Pakistan Tour of England 2019

[Bigby Wolf]

If I have blame one person for today's game it has to be the skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed - pretty average bloke with the bat and lucky enough to play all three formats for Pakistan.

 

[Alexei.]

Sarfaraz Khan

Sarfraz Ahmad, Totally Agreed. For the first time, the batting did better than the bowling. The blame goes to the bowling as well. But Sarfraz too.

 

[Master Khan]

Well done to Pakistan even though they lose but they still gave England a good game.
We were missing Hafeez in the lower order today, I still don't know why Faheem Ashraf is in the team??

 

[Master Khan]

If I have blame one person for today's game it has to be the skipper Sarfaraz Khan - pretty average bloke with the bat and lucky enough to play all three formats for Pakistan.

Yeah I always not been a fan of him because he is not a good Batsman and plus I don't really rely on him to win the game, I rather have someone like Hafeez in the squad instead of him.
Because he was the captain when Pakistan won the ICC Champions Trophy that's why they always pick him.

 

[Bevab]

Why doesn't Sarfraz open the innings? Honestly, he seems like a decent batsman who can find gaps in the field and can certainly bat at a higher strike rate than Imam. Given that he's the captain, sole keeper (and hence has to be in the playing XI irrespective of his poor form or ability) and is also not a slogger, shouldn't he be opening the innings? He reminds me a bit of Carey for Australia (who's a good keeper but average batsman without the ability to slog and plays as an opener) but the Aussies have better openers than Carey and also have someone like Maxwell which allows them to have Carey down the order. Given that Pakistan don't really have a good opener besides Zaman for now, could Sarfraz be the man for the job?

 

[Bigby Wolf]

Why doesn't Sarfraz open the innings? Honestly, he seems like a decent batsman who can find gaps in the field and can certainly bat at a higher strike rate than Imam. Given that he's the captain, sole keeper (and hence has to be in the playing XI irrespective of his poor form or ability) and is also not a slogger, shouldn't he be opening the innings? He reminds me a bit of Carey for Australia (who's a good keeper but average batsman without the ability to slog and plays as an opener) but the Aussies have better openers than Carey and also have someone like Maxwell which allows them to have Carey down the order. Given that Pakistan don't really have a good opener besides Zaman for now, could Sarfraz be the man for the job?

That is the only position I feel is right for him and has done well too playing as an opener earlier in his career I remember during the last WC he was included pretty late in the squad and scored a fifty against Ireland in a crucial game.Coming down the order he lacks the big power game and has been found wanting to play the big ones perhaps can open for Pakistan but the curent pair is all set with Imam - Fakhar being the number one choice since last year or so although Imam has faced a lot of flak from the fans despite scoring runs due to that Inzamam Nephew thing.

 

[Bigby Wolf]

Yeah I always not been a fan of him because he is not a good Batsman and plus I don't really rely on him to win the game, I rather have someone like Hafeez in the squad instead of him.
Because he was the captain when Pakistan won the ICC Champions Trophy that's why they always pick him.

Not sure about his captaincy skills but just feel as batter he should be contributing a whole lot than his been doing off late. Today the two overs he faced against Rashid changed it altogether was premeditating a lot and was found wanting batting two feet around the leg stumps.

 

[Ahmad94]

If I have blame one person for today's game it has to be the skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed - pretty average bloke with the bat and lucky enough to play all three formats for Pakistan.

But a very street smart captain let's not forget when Malik captained in his absence how many opportunities were missed.


---

At the end of the day, I am massively proud of Pakistan from staying in the chase until the 49th over. If I had to come down hard and find a mistake - I'd echo the opinions of all those before me. Yasir Shah has failed as an ODI bowler in every game he has ever played (barring a couple), Faheem Ashraf doesn't have the legs or the talent for ODI cricket - I'd replace him with Hafeez. Our bowling was so off colour it was a joke - I expected above 300 on such a flat track but to concede 75 in the last 5 is a joke.

As far as the batting goes, exceptional up until the very end. You know that England is going to be bowling short, yet you make the same mistakes. No ramps shots attempted, no changing strategy and look at what happened - maybe a condition from our lack of experience in such occasions.

 

[CerealKiller]

Maybe we should've batted first after winning the toss.
I feel Sarfraz and Imad should've come before Haris. That way Sarfraz could've settled a bit. Babar was unlucky. Asif proved why he needs to be in the WC 15.
Keeping in mind that Imam won't be dropped yet, I'd include Hafeez and Junaid for Fahim and Yasir. That way we'll still have 6 bowlers. Hafeez can bat at 7, he has the ability to hit from ball one. Ideally Hafeez, Junaid and Amir would play for Yasir, Imam and Fahim, and Sarfraz opens. Imam just doesn't cut it in terms of strike rate.

Sarfraz
Fakhar
Babar
Hafeez
Haris
Asif
Imad
Hasan
Amir
Junaid
Shaheen

Badly missing Shadab. He's a proper bowler, and a decent batsman. Really the missing link.

 

[Alexei.]

Why doesn't Sarfraz open the innings? Honestly, he seems like a decent batsman who can find gaps in the field and can certainly bat at a higher strike rate than Imam. Given that he's the captain, sole keeper (and hence has to be in the playing XI irrespective of his poor form or ability) and is also not a slogger, shouldn't he be opening the innings? He reminds me a bit of Carey for Australia (who's a good keeper but average batsman without the ability to slog and plays as an opener) but the Aussies have better openers than Carey and also have someone like Maxwell which allows them to have Carey down the order. Given that Pakistan don't really have a good opener besides Zaman for now, could Sarfraz be the man for the job?

Carey can Carry the Team Sarfraz can't.

 

[CerealKiller]

If I have blame one person for today's game it has to be the skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed - pretty average bloke with the bat and lucky enough to play all three formats for Pakistan.

What about Imam-ul-Haq? Sarfraz at least tried his best. Imam played way too slowly. He needs to go, Sarfraz or Hafeez need to open.
And it's a difficult choice between Haris Sohail and Shoaib Malik. Haris has been in good form of late, but Malik can go big.[DOUBLEPOST=1557601825][/DOUBLEPOST]

Carey can Carry the Team Sarfraz can't.

Seriously? Sarfraz is twice the player Carey is. He's just stuck down the order because Hafeez and Malik are clogging up the top order. I'm confident you'll see him performing once he bats consistently in the top order.

 

[CerealKiller]

Couldn't agree more

 

[Rehan_24]

Well fought out battle but as expected it was more a loose from Pakistan side than an England Win. It should have been won by Pakistan but Imad and Fahim are not this kind of material to take the game through. Pakistan seriously lacking strike batsmen after No. 5. We need to induct Hafeez back in here, also chances should be given to Junaid and Abid Ali but I don't think this management has any plans to drop Imam in any way. Pakistan is looking great boy, we just need to balance this side and this side will blow the oppositions away.

 

[Master Khan]

Yes we could do with Abdul Razzaq type of player right now, I don't think Aamer Yamin is a good player.

 

[Master Khan]

Well fought out battle but as expected it was more a loose from Pakistan side than an England Win. It should have been won by Pakistan but Imad and Fahim are not this kind of material to take the game through. Pakistan seriously lacking strike batsmen after No. 5. We need to induct Hafeez back in here, also chances should be given to Junaid and Abid Ali but I don't think this management has any plans to drop Imam in any way. Pakistan is looking great boy, we just need to balance this side and this side will blow the oppositions away.

Yes Hopefully this England series finally wakes the selectors up, Asif Ali so far is proving to be a useful batsman down the order but Sarfaraz is not a lower order batsman because he lacks the hitting power.