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2nd 4-Day practice game between PCB Green & PCB White ends in a draw

Looking at today's game I wonder why there aren't any Pak vs Pak A or Pak B kind of games while preparing for big series. I do understand a big reason is that such games challenge the monopoly of some senior, influential players.
 
Definitely cant rule it out if they want to go with 4 man pace attack and keep Yasir as well.
Ashraf will play for sure and then three pacers and Shah. The dilemma is regarding the openers and which among the three; Naseem, Abbas and Shaheen will give way for Sohail Khan. I guess it's between Naseem and Shaheen
 
Ashraf will play for sure and then three pacers and Shah. The dilemma is regarding the openers and which among the three; Naseem, Abbas and Shaheen will give way for Sohail Khan. I guess it's between Naseem and Shaheen

Its between abbas and sohail
 
Fakhar only really played because of the lack of performances from the openers at the time. It was more of a desperate move than anything.

The reason why Shan and Abid will play is that they have done well as an opening pair in recent times and they can't be discarded on the basis of some warm-ups. The performances are worrying, yes, but it'd be harsh to drop either of them. Abid averages 100 in Test cricket, albeit not being tested a whole lot so far and Shan averages 45 since his comeback.

Exactly. Pakistan's top five is confirmed regardless of what happens in these innings'. Someone like Imam might get a go in the third game, but Misbah will start with Abid-Shan to keep that consistency going.
 
Pics from the 2nd session.

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Exactly. Pakistan's top five is confirmed regardless of what happens in these innings'. Someone like Imam might get a go in the third game, but Misbah will start with Imam-Shan to keep that consistency going.

You have sounded like your making a dig towards Misbah. But he is doing the right thing.
 
Haider Ali and Imam are the future.

I don't have much faith in Abid and Shan.
 
Fakhar only really played because of the lack of performances from the openers at the time. It was more of a desperate move than anything.

The reason why Shan and Abid will play is that they have done well as an opening pair in recent times and they can't be discarded on the basis of some warm-ups. The performances are worrying, yes, but it'd be harsh to drop either of them. Abid averages 100 in Test cricket, albeit not being tested a whole lot so far and Shan averages 45 since his comeback.
Oh really? Abid was always there and was performing in 2018 and before, but that fraud Mickey still didn't pick him and went with Fakhar.
 
Ashraf will play for sure and then three pacers and Shah. The dilemma is regarding the openers and which among the three; Naseem, Abbas and Shaheen will give way for Sohail Khan. I guess it's between Naseem and Shaheen

I think aside from the long term potential Naseem and Shaheen have been our best bowlers in last two test series as well but this match has definitely made it interesting. Lets see, I still feel that Abbas, Naseem and Shaheen should play. Warm up matches shouldnt change the first choice XI. Only place I think Sohail can come in for is Yasir Shah but, just my opinion lets see how management goes about it.
 
Abid is struggling to find his feet in England and that blow might have added to his problems. Probably Pak should go with Shan and Imam or with an attacking move; Shan and Azhar as openers and the exuberant Haider at three
 
You have sounded like your making a dig towards Misbah. But he is doing the right thing.

Was just describing Misbah's vision on Test cricket, it doesn't mean that I don't agree. On this occasion I do agree with continuing from where they left things against BD.
 
I think aside from the long term potential Naseem and Shaheen have been our best bowlers in last two test series as well but this match has definitely made it interesting. Lets see, I still feel that Abbas, Naseem and Shaheen should play. Warm up matches shouldnt change the first choice XI. Only place I think Sohail can come in for is Yasir Shah but, just my opinion lets see how management goes about it.

I sont think yasir will get dropped unless it's no turn from day 1 to day 5
 
legendary captain Azhar Ali brings in secret weapon RMF Shan Masood

He doesnt have a 4th seamer which Whites had in Faheem. If wicket is providing assistance to the seamers he didnt really have any other option. Spin will eventually come in obviously.
 
I sont think yasir will get dropped unless it's no turn from day 1 to day 5

True, its highly unlikely. I dont see any other way for Sohail to come in, Abbas, Shaheen and Naseem have to start in my opinion.
 
Oh really? Abid was always there and was performing in 2018 and before, but that fraud Mickey still didn't pick him and went with Fakhar.

Fakhar suited Mickey's brand of cricket. Fit and aggressive. Not getting that it doesn't work for this brittle batting line up where it often leads to collapses. Also why Usman Salahuddin never got picked again.

He also made a blunder by not playing an extra spinner in the UAE. He tried to enforce his thinking instead of adapting to conditions or Pak team's needs.
 
Oh really? Abid was always there and was performing in 2018 and before, but that fraud Mickey still didn't pick him and went with Fakhar.

