Pakistan just won an ODI series against Australia without their long-standing seam-bowling all-rounder in the XI at all. That absence, not a hypothetical scenario, is the actual starting point for head coach Mike Hesson’s comments this week: Pakistan need a genuine successor to Faheem Ashraf before the 2027 World Cup, and right now nobody in the current setup has nailed down the role. The search is already underway, but every candidate available comes with an obvious catch attached to it right now.
Hesson’s Comments Reveal a Missing Piece
Speaking at Pakistan’s National Cricket Academy, Hesson said Pakistan are already hunting for a seam-bowling all-rounder for the 2027 tournament, one to supplement, if not replace, Faheem Ashraf, who he said has struggled to fill the role. Hesson added that where such a player comes from remains unclear, part of the reasoning behind Pakistan’s heavy domestic calendar, one designed to give a candidate the chance to emerge on form alone.
He also flagged that pitches during the recent Australia series were painfully slow, and said groundsmen would be told to prepare surfaces closer to what Pakistan will face in South Africa, where most of the 2027 World Cup will be played.
Pakistan Australia ODI Series Allrounder Gap
Pakistan won that Australia series 2-1 across Rawalpindi and Lahore without a specialist seam-bowling all-rounder in the XI. The recalled Shadab Khan filled the all-rounder slot as a fifth bowler, but he operates as a leg-spinner turned batting all-rounder, not the seam option Hesson wants.
Uncapped pace bowler Ahmed Daniyal and uncapped all-rounder Arafat Minhas were both blooded, but neither offered the seam-and-bat combination Faheem was meant to provide. The gap Hesson described wasn’t filled; it was worked around.
Faheem’s Numbers Explain the Search
Faheem has played 45 ODIs, taking 33 wickets at an economy of 5.24 with a single five-wicket haul, 5 for 22 against Zimbabwe in 2018, across eight years in the format. His batting average sits at 14.64, well below what a genuine lower-order finisher needs to produce.
He was dropped from Pakistan’s ODI squad after the March 2026 tour of Bangladesh, which Pakistan lost 1-2, his last innings there yielding just 9 off 20 balls. Former players have mocked the mismatch between his bowling and batting numbers, and selectors left him out entirely for the Australia series.
The Domestic Circuit’s Leading Candidates
Abbas Afridi remains the closest fit on paper. He has taken 38 international T20I wickets at an average of 15.53, with 53 wickets at 17.45 across his PSL career, a strike rate of 113.45 in T20Is and 138.55 in domestic T20 cricket.
Candidate | Domestic Team | Bowling | Batting |
Faheem Ashraf (incumbent) | Islamabad United | ODI: 45 matches, 33 wkts, econ 5.24 | Avg 14.64, lower-order utility |
Abbas Afridi | Karachi Kings | PSL: 53+ wkts; domestic T20 avg 21.3 | T20I SR 113.45; domestic SR 138.55 |
Ahmed Daniyal | Sialkot Stallionz | T20I debut 2025: 3 wkts, avg 13.00; 145+ kph pace | T20I SR 154.55; still developing |
Arafat Minhas (spin, not seam) | Quetta Gladiators | ODI debut 2026 vs AUS: 5/32; left-arm spin | Genuine allrounder, match-winning debut |
Hesson said Afridi has shown promise with the bat but still needs to sharpen his bowling. Ahmed Daniyal offers raw pace, regularly clocking above 140kph, but Hesson has called his game still developing, saying he could be ready within one to two months. Arafat Minhas is a genuine batting all-rounder but bowls left-arm spin rather than seam, keeping him outside the specific role Hesson is describing.
The Clock Is Already Ticking Down
Pakistan have rarely produced a lasting seam-bowling all-rounder since Abdul Razzaq’s peak two decades ago, cycling through candidates who offered either the bowling or the batting but rarely both. Hesson says he has around 18 months of runway before the 2027 World Cup, which runs from 4 October to 21 November in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, with South Africa’s venues hosting the bulk of the 54 matches.
Pakistan’s immediate assignments are Test tours of the West Indies and England through July and August, with their next confirmed ODI series not yet locked in, though a five-match series in Bangladesh has been reported for 2027. That leaves limited bilateral cricket to trial candidates before the tournament, which is exactly why the Pakistan-Australia ODI series allrounder gap has become such a pressing talking point.
Which candidate do you think eventually solves Pakistan’s all-rounder puzzle? Drop your pick in the comments.
FAQs
Who is Pakistan’s first-choice all-rounder for the ODI World Cup 2027?
No player currently holds the role outright. Faheem Ashraf remains the incumbent by default but was dropped for the Australia series, while Shadab Khan fills the slot as a leg-spinning batting option instead.
What is Faheem Ashraf’s current ODI bowling average?
Faheem Ashraf has taken 33 wickets in 45 ODIs at an economy rate of 5.24. He has one five-wicket haul, 5 for 22 against Zimbabwe in 2018, and a batting average of 14.64.
Where will the 2027 Cricket World Cup be held?
The tournament will be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia from 4 October to 21 November 2027. South Africa’s venues will stage the bulk of the 54 matches across the event.
Who are the uncapped players in Pakistan’s current ODI squad?
Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas and Rohail Nazir were the uncapped names in the squad for the Australia series. All three were blooded during the May-June 2026 series without a specialist seam all-rounder present.
When does Pakistan play their next ODI series before the World Cup 2027?
Pakistan’s next confirmed assignments are Tests in the West Indies and England, from July 2026. Their next ODI series isn’t locked in, though a Bangladesh series has been reported for 2027.