Pakistan All-Time Test XI Draft

[Aislabie]

I was also planning on picking Fawad

 

[Bevab]

@CerealKiller I wouldn't mind hopping in if @AsadRM is okay with it but I wouldn't be the most active. If that is fine, then I'm willing to jump in.

 

[CerealKiller]

@CerealKiller I wouldn't mind hopping in if @AsadRM is okay with it but I wouldn't be the most active. If that is fine, then I'm willing to jump in.

Yeah, it’s a big-ish draft, so doesn’t matter if you are inactive for a little while.

 

[ahmedleo414]

@CerealKiller has the next 10 mins to make his pick otherwise @Na Maloom Afraad would have the next one

 

[CerealKiller]

I'll go with Saeed Ahmed, another vastly underrated opener, who averaged 40, and had a knack for big hundreds.

CerealKiller's XI
1. Shoaib Mohammad
2. Saeed Ahmed
3. Azhar Ali
4.
5.
6.
7.
8. Wasim Akram
9. Iqbal Qasim
10.
11.

@Na Maloom Afraad

 

[Na Maloom Afraad]

Right, so before I make my next pick I should probably do the write-ups for my last two picks which I missed.

I should say, Afridi, Asif, Saleem Malik and Fawad were on my radar as 'left-field' picks, but quite evidently, they weren't as left-field as I thought they'd be. [DOUBLEPOST=1606662601][/DOUBLEPOST]

This will be a draft to select your All-Time Test XI for Pakistan. Any male cricketer who played a Test match for Pakistan is eligible.

 

[Na Maloom Afraad]

SAQLAIN MUSHTAQ

- "Inventor" of the 'doosra'
- Wisden's Cricketer of the Year 2000
- A statistical analysis conducted by Wisden in 2003 revealed Saqlain as the all-time greatest ODI spinner
- Fastest to reach 200 and 250 wickets in ODIs (in terms of matches)
- Most and second-most ODI wickets in a calendar year (1997 and 1996 respectively)

Admittedly a better ODI bowler than a Test bowler, but that in no way means he was bad in Tests. If anything it goes to show how much he was underused in Tests. I've picked him for my All-Time Test Xi simply for this:

"When politics and ethnic and religious differences mix with the exuberance and passion of Indian crowds, there is every chance the resulting volatility will damage cricket as a spectacle. But, though Pakistan's first Test tour of India for 12 years in early 1999 had potential for trouble across the subcontinent, it proved more memorable for the right things. In Delhi, Anil Kumble became only the second player in Test history to take ten wickets in an innings - yet he was not the man of series. The award went to another spinner, of whom Kumble graciously remarked: 'He bowled so well that the credit must be his.'

Saqlain Mushtaq took five wickets in each innings of the Chennai and Delhi Tests, using such variety and control that India's formidable array of batsmen were rarely able to exert any authority over him. Most telling was his superiority over Sachin Tendulkar, who fell to Saqlain in three successive innings. On the second day in Chennai, when he dismissed Tendulkar for nought, Saqlain bowled 34 overs in the scorching heat. He was often unreadable, interspersing orthodox off-spin with what has come to be called his "mystery ball", delivered with the same action but turning the other way." - Wisden

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Matches

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Innings

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Balls

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Runs

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Wickets

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BBI

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BBM

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Average

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Economy

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Strike rate

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4WI

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5WI

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10WM

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| - Tests| |

49

| |

86

| |

-14,070-

| |

6,206

| |

208

| |

-8/164-

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-10/155-

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29.83

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2.64

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67.6

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12

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13

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3

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| - First-class - | |

194

| | | |

44,634

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-19,630-

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833

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8/65

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23.56

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2.63

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53.5

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60

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15

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"A trend-setter. Saqlain Mushtaq was perhaps the first offspinner to master the doosra, a delivery that spins away from the batsman even though it is delivered with an offspinner's action. Saqlain has a fast, short-stepping action with a halting delivery, and has a propensity to bowl no-balls, unusually for a bowler with such a short run. He is criticised for attempting too much variation and he often throws in the doosra the first time a batsman faces. Saqlain's international career got off to a splendid start - he was the fastest bowler to 100 one-day wickets, and his phenomenal control meant that he regularly bowled at the death. But his finest moment arguably came in a Test match, at Chennai in 1998-99, when his ten-for allowed Pakistan to sneak nerve-tingling 12-run win against India." - ESPNCricinfo

