Pakistan vs World XI: From Faf du Plessis to Darren Sammy, a look at visitors' 15-man squad

International cricket returns to Pakistan on Tuesday, when the former T20 Champions take on a World XI side in Lahore. Ever since the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in 2009, Pakistan has been isolated from cricket, with only Zimbabwe touring the country in 2015. So as the nation’s wait for high-profile cricket in their homeland is about to end, Firstpost takes a look at the players that form the 15-man squad of the World XI. Faf du Plessis (South Africa) Named the captain of the World XI team, du Plessis has plenty of experience as South Africa’s T20 skipper to fall back on. An energetic, inspiring leader, who recently has been handed the reins of the ODI team as well, du Plessis is expected to form the core of the team’s middle order alongside country-mate David Miller, Paul Collingwood and George Bailey. Du Plessis has taken part in 36 T20s for his country, scoring 1,129 runs at a strike rate of 132.97. He’s played half of those matches in Asia, which would augur well for his side. Hashim Amla (South Africa) A prolific batsman for South Africa in Test and ODIs for a long time, it’s only in the last two-three years that Amla has pushed his name as one of the world’s best openers in cricket’s shortest format. His most recent appearance in T20 cricket, albeit in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Kings XI Punjab, where he scored two centuries, only prove how far he has come as a limited over batsman. Expected to open alongside Bangladesh’s Tamim Iqbal, the World XI would be expecting Amla to provide a solid platform. Amla has played in 38 T20s for South Africa, scoring 1,070 runs at a strike rate of 129.85. George Bailey (Australia) An Australian middle-order batsman, who not long ago was a pivotal part of the Aussie line-up in limited overs cricket, the ever-smiling Bailey could slot in at three-down for the World XI. Bailey might very well have to fight for a slot with Miller. Most recently seen playing for Hampshire, Bailey is adept at the dual roles of being an accumulator and an aggressor at the same time, having done that over the years for his IPL side Kings XI Punjab. Bailey has played 29 T20Is, scoring 470 runs in them at a 140.71 strike rate. [caption id=“attachment_4032597” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] George Bailey and Ben Cutting look on as World XI arrives in Pakistan. Image courtesy: Twitter @TheRealPCB[/caption] Paul Collingwood (England) It would be interesting to see how this former England middle-order batsman handles the rigours of being involved in a high intensity international T20, considering it’s been over six years since he last played an international game. However, the former England captain has continued to play for County side Durham. Going by his 88-run knock in a T20 against Yorkshire on 4 August this year, Collingwood still remains a threat for the Pakistani side. Collingwood has played 35 T20s for England, scoring 583 runs at a strike rate of 127.01. Ben Cutting (Australia) A useful all-rounder, Cutting is known for his powerful hitting down the order, along with his ability to inflict important breakthroughs with his medium-fast bowling. He plays for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL and Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League (BBL). Although he has played just four T20s for the national side, Cutting has often showcased his talent in the IPL, most memorable of them all being in the 2016 final, in which he smashed  23 runs off Shane Watson in the last over of the innings. Cutting will vie for a place in the XI with Thisara Perera and Darren Sammy for the all-rounder’s spot. Grant Elliott (New Zealand) The former New Zealand all-rounder, who used to play in the lower middle-order for his country, is expected to don the same role for the World XI side. The 38-year-old most recently played for Warwickshire in the NatWest T20 Blast, where he led his side to the final. Elliott has played 16 T20s for New Zealand, scoring 157 runs at a strike rate of 105.36. He has also taken 14 wickets in these matches with his gentle medium pace. Tamim Iqbal (Bangladesh) The Bangladeshi opener has had a brilliant run in the past year or so, particularly in ODI cricket. Iqbal is finally fulfilling the promise that he showed as a flamboyant youngster in 2007 against India in the World Cup. He would, however, be looking to better his T20I record, which has seen him score 1,202 runs in 56 matches at 23.56 and a below-par strike rate of 115.13. His knowledge of Pakistan players, whom he played with in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), would surely come in handy for the team. David Miller (South Africa) The South African southpaw, who can blast the bowling around with his power-hitting, would slot in in the lower middle order for the World XI. Having built his reputation as a fierce hitter of the cricket ball both in the IPL and for his nation, more of the same would be expected of Miller. The Protea batsman has a formidable strike rate of 135.15 in 52 matches for South Africa and it would be a surprise if he fails to find a place in the playing XI. [caption id=“attachment_4032605” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] David Miller, Morne Morkel, Faf du Plessis and Grant Elliot look on as World XI arrives in Pakistan. Image courtesy: Twitter @TheRealPCB[/caption] Tim Paine (Australia) The lone wicketkeeper in the squad, Paine would either push one of Amla or Iqbal for the opener’s slot or he would slot in at the bottom, above the tail-enders. A talented cricketer, who was for long considered Brad Haddin’s successor in the Australian team, Paine recently made a return to the international cricket, in the 2017 T20 series against Sri Lanka. He had also led Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL. Paine has played eight T20s for Australia, in which he has taken eight catches and affected one stumping. Thisara Perera (Sri Lanka) The Sri Lankan all-rounder is a known tormentor of the bowlers, and has been one of the players who is always in demand in domestic T20 leagues across the world. His medium pace bowling is an added bonus. He recently played for Gloucestershire in the Natwest T20 Blast, before playing a lone T20 against India. Perera has played for Sri Lanka in 57 matches, scoring 665 runs at a healthy strike rate of 143.62. He has also taken 36 wickets. Darren Sammy (West Indies) The charismatic Sammy, who has led West Indies to two World T20 titles, could be an extremely vital part of the World XI side. His knowledge of playing in the PSL final in Lahore as the captain of champions Peshawar Zalmi will come in handy for a team that is low on experience in these conditions. A hard-hitting lower order batsman, Sammy might also be called upon to bowl his medium pace if the need arises. Sammy has represented West Indies in 66 T20s, scoring 534 runs at a handsome strike rate of 148.74. He has also taken 44 wickets. Samuel Badree (West Indies) Badree has built his reputation as a resourceful T20 spinner, who completes his quota of overs in the first 10 overs of the game. Here also, he would in all likelihood open the bowling for the World XI side. His wicket-to-wicket bowling might come in handy against Sarfraz and Co. Most recently, he played for Jamaica Tallawahs in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). Badree has played 40 T20s for West Indies, in which he has taken 50 at 17.12 with an impressive economy rate of 5.66. Morne Morkel (South Africa) Morkel is the lone out-and-out fast bowler in the squad and, therefore, would surely be featuring in the side. He has been one of the best pacers in the world for a while, although, he hasn’t been as deadly in limited overs cricket as in Tests. He is expected to form an unusual opening bowling pair with Badree. Morkel has represented South Africa in 41 T20s, and has 46 wickets at 23.84 and economy rate of 7.47. Imran Tahir ( South Africa) The Pakistan-born player has been one of the best limited overs spinners for the past two-three years. His role, as with his national team South Africa, would be to take crucial wickets in the middle overs of the innings, with the googly being his lethal weapon. He recently played for Derbyshire in the NatWest T20 Blast. Tahir has scalped 55 wickets for South Africa in 33 matches at 14.81 and economy rate of 6.63.