With the rich and glorious history of Pakistan cricket, it’s hard to pinpoint only eleven players, and that too from all the generations as the national team has been blessed with the services of some of the finest batters, bowlers, and bowlers who have served for the betterment of the team. Former middle order-batter Basit Ali has tried to pick his all-greatest XI of the national team.
In the opening position, he has gone with Majid Khan, who scored 4717 runs for Pakistan in 86 games, at an average of 38.66 and a strike rate of over 50, thanks to his nine centuries and 26 half-centuries, with the best score of 167.
“Number two, my buddy, who helped me in changing my life, Saeed Anwar. Top-class player. Elegant player. What a player. Nowadays, I don’t know; no one has seen him playing. What a player.” Basit expressed on his YouTube channel.
Anwar, the seventh highest run-getter across formats for the world champions, has smashed 12876 runs in 302 innings for the national team, at an average of 41 and a strike rate of over 70, with the help of 68 half-centuries and 23 centuries.
Shoaib Akhtar missed out on Basit Ali’s all-time Pakistan XI
At number three, Basit Ali has gone with Zaheer Abbas, who has crunched 7634 runs for Pakistan in 140 matches, at an average of 45,71, shouldering on 19 centuries and 33 half-centuries. He will be followed by another giant of the game, Javed Miandad.
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The right-handed veteran is the fourth highest run-getter for the country with 16213 runs in 357 innings, at an average of 46.99, thanks to his 31 centuries and 93 half-centuries, thanks to the best of unbeaten 280-run knock.
Ali assigned the middle-order responsibilities to the most successful players with the bat of Pakistan cricket. The former captain of the side, Inzamam Ul Haq, who is also their top highest run-getter with 20541 runs in 495 innings, based on 35 centuries and 129 half-centuries, will bat at five, followed by Younis Khan.
The right-handed batter is the second-highest run-getter of the Green Brigade, managing 17790 runs in 408 matches, at an average of nearly 40, with the help of 41 centuries and 83 fifties, at a best score of 313 runs.
One of the three greatest all-rounders of world cricket, Imran Khan belongs to the nation, and Basit has picked him at number seven without a doubt. He is the third-highest wicket-taker of the side, with the help of 544 wickets in 263 innings, at an average of 24.08.
“My number eight is Wasim Akram, who is Pakistan’s Sachin Tendulkar. There’s no other bowler like him, and there won’t be another. The current left-arm bowlers are all kids.” The 53-year-old remarked in the video.
The veteran fast bowler is the leading wicket-taker of the country, with 916 scalps in 460 games. Both he and Imran will be partnered with one of Waqar Younis, the second-highest wicket-taker for Pakistan with 789 wickets in 349 games, or Mohammad Asif.
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Sarfaraz Ahmed is the wicket-keeper batter of the side, while Abdul Qadir, who picked up 368 wickets in 171 games, is the lone spinner of the side. Basit has kept Saqlain Mushtaq as the 12th man of his all-time great Pakistan XI.
Basit Ali’s all-time greatest Pakistan XI:
Majid Khan, Saeed Anwar, Zaheer Abbas, Javed Miandad, Younis Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Abdul Qadir, Mohammad Asif/Waqar Younis.
12th Player: Saqlain Mushtaq