The Australians do use sledging to their advantage and many critics are claiming their main weapon against Pakistan will be sledging. However, is it really Pakistan’s major worry? Batting, as always, seems to be the main worry for Pakistan and the batsmen barely performed up to mark against New Zealand. In fact, had it not been for Mohammad Asif, Pakistan could have been beaten comprehensively in all the Tests.

Make no mistake about it- Pakistan's bowling is their only saving grace

Mitchell Johnson and Sidde both feature in the top 25

Australia has a strong pace attack which can rattle the Pakistan top order easily

 Test bowlers in the world, and although this statement is perhaps not as impressive as one might consider it to be, Australia also have Bollinger who has 15 wickets in 3 Tests so far. He is a left armer which means the change of angle might unnerve Pakistan to some degree. Even though Australia does not have Clark and Lee to complement Johnson, Siddle and Bollinger can take Pakistani wickets. Yousuf has commented that Pakistanis will need to show patience, and he cannot be more right. It seems futile stating the obvious given that Pakistani openers never learn from their mistakes, but both Butt and Farhat will have to wait until the new ball stops swinging before going for their shots.

Malik and Misbah are indispensable for some reason

Due to politics Faisal Iqbal, Malik and Misbah will definitely get more chances to play than Fawad Alam, but Pakistan must not persist with these players if they make mistakes in the first Test. It is thought Malik will not play in the first Test since he is out of form and since Faisal Iqbal made a 50 in his last Test, but Yousuf has commented recently that he has high hopes with Malik and Misbah. In fact, if any of Butt, Farhat, Iqbal, Malik or Misbah make their usual mistakes, Alam must replace that player in the second Test. It goes without saying that neither Malik nor Misbah deserve to be playing for Pakistan. One can say the same for Faisal Iqbal, but he has been in and out for many years unlike Malik and Misbah who have been selected in pretty much all Test, ODI and T20 squads despite being mediocre players.

Pakistan is counting on the batting form of the Akmal brothers and Yousuf to counter the Australian bowling attack. If Umer Akmal can score runs in this series, it will be another feather in his cap and he will probably be promoted to a Category A contract. The youngster has shown he can handle pressure and he must not falter at this stage, otherwise critics will start questioning his calibre.

Bowling wise, Pakistan has some fascinating options to ponder. The pace attack consists of

It is difficult considering Ajmal as an attacking option, but he will get a chance to play if Kaneria is injured

 Aamer, Asif, Gul, Rauf and (now) Sami. There are rumours the Pakistani management might play both Kaneria and Ajmal, and there are also rumours that Kaneria has injured his finger which means he might not play. In the first Test I believe Pakistan should go for the attacking option and play Asif, Aamer and Gul. Kaneria should be the spin option. It is always best to go in the first Test using the best XI on paper. If there is need for a 5th bowling option, Yousuf can opt for Butt, Farhat or Alam- depending on who is playing.

The rest of the line up should be as follows: Butt, Farhat, Yousuf, Iqbal/Alam, Umer Akmal, Misbah/Alam, Kamran Akmal…

The toss of course plays a major part; if the pitch shows some life and Ponting decides to bowl first, then Pakistan will probably lose this Boxing Day test. If Yousuf wins however, he should bowl first- simply because Pakistanis are inexperienced in Australia and he is the only world class batsman in the team. In any event, Asif, Aamer and Gul in full slow can do damage to the Australians if the pitch is offering seam and swing. Once the ball stops swining, Kaneria can attack the middle or lower order batsmen. This is of course wishful thinking- it all depends on how the pitch is like and how the players perform on the day itself. Rest assured, though, that sledging is not Pakistan’s main worry and the batsmen need to support the bowlers and play intelligently. Otherwise, this series will end as yet another nightmare for Pakistan cricket fans, and Pakistan will see the frightening possibility of being compared with Bangladesh and Zimbabwe in Tests.

