Pakistan Team Discussion

[wasteyouryouth]

When you realise that only 2 centuries have been scored by the Pakistan middle order (4-7) in last 5 years in ODIs

It's cause Babar and Imam face 200 balls every innings

 

[AsadRM]

In the next year and a half we'll be contesting WTC and both LOs WCs. I think these are the lineups we should have in each format. Curious about your opinions @Na Maloom Afraad @ahmedleo414 @AsadRM @Khan Sahab54 @Rehan_24 @Salman. @Perfect Square

Test XI
Shan Masood
Abdullah Shafique
Azhar Ali
Babar Azam
Fawad Alam
Mohammad Rizwan
Faheem Ashraf/Shadab Khan
Mohammad Nawaz
Nauman Ali/Sajid Khan
Shaheen Afridi
Naseem Shah

Shan over Imam is a no-brainer. Fawad has only had two bad matches since his comeback. Nawaz has to be in, he was discarded in Tests without reason and provides batting depth. Shadab should replace Faheem on turners.

ODI XI
Fakhar Zaman
Imam-ul-Haq
Babar Azam
Mohammad Rizwan
Shadab Khan
Mohammad Nawaz
Khushdil Shah
Shaheen Afridi
Usman Qadir/Zahid Mahmood/Mohammad Haris (at 5)/Asif Ali (at 6)
Haris Rauf
Naseem Shah/Dahani/Wasim Jr.

This is where things are tricky. We need to reinvent our middle order, basically, and I believe Shadab is the best option at 5, unless Haris gets another go. He has demonstrated batting ability repeatedly. The ODI WC is in India, so apart from Shadab and Nawaz we might need a third spinner sometimes. Zahid and Usman are the options there. Time to dump Hasan Ali, let him play Pakistan Cup this year.

T20I XI
Babar Azam
Mohammad Rizwan
Fakhar Zaman
Shoaib Malik (sigh)
Shadab Khan
Asif Ali
Khushdil Shah
Mohammad Nawaz
Shaheen Afridi
Haris Rauf
Naseem Shah/Dahani/Usman Qadir

Again, need Shadab in the middle order. Batting depth again. Dump Hasan, play Naseem.

Agreed 90% with Test XI. But, I would have Shahnawaz Dahani in the 15 too. And, I don't see the point of having Shadab and Nawaz both playing together, even if it's a rank-turner. My personal preferences would be Sajid Khan, Nauman Ali, Shadab and Zafar Gohar in the squad, but, yeah having Gohar there isn't really a realistic expectation.

For ODIs:

Agreed with the most, but Abdullah Shafique has to be given a shot at #4, although, it would be unfair to him. We simply don't have a better player available at #4 and a man of his class doesn't deserve to sit out. Give him a shot at #4 ahead of Rizwan. If it doesn't work out then bring Rizwan back or look towards other options. Mohammad Haris could be another bold call, but I'm personally not in his favor. And there's no point in having 7 bowlers/all-rounders in the XI either. So, one of them has to sit out making space for a specialist batsman. My XI would look like this

Imam-ul-Haq
Fakhar Zaman
Babar Azam
Abdullah/Rizwan
Mohamamd Rizwan/Haris
Khushdil/Haris/Asif
Shadab Khan
Mohammad Nawaz
Shaheen Afridi
Hasan/Dahani/Wasim Jr.
Haris Rauf

Solid batting till the tail with plenty of hard-hitting batsmen as well as accumulators and 30 overs of excellent pace with 20-25 overs of good spinners.

For T20Is:

Babar Azam
Mohammad Rizwan
Fakhar Zaman
Mohammad Haris
Shadab Khan
Asif Ali/Iftikhar
Khushdil Shah/Iftikhar
Mohammad Nawaz/Usman Qadir
Shaheen Afridi
Haris Rauf
Hasan Ali/Dahani/Wasim Jr.

So, I just brought Mohammad Haris in for Shoaib Malik. Malik is a liability, especially in Australia. Haris will be playing as a pinch hitter and a low-value wicket who can be switched around depending on the match situation. I didn't watch the Australia series neither this West Indies one so my judgement might not be as polished, but I still have my doubts over Khushdil on big Aussie grounds and bouncy pitches. So, I'd be tempted to keep Asif and Iftikhar in the mix.

 

[CerealKiller]

Zafar Gohar in the squad

Forgot about him completely. He should definitely be there, instead of Shadab perhaps.

 

[AsadRM]

Forgot about him completely.

