Pakistan's unpredictability a huge threat, says Josh Hazlewood

Pakistan's unpredictability is their biggest threat feels Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood ahead of Pakistan's tour of Australia starting from November 3.  International cricket returned to Pakistan ten years after the terror strikes on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in 2009. The top-ranked Pakistan T20 side were left red-faced after they were whitewashed by a depleted and inexperienced Sri Lanka side. To make matters worse, Pakistan sacked skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed from the captaincy of both T20s and Tests and replaced Babar Azam and Azhar Ali at the helm respectively. As Pakistan gear up for the upcoming Australian tour and their maiden outing at the World Test Championship, uncertainty over the team's performance prevails with little clarity on what to expect from a volatile Pakistan. 

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'Unpredictability a huge threat', says Josh Hazlewood

Ahead of Pakistan's tour to Australia, pacer Josh Hazlewood revealed that no plans could be made for Pakistan in advance owing to their unpredictable nature, according to media reports. Recollecting his previous outing with Pakistan at Brisbane, Josh Hazlewood said that anything could spring out from the Pakistan side and hence that was the biggest threat that Australia might face. With Misbah-ul-Haq at the helm of affairs in terms of coaching and selection & Pakistan's new-found approach of fielding and experimenting with a younger side with fresh faces, Australia sure doesn't know what to expect from the top-ranked T20 side. Australian spinner Nathan Lyon picked Pakistan's T20 skipper Babar Azam and Test skipper Azhar Ali as the most dangerous of the lot. Both Azhar Ali and Babar Azam have been regarded as world-class cricketers who have been consistent in their contributions to the side. 

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Sarfaraz Ahmed sacked as skipper 

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) took away captaincy from the wicket-keeper batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed in Tests and T20. Sarfraz Ahmed had been under immense pressure after Pakistan’s continued failures since the Champions Trophy success in 2017. Under the leadership of Sarfaraz, Pakistan had suffered consecutive failures, including at the World Cup and since then questions were being raised about his ability to lead the side. The fact that Sri Lanka did not have 10 first team players and yet completely outplayed Pakistan seemed to have sealed Sarfaraz's fate. The 32-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfaraz took over the reins after Misbah-ul-Haq retired. 

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