There is no need to replace Younus Khan with Afridi at the moment

It is time to write a new thread and it is time to analyze the Pakistan cricket team selected for the Champions Trophy.  It is time for us to raise our concerns over the selection and omission of a few players. The most obvious one is the inclusion of Mohammad Asif and omission of Abdul Razzaq.  Asif has not played international cricket for almost 18 months and it is possible that he might take a few wickets, just like Abdul Razzaq did in the T20 WC, two wickets in his first match and 4 in the final.  But, Abdul Razzaq is dropped in favour of Rana who took 4 wickets in the last ODI and Rao took 5 wickets in the previous ODI against Sri Lanka. Some say that Asif’s inclusion is OK but, Abdul Razzaq should have been retained in the team and either Rao or Rana should have been omitted.  That is because Razzaq has more experience and his bowling would be more effective in SA.

Similarly, in the batting department some say that Salman Butt should have been in the team, but he is totally out of form and he has been getting out cheaply and the team spirit is dented with his early departure.  Khurram Manzoor’s form is better than Butt and he should have been considered in the squad. But, in any case there is no need to lament on Salman Butt’s exclusion.

For someone to open the innings in a 50 over match should not be the likes of Imran Nazir, who is certainly the best bet for a T20 game and not for a 50 overs match. However, if Nazir learns something from (the current) Shahid Afridi, who has learned to control his aggression in the early stages of the innings, he (Imran) too can be very useful and valuable for the team.  The difference between Afridi and Nazir is, the later is only a batsman and if he is out cheaply his utility in the team remains at only 33% of his abilities i.e., purely his fielding. Whereas, Afridi’s utility, because of his bowling and fielding remains at 66%, even if he gets out cheaply.

It is strange that Butt’s omission is justified by his poor form but, Malik and Misbah escapes like a Stealth and no one notices them or raises any objection and they have managed to sneak into the side through an automated selection panel.  This is purely nepotism and jingoism, their inclusion is justified on the basis of experience! What experience are we talking here? Age multiplied by number of years = zero experience.  There has to be a realistic measure to select a player based on his recent past performance and not the averages. The averages could be deceptive and misleading.

Misbah’s average during the Sri Lanka tour (barring the last match in which he remained 72*)  was only 9 and after one not out it is 45. And, Malik’s average is only 7. Yes, s.e.v.e.n. 7.   If one takes into consideration just the averages, then rookie fast bowler Mohammad Aamir’s batting average is second highest at 49 because he remained not out twice.   So, it appears that Misbah’s inclusion in the team is not justified on the basis of his ODI average but, purely on the basis of regionalism. But, Malik case is neither this nor that. He is a chronic, persistent, consistent loser, a trivial politician who is out their to back stab other players in the team and he deliberately throws away his wicket, even asks his colleagues (Misbah and Akmal) to do the same.  Based on that he should have been dropped long ago. The irony is in Pakistan it is neither the form, nor the class but, only “sifarish” works.

Even with the inclusion of the super star bowler Asif in the team, the bowling department is pretty mediocre especially in South Africa the wickets are hard and bouncy.  Rana has the tendency to bowl out side the off stump and he gives too much width to the batsmen to play their shots freely.  Rao, bowls wicket to wicket but, he takes wicket once in blue moon and for rest of the time he is pretty mediocre. Aamir, is too young and he would be playing in SA for the first time, so there is nothing much you can talk about him but, he is by far the best fast bowler in the team today.  Even Gul is off colour in ODI’s these days and he should be used after 20 overs when the ball is old and again after the 44th or 45th over to get the best out of him.

Among the spinners, we need to see how Ajmal will bowl in SA, India and Australia can play him with ease and they can frustrate him and force him to change his line and his variations which could end up in giving away too many runs.  He needs to be focused and remain calm even if he is not getting wickets, if he can contain runs that will be an achievement.   As regards Shahid Afridi, being a leg spinner he is bound to give more runs than a off-spinner and on fast tracks, if Kamran Akmal is slacking behind the stumps, not only will be dropping a few of Afridi’s catches but, would be giving away runs.

Therefore, the bowling department seems to be weak, whereas the batting is still better – provided they play sensibly – but, that is asking too much from Pakistan team.   The whole team plays like champions one day and the next day they play like minnows.

Ijaz Butt should stop making stupid decisions of firing people and now thinking of replacing Younus Khan with Afridi, it is going to hurt the team’s performance a lot.  You cannot change the captain a few weeks before the departure of the team to a major competition especially when the captain and the team has been announced.  This PCB’s off-the-cuff management must come to an end.  Enough is enough.  If the captain needs to be replaced this is not the time, it must be done after the CT and in a proper manner with proper justifications.   This is not Ijaz Butt’s Jageer that he can take decisions just like that.   In fact he should be fired immediately, that will not effect the team’s performance in any manner whatsoever.

