***Official*** Pakistan in South Africa

[Turbinator]

Pak clearly have the better bowling, and reliance on three players or not, they have the better batting too.

There is one guy in the Indian lineup who you can trust to score runs, where Pakistan has three who can all perform. Pakistan has a problem with the top order, but so does India.

Right now, Pakistan are superior in both bowling and batting compared to India. If India can win one match, so can Pakistan IMO.

Saffies are tough at home, and you can't read much into one match, but Pakistan should push them close, especially if Asif and Akhtar play (as it looks they will).

Yeah but it wasn't India's skill and on paper stats and reputation that won them the game, it was their heart, aggression, and killer instinct. Pakistan, with Akhtar and Asif, might be better than India on paper... but for Pakistan to win the series, they'll need that same heart, aggression, and killer instinct that India showed in the first Test match.

EDIT: Also, that one guy you're talking about, didn't even need to perform for India to win.

 

[adharcric]

Pak clearly have the better bowling, and reliance on three players or not, they have the better batting too.

There is one guy in the Indian lineup who you can trust to score runs, where Pakistan has three who can all perform. Pakistan has a problem with the top order, but so does India.

Right now, Pakistan are superior in both bowling and batting compared to India. If India can win one match, so can Pakistan IMO.

Saffies are tough at home, and you can't read much into one match, but Pakistan should push them close, especially if Asif and Akhtar play (as it looks they will).

These comparisons don't really hold much merit. On paper, our lineup is superior to their lineup and our attack is inferior to their lineup ... but our bowling attack and on-paper titans (Laxman and Ganguly) were responsible for our victory in the last match. The team that plays better cricket will come out on top. The future is to be made and not predicted.

 

[Turbinator]

These comparisons don't really hold much merit. On paper, our lineup is superior to their lineup and our attack is inferior to their lineup ... but our bowling attack and on-paper titans (Laxman and Ganguly) were responsible for our victory in the last match. The team that plays better cricket will come out on top. The future is to be made and not predicted.

O nice, that's a good one, I'll have to write it somewhere...

 

[magsi23]

it will be good series, difficult to say who will win both ODI's or Tests, but i would go with Pak to win ODI and SA to win Test series

 

[TT Boy]

Shoaib Akhtar out of test series, Mohammad Asif however, has been included.

Pakistan's Test squad: Inzamam-ul-Haq (capt), Younis Khan (vice-captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Imran Farhat, Yasir Hameed, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Yousuf, Faisal Iqbal, Asim Kamal, Kamran Akmal, Zulqarnain Haider, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Mohammad Asif, Danish Kaneria, Shahid Nazir, Umar Gul and Mohammad Sami.

http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/rsavpak/content/current/story/274365.html

 

[Prince EWS]

Shoaib Akhtar out of test series, Mohammad Asif however, has been included.

Pakistan's Test squad: Inzamam-ul-Haq (capt), Younis Khan (vice-captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Imran Farhat, Yasir Hameed, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Yousuf, Faisal Iqbal, Asim Kamal, Kamran Akmal, Zulqarnain Haider, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Mohammad Asif, Danish Kaneria, Shahid Nazir, Umar Gul and Mohammad Sami.

http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/rsavpak/content/current/story/274365.html

Great to see Asim Kamal back in the squad. One of the most harshly treated players of modern times.

 

[adharcric]

Good squad, but it isn't too hard when you pick 17.

 

[Jono]

Akhtar out? Interesting.

 

[Langeveldt]

Asif in, so we've only got to put up with one of the filthy drugs cheats.. No doubt he'll take a hatful of wickets

 

[Beleg]

Selecting Sami ahead of Shoaib is the dumbest decision I have seen the selectors make for quite some time.

Unless the PCB wishes to wash its hands permanently off Akhtar it's just inexplicable.

 

[silentstriker]

Selecting Sami ahead of Shoaib is the dumbest decision I have seen the selectors make for quite some time.

Unless the PCB wishes to wash its hands permanently off Akhtar it's just inexplicable.

They said he wasn't match fit.

 

[silentstriker]

They said he wasn't match fit.

Asif is the best up and coming bowler in the world, can't wait to see what he can do. As long as he makes Smith his bunny, I'll be happy.

 

[Beleg]

He's definitely more match fit than he was on several occasions previously (and got picked). He played in the 20/20's, didn't he? Though, admittedly, he looked pretty off-colour there.

 

[Dasa]

Selecting Sami ahead of Shoaib is the dumbest decision I have seen the selectors make for quite some time.

Unless the PCB wishes to wash its hands permanently off Akhtar it's just inexplicable.

You mean selecting Sami ahead of anyone. Surely he's been given enough chances already...even if they don't want Shoaib, there are other candidates out there who could at least be given a chance to perform.

 

[R_D]

Ah Sami picked again... man that guy must have some big contacts. After having been given so many chances, he's done little. I guess PCB must really be trying to push Sami to get to that avg of 50.
Bit suprised by Akhtar's exclusion. RSA to win the test series 1-0.

 

[marc71178]

They said he wasn't match fit.

Probably missing a few vitamins...

 

[silentstriker]

Probably missing a few vitamins...

Asif seems to be OK.

 

[aussie]

Akhtar out? Interesting.

Has the Pakistani bloke on cricinfo said, could be something a bit more thats being said given that Asif has been selected.

 

[nightprowler10]

Sami not the best candidate for the tests. Hope he doesn't get to play. How do people feel about giving Rana Naved another chance in tests? Asif, Gul, Nazir, Rana, Kaneria.

 

[Beleg]

Rana Naveed's biggest problem is that he is incapable of holding onto a constant line or length for more then three deliveries.