Pakistan Discussion

[Agent Nationaux]

Class post PEWS and agree with you in your analysis. Plus a lot of the players have just started to hit form, so lets see if they can continue that into the world cup final.

 

[Prad100w]

Well said PEWS. Good to see Pakistan doing well as the world cricket needs them.I would rate them ahead of the England team whom i think are over rated in sub continental conditions. If NZ also can get it right some how, then what a WC we are gonna have. All the top 8 teams have a chance to upset each other. Thats what cricket needs after the 2 boring WC's in 2003 and 2007.

 

[Prince EWS]

The bold part is where i disagree.This Pakistan team,has one of the deepest tails we've ever had.Back in the day we had players like Waqar,Mushtaq,Aqib etc - your run of the mill hit or miss tail enders.Now the tail has players that seem to have batting ability,and players who can do more than play one or two balls.When a player of Razzaq's ability comes in it at number 8,you know that you have a pretty effective ODI batting line.Gul,Wahab,Rehman and Tanvir can all bat.True they won't be in the team at the same time perhaps,but i'm just highlighting the fact that the current Pakistani team does not have a traditional tail.Plus,there are players deep down the order who are known game savers.Razzaq is the one who comes to mind.He has two gears,block,or hit.And he has played innings of incredible patience and compusre over the course of his career.So Umar Akmal coming in at the 25th over is not something that will definitley screw over a match for us.Razzaq's ability to hit is well known,but his ability play sensibly is seriously underrated.He has all the qualities you need to stay at the crease without attempting to play an Afridi-ish shot.

I wasn't suggesting they had a long tail; merely that all the batsmen after Misbah are very poor exponents of accumulating runs in the middle overs. Coming in at the 25th, Umar would throw his wicket away once set and Afridi would throw it away even before he was set. Razzaq is indeed different, but he wouldn't accumulate any runs. He'd block for 15 overs and have 12 (60), then he'd hit out. That's not what you want - what you want is Misbah and Younis hitting 45 (60) each and then Razzaq just coming in and going nuts.

It's just an example of what can happen if you have a team with such defined roles. I'm actually a big fan of picking players for certain batting roles in ODI cricket but if things go badly wrong you do leave yourself open with a lack of fluidity and batting versatility.

Also,i think the World Cup has come at the right time for the team.A Pakistan side is always going be more dangerous in short bursts of 15-20 games where they hit form,than in a long consistent period like Australia or South Africa

Nah, my entire point was that this is not a typical Pakistan team. It's not one that relies on individual brilliance or star players hitting ridiculous form and carrying passengers. It's a proper unit in which each player has a defined role that he's comfortable in and can succeed in. A team like that grows in confidence and stature with more time to build. I think they'll go well, but they've could've been awesome if the World Cup was in six months and they stuck with these blokes IMO.

 

[Prince EWS]

Top post and a good read. Agree completely.

Wondering if Rehman might feature on some pitches.

I doubt it unless he's considered ahead of Ajmal in the pecking order (which he might, but shouldn't, be). He's a decent bowler but I don't think they'll go in with four spinners, particularly since their best quick is scared of the new ball and it'd leave Razzaq bowling at the death.

 

[salman85]

I wasn't suggesting they had a long tail; merely that all the batsmen after Misbah are very poor exponents of accumulating runs in the middle overs. Coming in at the 25th, Umar would throw his wicket away once set and Afridi would throw it away even before he was set. Razzaq is indeed different, but he wouldn't accumulate any runs. He'd block for 15 overs and have 12 (60), then he'd hit out. That's not what you want - what you want is Misbah and Younis hitting 45 (60) each and then Razzaq just coming in and going nuts.

It's just an example of what can happen if you have a team with such defined roles. I'm actually a big fan of picking players for certain batting roles in ODI cricket but if things go badly wrong you do leave yourself open with a lack of fluidity and batting versatility.



Nah, my entire point was that this is not a typical Pakistan team. It's not one that relies on individual brilliance or star players hitting ridiculous form and carrying passengers. It's a proper unit in which each player has a defined role that he's comfortable in and can succeed in. A team like that grows in confidence and stature with more time to build. I think they'll go well, but they've could've been awesome if the World Cup was in six months and they stuck with these blokes IMO.

I still think the short bursts thing applies to this team.It pretty much applies to everything in Pakistan,from tje government to sports .

We'll find out on 2nd April i guess.The reason i'm constantly talking about that is the fact that Pakistan just need to win three games on the trot.Easier said than done i know,but the format of the torunament suits a team relying on short bursts of brilliance.Other teams would go in the knockout stage unbeaten from the group stage,and whereas Pakistan might not go unbeaten in the group stages,Gul taking a fiver,Afridi playing a blinder or Razzaq playing a blinder in the knockout stages could swing things Pakistan's way any given day..That's all it would take.A place in the quarters is pretty much assured as far as i'm concerned,and with the next three games Pakistan could be at their most dangerous.

 

[smash84]

I still think the short bursts thing applies to this team.It pretty much applies to everything in Pakistan,from tje government to sports .