Misbah is a loser and we would love to see his back

Waqar Younis was asked what happened in the last 2 ODI’s and he actually spoke bluntly about the issue, and hinted that some players were under the verge of being dropped and they had to perform. Of course, he was talking about Misbah ul Haq. Ever since the series against India during which Misbah was Pakistan’s best batsman, Misbah seems to have lost his touch. He looks lazy on the field and appears to be uninterested in ensuring Pakistan fights and retains some pride. Indeed he appears to be playing for himself only. He underperformed in the ODI series against Australia, but then he played a good knock in the final ODI and remained not out, which catapulted his average into the 40s. He then had a poor T20 tournament, although it is accepted he did not get many chances to bat. But after his performance in this ODI series where he only played for himself, PCB should definitely drop him permanently. But the way things work in Pakistan, Misbah is being hailed as a good batsman again and his selection for the Champions Trophy next month is definitely on the cards. If the PCB can’t discern this pattern whereby some players only play for themselves and don’t support the captain, then the selectors might as well consider them automatic selections. Why did the management drop Malik and Misbah a few times in this ODI series if it keeps giving them chances like these to play selfishly and cement their places in the team? It is so obvious from the way Misbah played that he was only interested in remaining not out, in the 5th ODI. His strike rate was almost 100 when he came out to bat, but dropped into the 80s when he was on 40, because he only wanted to reach his 50. And then he could never improve his strike rate towards the end. It was pathetic to see Misbah blocking the balls and running singles when the time had come to slog.

Another loser is Shoaib Malik, who was dropped after 3 failures. Malik only made 21 runs in 3 matches and his

Any fair and rational person would want Malik to be dropped. However, his selection for the Champions Trophy is also very much on the cards

 bowling also made no impact. Malik appears so clueless against the new ball that you wonder why he plays international cricket. It is accepted that all Pakistani batsmen, to some extent or the other, struggle to play the moving ball but Malik appears especially vulnerable. Why is the selection committee so blind that they can’t see he is a nothing player who makes no meaningful contribution and plays selfishly? How many potential Umer Akmals and Fawad Alams must have been destroyed by the PCB in order to retain Shoaib Malik!

Younis Khan is under fire, but just how much respect and authority he commands is questionable

Although Malik and Misbah are the main problems in the Pakistan side, Younis Khan does not make a solid impression as captain. Younis failed on the seaming tracks of Dambulla but his performance was better on the flatter Colombo pitches. Younis has made some unforgivable errors in captaincy, such as using a spinner to bowl in Powerplays in the last few overs of an innings. It is debated how much authority Younis actually has. Whereas the PCB reports that Younis has considerable authority, Younis himself has given statements to the media where he is clearly unhappy with some players in the team and he has also complained of too much interference from the coach, the manager and the vice captain. Younis did play two outstanding knocks in the final 2 ODI’s and he showed fighting spirit. He was easily Pakistan’s best batsman in this series.

Young Umer Akmal also performed commendably. Unlike his team mate Fawad

One would hope Umer Akmal will permanently replace either one of Malik or Misbah

 Alam, Umer was lucky to have been called to the international stage at such a young age. However, Umer showed a lot of panache and character when he made his century. It seems Malik and Misbah don’t mind Umer Akmal as much. They vehemently opposed Fawad Alam’s inclusion when Fawad’s introduction on the international arena was being considered. One wonders why?
Speaking of Fawad Alam, he had a disappointing series. Although showing some mettle in the 1st ODI when he was Pakistan’s top scorer amongst all recognised batsman, Fawad looked clueless in the next 2 games. Still, it was unfair to drop him after only 2 bad games. It seemed the management did not want to isolate the underperforming Malik, so Fawad was also made a victim of this agenda. Fawad should never bank on having support from the seniors or having some kind of permanent position in the team because of his background. He needs to perform like Miandad if he wants to stay. Otherwise, he will disappear into oblivion like Asim Kamal.

