Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has selected his 15-man squad for India’s T20 World Cup 2024 campaign. The squad includes several notable names, including Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya. Pathan has set a specific condition for Pandya’s inclusion, stating that he must bowl regularly. The squad also includes wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, who has returned to competitive cricket after a horrific incident in December 2022.
Pathan took to his Twitter account to name his preferred squad. While he did not specify any parameters for the selection of other players, he specifically mentioned that Hardik Pandya needs to bowl regularly to keep his place in the team. Notably, Pandya has claimed only four wickets in the ongoing IPL 2024 season at an expensive economy rate of 10.94.
Hardik’s form with the ball is not the only concern, as he has not performed as well as he would have wanted to with the bat either. He has aggregated just 151 runs in eight games for Mumbai at an average of 21.57, with a strike rate of 142.45.
Despite these concerns, Pathan has included Pandya in his squad, likely recognizing his all-round abilities and potential match-winning contributions. However, it remains to be seen if Pandya can meet the bowling requirement set by Pathan to secure his place in the final squad for the T20 World Cup 2024.
Other notable inclusions in Pathan’s squad include Rishabh Pant, who has returned to competitive cricket after a horrific incident in December 2022. Pant has shown promising form in the ongoing IPL 2024 season, scoring 254 runs in eight games at an average of 36.29 and a strike rate of 150.30.
Pathan’s squad also includes several other talented players, such as Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, and Ravi Bishnoi or Yuzi Chahal. With a mix of experience and youth, Pathan’s squad appears well-balanced and capable of making a strong challenge for the T20 World Cup 2024 title.
