A team that chased down 394 recently on a last day of a Test match. They have the best all-rounder in the world right now with a potentially world class pace bowling line-up. Only thing is a concern is their batting. If they can get better with the bat I don't see why they can't compete.
I agree with the batting lineup.My lineup for the first Test
Imran Butt
Abid Ali
Azhar Ali
Babar Azam
Fawad Alam
Mohammad Rizwan
Nauman Ali
Yasir Shah
Hasan Ali
Shaheen Afridi
Mohammad Abbas
Thoughts? @Na Maloom Afraad @AsadRM @ahmedleo414
Yeah, if they need just the one spinner, i'd go with Faheem too. But i think Nauman might just edge out Yasir based on recent form, to be honest.I agree with the batting lineup.
This would be my bowling attack.
Faheem
Yasir
Hassan Ali
Abbas
Shaheen
Plus, Fawad can bowl decent SLA so I would personally not go for Nauman and Yasir both unless the pitch seems to really assist the spinners. Also, rain and overcast weather is predicted so 2 spinners wouldn't really make sense.
I am really not a big fan of that opening pair - still think Azhar Ali should open (he has one of the best averages for a Pakistani opener in Tests iirc) and Babar should bat at his natural No.3, throw in another allrounder and I'd say that's a pretty balanced XI. Also feel like there is no point in playing both Hasan and Shaheen together with Abbas already in the XI, and the pitch likely to be spin-friendly. Have to manage both their workloads, they are going to break apart like a kid's toy.My lineup for the first Test
Imran Butt
Abid Ali
Azhar Ali
Babar Azam
Fawad Alam
Mohammad Rizwan
Nauman Ali
Yasir Shah
Hasan Ali
Shaheen Afridi
Mohammad Abbas
Thoughts? @Na Maloom Afraad @AsadRM @ahmedleo414
I doubt that. Yasir is Misbah and Babar's trusted man. Plus, the last time Yasir was in West Indies we all know what happened...
According to the Cricinfo preview, it's supposed to be a dustbowl. So they might well go with two spinners and Nauman-Yasir-Hasan at 7-8-9, which would cover Faheem's absence. Or maybe play with Faheem, Yasir, Nauman, Hasan and Shaheen.I agree with the batting lineup.
This would be my bowling attack.
Faheem
Yasir
Hassan Ali
Abbas
Shaheen
Plus, Fawad can bowl decent SLA so I would personally not go for Nauman and Yasir both unless the pitch seems to really assist the spinners. Also, rain and overcast weather is predicted so 2 spinners wouldn't really make sense.
Our away series are against weaker teams, home series against stronger ones. If this series is rained out it would be a waste of precious points.
Yeah, his record in the Caribbean will play in his favour, but he's been poor in the last couple years.
And in case, probably our chances of getting to the WTC Final will cease to exist as well
Wouldn’t go so far. We can definitely win all of the home series and the away series against SL and Bangladesh. But winning this series would help a lot.
Actually, Azhar's opening stats are massively inflated by the purple patch he had in 2016-17. You take out his 1 innings (302* against a poor West Indies bowling attack in Dubai) and his opening average becomes less than 40.I am really not a big fan of that opening pair - still think Azhar Ali should open (he has one of the best averages for a Pakistani opener in Tests iirc) and Babar should bat at his natural No.3, throw in another allrounder and I'd say that's a pretty balanced XI. Also feel like there is no point in playing both Hasan and Shaheen together with Abbas already in the XI, and the pitch likely to be spin-friendly. Have to manage both their workloads, they are going to break apart like a kid's toy.
Azhar, Babar, Saud, Fawad and Rizwan as our top and middle-order is a mouthwatering prospect on days when they don't succumb to their innate Pakistaniyat. Abbas is a swing bowler, Shaheen/Hasan can be the pace-battery, we have a left-arm orthodox bowler and a leg-spinner, and a medium(fast)-pacer. Reckon that's enough of a variety. If Hasan plays ahead of Shaheen, Abbas will be the only player in the team that can't hold his own with the bat. I think in the current squad, this is the best possible lineup (for a spinning pitch that doesn't require both Hasan and Shaheen, otherwise go with both and drop one spinner).
Imran Butt/Abid Ali/Abdullah Shafique
Azhar Ali
Babar Azam
Saud Shakeel
Fawad Alam
Mohammad Rizwan
Faheem Ashraf
Nauman Ali
Yasir Shah
Hasan Ali/Shaheen Afridi
Mohammad Abbas
