Pakistan Tour of West Indies - March/May 2017

[Pakistani Army]

What is the likely XI for the test series against Bangladesh?

1) Masood / Shehzad
2) Azhar
3) Babar
4) Asad
5) Fawad
6) *+Sarfraz
7) Rizwan?
8) Yasir
9) Shadab
10) Wahab
11) Amir

 

[Rehan_24]

Pakistan was atleast 25 runs short. This has been our team's nature that while batting after having at very solid position, we don't finish with the score that wicket was demanding. The bowling was plauged by poor captaincy, panic as well as Aamir and Wahab bowling. Particularly, I have been saying for the past 5 years that Wahab is a highly over-rated and over-hyped bowler, currently He has been a burden on team. We need to get Junaid back and give him regular chances.

I also believe that management seriously need to think about the wicketless or just one wicket taker Aamir, What to do with him. Either give him a teacher who can get his line right once again and get back his banana swing.

It was a shame moving Babar Azam down the order for the sake of Hafeez. Windies played really and played with heart. Congrats to them

I also want to say that Pakistan Test Side needed Younis Khan as Captain for an year after Misbah to groom Sarfraz or any other next test captain. But Alas, Younis is going as well. It was the job of PCB to put some confidence on Younis. Anyway...

PS: Wish Imad Wasim focuses more on developing little talent he has rather than showing aggression.

 

[Salman.]

Very poor captaincy.

Imagine the time when he will be the captain of our test team too.

 

[Perfect Square]

Bravo Hafeez thanks for playing too many dots.

 

[Salman.]

This should be the last series for Shahzad. Even Azhar Ali can play better than him.

 

[aditya123]

This is a gripping ODI series, one that means a lot to both sides. I take this over the IPL anyday. I`m going to stay up and watch the whole game. Hope we have a close one. I usually support Pakistan in non-India games but with WI involved, a part of me wants them to do well. I`m sad that both Pakistan and WI have become attritional sides and not the attractive sides of yore. The Pakistan and the WI sides I grew up watching in the 90s were entertaining at all times. Sadly, Pakistan no longer prefer flamboyance and the lead WI players are mercenaries. :-(

I hope that these two sides see a resurrection very soon. Cricket is poorer without them. Pakistan needs someone like Shoaib Akhtar as a coach, someone who does`nt give a damn about strategies and just wants the side to express itself. Some sides are not about method and thats how they should play.

 

[aditya123]

This should be the last series for Shahzad. Even Azhar Ali can play better than him.

I`m really sad that Pakistan cricket has come to a point where we are judging players with Azhar Ali and Shehzad as the yardstick. Where are Sohaib Maqsood and Haris Sohail? Of all the Pakistani batsmen I`ve seen off-late Maqsood was a real natural. Also, Asad Shafiq needs to be in the ODI side over guys like Shehzad. He reminds me of Rahane a lot. He has the game for the good tracks and someone just needs to tell him to bat normally in ODIs, the way he does in tests. He is a genuine test-class cricketer and there is no reason he can`t win you ODIs if given the confidence. My Pakistan side for the CT would be

Shehzad
Sharjeel (if he is`nt banned or something)
Babar Azam
Asad Shafiq
Shoaib Malik
Sarfaraz
Imad Wasim
Shadab
Wahab/Sohail Khan
Amir
Junaid

On another note, the Pakistan sides of the 90s would play ODI cricket the way it would suit the T20 era and the side of today plays like the 90s. I would say that even Indian sides of yore were much more aggressive when it comes to powerplay batting. Sehwag/Sachin/Ganguly would routinely score at 7 to 8 r.p.o in the first 15 overs, something which the current Indian side rarely achieves. Same goes with SL and Pakistan who were much more aggressive with Sohail/Anwar and Jayasuriya/Kalu. Only BD have a dashing opening pair in ODIs now.

 

[Salman.]

What is Babar doing?

 

[Na Maloom Afraad]

You die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.