Bowling wise Pakistan was better. Aamer and Ajmal were Pakistan’s best bowlers and one would hope Aamer is not burned out. Rana and Rao bowled well in patches. Pakistan was pathetic on this tour because of its batting, so the bowling will not be considered any further. 

This is definitely another new low in Pakistan cricket. Malik and Misbah are ruining team spirit and underperforming. However, this series has also exposed how fragile Pakistani batsmen are on seaming tracks. With two able batsmen in the side, U Akmal and Alam, it would have made a lot of sense to drop Malik and Misbah and persist with those two. However, it is already being reported that Malik and Misbah will make into the Champions Trophy squad. The PCB has learned nothing and this tour of Sri Lanka proved to be a waste of time. The team management seems to have a different agenda to seeing the players develop and seeing more fighting spirit from the players. What else can explain the constant selection of Malik and Misbah in the Pakistan team? It is very likely that the Pakistan team will underperform in the Champions Trophy.

A bunch of losers

Misbah Paddling

Shoaib Malik Pack your bags and go home

Kamran you are too small to get into big conspiracies so don't get involved

Younis Khan’s team won the first T20 WC champions by defeating Sri Lanka in the final.  Then, suddenly they became the first team from Pakistan under his leadership to suffer a test series defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka.

There are rumours of conspiracy theories creeping up, whatever the reasons or rumours that may be spreading, Pakistan has proved to be one of the most unpredictable teams in world cricket who can self-destruct from a winning position to a losing one.

People say you can expect anything from Pakistan, they are the most unpredictable team in the world. Unpredictability alone is not the issue, there are some unexplainable questions like, no one knows how Fawad Alam on his debut can play the Sri Lankan bowlers with ease and scored a masterly 168 with such ease and without any stress. Whereas, the most experienced middle order couldn’t even reach double figures.  It seems like they did not want to score any runs and get out as soon as possible was it a deliberate ruse or was it really so difficult to play?  If it was difficult for them why was it so easy for Fawad Alam?

The way Shoaib Malik scored a six and got clean bowled the next ball is a proof that he wasn’t interested in securing the match. Neither Misbah nor, Akmal did anything to add a few runs to the total neither the Captain has any explanation to this pathetic batting displayed by his batsmen in both the test matches.

The captain, the coach, the selectors and the PCB Chairman they all came up with some stupid notion that Pakistan has not played much of test cricket. Earlier in the T20 WC when they lost the warm-up matches as well as the first round matches, they used the same template.  “Our team didn’t play much of international cricket and we are a bit rusty.” And, when they won the WC they used it as a dual edged sword.

It is really stupid to make such excuses especially when the senior batsmen simply throw away their wickets, it is not cricket it looks like there is something more than what meets the eye. The senior players simply didn’t show any responsibility and lack of test exposure or lack of international cricket has nothing to do with it and not only Younis Khan, but the entire Butt management knows the real reason. But, they are not willing to accept it and not willing to make any changes.

Some of the viewers and TV media sports critics are blaming Younus Khan for the reverse sweep that he played and got out.  Agreed that was a very stupid and unwanted shot.  But, he made 83 runs and was involved in a partnership of 200 runs with Fawad Alam.  But, what about the rest of the players? Three of the team’s senior batsmen did not do anything in this series so far.  Mohammad Yousuf has made a century but what about others?

The former captain Shoaib Malik, who self proclaims that he is Pakistan’s best all-rounder, he is playing international cricket for ten years and still he cannot decide at what number he can bat?  In 4 innings Shoaib Malik has scored 83 runs 39 n.o. being the highest which helped his average reaching at 27.66 still it is lower than his career average of 35.73.  His supporters are saying that he got out on a peach of a ball.  What a load of BS.  A good player is not supposed to get out on a peach of a ball. Although it was not a good ball, but just a straighter one and he missed it completely.  If he is such a good player he should not have played such a stupid shot.  A six and then clean bowled.  That was not what the Doctor Ordered.

Misbah-ul-Haq or,  Mis fit ul Haq in the test team yet he is the vice captain, has a career test aggregate of 779 runs in 14 test matches with an average of 37 runs.  And, in the last two tests or in 4 innings he scored only 66 runs at an average of 16.50.  What has happened to him? Is he just like this from the beginning? Or, he has become so lethargic and indifferent lately?  Because the moments of sporadic brilliance do not have any consistency in his game which makes him a very mediocre player.  His game is more like a swinging yo-yo. He is definitely not a finisher but, a loser.

