I'd say it's mediocre.
No, they don't have the perfect lineup to chase big totals. To do that you need a strong opening partnership (nope) and players who can play with a 100+ strike rate without taking risks (nope). Pinch hitters don't get it done.
No mediocre is disrespect to them IMO. England & Windies are mediocre batting line-ups. All PAK lack is high quality opening pair, their middle/lower-middle-order is as dangerous as any team in the world - thus they deserve to be considered as a "good" batting unit (but of course its one that is very unpredictable).
I didn't deduce that they'd struggle chasing big totals b/c of the AUS match. It was obvious before the tournament that they would struggle, this was just one example of it.
Did you see some of their chases in their recent ODI series vs S Africa & N Zealand before the WC?. Most notably that game vs S Africa when Razzaq won that game for them with his whirlwind century?
Although they lived up to their rep & blew hot & cold in various chases in those series, they are a very dangerous chasing side. Thus in a potential 1 off game vs IND, if all facets are thinking right (especially Afridi), they can chase down anything IMHO.
Quality quicks don't give up 30 runs in an over. Ever. Akhtar is not quality. Riaz is above average, but once again, he can be dealt with. Just because he has a Pakistan kit on doesn't mean he's quality.
. So wait are you saying just because you are great bowler you cannot be smashed around in an ODI for big overs
Off my head:
- In 2006/07 Mark Boucher hit Asif for 27 in one over
- When Anwar made his 194 in 1997. Im fairly sure he it Kumble for more than 25 in one over.
- I remember in the ODI in 1999. Razzaq tonked McGrath 19 in one over & McGrath had a spell of 5-0-61-0 at one point
- Even Murali i believe early in his career was smoked for 25+ over somewhere.
- Im sure you also haven't forgotten the smoking Jadeja gave Waqar Younis in the 1996 WC.
The list in ODI history is long since i have also seen all other top bowlers get smoked somewhere (not necessarily for 30 in 1 over of course). But it clearly happens.
So to say Akthar because of one tonking @ the back end of his career is not quality quick is ridiculous & a utter disrespect to great man.
Yea sure the IND bats can deal with Riaz. All im saying id back him to hold his own against the IND bats - especially if its a pace-bowler friendly wicket. Plus no, not jsut because he is PAKI im rating him as quality from the get go - the struggles of Mohammad Sami would tells why that shouldn't be done. But for reasons i have already stated has clearly proven he is international quality right now & is bowling well right now & will be a threat to IND batsmen if he plays them - right now.
It's irrelevant because those AUS teams were juggernauts. I've never said this Indian team/batting was a juggernaut. I've simply said that the lineup is the best in the world ATM (which it is), and the team is better than Pakistan (which it is). I don't see where AUS factors in.
I never questioned or debated whether IND batting isn't the best in the world right now or whether it isn't better than PAK batting line-up.
I am simply saying its a strong batting lineup depending on conditions & id back any strong pace attack, especially one that gets a chance to bowl on pacer friendly deck to expose IND historical weakness against pace.
What's your "point"?
That we should judge the Indian batting lineup based on a freaking t20 tournament while missing 42% of their batting lineup?
Not that we should them based on that cup. That cup was just a minor example of IND historical weakness against pace, that can always come back to bite them. The same way if AUS encounter a team with alot of quality spinners on a turner in this world cup (given that their glory days are over) their historical weakness vs quality spin will likely come back to bite them.
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LMAO.
Kohli has proven much more than freaking Wahab Riaz. Kohli is already one of the best ODI batsmen in the world. Riaz hasn't done ████.
Yes Kohli is one of best ODI batsmen on current form in ranking system that just takes a couple series into consideration when judging players. Come talk me in 2-3 years when/if he is still rated that highly (not that i'm saying that he cant be mind you).
Plus yes quite clearly Riaz has done (insert curse word) in international cricket to date. He has been a utter joke bowler.
And I'm not even gonna comment on your sweeping generalizations because you've proven that you have a very clouded view of history. You're the kid who honestly thought SL could hold a candle to India when it came to their home records the last 20 years.
Sweeping generalizations?. Ok so you are telling me its not proven historical fact that except for a short period over the last 20 years in which Tendy, Dravid, Laxman stepped up and proven themselves to be seasons great batsmen home & away. That Indian batsmen in general are not generally proven to be very vulnerable to high quality quick bowlers.
You are also telling me that since the Imran/Sarfraz era, Pakistan haven't been consistently producing quality quicks?.
Finally i'll answer you crap about IND & SRI home records in the thread just now, since clearly you have taken that to heart
. It seems our mediocre bowlers is still better and faster than the best fast bowler India has ever produced. It is an insult to call Shoaib mediocre. Over his career, he has terrorized batsman with sheer pace and that is a feat no Indian fast bowler has ever achieved.