I was referring to openers' performances for Pakistan. Imam was struggling and Pakistan's Test openers were unsettled at the time. Fakhar and Abid both were the top-performing openers in FC cricket over the past few years before 2018/19.

Abid was also in contention but I don't know why he didn't make it to the side at the time. Regardless, now he will get a good number of chances and rightly so.
 
The tendency to have confirmed spots on the team is an unfortunate tendency in Pakistan cricket. Would like to see more thinking outside the box, more strategic selection of horses for courses, and recognition of players who are in form. With the present setup this is unlikely to happen.
 
Haider Ali caught by Shadab. Don't tell me it was a soft dismissal? Shadab doesn't field in the slips.

Haider needs to work on his batting temperament.
 
Imam have been seeing off the new ball pretty well throughout the warm ups. Good to have solid back up.
 
And people stil want him to play in this test series

The only place he can play is at 6 but there are other options available who can also bowl.

He is the future but it's too early for him in test cricket. He should be given chances in white-ball cricket first like Babar was.
 
The only place he can play is at 6 but there are other options available who can also bowl.

He is the future but it's too early for him in test cricket. He should be given chances in white-ball cricket first like Babar was.

Agreed. I said the same thing in Haider's test selection thread. What we did with Babar was pretty successful so there is no need to change it for Haider. He surely is the future in tests as well as his FC average of 49 with 2 100s in his debut season shows as well but, should be eased into international cricket.
 
What happened to Imam? Ret hurt in the over of Naseem. I hope he is okay.
 
Turned out to be a master stroke from Azhar. Shan gets Haider. :azhar2

Agree with your earlier point that Abbas, Shaheen and Naseem *have* to play.

Shaheen with his height, pace and left arm angle.

Naseem because he can force a wicket even on a dead pitch, with his pace.

Abbas, because he bowls like a metronome. He'll be tricky with the new ball. And when the ball is old he'll keep the scoring low and keep the batsmen playing. That's the way you get wickets via an eventual mental lapse from the batsmen. No other Pakistan bowler has that quality that Abbas does, especially given that he is now fully over his shoulder injury.

Sohail can only come in as a fourth seamer, hence why it's important that Shadab performs a little bit better in this game, as you can't play Sohail and Yasir plus the three quicks.

Personally I think Sohail is a good first change bowler in innings one and a decent second change bowler in innings two.
 
Prob got bounced out. He's useless vs bounce. Literally got bounced out in UAE vs NZ too.

Although i'm not his biggest fan. This can happen to anyone, it's the bouncers you don't expect that always hurt just like in boxing the punches you don't see always knock you out unless you are facing Mike Tyson lol
 
On the other side Buttler has just scored a 50 and probably secured his spot against us. He has probably troubled us more than any other English batsman if we talk about all 3 formats. :shezzy2
 
What happened to Imam? Ret hurt in the over of Naseem. I hope he is okay.

PCB Update: Imam-ul-Haq injured his left hand while batting. He was hit by a ball by Naseem Shah, his injury is being assessed at the moment. More details will be provided in due course.
 
PCB Update: Imam-ul-Haq injured his left hand while batting. He was hit by a ball by Naseem Shah, his injury is being assessed at the moment. More details will be provided in due course.

Thanks for the update. I hope its not a fracture.
 
PCB Update: Imam-ul-Haq injured his left hand while batting. He was hit by a ball by Naseem Shah, his injury is being assessed at the moment. More details will be provided in due course.

I'm sure he'll be ok InshAllah. At least it's the hand and not the head
 
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Sohail can bat a bit, probably at per with Faheem, he is putting a genuine case of being picked over Naseem or Abbas. Yasir & Shaheen will start for sure and I don’t think after this display PAK will (& should) go with five batsmen and Rizwan at six.

The playing XI was almost finalised, only open spot was No. 6; now Sohail is added into the mix. I think, based of performance so far playing XI was fixed (the Green team) unless there is something special in rest of this game. As of now, Sohail can force his way over Abbas/Naseem and Fakhar probably has already replaced Shadab.

How is he making a genuine case over Naseem of all people? The later is coming of a fifer and a hatrick (4fer) in his last two test, has a fifer in the previous warm-up.
 
The dismissals tell a story - batsmen are playing with scrambled minds.

Getting out trying to play straight to everything.

I think I know where it is coming from too: The 400 past-hero coaches in the dugout who have all been getting into the timid players' ears about how to play the ball straight, preserve their wicket and make the ball lose its shine.

Never mind try to play their natural game.

This coterie of coaches is a budding disaster I have been warning about.
 
