‘I have to take a step if they drop me again’ – Imad Wasim expresses anger over being ignored by selectors previously

Imad Wasim of Pakistan poses during the portrait session. (Photo by Barrington Coombs-IDI/IDI via Getty Images)

Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim has said that he will resort to professional action if he is dropped again from the national team without any communication from the selectors. The 34-year-old expressed his anger after his snub from the Pakistan team for more than a year without any specific reason.

Wasim last played a T20I against Australia in Dubai in November 2021 before returning to the team in the recent three-match T20I series against Afghanistan in March 2023.

Talking to a local TV channel, the southpaw revealed that the selectors didn’t tell him the reason behind dropping him from the squad, and he won’t let this happen again.

“They [selectors never told the reason behind keeping me away from the national team for the last one and a half year. I won’t let this happen again. My actions will be more important this time around. I am at that stage of my career that I have to take a step if they drop me without any reason again,” Wasim was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.

Talking about his financial condition while being away from the team, he stated that he didn’t suffer any financial loss and, in fact, earned ten times more than what he would have if he were on the team.

“I never suffered any financial loss while I was away from the team. In fact, I earned ten times more than what I would have earned while playing for Pakistan,” he said.

The Champions Trophy 2017 winner further said that he fully believes in his abilities and can bowl irrespective of the conditions.

“I am confident in my abilities. If I was that bowler who is said to be dependent on the conditions then T20 leagues of Australia and South Africa would have not signed me,” he concluded.

Imad Wasim has been named in T20I squad for series against NZ

Wasim found a way back into the national team on the back of stupendous performances in the recently concluded Pakistan Super League season 8, where he scored 404 runs in 10 innings at an average of 134.66 and a strike rate of 170.46 with three fifties to his name.

The left-arm orthodox bowler picked up nine wickets at an average of 28.22 and an economy of 7.93. He has been named in the T20I squad for the five-match series against New Zealand starting on April 14 in Lahore.

Wasim has represented Pakistan in 61 T20Is scoring 434 runs at an average of 15.50 and a strike rate of 130.72 with one half-century to his name.

The Welsh cricketer also has 57 wickets to his name at an average of 23.38 and an economy of 6.28. As far as ODIs are concerned, he last played a 50-over game against Zimbabwe in November 2020.