***Official*** Pakistan in South Africa

[Fusion]

Not the most reliable source, but Pakistani newspaper Jang is reporting that Kaneria, Rana, Nazir, and Faisal Iqbal will be dropped for the 2nd Test. Taking their place would be Gul, Akhter, Sami, and Asim Kamal. If true, then I'm disapointed that Keneria is being dropped. He hasn't been taking wickets, but I still feel he's our best spin option. And in essence Sami is taking his place in the team. If I have to endure wicket-less crap bowling, I'd rather stick with Kaneria then Sami.

 

[Pratters]

Kaneria has been poor in recent times:

2006 (25y 16d) 12 536.1 1643 40 5/181 6/131 41.07 3.06 80.4 1 0
2007 (26y 16d) 1 65.5 158 3 3/97 3/158 52.66 2.40 131.6 0 0

However, I wouldn't consider dropping him based on the previous test. The wicket offered turn but was a batsman's paradise. Moreever, Kaneria bowled superbly in the game though the wickets column does not show it. Also, he harldy gave away lose balls which can be so threatening coming from a leg spinner on a less batsman friendly track.

Only if the wicket is a dead seat fast bowler's haven would I even consider thinking on the option of replacing Kaneria with Sami at this point.

 

[Beleg]

I am not a big fan of Kaneria but replacing him with Sami has gotta be the most boneheaded move PCB has ever contemplated. All the other replacements sound about right.

I believe a side consisting of,

Farhat
Hafeez
Younis
Yousuf
Inzy
Kamal
Akmal
Akhtar
Gul
Kaneria
Asif

is our full strength team and if South Africa can beat them then they are definitely the better of the two teams.

 

[nightprowler10]

Farhat
Hafeez
Younis
Yousuf
Inzy
Kamal
Akmal
Akhtar
Gul
Kaneria
Asif

Can't think of a better team tbh.

 

[PhoenixFire]

Razzaq injured?

 

[nightprowler10]

I don't quite understand the dropping of Kaneria (if true). Just two tests ago he spun us to victory in Karachi when the match pretty much looked to be dead.

 

[nightprowler10]

Razzaq injured?

I believe so. Though he shouldn't be playing anyway IMO.

 

[FRAZ]

Shoaib Akhtar is a good bowler but since when has he become a legend?

Ever since I am in the sports journalism !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[haroon510]

Not the most reliable source, but Pakistani newspaper Jang is reporting that Kaneria, Rana, Nazir, and Faisal Iqbal will be dropped for the 2nd Test. Taking their place would be Gul, Akhter, Sami, and Asim Kamal. If true, then I'm disapointed that Keneria is being dropped. He hasn't been taking wickets, but I still feel he's our best spin option. And in essence Sami is taking his place in the team. If I have to endure wicket-less crap bowling, I'd rather stick with Kaneria then Sami.

i think they should drop kaneria in order to send a massege that if he doesn't perform well he can be droped from team also. i have never liked this guy. he was overrated from the first test that he played. he got some wickets against bangladish which is a weaker side. to be honest if u see his record his bowling average. i much rather to see afridi in the team over him. kaneria averages about 33 in 44 test matches while afridi averages 34 in 26 test matches in bowling. i think if afridi shuld be included in the team in place of kaneria. at least pakistan might benift from his batting if not bowling. afridi's batting is un pridectable and who knows maybe he hit a centry or half centry.

 

[Prince EWS]

I am not a big fan of Kaneria but replacing him with Sami has gotta be the most boneheaded move PCB has ever contemplated. All the other replacements sound about right.

I believe a side consisting of,

Farhat
Hafeez
Younis
Yousuf
Inzy
Kamal
Akmal
Akhtar
Gul
Kaneria
Asif

is our full strength team and if South Africa can beat them then they are definitely the better of the two teams.

I still think Hameed is better than Farhat.

 

[FRAZ]

I still think Hameed is better than Farhat.

Spot on !

 

[FRAZ]

Imran Farhat
Hafeez
Yasir Hameed
Younis
Yousaf
Inzi (c)
Kamran Akmal (wk)
Sami
Gul
Shoaib Akhtar
M Asif
I don't think that it can be better than this !

 

[nightprowler10]

Can't believe people are trying to justify the comment on the grounds of its not racist. It may not have been intended to be racist, but the minute you insinuate a coloured minority with 'zoo animals' you're making a racist statement, and that's simply the case due to the disgusting history of various racial occurences in many countries. You can't just ignore it.

Jeez Jono, I was about to nominate you for the Hussey until I realized its just you with a new avatar.

 

[nightprowler10]

Imran Farhat
Hafeez
Yasir Hameed
Younis
Yousaf
Inzi (c)
Kamran Akmal (wk)
Sami
Gul
Shoaib Akhtar
M Asif
I don't think that it can be better than this !

Poor Kamal suffers yet again for no good reason.

 

[Jono]

Jeez Jono, I was about to nominate you for the Hussey until I realized its just you with a new avatar.

Lol Cheers anyway.

Regarding the Pak team for the second match, it all depends whether Gul is fit really. He cannot be rushed back, the WC is far too near and there's no point causing further injury issues with him ala Munaf Patel. If he is fit though, this would be my team:

Hafeez
Hameed
Younis
Yousuf
*Inzy
Kamal
+Akmal
Shoaib
Kaneria
Gul
Asif

Guess you can't drop Farhat based on him outperforming Hafeez in the first test though.

 

[haroon510]

why does every one hate farhat here? lol he scored last match so he won't be drop from the team for the second test. faisal shuold be droped difintly. overal i can't wait to see shoaib with asif again. with their presence pakistan has 50 percent chance of wining the second test match

 

[adharcric]

What about slotting Hameed into the middle-order (at 6?) and sticking with the Hafeez-Farhat pairing at the top?

 

[haroon510]

What about slotting Hameed into the middle-order (at 6?) and sticking with the Hafeez-Farhat pairing at the top?

i think hameed is one of the best one down players right now. what is wrong with playing him in number 3? younis at four, yousif at five and inzi at six. ya both hafiz and farhat should open.

 

[LongHopCassidy]

Inzamam is wasted at six, I think. It's not like he enjoys batting with the tail (which necessitates strike rotation!).

 

[nexxus]

Shoib at #8 & an out of form Akmal at #7 it could be a pretty greusome looking scorecard if MY doesn't come good and a few early wickets fall.

Of course Cricket SA in their *infinite* wisdom have chosen to play a subcontinent team at St. George's Park, so we go from India at Mumbai to Lahore to Karachi and then back to flipping Mumbai for the last test. Hopefully the groundsmen continue to defy the norm & we get a first ever St. George's pitch that doesn't spin like a top by the 2nd session.