***Official*** Pakistan and England in UAE

[Agent Nationaux]

The only new addition to our squad is Awais Zia. Wish Ahmad Shehzad was playing.

 

[NasserFan207]

Rehman certainly wasn't the reason you lost though; 10 overs 1/31 is a better return than Gul or Cheema would've produced almost certainly IMO and he bowled largely at the times they would've bowled too. I thought Pakistan's bowling - even on the selection front - was fine in the fourth ODI; it was the batting that let them down.

Is there a word for blaming an unconventional tactic for a failure despite what actually happened, merely because it's easy to mount a 'logical' case against without having to analyse the event? There should be as it happens all the time in cricket journalism and forum posting; maybe we should call it Qadiring.

I agree in theory with this but in the case of Pakistan they played the game with 3 top flight spin options, one good one in Hafeez, and one average one in Malik. I wouldn't say including Rehman in particular was a mistake but I find that attack too samey and lacking in variety. If the pitch is a turner or conductive to these fellas then great. However, as we saw it took minimal turn, and they were left with one inexperienced young seamer to change things up. I think they just assumed after the test series that England are complete **** against any kind of spin and just banked on them rolling over again. Anyway, prefer a seam bowling allrounder to Malik personally, plus he's a tried and tested failure.

Obviously the batting is their main issue though like you said, and in that regard these Pakistan posters whining about their world class spin bowling attack while ignoring their substandard batting is a little worrying.

 

[Howe_zat]

England win the toss and bowl. Ravi's fit and playing so Cook misses out. Keiswetter, Buttler and Bairstow all playing, as is Dernbach ahead of Bresnan.

Pakistan restricting themselves to just the three front line spinners. Awais Zia on debut and Hammad Azam gets a game.

 

[Jayzamann]

Little Boom Boom, ey?

 

[stumpski]

Don't know anything about this Zia fellow but he seems an interesting acquisition.

Following on from Levi the other day, always good to see new faces making an impact.

 

[stumpski]

And no, I wasn't trying to jinx him there. Always on the cards when someone goes at it from the first ball, tbf.

 

[grecian]

Well a "captains over" there.

 

[Jayzamann]

"Picked it"

Hah.

 

[grecian]

Not clever Swanneh. Briggs would have caught it.

 

[Jacknife]

Why Bopara, should have gone to Patel.

 

[Jacknife]

He's out there, by the looks of it.
Looked like he'd screwed it up at first but got his elbow into action.

Shocker of a shot, catching practice.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

He's out there, by the looks of it.
Looked like he'd screwed it up at first but got his elbow into action.

What a crap rule.

 

[Jacknife]

What a crap rule.

I bet it wouldn't be if it was a England player run out.

Cracking over from Swanny.

 

[stumpski]

England will be pretty happy with a RR of 7.5 at this stage. Afridi and Misbah may need to take a few balls before throwing the bat.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

I have always been fair in my assessment when it comes to outs. So yes it would still have been crap. His shoulder knocked the bails off. **** rule.

 

[Jacknife]

I have always been fair in my assessment when it comes to outs. So yes it would still have been crap. His shoulder knocked the bails off. **** rule.

It was his elbow and the rule has been the same for years, you just have to knock the bails off with the ball in the hand.

Nice over again from Broad, even though a edge went for four

 

[Agent Nationaux]

It was way above his elbow. Nasser mentioned shoulder.

 

[Jacknife]

The dude looked a walking wicket out there today, no composure at all.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Losing the plot here.

 

[Jacknife]

Bowled a couple of cracking overs there Swanny.