- - -

NMA's All-Time Pakistan Test XI

Younis Khan
Misbah-Ul-Haq
SAQLAIN MUSHTAQ

 

[Na Maloom Afraad]

MUDASSAR NAZAR

- Part-Time Golden Arm - 6/32 vs England at Lord's, 1982
- First batsman to be dismissed on 199 in Test cricket history - it took 995 Tests for that to happen (a record is a record)
- A truly astonishing first-class record for someone who's color blind
- One-half of the first father-son duo to carry their bat in Test cricket
- Put on 451 runs with Javed Miandad to equal the then world record for highest partnership - any wicket

One of the better options as an opener considering most of the obvious ones were gone. A slow, steady and gritty fighter.
An absolute nightmare to bowl to, if his 449-ball 114 against England in Lahore is anything to go by.

Might demote him to No.6 if I get the picks I want because: "I couldn't believe how easy Test cricket was when batting at No. 6. The bowlers were tired, the ball was soft. When I played Thomson at No. 6, he was like a medium-pacer to me" - Mudassar Nazar

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Matches

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Innings

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Not outs

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Runs

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Highest score

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Average

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Balls faced

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Strike rate

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100s

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50s

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4s

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6s

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| - Tests| |

76

| |

116

| |

8

| |

4,114

| |

231

| |

38.09

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10

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17

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1

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| - First-class - | |

220

| |

355

| |

34

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-14,080-

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241

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43.86

| | | | | |

42

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59

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Matches

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Innings

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Balls

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Runs

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Wickets

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BBI

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BBM

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Average

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Economy

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Strike rate

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4WI

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5WI

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10WM

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| - Tests| |

76

| |

96

| |

5,967

| |

2,532

| |

66

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-6/32-

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-6/38-

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38.36

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2.54

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90.4

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1

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1

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0

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| - First-class - | |

220

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-12,465-

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-5,281-

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153

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6/32

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34.51

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2.54

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81.4

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2

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0

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"Quick and understated, as a cricketer and a personality, Mudassar was far more of a "mode" batsman, but he made the most of what he had. One of Mudassar's predecessors as Pakistan's opening bat was his father, Nazar Mohammad, the first Pakistani in history to face a ball in Test cricket." - ESPNCricinfo

- - -

NMA's All-Time Pakistan Test XI

MUDASSAR NAZAR
Younis Khan
Misbah-Ul-Haq
Saqlain Mushtaq

 

[Na Maloom Afraad]

AAQIB JAVED

- Only the 3rd Pakistani to claim an ODI hat trick
- 10th-best bowling figures in ODI history - 7/37 (10.0)
- Head coach of UAE when they qualified for the 2015 World Cup
- Integral part of Pakistan's historic 1992 World Cup triumph

No Wasim, Waqar, Imran, Akhtar, Asif, Amir or even Fazal. Aaqib seems to be next best thing. Now this is where I'm going to struggle because all my early picks prioritized batting. A Pakistani team without any of Pakistan's fast-bowling greats is a travesty.

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Matches

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Innings

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Balls

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Runs

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Wickets

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BBI

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BBM

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Average

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Economy

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Strike rate

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4WI

||

5WI

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10WM

|

| - Tests| |

22

| |

37

| |

3,918

| |

1,874

| |

54

| |

-5/84-

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-8/118-

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34.70

| |

2.86

| |

72.5

| |

2

| |

1

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0

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| - First-class - | |

121

| | | |

-19,267-

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-9,546-

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358

| |

9/51

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26.66

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2.97

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53.8

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19

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5

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"An under-rated fast-medium bowler who mastered traditional and reverse-swing. He had a sprinting run-up which culminated in a high action, allied to a hostile attitude towards batsmen. Aqib Javed was allegedly only 16 when he made his Test debut in 1988-89, but he spent much of his career in the shadows of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, despite playing a key part in Pakistan's 1992 World Cup victory when he opened the bowling effectively in place of the injured Waqar." - ESPNCricinfo

