan to make a bold selection call ahead of their must-win Super 8 match against England in Pallekele on Tuesday. On social media, Ashwin advised Pakistan to promote Fakhar Zaman to the middle-order if they are serious about surviving the tournament.Go beyond boundaries with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!“If Pakistan are serious about their World Cup campaign, they need to consider giving Fakhar Zaman a chance in the middle order,” Ashwin wrote on X. He stressed Fakhar’s ability to confront the English spin threat, especially the leg player Adel Rashid and the left-arm player Liam Dawson.
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“He can sweep and use his feet against Rasheed and Dawson to do some serious damage down the middle.
This was the formula for Nepal’s success against Rashid, and there are some key lessons that other teams can try to absorb. “Hit the square boundary to win balls into the step hitting zone,” Ashwin added.Ashwin pointed to Nepal’s success against Rashid, even sharing a drawing of a cart wheel to illustrate how getting to the edge of the square and using footwork disrupted England’s control in the middle.
The proposal comes at a time when spin is expected to dominate at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, with sluggish surfaces already affecting results.
England’s pacers, supported by pacer Jofra Archer, played a crucial role in their victory over Sri Lanka, while their batting found unlikely heroes.Despite the inconsistent performances of senior players such as Jos Buttler, England continued to win, with captain Harry Brook backing his experienced players to put in a close performance. Opener Phil Salt also rediscovered his form at a critical time.Pakistan, under the leadership of Salman Ali Agha, faces a much more dangerous situation. Their opening Super 8 match against New Zealand was cancelled, leaving them little margin for error. While their spin attack offers variety, their batting has struggled for consistency behind top scorer Sahibzada Farhan.