Kamran Akmal is displaying the worst batting performance in Sri Lanka. He managed only 29 runs from four innings in the series at an average of only 12.25. He has a much better career average of  33.09 but, it seems like he has unduly dragged himself  as a part of the conspiracy. He should better get out of this triangle because he is a square peg in a round hole.

The below-par performance of the Three Musketeers has sparked rumours that they are not happy with the captain and also with other members of the team because Shoaib Malik was stripped off his captaincy and to avenge this, they are creating groups.

These conspiracy theories are not new, but this time it is getting so obvious that even a dimwit dolt can make out that it is happening. Even the morale boosting win at the T20 WC in the UK has failed to unite the team which many people including Sarfaraz Nawaz, believes the team is bitterly divided and killing the team spirit.

Sarfraz Nawaz is convinced that there are ‘groupings’ within the team with senior players like, Malik and Misbah unwilling to give their best under Younis Khan and they deserve an axe.

Even Inzamam-ul-Haq has raised similar fears.  He also said, that Younis Khan is not handling the situation very firmly and his happy and jovial attitude and light comments during the post match press conferences are not helping in erasing this menace and he needs to take a firm action and drop those players who are not performing.

It was expected a lot from Younus Khan that he is  “NO DUMMY CAPTAIN” and will stand up firmly to discipline the team because, it is definitely the job of the captain and the team management not only to discipline the team but, also to resolve these trivial issues and those who are trying to divide the team or create fractions and divisions in the team must be admonished, dropped and penalized.

It is about time that Malik and Misbah must be dropped from the third test and Kamran Akmal should be advised that he is getting a last chance, either he perform or join the culprits who are creating divisions and fractions in the team.  Sarfaraz Ahmad is waiting for his wings and eager to fly.  Fawad Alam has set a precedent that no matter how long you may suppress an individual you cannot kill the spirit and the desire to fly and a talent is never wasted for long.

The selectors were not willing to drop Salman Butt they made several excuses by saying:  “Yes, Fawad Alam is a very talented player an excellent fielder BUT, we do not have a spot for him in the team.” The moment he replaced Salman Butt, it is all history now.

Why is it Malik and Misbah not questioned for their pathetic performance? Are they above the law or like someone said, are they sacred cows? If they don’t perform they must be dropped. Like I have said in the previous thread that, Faisal Iqbal and Abdul Razzaq can fill in their spots and these two defeats should be considered as an opportunity to bring about the desired changes.

If Pakistan needs to build a team for the test, they have to take these decisions and formulate a plan and a strategy to make sure that such shameful defeats may not happen again, especially when they visit Australia and New Zealand in the near future.

No one expects Pakistan to be the world champions of T20 (which they are) ODI and also number one test team in the world. But, they expect them to fight till the end. The team’s morale is such that they do not show any fighting spirit at all. Until and unless these changes are not made, others will not pay any heed in improving their standards.

Winning the T20 WC was no fluke, the team played the finals in the last WC and won this time. It was a good start to win the cup after the political crisis and the social boycott they got because of the security aspect. But, this test series defeat has left a big stain on the face of those who proclaim that they are the best all-rounders and best batsmen in Pakistan, it is more like a stigma and a taboo for them after this shameful defeat.  But, there are other players who played well and they deserve the respect, praise and accolades and they must be encouraged.  Hence, the team needs to move ahead and move on just like Fawad Alam did.  He shone brilliantly like a star in the dark night while others around him were dwindling and fading away.

Fawad Alam is a shining example for those who thought that, “Alam tou sirf Dam-e-Khayaal hai.” And it is for this reason Ghalib has said:

Hasti kay faraib may mutt ajaiyo Asad

Alam tamam dam-e-khayaal hai.

Fawad Alam The Shining Star

 

I don't know why we are loosing but I am happy

Younus Khan refused to captain the Pakistan side twice by saying:  “I don’t want to be a dummy captain.” On paper and in theory it sounded very impressive that this man has the guts to say that he does not like to be under someone’s thumb.

