*Official* South Africa in Pakistan

[Perm]

Yeah probably, although if the presence of both Misbah and Younis is insisted upon by the selectors then I probably would rather keep Butt out, especially considering the poor form he's in currently.

Yeah, in my ideal XI neither Misbah or Younis would make the cut. Well, Younis might but he'd be at #6. Just saying that if I was selecting the team, those would be the two I'd have as openers.

 

[Perm]

i agree with u
i also think for one dayers shoaib malik should play one down.
yasir
butt
malik
younis
yousuf
masbah
akmal
afridi
and soo on

Malik's best position is #4 actually, while Yousuf does a pretty good job batting at first-drop and can be a more effective anchor. FTR, this would be my batting lineup.

Yasir Hameed
Salman Butt
Mohammad Yousuf
Shoaib Malik (c)
Fawad Alam
???
Kamran Akmal (wk)
Shahid Afridi

 

[Perm]

Look you have to understand this, younis khan cannot possibly be dropped at the moment and he wont be batting at No.6. You shouldnt assume something which wont happen, neither can they drop him and neither will he be batting at No.6 for the near future...the reason i was saying he should come as an opener is because firstly i believe he can atleast manage 25 to 30 odd runs (which is 100x better than say a 10/2 start) and secondly he should back, help and force the other inexperienced opener to play some intelligent cricket, inbetween overs tell him what he should avoid and acknowledge his good strokes etc.. Unless pakistan finds another proper/reliable middle order batsman they wont take the risk of dropping an experienced batsman.

There is no point carrying a poor batsman just because he is experienced. I could understand the need for it if Pakistan had several prospects who were 20 or so. But with Mohammad Yousuf and Shoaib Malik both being senior members and Yasir Hameed having a few years on his shoulders then they can afford to play youngsters. Kamran Akmal has been around the side for a while and Salman Butt is the vice-captain. I know Younis won't be dropped and will continue to bat at #3 but he shouldn't be, as he is taking up a spot that a better batsman could be occupying.

You might be right about Yasir Hameed playing instead of Imran Nazir, that might be a good move and i have nothing against it but i think pakistan strategy to send two inexperienced batsman at the top has always faltered and i beleive it will continue to falter because forget the inexperienced batsman but the senior batsman dont back themselves and they lack confidence.

Yasir Hameed isn't actually that inexperienced. He's 29 year old and has been around the domestic scene for a while so he has definitely got the experience required to open the innings. While he may not have played a lot at ODI level, 53 is enough games for him to start backing himself, especially when he has been a good performer.

 

[Perm]

Malik has had most of his success batting at no.3 and the late Bob Woolmer also was a supporter of Malik batting at 3, but then it meant that Yunus khan had to bat at 6 which was almost a waste of a batsman like Yunus, but now with no Inzy in the side Yunus can bat at 4 and MoYo can bat at 5.
Btw Afridi has expressed a wish to his coach and captain that he wants to open the batting in Odi cricket so he can take advantage of the fielding restrictions and play his natural game, what do you guys think would that be a good move?

Actually, Malik has a better record at #4 and Yousuf is better at #3. Younis Khan isn't a waste down at #6 and he has proven in the past that he can play match-winning innings down the order, either rescuing Pakistan or taking them home to victory with fifties score at a very good strike rate.

Also, Afridi is in the side as a bowling all-rounder and his batting is basically just a bonus as it's far too un-reliable for him to be counted on to score runs regularly. Wouldn't surprise me if he's given another crack as an opener though, it would just add to Pakistan's woes when they should be trying to settle upon an opening pair and sticking with them.

 

[shortpitched713]

Yasir Hameed
Salman Butt
Mohammad Yousuf
Shoaib Malik (c)
Fawad Alam
???
Kamran Akmal (wk)
Shahid Afridi

Would be a shootout between Younis and Misbah, one would think. And that lineup is looking light on experienced batsmen, so I'd back Younis.

 

[Perm]

Salman Butt isn't exactly the strokeplayer to foil Hameed though. This said as a Butt advocate.

Indeed. Butt is scratchy early on, but one he gets going can be very effective and doesn't score that slowly. His strike rate for his three centuries have all been very impressive, and I'd rather have guys in the Pakistan side that can score runs consistently rather than guys like Afridi and Nazir.

 

[Perm]

Would be a shootout between Younis and Misbah, one would think. And that lineup is looking light on experienced batsmen, so I'd back Younis.

I'd be inclined to have Younis Khan there, after doing a bit more research into how he has performed at #6.

