Pakistan's tour of New Zealand - Jan 2018

[LiveLoveABD]

Pakistan make my blood boil. We need them to mix it with the big boys, specially in limited overs. What completely infuriates me is the fact that their young cricketers have shown that they can be as dynamic with the bat as the other countries but they choose to repeatedly play the slow coaches. Hafeez is just so yesterday. People will rave about the 80 odd he made but if you put the last over aside where Boult bowled pies, his innings just don't have the 'pace' about it. Invest in youth! Please!

 

[ParkedTheBus]

Probably not the right time to post this since Pakistan have lost 5-0 but Shadab Khan has all the makings of a future superstar. His performances are a bit up and down as you'd expect from anyone his age but the way he carries himself on the pitch is amazing. Even while losing, he looks very assured and confident. He seems like the perfect mixture of cockiness and composure. If he's managed rightly (a big if knowing Pakistan), he won't just become a good player, he'd become an elite player.

 

[CerealKiller]

Well, i think it's time to remove dead wood from this team. I am a fan of Malik, but he has clearly shown that he can't perform outside Asia. He didn't perform in the tour to England in 2016, in Australia, in the CT, and now in NZ. Haris Sohail should permanently take his place.
Azhar has had his chance. The CT performances were a fluke. He needs to go. Hafeez is useless without his bowling, but he's bought himself yet another series with a couple of good knocks.
Sarfraz needs to open with Fakhar or bat at 5, period.
Shadab at 6 would be an excellent choice. He has shown great confidence and potential with the bat. Have Asghar as the second spinner. Imad Wasim is useless in ODIs, and Nawaz is an AR, when we already have two of them plus Hasan.
So this would be my lineup in our next series

Fakhar
Amin/Imam
Babar
Haris
Sarfraz
Shadab
Ashraf
Hasan
Asghar
Junaid
Shinwari

 

[CerealKiller]

When you are 57/5 and chasing a total of 271, and you manage to lose by just a fractional margin i don't think we need to worry too much about the team. Rain didn't help us in the first few games but slowly and gradually we have shown some fight which is our plus point. We need to sort out our top order issues asap. Our first five added 57 in 17 overs but our last 5 added 199 in just 32 overs. If the top order played as well as our lower order, we might've won at least one or two games. Babar needs to pick himself up. Fakhar didn't do badly. A slap in the face of those calling him a slogger. Hafeez didn't do badly either. But we lost at least one of the openers early, followed quickly by Babar. Sarfraz scored in only one game. That left all the burden on the lower order.

 

[Salman.]

In his last 8 ODI innings Haris Sohail has at least scored 40 in every innings including 6 fifties.[DOUBLEPOST=1516353011][/DOUBLEPOST]Should be a regular part of the ODI team, IMO.

 

[Mijurkat]

In his last 8 ODI innings Haris Sohail has at least scored 40 in every innings including 6 fifties.[DOUBLEPOST=1516353011][/DOUBLEPOST]Should be a regular part of the ODI team, IMO.

Agree with you,a proper batsman with flare.
He must play at no 3 & build innings with Malik or Hafeez.
King Babar must be dropped,he need to watch some Virat Kohli tutorials.

 

[Rehan_24]

Babar should be given an edge as he looked quite out of form. He did perform really well in Aussie pitches on shorter formats. I think he just looked a little out focus.

Aizaz Cheema... oh sorry Amer Yamin should have never been part of any format squad. Already told you all.

I dont think CT was a fluke, Pakistan was too good in all departments in CT. As Wasim Akram said the the guys are new they need some time. Infact Azhar Ali, Malik and hafeez performances were fluke. I still beleive that its a hot pumping young amd energetic talent who WON CT cleanly. The team just need a proper combination on the revenue and profits of azhar, hafeez, malik and aamir exclusion. Aamir is still future but he needs to get his focus back.

Sometimes these losses are very good for your learning. Every captain learns with experience. I hope Sarfraz will learn from here. He needs good support from Inzy that he wont offer Salman Butt, Kami, Asif and Azhar another run in future tours...Out of Inzy own good relations.

