Pakistan tour of Australia and New Zealand 2023/24

[noducksallowed]

This is arguably the premier tour of the winter and no thread?

I'll kick off then.

Pakistan test squad:



Schedule:
1st Test – Perth, 14-18 December 2023

2nd Test – Melbourne, 26-30 December 2023

3rd Test – Sydney, 3-7 January 2024

New Zealand Tour - https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/pakistan-in-new-zealand-2023-24-1388184


Also likely to be Davey boys final ever test series.

 

[Khan Sahab54]

Get ready to wake up at 8 am and see the score of 720/1.

 

[pillowprocter]

Get ready to wake up at 8 am and see the score of 720/1.

Shan Masood isn't that good

 

[noducksallowed]

Pakistan have had a couple of decent outing down under but yeah, this time seems particularly hopeless with Shan Masood taking a spot for at least 3 tests, Babar at an all time low in confidence and form, Shaheen not at 100%, peak corruption among the likes of Riaz and his lackies.

It's maybe the worst Pakistan set up I've seen since the days of W asim and Waqar and their soap opera.

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

It's maybe the worst Pakistan set up I've seen since the days of W asim and Waqar and their soap opera.

Do you mean everything is normal for Pakistan, since the time I have followed Pakistan they were the most stable only in last 2 years. Pakistan has always been like this, chaos.

 

[noducksallowed]

Do you mean everything is normal for Pakistan, since the time I have followed Pakistan they were the most stable only in last 2 years. Pakistan has always been like this, chaos.

It depends what you mean as normal?

Australia are just in a civil war atm about Warner and whether or not he deserves a send off or a place in the test side, with accusations of mental health surrounding one of his critics in Mitch Johnson. Is that normal for Aussie cricket?

My point is more around stability...Pak cricket was stable in the not so distant past, now with wholesale changes and absolute blunders in hiring staff it is lurching toward an unstable position if it isnt already there.

 

[Bevab]

It depends what you mean as normal?

Australia are just in a civil war atm about Warner and whether or not he deserves a send off or a place in the test side, with accusations of mental health surrounding one of his critics in Mitch Johnson. Is that normal for Aussie cricket?

If that’s what passes for a civil war in Australia, no wonder they think the emu business was a real war and that they lost it to the emus.

 

[noducksallowed]

But all this does beg the question, does Warner averaging 26ish in the last couple years warrant a test place? and a farewell tour on his terms?

 

[pillowprocter]

But all this does beg the question, does Warner averaging 26ish in the last couple years warrant a test place? and a farewell tour on his terms?

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

It depends what you mean as normal?

Australia are just in a civil war atm about Warner and whether or not he deserves a send off or a place in the test side, with accusations of mental health surrounding one of his critics in Mitch Johnson. Is that normal for Aussie cricket?

My point is more around stability...Pak cricket was stable in the not so distant past, now with wholesale changes and absolute blunders in hiring staff it is lurching toward an unstable position if it isnt already there.

Pakistan cricket has always been this chaotic. The only time I saw some stability was the last two years under Babar Azam. The fielding standard was great compared to what Pakistan's fielding standard, the batting was great and the bowling was amazing too.

All this 1000 appointments, the Ahmed Shazad talks, the Shoaib Malik talks is all nonsense but very Pakistani cricket. Pakistani cricket has always been chaotic. I was actually surprised that the calmness lasted 2 years.

 

[Till Valhalla]

If that’s what passes for a civil war in Australia, no wonder they think the emu business was a real war and that they lost it to the emus.

It's real war and they lost it twice.

 

[pillowprocter]

My captain

 

[noducksallowed]

Pakistan cricket has always been this chaotic. The only time I saw some stability was the last two years under Babar Azam. The fielding standard was great compared to what Pakistan's fielding standard, the batting was great and the bowling was amazing too.

All this 1000 appointments, the Ahmed Shazad talks, the Shoaib Malik talks is all nonsense but very Pakistani cricket. Pakistani cricket has always been chaotic. I was actually surprised that the calmness lasted 2 years.

That's a terrible and stereotypical take.

Pakistan under Misbah was pretty stable, and went on two undefeated test streaks of 7 series each, culminating in winning the Test trophy.

They have had a settled group of LOs players for almost 4 years now.


The worry is how the new regime will upset all of the above...although they have gone with the usual test squad and look to be retaining the usual LO players for now.

 

[noducksallowed]

Anyway, onto the actual cricket, a decent outing for Pakistan's batters against the PM XI and the much maligned Masood actually got himself a century.

This is the one and only warm up, so bit annoying that Sarfraz will be top pick as keeper rather than Rizzy and worrying that Saim wouldnt be given a shot here. Let's see what the final set of bowlers will be too but there's a poor list without Naseem shoring up Shaheen ... plus Shaheen is still not 100%.

Weird that the batting looks better and more settled than the bowling.

Australia's side picks itself atm but I'm not sure if Warner is the best opener over there anymore but he does love batting at home.

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

That's a terrible and stereotypical take.

Pakistan under Misbah was pretty stable, and went on two undefeated test streaks of 7 series each, culminating in winning the Test trophy.

They have had a settled group of LOs players for almost 4 years now.


The worry is how the new regime will upset all of the above...although they have gone with the usual test squad and look to be retaining the usual LO players for now.

It is not a stereotypical take when you take into account what I just said.

While I said the least controversial Pakistan cricket has been is in the last two years including their performances under Misbah too Pakistan cricket was controversial. Here is an article where Misbah himself talks about it.

Controversies have been 'mental torture' - Misbah

The glut of controversies Pakistan cricket has gone through over the last few years has made playing for the national side through these times "mental torture," according to Test and ODI captain Misbah-ul-Haq

www.espncricinfo.com

I am in no way saying things cannot be stable or Pakistan was not winning. I am talking about the culture of how Pakistan cricket has been. If you do not see that, you are blindsided and misguided conception.

Also this in no way talks about how players behave on field, my point is that Pakistan Cricket has always been in turmoil, its nothing new. Players still find a way out of this turmoil to win and do everything they can to keep fans and cricket alive.