How is he making a genuine case over Naseem of all people? The later is coming of a fifer and a hatrick (4fer) in his last two test, has a fifer in the previous warm-up.

Exactly Imran Khan did well in the practice game in Australia and then got spanked
 
I am afraid the same is going to happen to Sohail Khan as the media will put pressure on Misbah to react.

This is the problem that practice matches only scratch the surface, you don't all of a sudden become Dennis Lillie from bowling well in a practice game.
 
How is he making a genuine case over Naseem of all people? The later is coming of a fifer and a hatrick (4fer) in his last two test, has a fifer in the previous warm-up.

I wouldn't change our current trio of Abbas, Naseem and Shaheen. Only if they bowl really bad would i consider replacing one of them.
 
How is he making a genuine case over Naseem of all people? The later is coming of a fifer and a hatrick (4fer) in his last two test, has a fifer in the previous warm-up.

The pace attack was fixed until Sohail performed really well in practice games, can bat a bit as well. Unless PAK drops Yasir (which will be foolish), only three specialist pacers can play - Shaheen is confirmed, other two should be Naseem & Abbas; if Shoail does make it, it’s for one of them, provided everyone is fit enough. I won’t discard Abbas because he is the only pacer of the trio with some experience and performance in UK; his type of bowling should suit the conditions well and he can keep one end tight.
 
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Serious swing bowling from Sohail!
 
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The pace attack was fixed until Sohail performed really well in practice games, can bat a bit as well. Unless PAK drops Yasir (which will be foolish), only three specialist pacers can play - Shaheen is confirmed, other two should be Naseem & Abbas; if Shoail does make it, it’s for one of them, provided everyone is fit enough. I won’t discard Abbas because he is the only pacer of the trio with some experience and performance in UK; his type of bowling should suit the conditions well and he can keep one end tight.

I don't agree that dropping Yasir is foolish, especially with the form he is in of late (it's a matter what kind of surface we get), but that's another thing.

Sohail can't bat, he can slog a few on a lucky day but he can't bat. Plus the guy will be bowling 125 in his third spell. If the sun is out, Yasir and him are cannon folder to be hit around.

The question was how does Sohail make it over anyone of the three.

Naseem is performing great as well, so I don't see the point. Has a fifer the previous game and this is not over yet, already has sent Imam back retired hurt and gotten Fakhar. I already mentioned his last two tests. The idea of dropping him is ridiculous, when he is taking wickets and brings another dimension to the pace attack Incase things go flat.
 
Update - Four-Day Intra-Squad Practice Match:

Stumps, Day One

PCB Whites 88-3

34 OVERS

Fawad Alam 18 not out
Sarfraz Ahmad 6 not out

Imam ul Haq 19 retired hurt
Fakhar Zaman 22
 
The word on Imam is his hand is being iced and the injury is not thought to be "too serious."
 
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Been a while since I've been here and not the sight I would want to see. Definitely difficult batting conditions but why are they all getting out on straight drives like that?
 
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Pakistan’s leading batsmen fluffed their lines on the opening day of their final intra-squad warm-up game before the first Test against England at Emirates Old Trafford next month.

Experienced pace bowler Sohail Khan took five for 37, dismissing Abid Ali, Shan Masood and skipper Azhar Ali cheaply as Team Green were bowled out for 113 at the Incora County Ground in Derby.

Only three batsmen reached double figures, most notably Babar Azam who scored 32 from 77 balls, and in reply Team White were 88 for three from 34 overs at the close.

On a difficult day for batsmen, there was a worry for the tourists when opener Imam-ul-Haq was hit on the left hand by a ball from Naseem Shah and was forced to retire hurt on 19.

Unless there are injuries to the bowlers, Pakistan’s attack at Manchester is likely to be Mohammad Abbas, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and leg-spinner Yasir Shah but Sohail has certainly given the selectors food for thought.

After Sarfraz Ahmed won the toss for Team White and elected to bowl first on the same pitch used for the first warm-up match, the 36-year-old blew away the top order in a disciplined opening spell from the City End.

He was rewarded for maintaining a full length which allowed the ball to swing but there were question marks over some of the shot selection which saw three wickets fall in the first 11 overs.

Abid would have been looking for time in the middle after a blow to the head in the previous warm-up game prevented him batting in the second innings but he made only one before he was lured into edging a drive in Sohail’s second over.

Masood survived a dropped catch at third slip off Imran Khan but he failed to prosper, lbw to a full-length ball that swung in late and caught him on the crease.

Azhar made a century in the previous game but another swinging delivery from Sohail defeated his forward push although his reaction suggested he thought he had got outside the line.

A stunning catch at second slip accounted for Asad Shafiq and although Azam looked set for a substantial innings, he went in the third over after lunch when he edged Imran behind.