We'll find out on 2nd April i guess.The reason i'm constantly talking about that is the fact that Pakistan just need to win three games on the trot.Easier said than done i know,but the format of the torunament suits a team relying on short bursts of brilliance.Other teams would go in the knockout stage unbeaten from the group stage,and whereas Pakistan might not go unbeaten in the group stages,Gul taking a fiver,Afridi playing a blinder or Razzaq playing a blinder in the knockout stages could swing things Pakistan's way any given day..That's all it would take.A place in the quarters is pretty much assured as far as i'm concerned,and with the next three games Pakistan could be at their most dangerous.

I don't think these are Imran's cornered tigers more like Afridi's wild elephants.

Given the perennial optimist that you are this is little more sane analysis from your end ........

this does make some sense although I completely agree with PEWS that everyone below Misbah and Younis (and I might add everybody above as well) is ****.......and you don't want your lower order **** out in the middle by the 25th over (since your top order **** will probably be out by then)

 

[Fusion]

It was the correct decision to name Afridi captain. Whether he's the right man to lead or not had become irrelevant this close to the WC. As usual, all our incompetent board managed to do was cause uncertainty and potential chaos. If they had any doubts about him, he shouldn't have been named ODI captain to begin with. Once they made the decision, they should've just supported him and emphasized to the players that he was fully in charge. I must say I admired how both Afridi and Misbah handled the situation. They never publicly lobied for the post. On the contrary, they supported each other and maintained that they wanted what's best for the team. That's such a refreshing change from the usual way this plays out in Pakistan cricket.

 

[smash84]

ditto

 

[Faisal1985]

Of Course Afridi is the best man to lead the side at this time.

 

[smash84]

Imran too backs AFridi at this point in time

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Great news guys, Sohail Tanveer has been replaced by Junaid Khan. Junaid is a good prospect, who can swing the ball both ways at around 85-90 mph. However his action might be a little suspect. Let's hope his action doesn't cause any problems and that he does well in the WC.

Here is Junaid in action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZecJ6dfX5I&feature=player_embedded

 

[Faisal1985]

KARACHI: Sohail Tanvir was on Wednesday, dropped from Pakistan’s World Cup squad after being declared unfit by the Pakistan Cricket Board.

“The medical panel thinks that though the recovery was good, it still thought Tanvir needs time to get fully fit before competing at international level,” the PCB said in a statement.

Pakistan is replacing Tanvir with left-arm paceman Junaid Khan, 21, who started with the Under-19s alongside promising teenage quick Mohammad Amir.

It will be Khan’s debut for the senior Pakistan squad, although he has impressed selectors by amassing 167 wickets in just 35 first-class matches.

Tanvir, meanwhile, protested the decision, saying he is fully fit and prepared for cricket’s showpiece event.

He returned to the Pakistan squad for the tour of New Zealand after recovering from a chronic knee injury, which kept him in out of the national side for two years.

Pakistan play their first match of the World Cup on February 23, against Kenya, while they face Bangladesh on February 15 in a warm-up match in Mirpur.

Dawn News.

Shocker from PCB.

You know what would be really crazy, if Khan turns out better then Amir.

 

[Faisal1985]

Imran too backs AFridi at this point in time

Great minds think alike.

 

[Himannv]

Shocker from PCB.

You know what would be really crazy, if Khan turns out better then Amir.

I guess they did it to get a better bowler (is he?) in. I think Tanvir hasn't been in form and playing for a long time now and maybe this Khan guy might be a better option on the whole.

Should have done this a bit earlier so that he could have got more experience in the NZ series though.

 

[Faisal1985]

I guess they did it to get a better bowler (is he?) in. I think Tanvir hasn't been in form and playing for a long time now and maybe this Khan guy might be a better option on the whole.

Should have done this a bit earlier so that he could have got more experience in the NZ series though.

That's why i am saying its a shocker. PCB not known for making a decent move like that. He is an Amir-ish type bowler with same pace but a bit less swing.

167 wickets in 35 FC games on Pak dead rubbers can't be a fluke. I am sure he is a far better option then Tanvir. I am not sure about his batting though. Tanvir is a decent bat in the tail but his bowling has been ****.

 

[Himannv]

Sounds promising. Will he get a game though?

They should have brought him into the international scene earlier. Throwing a debutant into a tournament like the WC seems slightly rash.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Name another country that tries debutants like Pakistan. I think he swings a little more than Aamir, but let's wait and see.

 

[cnerd123]

Gah.

a) Why do so many Pakistani bowlers have the weird bent-arm thing going on and..

b) Where do they keep getting these fast bowlers! Junaid looks gun, someone who shouldn't be taken too lightly.

 

[TT Boy]

Not a loss. The Tanvir novelty factor has well and truly worn off. Bowled 120kph crap in New Zealand and didn't move the ball in the air or off the pitch.

 

[smash84]

Great news guys, Sohail Tanveer has been replaced by Junaid Khan. Junaid is a good prospect, who can swing the ball both ways at around 85-90 mph. However his action might be a little suspect. Let's hope his action doesn't cause any problems and that he does well in the WC.

Here is Junaid in action:

YouTube - ABN Amro Cup 2008 pakistan

His action looks terribly suspect. I hope he doesn't end up like Shabbir Ahmed.

Good news though that Tanvir is out of the WC.