- - -

NMA's All-Time Pakistan Test XI

Mudassar Nazar
Younis Khan
Misbah-Ul-Haq
AAQIB JAVED
Saqlain Mushtaq

 

[Na Maloom Afraad]

@ahmedleo414 is next

 

[ahmedleo414]

This one may not the most obvious pick that most people might make. Was he the best batsman Pakistan ever had, probably not. Was he even in the top 10, probably not. He was the one I enjoyed watching the most, also the person I used to model my batting action on. Ijaz Ahmed

Stats|Matches|Runs|HS| Ave|100s/50s
First-Class |169|9,889|211|38.47|26/41
Test |60|3,315|211|37.67|12/12

His bio from cricinfo

"Pakistan's No. 3 for many years when Inzamam-ul-Haq and Salim Malik chose to languish further down the order, Ijaz Ahmed is an ungainly but effective player. It looks all wrong even as he takes guard with a stance so closed that BBW (buttock before wicket) is a likely dismissal. Dubbed The Axeman for the way he chops down at the ball outside off stump, Ijaz's technique is dominated by the bottom hand. He is an exceptionally powerful square-cutter and good off his legs forcing through midwicket. He can also up the tempo to suit the occasion. Ijaz is quick in the covers and once bowled medium-pacers with a round-arm action. His calibre can be judged by the number of hundreds he's made against Australia - six."

ahmedleo414's playing XI:

1. Saeed Anwar
2. Majid Khan
3. Ijaz Ahmed
4. ?
5. ?
6. ?
7. ?
8. ?
9. Mushtaq Ahmed
   
10. ?
11. Waqar Younis

@AsadRM \ @Bevab is next

 

[Bevab]

I'll pick Mohammad Abbas who is the undisputed leader of the current Pakistani bowling attack. No matter how good you think he is, Abbas is still better. He has the best record for a pacer in UAE, an outstanding record given how unfriendly it was to seamers (to the point that Amir was dropped and eventually retired just due to the sheer workload required). Out of all the countries he has played in, only South Africa and Australia remain unconquered and he wasn't fully fit when playing in both of those countries. If you want a deadly new ball bowler who has earned comparisons to McGrath and Philander for his skill, Abbas is your man.

Javed Miandad
Inzamam-ul-Haq
Asif Iqbal
Mohammad Abbas
Abdul Qadir

This is a genuinely fantastic side already. Three out of five players here will be favourites to be part of an all-time Pakistani XI and if Abbas' career continues this way he has a genuine shout too. Asif Iqbal is someone I really like too, calling him an all-rounder would be a bit rich despite his bowling average as he had given up bowling by the time he reinvented himself as a middle-order mainstay from front-line pacer unlike someone like Imran Khan who had a phase where he was equally good with both bat and ball but he will no doubt be a very useful fifth bowling option should the need arise.

@blockerdave to pick twice.

 

[Na Maloom Afraad]

NOOOOO...

 

[blockerdave]

I seem to only have double picks.

In my first pick, I got 2 top-class batters; in my second pick I got 2 top-class seamers.

As more and more of the few Pakistani players I know have got picked, the remaining players I end up picking could be dodgy...

I need a keeper and a spinner.

For the keeper, I'll take RASHID LATIF because after all, Moin Khan has been picked, and for a spinner I'll take YASIR SHAH because every other spinner I've heard of has been picked, and Yasir hasn't, and he's pretty bloody good.

Back to @AsadRM and @Bevab

 

[Bevab]

The leftover batting department looks as bare as a cupboard already!

With that in mind, I might have to hasten this pick and select Mohammad Rizwan before he is snapped up. An outstanding keeper who is possibly one of the best pure glove-men in international cricket today, Rizwan is no mug with the bat either. His current test record may not indicate it but it feels like only a matter of time before it becomes the best in Pakistani history given how good he is with the bat domestically and how solid his technique is.

Javed Miandad
Inzamam-ul-Haq
Asif Iqbal
Mohammad Rizwan
Mohammad Abbas
Abdul Qadir

@ahmedleo414