 

[Perfect Square]

Excellent innings from Babar Azam. He was very well supported by Imaad. It was 99 runs partnership and I think, after so many months I saw Pakistan scoring over 11+ runs an over in the last 6-7 overs.

Babar Azam can hit sixes. Though he is not power hitter but his timing and execution is best

 

[Aoun13]

Mickey Arthur should be fired immediately, Why the hell he keeps on switching Babar Azams batting position just to adjust a bloody looser Hafeez?
Sarfraz did an awful job in the last match, something Pakistan did a lot under Misbah in ODIs. Whenever the other team puts pressure, all the players just loose the plot and similar to Misbah, Sarfraz was nowhere to march his troops under pressure. It was a one dimensional captaincy, juggling around with the bowlers unnecessary.

 

[Satan666]

This is a gripping ODI series, one that means a lot to both sides. I take this over the IPL anyday. I`m going to stay up and watch the whole game. Hope we have a close one. I usually support Pakistan in non-India games but with WI involved, a part of me wants them to do well. I`m sad that both Pakistan and WI have become attritional sides and not the attractive sides of yore. The Pakistan and the WI sides I grew up watching in the 90s were entertaining at all times. Sadly, Pakistan no longer prefer flamboyance and the lead WI players are mercenaries. :-(

I hope that these two sides see a resurrection very soon. Cricket is poorer without them. Pakistan needs someone like Shoaib Akhtar as a coach, someone who does`nt give a damn about strategies and just wants the side to express itself. Some sides are not about method and thats how they should play.

Couldnt agree more. Both teams have suffered immesnsely during the last decade and a half. They are to blame but to some extent the rest of the cricketing world have let down Pakistan, West Indies and Zimbabwe.

 

[Rehan_24]

Congrats Pakistan winning yesterday. Good performance by Babar Azam and Hasan Ali. Babar Azam is a real talent to watch out for. If he gets the right backing from captain and coach in future, Man He has everything to become one of the best batsmen in the World. The last five overs beatings to west indies did the real damage in my opinion. If you are 280 in 45 overs and end up with 308 in 50, then the opposition have the psychological advantage over you, While if you are 220 in 45 and does massive beatings in final 5 than you are psychologically ahead and thats what the case happened yesterday.

Some suggestions, Playing Kamran Akmal as specialist opener is more than a stupidity. Shan Masood or any other player deserves a chance with Shehzad. Also, Pakistan needs to get rid from Hafeez and Malik asap. Better find their replacements. I will prefer Asad Shafiq any day over one of these players.

 

[Salman.]

Congrats Pakistan winning yesterday. Good performance by Babar Azam and Hasan Ali. Babar Azam is a real talent to watch out for. If he gets the right backing from captain and coach in future, Man He has everything to become one of the best batsmen in the World. The last five overs beatings to west indies did the real damage in my opinion. If you are 280 in 45 overs and end up with 308 in 50, then the opposition have the psychological advantage over you, While if you are 220 in 45 and does massive beatings in final 5 than you are psychologically ahead and thats what the case happened yesterday.

Some suggestions, Playing Kamran Akmal as specialist opener is more than a stupidity. Shan Masood or any other player deserves a chance with Shehzad. Also, Pakistan needs to get rid from Hafeez and Malik asap. Better find their replacements. I will prefer Asad Shafiq any day over one of these players.

Shahzad has been given enough chances, he wastes many deliveries and then gets out, putting the pressure on the other player. While Kamran has performed better than Shahzad, he doesn't waste deliveries and doesn't care about personal milestones. And what is your problem with Malik? He is the only guy who can hit sixes in our middle order.

 

[Ahmad94]

And what is your problem with Malik? He is the only guy who can hit sixes in our middle order.

Although, I am definitely not a fan of Malik. His stats in the last two years are remarkable (Source). You can criticize the fact that he is rarely there to finish the game for Pakistan. We desperately need a proper finisher.