Pakistan opening solution

[Armadillo]

Pardon me, but why have you got both Shoaib and Malik in the team? Is Malik batting at two places? Or do you have Shoaib Akhtar opening? Good attempth, though.

Not sense a hint of sarcasm in Beleg's post?

 

[adharcric]

Butt is poor against the swinging ball and Taufeeq is simply not good enough. Malik has the temperament to succeed and Farhat looks slightly better than Butt at the moment. Hafeez is a good one to have in the team for his batting, bowling and fielding and Hameed is a talented batsman whose confidence has taken a hit thanks to the Pakistani selectors.

 

[deeps]

Afridi > Hafeez.

Afridi's test batting average over the past 2 years is 43. That's quite good, and add to that his bowling (though a bit ineffective lately, has a habit of taking key wickets), and his fielding.

But even more so, is his unpredictability. His batting or bowling can both win you a game single handedly and sometimes over the course of one or two sessions.

I don't however think he should be opening all the time, but perhaps at the start of a series he's worth a gamble. There's nothing worse for bowlers to come in at the start of a series and have a few sixes launched around you. It could muck up their confidence for a good part of the series if he comes off.

Hafeez is handy, and definately good to have in your squad, as he can pretty well cover any sort of player.

I like Shoaib Malik as a player, a very good batsman, highly under rated imo. Has the potential to easily be the best all rounder in the world imo. His batting i ***cellent, he can defend solidly, but he can also attack at near Afridi speeds. His fielding is absolutely top notch, and his bowling is quite good (he started off as a bowler).

Imran Nazir and Yasir Hameed have both got alot of potential, Hameed in particular. His problem is more mindset imo.


I"d be looking at


Kamran Akmal
Shoaib Malik
Younis Khan
Mohammed Yousuf
Inzimam Ul Haq
Abdul Razzaq
Shahid Afridi
Rana Naved
Shoaib Akhtar
Mohammed Asif
Danish Kaneria


With Kamran Opening, it enables the extra all rounder to play. Kamran, didn't do well this series, but htats because HE is out of form, not because he can't open. His batting at any position has been poor, his keeping is poor at this stage. It will come back, and just as you'd persist with any other player for a few matches if they were out of form, you do the same for Kamran.

There is ALOT of bowling options there
Fast and furious - Shoiab
Decently quick and accurate - Asif
Traditional leggy - Kaneria
Fastish deceptive leggy - Afridi
Medium pacer who bowls cutters etc. - Razzaq
Swing bowler - Rana
Traditional Off spinner - Shoaib Malik

And these are not just mere 'part timers' who bowl 4 or 5 overs a match. All are genuinely good bowlers.

The batting has depth, the tail is relatively strong, and the fielding unit is very good too.

 

[Arjun]

With Kamran Opening, it enables the extra all rounder to play. Kamran, didn't do well this series, but htats because HE is out of form, not because he can't open. His batting at any position has been poor, his keeping is poor at this stage. It will come back, and just as you'd persist with any other player for a few matches if they were out of form, you do the same for Kamran.

Kamran's a very good batsman, but opening the innings is not just anybody's task. He may just get opened up by quality opening bowlers, since he's not a regular opener. He's a genuine run-scoring option, someone you expect to play a long innings, so he should play in the middle order. Moreover, in Test matches, the last thing you need is a wicketkeeper opening the innings– either way, it is nothing but trouble.

 

[Goughy]

The problem with Akmal opening (apart from whether it is the best place for him) is one of endurance.

Imagine if Pakistan were batting 2nd and the opposition have just scored 500. It means he has been keeping for a day and a half and then has to go straight out and open.

It would be very difficult for him to be fresh and be able to perform.

 

[R_D]

Kamran Akmal
Shoaib Malik
Younis Khan
Mohammed Yousuf
Inzimam Ul Haq
Abdul Razzaq
Shahid Afridi
Rana Naved
Shoaib Akhtar
Mohammed Asif
Danish Kaneria

That lineup bit short on batting.. too many bowling options. The batting will be too relient on The trio in the middle. Abdul Razzaq and Afridi combined together wouldn't even count as one batsman.
Like Goughy pointed out there's always problem of over-wroking your keeper by asking him to open as well as keep for the entire match. Too taxing on the guy.

I think Afridi's avg might also be boosted alot by his innings against India. He certainly loves the indian bowling but he fails against most other teams

 

[adharcric]

Kamran Akmal is an impressive batsman but he simply should not open. Not only has he struggled in that role so far (due to form or lack of technique .. the important thing is that he lacks confidence as an opener), but opening the batting after keeping so many overs is plain hell as pointed out by Goughy earlier. Pakistan have three viable options to open right now in Imran Farhat, Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik. Besides, Akmal's steady temperament in tough situations is crucial for Pakistan and that's another reason why he should remain in the lower middle-order.

 

[deeps]

fair enough, over working the keeper is a valid reason. I'd swap afridi with akmal then.

I'd also be looking to drop one of the quicks for another batsman, but not sure which one should go. Looks like Rana at this stage, but he's too good to drop

For R_D, Afridi averages 43 in the last 2 years of test cricket, thats a healthy average. Razzaq is also no mug with the bat, he used to bat at 3 for a long time back in the day.

He has a very very good temperement as well

 

[marc71178]

For R_D, Afridi averages 43 in the last 2 years of test cricket, thats a healthy average.

But from what position did he make most of those runs?

All the tons were no pressure efforts for a start.

 

[deeps]

But from what position did he make most of those runs?

All the tons were no pressure efforts for a start.

Opening:
3 Matches, 5 Innings, 162 Runs @ 32.40, with two 50's.

Batting at 6:

7 Matches, 12 Innings, 678 Runs @ 56.50 with three 100's, and two 50's.





Centuries:

http://www.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2005/PAK_IN_WI/SCORECARDS/PAK_WI_T1_26-30MAY2005.html

Definately under pressure. Couldn't win the game for pakistan, but was really the only one that stood up.

So yes, better at 6, but still quite handy as an opener.

 

[marc71178]

Couldn't win game, no chance of draw in game.

Therefore no pressure.

 

[R_D]

Couldn't win game, no chance of draw in game.

Therefore no pressure.

yeah i'd hardly call it a pressure innings.. seems more like Afridi knew it was a lost cause and he was just doing the usual bat swinging and it came off and he got a quick fire 100. Although Afridi doesn't need a reason to swing his bat wildly