The speculations were rife that Pakistan's star all-rounder Imad Wasim might come out of retirement ahead of T20 World Cup 2024. Wasim sparked rumors about a comeback to the Pakistani national team right after his heroics in Islamabad United's PSL 2024 title triumph. He had previously announced his retirement from international cricket in November last year as he wasn't considered for the ODI World Cup 2023.
But Wasim's impressive performance in the just-concluded PSL 2024 has made him a potential candidate for a wildcard selection in Pakistan's T20 World Cup squad. According to the ICC, Imad expressed his willingness to return to the national team if needed, speaking after his team's PSL victory.
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Interestingly, the current Pakistan's T20I captain Shaheen Shah Afridi even contacted Wasim after his retirement, suggesting they discuss it further after the PSL. This has fueled speculation about a possible return for Wasim.
However, with talks around his retirement reversal, Imad has himself made it clear that he is open to reconsider his decision provide Pakistan team needs him.
“I made a name for myself while playing for Pakistan and if my country needs me, I will be available. If not, I have no issues with that. Shaheen called me after I retired but I told him that we will talk after PSL” Imad said as quoted by India Today.
Imad's return to the national team has gained further momentum. Islamabad United captain Shadab Khan expressed his desire for Imad to stay with the team, even revealing he contacted him after his retirement. Adding to the speculation, Shadab believes experienced players like Imad are crucial and hinted at a possible swift return for the all-rounder.
"I want to, in fact, when Imad made the decision, I had also talked to him that I didn't want him to leave. Because Pakistan needs players like him. God willing, if there is a discussion with him, hopefully he will come back because the World Cup is approaching and the way he is performing and his experience in CPL (Caribbean Premier League), Pakistan definitely needs him," Shadab had earlier said.
The 35-year-old's recent form has reignited discussions about his potential return to the national team. While he was included in Pakistan's squad for the 2021 T20 World Cup, he was surprisingly omitted in 2022. However, his performances in the PSL, particularly a stellar showing in the final where he grabbed five wickets and scored a crucial 19 runs, have turned heads.
It will be interesting to see whether Imad comes out of retirement or not or even if does it will he be considered in the Pakistan's squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 which is slated to start from June 2. Notably, arch-rivals India and Pakistan will take on each other on June 9 in the T20 World Cup.
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