Shadab Khan left a big gap between bat and pad and lost his middle stump and when Mohammad Rizwan missed an expansive drive at Faheem Ashraf, the chances of a respectable score were fading.

Sohail claimed his fifth wicket when Shaheen Afridi played across a full length ball, leaving Team Green in need of quick wickets to repair some of the damage.

Naseem obliged by trapping Fakhar Zaman lbw and had Haider Ali dropped first ball at second slip although he soon fell to a loose drive at Masood.

When Ul Haq was rapped on the fingers by a ball that leapt, he was unable to continue and headed to the dressing room for ice treatment with initial reports suggesting the injury was not serious.

Yasir lured Iftikhar Ahmed down the pitch before bad light ended play with Team White only 25 runs behind in a game that has been given first-class status and is being played to Test match rules.​
 
Interesting that Rizwan was bowled by Faheem Ashraf. Hope his defense wasn’t that bad.

Second bowling innings will decide between Sohail and Faheem. Currently Sohail has the leg up.

We need to think of the combination. Whilst I don't disagree that Sohail may score as many as faheeem, our 4th quick needs to be a bowler who can operate overs 35-70. Faheeem will be better than Sohail at that just keeping it in on off stump on a length.

Sohail is your pitch up swing bowler and if he bowls like that overs 35-70 , he will go for a lot.

Unless we are going to ask shaheen and Naseem to give up their time with the new ball and bowl Abbas and Sohail.

I guess we have to wait till the day of the test as if it looks like a wicket or a day where we can get England out of there in 50 overs, we may go with Sohail.

Interesting times...
 
For WI they are playing gabriel again, he was struggling to bowl in the last test match... has serious fitness issues... Chemar Holder a promising youngster should have been selected.. Also rakheem cornwall is struggling to get a wicket here... Alzarri Joseph was dropped after a good 2nd test.... WI doing a PAK like decisions lols..

Similarly , I feel like Sohail khan will have good 1st test, struggle to bowl in the 2nd test but still will be selected for 3rd test where he will break down into pieces.. Naseem shah will be dropped after a good 2nd test. Hasnain will not get a game here like chemar holder. And PAK will try out Kashif bhatti in the last test and he will go wicketless like Cornwall...

Pak will win 1st test and lose the other 2 due to poor choice of players is what will happen i guess...
 
Abid looking loose. Hell of a catch from Iftikhar at second slip. Shadab seems to throw a tantrum after getting out.

Shambolic run out at the end.

This series won't be lacking entertainment :))
 
We need to think of the combination. Whilst I don't disagree that Sohail may score as many as faheeem, our 4th quick needs to be a bowler who can operate overs 35-70. Faheeem will be better than Sohail at that just keeping it in on off stump on a length.

Sohail is your pitch up swing bowler and if he bowls like that overs 35-70 , he will go for a lot.

Unless we are going to ask shaheen and Naseem to give up their time with the new ball and bowl Abbas and Sohail.

I guess we have to wait till the day of the test as if it looks like a wicket or a day where we can get England out of there in 50 overs, we may go with Sohail.

Interesting times...

May be bowl all the 4 pacers in the first 15 overs to utilize the new ball and continue with the bowlers who gets more swing from both ends..
 
As if we had Malcom Marshall and Denis Lillee playing during that time. He knew how to take wickets(England tour is a good example), system needs to develop players and we have failed since 2003.

He is a wasted product, I have no hopes for him right now.

We didn't play a single test match in 2008 and in 2009 we had Asif and Gul. The best in the 2011-15 period we had was Junaid who we messed up real bad by running him down to the ground.
 
For WI they are playing gabriel again, he was struggling to bowl in the last test match... has serious fitness issues... Chemar Holder a promising youngster should have been selected.. Also rakheem cornwall is struggling to get a wicket here... Alzarri Joseph was dropped after a good 2nd test.... WI doing a PAK like decisions lols..

Similarly , I feel like Sohail khan will have good 1st test, struggle to bowl in the 2nd test but still will be selected for 3rd test where he will break down into pieces.. Naseem shah will be dropped after a good 2nd test. Hasnain will not get a game here like chemar holder. And PAK will try out Kashif bhatti in the last test and he will go wicketless like Cornwall...

Pak will win 1st test and lose the other 2 due to poor choice of players is what will happen i guess...

Alzari is injured .
Rakheem is seriously talented off-spinner and All rounder.
Gabriel has improved a lot in last 2 years or so so they cant bench him just because of 1 bad test.
Husnain will have to play some first class and needs to have decent control before selecting him he is no Archer .
Naseem shah will be given rest in 3rd test if we lose first 2 test matches.
 
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