It would not be wrong to say that Pakistani spinner Mohammad Nawaz is going through a great phase. In the final of the tri-nation series against Afghanistan, he took five wickets, including a hat-trick. In his last 11 international T20 matches, he has picked up 20 wickets.
But does that make him the best spinner in the world? Pakistan coach Mike Hesson certainly thinks so.
At a press conference in Dubai on the eve of their Asia Cup match against Oman, Hesson said:
“We have Mohammad Nawaz, who is currently the best spin bowler in the world. Since returning to the team six months ago, he has held that position.”
However, reality tells a different story. According to the ICC rankings, Nawaz is placed at number 30 among T20 bowlers. Among Pakistani spinners, the best position belongs to Sufiyan Muqeem, who is ranked 15th.
Pakistan has had good preparation ahead of the Asia Cup. In Sharjah, they played five matches in 12 days in a tri-nation series involving Afghanistan and the UAE. While players rested on Thursday, Hesson inspected the pitch at the Dubai International Stadium.
He said: “Compared to Sharjah, there is more grass on this pitch. I don’t think there will be much turn here.”
With Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan absent from the Asia Cup, questions were raised about their exclusion. Responding to that, Hesson said:
“It’s important to be honest in player assessments. I have not spoken about anyone’s weaknesses. I only mentioned the type of strike rate modern cricket demands. Players expect honesty from coaches, and that is my responsibility.”