Now, what made him change from refusing to be a dummy and acting like a dummy? It is very obvious from his statements to the media, pre and post match comments that he wants to keep the whole world happy. He has clearly mentioned that he cannot drop Misbah and Malik despite the fact they are not performing well, especially Misbah simply because one is a former captain and the other is a vice captain and if he does that, the media will be after him. It means he is scared of the media and not doing justice with team selection.

By now even a school kid who plays cricket can say with authority that the UAE pitches are favouring spin bowling. Australia’s weakness is spin bowling, Pakistan’s weakness is its batting. Pakistan has the advantage of strengthening its batting and spin bowling department by including Fawad Alam in the team. He has been in the squad only to sit on the bench or we saw him as a 12th man in the 4th ODI.

Australian batsmen are used to playing fast bowlers, as they have one of the best fast bowling battery in their team and they are not afraid of fast bowling. But, they are finding it extremely difficult to handle Afridi and Ajmal, even Malik bowled well in the 3rd ODI. So, any dummy captain would notice this weakness and take advantage of the situation. But, Younus Khan in his pursuit to keep the whole world happy is blinded by his goody, goody nature.

He has become a laughing stock among the commentators and cricket fans that you ask Younus Khan, ‘how are you?’ He would reply.  ” I am happy, I am always happy, no matter what I am happy.” It is good that you are a happy go lucky (rather unlucky so far) person, but on the ground you have to be firm and tolerate no nonsense from any player who under performs or play below par.

Just because Shoaib Akhtar is a senior player and carries a lot of clout behind him and in the 4th ODI he took two wickets in his first two overs, he got a free hand after that, he was clearly out of breath and couldn’t maintain his line and length and in the fielding department he was making a mess of the situation and Younus Khan was seen laughing at his pathetic fielding. This is not what you expect from a good captain. If you can’t admonish him on the field, take action against him later and drop him from the playing XI.

Misbah out of form

Mishab is totally out of form like he was for the rest of his life prior to the T20 WC stint. In the 4th ODI, he was out first ball, but umpire Aleem Dar said, he couldn’t hear the nick and did not give him out. Despite a life Misbah continued his poor form, played a very slow innings and scored 30 odd runs.

Younus Khan’s own batting form is simply pathetic he has not been able to score in any match during this series and yet he has the audacity and the cheek to say, ‘we are learning.’  Learning how to loose? This is pathetic.  Malik was heavily criticized for saying the same thing after loosing a match, ‘we are learning’ and the irony is they also call themselves as professionals.

I am so happy that I don't mind throwing away my wicket

Professionals don’t learn at this level, the deliver and the Pakistani captains consider these international matches as a learning place? It is indeed very pathetic.

During this series Shahid Afridi not only performed well with ball and bat, but he was seen encouraging, cheering, bucking up every single player. In fact he took the lead role which Younus Khan and Misbah are supposed to do. He was going with the bowlers before their run up and talking to them. He was seen congratulating Ajmal, Malik, Akhtar and even Akmal whenever they took a wicket or a catch. He was also seen very upset at Shoaib Akhtar’s lazy running in fetching the ball and clearly gave him the message that he is not happy with his fielding.

shahid-afridi-dama-dum-mast-qalandar

This is how a captain must be leading from the front and not just laughing, smiling and saying I am happy. May be you are trying to cover your embarrassment or may be you are really happy but the Pakistani public and fans are not happy upon loosing 3 matches in a row. The second ODI was given away to the Australians in a platter. After a 95 run opening partnership the team collapsed like a house of cards. Its a shame that none of the batsmen played well.

The question is, is Pakistan going to look for another captain? Or, are they will keep Younus Khan who says he is not a dummy captain, but certainly acting like one. Or, if they decide to replace him, who would be the new captain? There is no one better than Shahid Afridi not just because of his seniority but because of his temperament and his ability to lead from the front and his proven domestic record speaks in volumes. Therefore, it is about time for Pakistan to give Shahid Afridi a chance to lead the team Pakistan in the forth coming T20 World Cup. And Younus Khan is definitely a misfit for T20 and so is Salman Butt.  May be Younus Khan should lead the test side but, if that is going to effect his batting then he should better not lead the test team as well.

What are your views on Younus Khan’s Captaincy, please go ahead and speak your heart out.  For sure, my vote is for Afridi.