 

[haroon510]

A sad part indeed, and something that is very prominent in both Indian and Pakistan cricket unfortunately. I fully agree with you, I don't care how slowly Hameed scores (unless it handicaps his team), so long as he is putting runs on the board. A strike rate of 67 is a touch too slow, if he can lift that above 70 then he should definitely be selected. I'm just saying the Pakistan selectors are holding that against him, which is unfair given how terrible the rest of their openers have been lately.

if they give him a chance he can raise his strike rate.. everytime he plays.. he plays under extremely pressure situations.. he knows he is going to be droped if he doesn't perform so that is the reason he can't play openly and his natural game...there is aggrassion in his batting but some how he always seem to be not playing his natural game and something holds him back in to not playing with that agrassion.

i would say as inzi said that for a batsman.. they should give him at least six innings to prove himself.. if pakistan play yasir hameed and butt in six consictive innings as opener.. their problem would be solved.. i am sure these two guys are good enough to solve thier openning problems..

i would also agree with playing younis as an opener.. in that case it would be younis with butt while yasir hameed comes in at number 3.. other wise if pakistan goes with butt and yasir hameed then malik should be played in number three.

 

[Perm]

if they give him a chance he can raise his strike rate.. everytime he plays.. he plays under extremely pressure situations.. he knows he is going to be droped if he doesn't perform so that is the reason he can't play openly and his natural game...there is aggrassion in his batting but some how he always seem to be not playing his natural game and something holds him back in to not playing with that agrassion.

i would say as inzi said that for a batsman.. they should give him at least six innings to prove himself.. if pakistan play yasir hameed and butt in six consictive innings as opener.. their problem would be solved.. i am sure these two guys are good enough to solve thier openning problems..

i would also agree with playing younis as an opener.. in that case it would be younis with butt while yasir hameed comes in at number 3.. other wise if pakistan goes with butt and yasir hameed then malik should be played in number three.

I think if he is given the chance he will up his strike rate to a level that isn't harmful for the team. All it takes is a bit of faith in Salman Butt and Yasir Hameed and for the selectors, coaches, players and fans to support them instead of calling for their head after every low score.

 

[haroon510]

wow afridi is going to open the innings.. but why?

 

[Athlai]

Gul starts his day with two maidens and figures of 3-2-4-0

Handsome.

 

[Perm]

Afridi pulled off a stunner of a catch to dismiss AB de Villiers, and Shoaib Malik put in a fine effort to run-out Graeme Smith who was holding his side up.

Long road to recovery, 200 will be a very good score.

 

[Perm]

wow afridi is going to open the innings.. but why?

They'd prefer to see Akmal at #7 I suppose. Can't say I agree with the decision, as it only causes further trouble.

 

[Perm]

Gul starts his day with two maidens and figures of 3-2-4-0

Handsome.

7-3-22-1 now. Should come back and clean-up the tail.

 

[Perm]

Shahid Afridi nabs the big wicket of Justin Kemp, very good spell from him. Albie Morkel getting a chance to show if he can handle the pressure, although I would have batted him above Boucher.

 

[Perm]

Malik takes a good catch to send Kemp packing, Abdur Rehman with the wicket.

 

[Athlai]

SA not looking as though they are the 2nd best ODI team in the world TBH.

 

[Perm]

SA not looking as though they are the 2nd best ODI team in the world TBH.

One game means very little.

 

[Athlai]

One game means very little.

Especially away, but the opening slot hasn't looked as solid as they'd like, the bowling looks frail (mainly due to Ntini's slump though) and if Kallis doesn't score the big totals don't seem to be hit. Still a great side and all but not as clear as they were going into the world cup (as number 1) above the others (aside from Aus). Still probably number 2 though.

Also I love how cricinfo writes an article about how the ball change rule will be the death of bowlers, yet SA are gone for 197? Especially considering Pakistan were aiming to keep them to around 250.

 

[Perm]

Especially away, but the opening slot hasn't looked as solid as they'd like, the bowling looks frail (mainly due to Ntini's slump though) and if Kallis doesn't score the big totals don't seem to be hit. Still a great side and all but not as clear as they were going into the world cup (as number 1) above the others (aside from Aus). Still probably number 2 though.

Also I love how cricinfo writes an article about how the ball change rule will be the death of bowlers, yet SA are gone for 197? Especially considering Pakistan were aiming to keep them to around 250.

Reading a little too much into it IMO. They are still testing a few players like Albie Morkel and Johan Botha, and it wouldn't surprise me if they see what JP Duminy and Morne van Wyk can produce at the top level soon. Certainly have problem areas, but aren't as bad as you make them out to be, no offence.

Can't say what relevance that has, most of the damage was done before the ball had to be changed, South Africa were never going to recover after the 40 over mark.