On another note, How on earth the ever failure Umar Amin came in the squad??? Wasnt he for T20 only?? Where was Imam ul Haq?

 

[Salman.]

On another note, How on earth the ever failure Umar Amin came in the squad??? Wasnt he for T20 only?? Where was Imam ul Haq?

Aizaz Cheema... oh sorry Amer Yamin should have never been part of any format squad. Already told you all.

Do you even follow domestic cricket?

 

[Rehan_24]

Do you even follow domestic cricket?

Enjoy the fruits by just looking at domestic statistics. I dont believe on this. The result is before you.

 

[Salman.]

Enjoy the fruits by just looking at domestic statistics. I dont believe on this. The result is before you.

You mean that domestic performers shouldn't be given a chance?

 

[Rehan_24]

You mean that domestic performers shouldn't be given a chance?

No I mean that the eye should not be only in statistics rather than on the talent and quality of players. Its not necessary that every domestic performer will perform in the international circuit. Plenty of examples. Our domestic struture and quality of games is quite inferior we all know. Taking most wickets and piling up most runs isn't the crieteria of automatic selection. Its more how you bowl, your line and length as well as in batting how much you are technically sound and how you are scoring runs. Selectors do see all these things but sometimes mistakes happen and we see players like Arafat, Arshad Khan, Cheema, Rao Iftikhar and Yamen come on screen but you see they dont last for long ultimately the limitations expose in matches. This happen with other teams as well not only with Pakistan in my view.

 

[CerealKiller]

You mean that domestic performers shouldn't be given a chance?

Aizaz Cheema averaged 9 with the ball in the QeA Trophy. Our domestic cricket has a poor standard of pitches, quality of the teams and conditions. We have way too many teams, which leads to a lot of players who aren't good enough to play FC cricket playing in the QeA Trophy. We should look more towards which players are naturally talented. Of course stats play a part, but the primary criteria in my opinion should be talent. Wasim Akram didn't get picked on domestic stats.

 

[Salman.]

No I mean that the eye should not be only in statistics rather than on the talent and quality of players. Its not necessary that every domestic performer will perform in the international circuit. Plenty of examples. Our domestic struture and quality of games is quite inferior we all know. Taking most wickets and piling up most runs isn't the crieteria of automatic selection. Its more how you bowl, your line and length as well as in batting how much you are technically sound and how you are scoring runs. Selectors do see all these things but sometimes mistakes happen and we see players like Arafat, Arshad Khan, Cheema, Rao Iftikhar and Yamen come on screen but you see they dont last for long ultimately the limitations expose in matches. This happen with other teams as well not only with Pakistan in my view.

Aizaz Cheema averaged 9 with the ball in the QeA Trophy. Our domestic cricket has a poor standard of pitches, quality of the teams and conditions. We have way too many teams, which leads to a lot of players who aren't good enough to play FC cricket playing in the QeA Trophy. We should look more towards which players are naturally talented. Of course stats play a part, but the primary criteria in my opinion should be talent. Wasim Akram didn't get picked on domestic stats.

I agree with you guys but calling Yamin untalented is unfair.

 

[CerealKiller]

I agree with you guys but calling Yamin untalented is unfair.

Yes, it is. I never said he's untalented. My point was another.
IMO, he's a fourth or fifth bowler and a hitter.

 

[ShamiLoverGlipGlops]

Well that was a superb performance from the lower order. As others have I said I will disagree that CT win was not a fluke. Pakistan after the initial loss against India just got better in the tournament. Now that tournament is of the past. Obviously Indians have already removed it from their memory for the obvious reasons, its time for Pakistani's to let go of it. Yes it might be the biggest achievement since the T20 WC win and even bigger because it was against India but these losses will only bring back critiques to point how fluke it was.

England once were similar to Pakistan with old horses such as Bell and others in the side. They made a decision past 2015 WC and look at what the ODI squad looks now. Pakistan need to make similar decisions. But knowing its an Asian country filled with politics I do not see it happen until a big set back happens in 2019 WC.