NEW DELHI: Veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has stirred debate on the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 after urging Pakistan to make a daring choice name forward of their must-win Super 8 conflict towards England in Pallekele on Tuesday. Taking to social media, Ashwin suggested Pakistan to advertise Fakhar Zaman to the center order if they’re severe about staying alive within the event.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“If Pakistan are serious about this World Cup campaign, they need to think about giving Fakhar Zaman a go in the middle order,” Ashwin wrote on X. He emphasised Fakhar’s potential to counter England’s spin risk, significantly leg-spinner Adil Rashid and left-arm spinner Liam Dawson.
“He can sweep and use his toes towards Rashid and Dawson to inflict some severe injury by the center overs. This was Nepal’s success formulae towards Rashid and there are some key studying’s that the opposite groups can attempt to imbibe. Access the sq. boundaries to earn balls within the step hit zone,” Ashwin added.Ashwin pointed to Nepal’s success against Rashid, even sharing a wagon wheel graphic to illustrate how accessing square boundaries and using footwork disrupted England’s control in the middle overs.The suggestion comes as spin is expected to dominate at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, where slowing surfaces have already influenced results. England’s spinners, supported by pacer Jofra Archer, played a decisive role in their commanding win over Sri Lanka, while their batting has found unlikely heroes.Despite inconsistent performances from senior players like Jos Buttler, England have continued to win, with captain Harry Brook backing his experienced core to deliver soon. Opener Phil Salt has also rediscovered form at a crucial time.Pakistan, led by Salman Ali Agha, face a far more precarious situation. Their opening Super 8 match against New Zealand was washed out, leaving them with little margin for error. While their spin attack offers variety, their batting has struggled for consistency beyond leading scorer Sahibzada Farhan.