This sentence puts you in the same boat as the Pakistani selectors

 

[Khan Sahab54]

In the next year and a half we'll be contesting WTC and both LOs WCs. I think these are the lineups we should have in each format. Curious about your opinions @Na Maloom Afraad @ahmedleo414 @AsadRM @Khan Sahab54 @Rehan_24 @Salman. @Perfect Square

Test XI
Shan Masood
Abdullah Shafique
Azhar Ali
Babar Azam
Fawad Alam
Mohammad Rizwan
Faheem Ashraf/Shadab Khan
Mohammad Nawaz
Nauman Ali/Sajid Khan
Shaheen Afridi
Naseem Shah

Shan over Imam is a no-brainer. Fawad has only had two bad matches since his comeback. Nawaz has to be in, he was discarded in Tests without reason and provides batting depth. Shadab should replace Faheem on turners.

ODI XI
Fakhar Zaman
Imam-ul-Haq
Babar Azam
Mohammad Rizwan
Shadab Khan
Mohammad Nawaz
Khushdil Shah
Shaheen Afridi
Usman Qadir/Zahid Mahmood/Mohammad Haris (at 5)/Asif Ali (at 6)
Haris Rauf
Naseem Shah/Dahani/Wasim Jr.

This is where things are tricky. We need to reinvent our middle order, basically, and I believe Shadab is the best option at 5, unless Haris gets another go. He has demonstrated batting ability repeatedly. The ODI WC is in India, so apart from Shadab and Nawaz we might need a third spinner sometimes. Zahid and Usman are the options there. Time to dump Hasan Ali, let him play Pakistan Cup this year.

T20I XI
Babar Azam
Mohammad Rizwan
Fakhar Zaman
Shoaib Malik (sigh)
Shadab Khan
Asif Ali
Khushdil Shah
Mohammad Nawaz
Shaheen Afridi
Haris Rauf
Naseem Shah/Dahani/Usman Qadir

Again, need Shadab in the middle order. Batting depth again. Dump Hasan, play Naseem.

Agree with the test side. But I think We should play with Faheem Ashraf instead of Shadab Khan, Faheem has experience and it can work in upcoming test matches, and Shadab hasn't played many test matches. And i'll pick Sajid Khan instead of Nauman Khan. I think Hassan Ali can play in tests he bowled brilliantly against Bangladesh in November last year.

The ODI squad is perfect but our middle orders collapses badly when Babar gets dismissed, I think we should give a chance to Asif Ali instead of Mohammad Haris in middle order, And i think we should rest Fakhar Zaman for Netherlands series and let Haris open the innings and see his talent. For the World cup in India we should prepare our spinners and we should add one more spinner. Hassan Ali should play more domestic games.

Agree with the T20 side. We need a power hitter and a experienced player Shoaib Malik is the right option but we are not giving him a chance sadly. I feel bad for Haider Ali he can also hit long boundaries, but he can only play after Malik retires. Not sure about Naseem Shah he hasn't played any T20I. I'll pick Usman Qadir over Dahani as he has played in Australia before.

 

[Paranoid Kendroid]

It's cause Babar and Imam face 200 balls every innings

Fair enough but that's the lowest among the top 9 ODI sides. Even Sri Lanka has more (5). Funnily enough India is second lowest (4).

 

[wasteyouryouth]

Fair enough but that's the lowest among the top 9 ODI sides. Even Sri Lanka has more (5). Funnily enough India is second lowest (4).

Last two years Pakistan has 10 centuries by the top 3, next best is Ireland and West Indies with 6. (India has 0 )

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

India has 0

Shikhar Dhawan just missed by a couple of runs against England? Just confirming

 

[CerealKiller]

T20I XI
Babar Azam
Mohammad Rizwan
Fakhar Zaman
Shoaib Malik (sigh)
Shadab Khan
Asif Ali
Khushdil Shah
Mohammad Nawaz
Shaheen Afridi
Haris Rauf
Naseem Shah/Dahani/Usman Qadir

How did I forget Azam Khan? He's a better version of Shoaib Malik, can actually play pace.

 

[CerealKiller]

Last night i had a dream that Babar was rested from the white ball series against England at home

 

[Till Valhalla]

How did I forget Azam Khan? He's a better version of Shoaib Malik, can actually play pace.

Malik will play when it's time for you to retire.

 

[CerealKiller]

 

[Khan Sahab54]

 

[Ahmad94]

T20I XI
Babar Azam
Mohammad Rizwan
Fakhar Zaman
Shoaib Malik (sigh)
Shadab Khan
Asif Ali
Khushdil Shah
Mohammad Nawaz
Shaheen Afridi
Haris Rauf
Naseem Shah/Dahani/Usman Qadir

Fakhar is so out of form for some time now - why add to the sluggish top. Better to bring in Haider Ali

Also - I don't think we released how much Babar form had an impact on Rizwan - made him play far more aggressively. With him struggling (and potentially the slower UAE tracks), Rizwan was always striking at only 120 for someone who bats in the powerplay!! Our powerplays were wasted time and time again

 

[Bigby Wolf]

The Daniel Alexander version of Pakistan.