Pakistan's tour of New Zealand - Jan 2018

Ahmad94

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Realised no-one has started a thread for this yet, so here it is.

Looks like a decent matchup between the two sides, although Pakistan is without Usman Shirwani and Junaid Khan for the series.

Edit: Also, just noticed that there is no test aspect to this series. Extremely disappointed in this. Would have been nice to see Fawad Alam back in the test outfit after Sarfaraz hinted at it in the press conference.
 

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Well I was waiting the most for the test series. Didn't knew there is no tests. Junaid Khan's injury is a blow after Usman's specially in ODI side. It isn't kinda big blow as we had few back-up pacers.
Currently we have;

Mohammad Amir
Hasan Ali
Fahim Ashraf
Rauman Raees

Would love to see Ameer Yamin and Mohammad Irfan back in the side. I really want Ameer Yamin and Fahim Ashraf to be groomed by PCB. Who knows we may find the next Azhar Mehmood and Abdul Razzaq (Damm I miss him)
 

Ahmad94

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Well I was waiting the most for the test series. Didn't knew there is no tests. Junaid Khan's injury is a blow after Usman's specially in ODI side. It isn't kinda big blow as we had few back-up pacers.
Currently we have;

Mohammad Amir
Hasan Ali
Fahim Ashraf
Rauman Raees

Would love to see Ameer Yamin and Mohammad Irfan back in the side. I really want Ameer Yamin and Fahim Ashraf to be groomed by PCB. Who knows we may find the next Azhar Mehmood and Abdul Razzaq (Damm I miss him)

I am actually really excited to not play the same old sides that we keep defeating in UAE and abroad (WI and Sri Lanka). This will first proper chance for some of our players to experience challenging opposition in a different part of the world.

My ODI XI:

1. Imam-ul-Haq/ Haris Sohail
2. Fakhar Zaman
3. Babar Azam
4. Sarfaraz Ahmed
5. Shoaib Malik
6. Mohammad Hafeez
7. Fahim Ashraf
8. Shadab Khan
9. Hasan Ali
10. Rumman Raees
11. Mohammad Aamir

I think this is a perfect line-up. We bat real deep. Hafeez will probably struggle against the moving ball so best to move him done in a more aggressive slot when the field is more open (Similar role in the CT final and in some PSL games). No point playing Sarfaraz as low as usual because he doesn't have a poor game at all, best to leave that to Fahim Ashraf and Shadab Khan (exhibited in the PSL and SL series).

We have 3 seamers and a backup seamer (Fahim Ashraf), as well as a striking leg-spinner (although he will really have to bowl well in NZ - very different pitches to Asia), as well as a defensive spinner in Hafeez and an extra bowler in Malik and even Fakhar Zaman. If we play to our potential I can't see a reason why we wouldn't win this series.
 

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Looks like we are missing some big names for this series (Usman, Junaid, Imad all out). Although, I am annoyed that Azhar Ali is back in the side, looks like Pakistan really are trying to force him in to line-up.
Why are you annoyed with Azhar's selection? He has shown he can play an anchor role in CT17. Also he can survive at the early overs in NZL conditions
 

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Azhar is a good selection. Doesn't deserve to be dropped after CT.
My XI

Fakhar
Azhar/Imam
Babar
Hafeez/Haris
Malik
Sarfraz
Fahim
Shadab
Hasan
Amir
Raees
 

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Azhar is a good selection. Doesn't deserve to be dropped after CT.
My XI

Fakhar
Azhar/Imam
Babar
Hafeez/Haris
Malik
Sarfraz
Fahim
Shadab
Hasan
Amir
Raees
I have a feeling Fakhar Zaman will struggle. He didn't kinda has the form right now after CT17. I would bring Hafeez at no.6 and Sarfraz up

EDIT : Imad Wasim would've been useful in the early overs. Usman, Junaid and now Imad. Looks like the team is caught by an evil eye after CT17 win :p
 
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Ahmad94

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Why are you annoyed with Azhar's selection? He has shown he can play an anchor role in CT17. Also he can survive at the early overs in NZL conditions

My problem with Azhar is that he perpetuates the old Pakistani cricket that I hate. It's this defensive approach of hoping that bad balls come and rather than creating the bad balls. In this generation, scores of around 300-350 should be chased and I struggle to see how he can contribute to that approach.

I really want Pakistan to emulate the opening style of India, Australia, England, South Africa but we are quite far behind. Take England for example, with Hales and Roy at the top they set up a good platform for both a target and a chase, but with Azhar Ali, I just don't see him doing that. Barring the England and India game, Azhar Ali has been so mediocre in ODI in the last year or so (33 average this year at a SR of 70 and 31 average last year at a SR of 74 including 1 century in the last 2 years).

I was so refreshed to see the likes of Sharjeel at the top, and now Fakhar Zaman and hopefully even Imam (seems to want to attack rather than lay back).

Obviously, I agree with you about having an anchor role for Pakistan, but (1) we have Babar Azam who is developing into an anchor and (2) Azhar Ali seems to think anchoring involves just being at the crease rather than commanding it.
 

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Wasnt he suspended for spot fixing?[DOUBLEPOST=1514085212][/DOUBLEPOST]Well, really excited to see Imam ul Haq. Missed his batting in the SL series. Saw the scorecards, looks to be a promising talent.
 

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My problem with Azhar is that he perpetuates the old Pakistani cricket that I hate. It's this defensive approach of hoping that bad balls come and rather than creating the bad balls. In this generation, scores of around 300-350 should be chased and I struggle to see how he can contribute to that approach.

I really want Pakistan to emulate the opening style of India, Australia, England, South Africa but we are quite far behind. Take England for example, with Hales and Roy at the top they set up a good platform for both a target and a chase, but with Azhar Ali, I just don't see him doing that. Barring the England and India game, Azhar Ali has been so mediocre in ODI in the last year or so (33 average this year at a SR of 70 and 31 average last year at a SR of 74 including 1 century in the last 2 years).

I was so refreshed to see the likes of Sharjeel at the top, and now Fakhar Zaman and hopefully even Imam (seems to want to attack rather than lay back).

Obviously, I agree with you about having an anchor role for Pakistan, but (1) we have Babar Azam who is developing into an anchor and (2) Azhar Ali seems to think anchoring involves just being at the crease rather than commanding it.
He has done well in CT17 and he can stick to the crease. At the moment we don't have many good openers. Despite of the old Pakistani thing. He deserve to be back in the side after his CT17 performance.
Wasnt he suspended for spot fixing?
Was suspended but he's available and cleared now.
 

Rehan_24

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Pretty balanced squad for Pakistan under current circumstances, However, The plan is successful as far as openers are concerned as Imam-ul-Haq is now part of regular 15 man squad. Get ready Zaman to perform in one or two matches otherwise, you will be seeing Azhar Ali opening with Imam-ul-Haq right from the dressing window.
 

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Looks like Azhar Ali will play. Nearly a run a ball century but briskly played, so unlike him.
 

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