How much of Pakistan's T20 shake-up do the numbers justify?

CricTracker's report puts Sahibzada Farhan in line to replace Salman Ali Agha as Pakistan's T20 captain and says Haris Rauf has been dropped. The strongest case for change comes from the batting: across men's T20 cricket over the last two years, Farhan averages 33.03, Salman Ali Agha averages 20.58, and the benchmark for top-seven batters is 23.51.

That gives the proposed captaincy switch a persuasive starting point. Farhan has the stronger claim to a place through his batting, while Salman Ali Agha's returns fall below the standard Pakistan should expect. We support putting greater responsibility on the player whose runs justify it.

Farhan earns the responsibility

The scoring pace strengthens that argument. Farhan's strike rate across men's T20 cricket over the last two years is 143.4, against Salman Ali Agha's 124.8 and the top-seven benchmark of 130.1. Farhan offers the more productive batting record without asking Pakistan to accept slower scoring in exchange.

Salman Ali Agha therefore has a problem that changing his title alone will leave unresolved. His batting needs to improve in both output and pace. Farhan deserves to be central to the batting against Sri Lanka, and giving him the captaincy is a defensible way to commit to that responsibility.

Rauf has a case to stay

Rauf's exclusion is harder to endorse. His economy across men's T20 cricket over the last two years is 9.17, against the bowling benchmark of 8.01. Pakistan have a clear reason to demand better control, and that expense gives the reported decision substance.

Over the same period, his bowling average is 21.73 against the men's T20 benchmark of 23.99. Pakistan would be discarding a bowler who takes wickets more cheaply than average even while conceding runs faster.

Our men's T20 bowling ratings also put Rauf above average, worth 1.16 runs a match more than an average player. That is a modest endorsement, enough to challenge his removal from the squad. We would retain Rauf as a wicket-taking option and make improved control the condition for a lasting place.