Pakistan's tour of England - August/September - 3 Tests/3 T20Is

[Yash.]

2-0, 1-0 what's the difference

Makes a big difference in the WTC Points Table.

 

[Bevab]

Not sure if it has been mentioned before but there needs to be a system like the DLS for games that end in a draw due to significant bad weather. It is not impossible for Pakistan to have come back in the previous game and won but given how unlikely it was, England have every right to feel robbed of potential WTC points (can't blame them for their cursed weather now can we ).

Something like the bonus points system for more runs/the lead in first-class leagues could work assuming that they get applied only when there is a pre-determined amount of significant delay (percentage of overall overs lost could probably work). Weather affected draws in the past did not matter given the nature of bilateral series but when you have a league, it makes sense to have some standard so that the dominant team does not miss out despite being denied a victory only by weather.

 

[wasteyouryouth]

Not sure if it has been mentioned before but there needs to be a system like the DLS for games that end in a draw due to significant bad weather. It is not impossible for Pakistan to have come back in the previous game and won but given how unlikely it was, England have every right to feel robbed of potential WTC points (can't blame them for their cursed weather now can we ).

Something like the bonus points system for more runs/the lead in first-class leagues could work assuming that they get applied only when there is a pre-determined amount of significant delay (percentage of overall overs lost could probably work). Weather affected draws in the past did not matter given the nature of bilateral series but when you have a league, it makes sense to have some standard so that the dominant team does not miss out despite being denied a victory only by weather.

Honestly, I don't think anyone cares about WTC points. Maybe when it comes down to the last series but there's no guarantee they will even get to that.

 

[beechcroft]

I didn't know this about Stuart Broad. It makes his achievements all the more impressive. 514 wickets with only one and half lungs!

 

[Bevab]

Honestly, I don't think anyone cares about WTC points. Maybe when it comes down to the last series but there's no guarantee they will even get to that.

Give it time, this is the first iteration after all. Once there is some prestige and history attached to it and the final becomes a bigger deal, I expect to see a lot more shenanigans to ensure victory or a draw.

 

[Na Maloom Afraad]

Lovely! Has a touch of the 1999 WC kit. Just wish the trousers were the same lighter shade of green like the shirt. Personally not a fan of this contrast. Loved England's WC kit and it had the same color for both the trousers and the shirt, ever since they changed to a darker shade for the trousers I just haven't been into it. I guess that's just personal taste.

 

[Ed Smith]

Smart, that.

 

[Velocity]

There’s no better pacer in home conditions, than Jimmy

Jimmy Anderson, more like Jimmy Cloud-erson .

In all seriousness although he's been mostly effective in home conditions compared to abroad, you have to admire his commitment to the game and his fitness. In a game where many fast bowlers retire around 33-34, and the fact he's played nearly 160 Tests is remarkable. His fitness and dedication is probably what sets him apart from other pacers in the modern Test arena.

 

[Yash.]

Loved England's WC kit and it had the same color for both the trousers and the shirt, ever since they changed to a darker shade for the trousers I just haven't been into it. I guess that's just personal taste.

Yup. The change in the trousers gives a more casual feel. It looks like someone was just on his way to a cricket match and was gonna support England

 

[Bevab]

Jimmy Anderson, more like Jimmy Cloud-erson .

In all seriousness although he's been mostly effective in home conditions compared to abroad, you have to admire his commitment to the game and his fitness. In a game where many fast bowlers retire around 33-34, and the fact he's played nearly 160 Tests is remarkable. His fitness and dedication is probably what sets him apart from other pacers in the modern Test arena.

One interesting thing about Anderson's much maligned away record is that his average is better in India than Zaheer Khan's average in India. And unlike the latter he was bowling to the Indian team.

Another way to look at his record is that since the ECB stopped mucking around with his bowling action and allowed him to play the way he was supposed to (2010 to be more precise), he has taken 452 wickets at a bowling average of 24 (The South African pace trio and Cummins are the only ones with a better record having played in 30 games). That in itself would make him a great bowler to stand the test of time. But prior to that he also averaged 34 with 148 wickets. And this was when he was mismanaged terribly. You essentially have an ATG career and a decent career prior to that combined in this fella. Someone like Steyn with whom he is often unfairly compared as evidence of a pacer with impact has 'only' 439 wickets in his entire career! That speaks of how incredible Anderson's achievement is and how much more praise he should be receiving globally.

 

[AsadRM]

Phenomenal kit, this! AJ Sports have made some wonderful kits for Pakistan. Just a few of the kits that they made: 1999 World Cup, 2004/2005 ODI kit, 2019 World Cup, current Test kit, and now this.

Excellent stuff from Ali Jafri and his team.

 

[Na Maloom Afraad]

Lovely! Has a touch of the 1999 WC kit. Just wish the trousers were the same lighter shade of green like the shirt. Personally not a fan of this contrast. Loved England's WC kit and it had the same color for both the trousers and the shirt, ever since they changed to a darker shade for the trousers I just haven't been into it. I guess that's just personal taste.

Stole this from Twitter:

Spoiler

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

Someone like Steyn with whom he is often unfairly compared as evidence of a pacer with impact has 'only' 439 wickets in his entire career!

But the 439 wickets took a lot lesser matches than Anderson's 600. Not saying that Anderson was bad or anywhere close to being bad, infact he was a GOAT. But also on the other hand Steyn 's career was cut down due to injuries and those were actually mismanaged. So had it been managed in a better way Steyn was still very much in contention and probably be the greatest fast bowler of this generation and would be rated second to none. This isn't to say Anderson is bad. He is the best in his own way and is more lethal than Steyn when the ball is moving around. My personal opinion I would rate Steyn as the greatest fast bowler of this generation and Anderson and Broad would come close to him or even might be par with him. Anyways that's just my personal opinion.

 

[CerealKiller]

My lineup for today
Give Naseem and Shaheen a rest for one match at least. Fakhar is out of form, and Malik has been awful in England.

Haider Ali
Babar Azam
Mohammad Hafeez (no other option, smh)
Iftikhar Ahmed
Shadab Khan
Khushdil Shah
Imad Wasim
Mohammad Rizwan
Mohammad Amir
Haris Rauf
Mohammad Hasnain

 

[AsadRM]

My only problem is that this team has too many players of the same role. Hafeez, Iftikhar, Shadab, Khushdil and Imad are literally pretty much the same players.

I'll go with the following:

Babar Azam
Fakhar Zaman (deserves one last chance)
Haider Ali
Rizwan
Shadab
Hafeez
Iftikhar/Khushdil (I'd be slightly biased in Khushdil's favor)
Imad Wasim
Amir
Haris Rauf/ Hasnain/Wahab
Shaheen/Hasnain/Wahab

Solid batting till #8 and Amir can also hit a couple against spinners as well. Rizwan brings the luxury of quick singles and can play the accumulator role. Shadab should be backed at #5 or #6, courtesy his prowess with the bat in the PSL. Iftikhar/Khushdil can be given complete liberty to go aggressive from ball 1. Amir, Shaheen, Rauf/Wahab make an excellent pace attack too.

This team has 12 overs of pace as well as 12 overs of spin. So, this team should be easy for the captain to rotate.

However, I feel like the following is the team that Pakistan is going to go with:

Babar
Fakhar
Haider Ali
Hafeez
Rizwan/Sarfaraz
Shoaib Malik
Iftikhar/Imad
Shadab
Amir
Wahab
Shaheen