****Official****Pakistan in South Africa

[Bouncer]

Not a test match bro.

Its 3:45 AM where I am.

Thanks for correction bro

 

[Daemon]

I would not play Irfan in a 5 day game yet - It just takes toooo much on one's body, and Irfan doesnt have the body for it IMO.

I would go and open the bowling with Junaid and Ahsan (lets see what the new guy is made out of, there is a lot of hype about this guy - a lot. Even I liked little bit that I saw in him in U19 WC).

Bowling line up with Junaid/Ahsan/Gul/Ajmal/Rehman and Hafeez just sounds super nice.

Battingwise, I would go outside the box and open with Taufeeq and Nasir, play hafeez at asad's spot

• We get to give nasir a chance when he is in form and have him open the inning.
• Nasir is far more likely to be comfortable against pace and new ball than hafeez.
• Protect hafeez from new ball and bouncy SA conditions and have him come to bat with an older ball in operation.

Wouldn't go in with 5 bowlers, especially when your keeper is not exactly the best batsmen going around and you have a decent option in Hafeez. Makes the lineup way too fragile. Rehman will have to sit this one out unfortunately.

 

[smash84]

Wouldn't go in with 5 bowlers, especially when your keeper is not exactly the best batsmen going around and you have a decent option in Hafeez. Makes the lineup way too fragile. Rehman will have to sit this one out unfortunately.

yeah....going with both Rehman and Ajmal will be very risky.

Sarfaraz is a bit of clown with the bat.

They have to try Irfan out. Test matches don't take as much toll on the body as do LO games

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Jameshed
Taufeeq
Azhar
Younis
Misbah
Hafeez
Sarfraz
Gul
Adil/Irfan
Ajmal
Junaid

 

[smash84]

I would go with

Nasir
Toffee
Azhar
Younis
Misbah
Hafeez
Sarfaraz
Bull/Adil
Irfan
Ajmal
Junaid

 

[smash84]

any one up for an avatar bet with Agent

 

[Agent Nationaux]

I hope Adil gets at least one game. Would like to see him.

 

[NUFAN]

I would go in with 10 batsman and Ajmal.

#troll.gif

 

[smash84]

 

[NUFAN]

Just joking obviously. Really looking forward to catching some of this series. Azhar and Younus against the 3 SA quicks will be awesome Test match Cricket.

 

[Daemon]

Pity MoYo isn't around any longer in the Pakistani set up. Thought Pakistan treated him extremely poorly. His last few years in the game did some serious damage to his reputation and legacy.

 

[smash84]

he was indulging far too much in politics and becoming quite a hurdle for team progress.

I don't think too many people miss him quite as much

 

[Marius]

South Africa will win but it'll be tougher than the NZ series that's for sure.

Pakistan haven't done too badly when they've toured over here.

 

[MrPrez]

Calling it to be 1-1.

I just don't have much faith in us at home, we throw it away too often.

Particularly having just dominated both tests against NZ, we're due a poor home game.

 

[Prince EWS]

PEWS thinks Pakistan's bowling will suck in SA conditions. Not sure about that.

Well, I don't know about "suck", but this is the best batting lineup in the world in their home conditions. Pakistan have a good bowling attack - it's their strength - but it's been heavily based around spin which is massively nerfed in RSA. Rehman has been one of main reasons they've done so well and the conditions will mean he can't even play, while Ajmal is obviously their best bowler and he could possibly struggle due to the conditions as well.

There's been this myth around about Pakistan for a few years now that they have an awesome fast bowling lineup just because they're Pakistan. It's like people expecting to tour India right now and face a barrage of quality spin bowlers. Despite only picking two quicks more often than not over the last two years, we've seen Cheema (lots), Sami, Tanvir Ahmed, Wahab and Sohail Khan play. They're going to have to field an attack with three seamers - Junaid looks good but he's still pretty raw having only played 7 Tests against serious opposition and not ventured away from the subcontinent yet, Gul is in the textbook when you look up "average Test cricketer" and the third quick will be a debutant. I'll put it this way - I think New Zealand have a better pace attack at full strength, and yes it's true that Southee was injured and Ajmal is a lot better than Jeets, but New Zealand just got absolutely dicked in South Africa, bowling included.

Their biggest problem by far is their batting, but what I'm arguing against is this:

It could be like the 2010 Pak-Eng series. Where the bowlers from both sides wreak havoc.

I don't know why people think Pakistan's bowling is going to wreak havoc. Their strengths are very unsuited to the conditions and their fast bowlers are raw so if the bowling attack holds its own, it'll be a very successful tour for them. Their bowlers could go okay but they are not going to save their batsmen here unless South Africa just randomly collapse for no particular reason, which tbf they are known to do once every home summer, but that'd be more their own problem than anything truly indicative of Pakistan's bowling.

 

[benchmark00]

Cribbage thinks that Glenn Maxwell is better than Ajmal.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Calling it to be 1-1.

I just don't have much faith in us at home, we throw it away too often.

Particularly having just dominated both tests against NZ, we're due a poor home game.

Best batting and bowling line up in the world at home and you are still Gambhiring. Stop being pessimistic and put up your avatar on the line.

 

[smash84]

There's been this myth around about Pakistan for a few years now that they have an awesome fast bowling lineup just because they're Pakistan. It's like people expecting to tour India right now and face a barrage of quality spin bowlers. Despite only picking two quicks more often than not over the last two years, we've seen Cheema (lots), Sami, Tanvir Ahmed, Wahab and Sohail Khan play. They're going to have to field an attack with three seamers - Junaid looks good but he's still pretty raw having only played 7 Tests against serious opposition and not ventured away from the subcontinent yet, Gul is in the textbook when you look up "average Test cricketer" and the third quick will be a debutant. I'll put it this way - I think New Zealand have a better pace attack at full strength, and yes it's true that Southee was injured and Ajmal is a lot better than Jeets, but New Zealand just got absolutely dicked in South Africa, bowling included..

Sohail Khan....get a life FFS. I think you missed this guy. You think he is unsuited for SA conditions along with Junaid?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSJiCcN97bQ

 

[Marius]

Calling it to be 1-1.

I just don't have much faith in us at home, we throw it away too often.

Particularly having just dominated both tests against NZ, we're due a poor home game.

We're not playing in Durban, so we should be all right.

 

[Prince EWS]

Sohail Khan....get a life FFS. I think you missed this guy. You think he is unsuited for SA conditions along with Junaid?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSJiCcN97bQ

I don't think Junaid is unsuited to South African conditions ftr; I just think he's a bit raw and unproven to have total faith in to lead an attack at the moment. I've rated him for a while, and have said so.

Forgive me for not yet rating the proven performer of 0 Test matches as one capable of "wreaking havoc" on the best batting lineup in the world though. I did mention him when I said that the third seamer would be a debutant; that's who I was referring to.

The bowling may hold its own, or it may not. If you think it's going to skittle South Africa regularly and turn the series into a generally low-scoring one then well.. good luck with that my friend.