A new opening pair for Pakistan in Tests? Presenting the Hafeez-Imam combo...

[MenInG]

A media report says this could become reality but how good or bad an idea is this?

 

[Abdullah719]

All set for the tour of South Africa

 

[Sunny_majoka]

So, fakher will debut in SA.

 

[Sunny_majoka]

A walking wicket in SA against styen.. If hafeez wants his survival. He should bat at no .6

 

[angrypathan]

Just keep Azhar and Imam and put Hafeez in at 5 to feast on the spinners

 

[Rana]

A walking wicket in SA against styen.. If hafeez wants his survival. He should bat at no .6

Steyn is pretty much on his last legs now.

 

[Arham_PakFan]

Azhar should open with Imam, who has the second opener slot for now.

 

[Sunny_majoka]

Steyn is pretty much on his last legs now.

He can trouble him even if he bowls on his one leg.

 

[gazza619]

We dont have any experience in the middle order. Hafeez may be handy against an older ball at no.4/5.

 

[gazza619]

Azhar should open with Imam, who has the second opener slot for now.

Haris Sohail has been poor at no.3. So may be its time Azhar Ali moves back to no.3 and Hafeez at no. 4. This will allow Asad Shafiq to move back to his favourite no.6 position.

I would pick this eleven in the 1st test against Australia:
1. Imam-ul-Haq
2. Fakhar Zaman
3. Azhar Ali
4. Muhammad Hafeez
5. Babar Azam
6. Asad Shafiq
7. Sarfaraz Ahmed
8. Yasir Shah
9. Wahab Riaz
10. Hasan Ali
11. Muhammad Abbass

 

[Abdul]

I'm fine with anything that'll keep Mickey's golden boy away from number three.

 

[szundercover]

So, fakher will debut in SA.

I hope so.

 

[Hasan123]

Awful idea. If Hafeez opens in South Africa we will be 1 down inside 10 overs every game.

 

[mak36]

Steyn is pretty much on his last legs now.

Bowling at 145 is him on his last legs?

 

[JattMaula]

Steyn is pretty much on his last legs now.

Watch the match happening right now.

 

[Justcrazy]

Awful idea. If Hafeez opens in South Africa we will be 1 down inside 10 overs every game.

Any other opener opening will also be 1 down inside 10 overs.

 

[Hasan123]

Any other opener opening will also be 1 down inside 10 overs.

Rather try someone else than a proven failure at 37.

 

[szundercover]

Watch the match happening right now.

Againt the mighty zimbabweans!

 

[MMHS]

Steyn is pretty much on his last legs now.

Still he is Dale Styen, and MoHa is MoHa ..... might even not need any leg!

 

[szundercover]

This formula may work here in the UAE but not in South Africa so this is not a long term solution!

 

[rhony]

Steyn is pretty much on his last legs now.

He can still swing the ball. Hafeez should bat at 6

 

[asfandyar]

Steyn is pretty much on his last legs now.

Hafeez will get injured just before the SA tour after scoring at an average of 40 in UAE and retain his space.

 

[Majid Khan]

It makes sense , wise move I say. Let's face it getting fast 50s and 100s in ODI cricket like Fakhar has done is one thing - but to deliver at test level as an opening batsman takes a lot more in skills, technique and mental toughness -- and there is no better example of someone who has been there and done it as an opener against the best in test cricket than that wonderful opening batsman with the initials M.H.

And no I'm not talking about Matthew Hayden.

 

[The Viper]

Would have been better as a 5 or 6.

 

[Abdullah719]

Steyn is pretty much on his last legs now.

 

[JattMaula]

Againt the mighty zimbabweans!

He was breathing

and that spell would have have troubled any batter on planet.

 

[srh]

All set for the tour of South Africa

2 bunnies

 

[asifp]

Hafeez could have made so much more of his career if he played in the middle order. He would be a solid number 6/7. Any ideas about opening should be slapped away.

 

[OyeOye]

Yes good selection.no way Hafeez Bhai bats at #2.Hasan bats before shah for sure.
I would like Bilal Asif in next test with shah and shadab includes.

We will see selection in between first and second test.( 2 seam and 3 spinner just like our neighbor)

 

[OyeOye]

Reason Hafeez called because he took 4 wickets and hits 200 in domestic cricket match gave victory to his sides, PCB carry forward that form on coming Sunday.

 

[Majid Khan]

I know this sounds crazy but I would recommend opening the batting with Junaid Khan v Australia or SA because against good quality fast bowling a tailender will get about as many runs ( between 0 and 10) as your so-called specialist opening batsman and this gives you the luxury of an extra bowler in the team. Just check scorecards to see what Pakistani openers have delivered in the last 15 years v Australia and SA.

 

[Justcrazy]

Rather try someone else than a proven failure at 37.

I understand that. We have to accept that Hafeez is in the squad , do he is likely to be in XI.

I would suggest that hafeez should be played only in sub continent. That is best solution. Hafeez should be played as a batting all rounder in the lower order in both Test and OD ( only in sub continent )

 

[PakLFC]

I have always rated Hafeez. Can't understand why so many Pak fans here dislike him so much.

 

[Hasan123]

I understand that. We have to accept that Hafeez is in the squad , do he is likely to be in XI.

I would suggest that hafeez should be played only in sub continent. That is best solution. Hafeez should be played as a batting all rounder in the lower order in both Test and OD ( only in sub continent )

I hope if he plays he doesn't resort to chucking and doesn't bat in the top 4

 

[Tabishbeigh]

Hafeez in middle order can do wonders to Pakistan. His experience and he is a decent bat. It's not that Pakistan is producing world class middle order batsman. Haris Sohail sees a ghost once he gets to 30 runs . Persist with Hafeez till Babar imam find their feet . You need experience in the middle order.

 

[MenInG]

And so it's TRUE, decent job so far

 

[shariqnoor]

Hafeez in the UAE in Tests as an opener is a no-brainer. He has a 50+ average at a SR of 60 which is nothing short of world class. However he is not good elsewhere. Pakistan does not enough skill levels in their cricketers for them to excel in all conditions so I believe Pakistan should look to adopt a horses-for-courses selection policy.

Hafeez in the UAE is a gold mine. I also always believed that Afridi should've been played in the Tests in the sub-continent every time.

 

[Abdullah719]

Not a bad start

 

[Nasty Naz]

Pakistan needs to hire an analytics department or maybe a common sense one because playing Hafeez outside of Asia is a recipe for disaster which we seen time and time again.

Frankly, Pakistan currently don't have players that are no-brainers locks on the team for the most part and ones that can play in all conditions and play well. What they should be doing is mix and matching with players who will play well based on conditions.

 

[hadi123]

I'm not sure if Hafeez would do well in SA.

 

[munda_khi]

I know this sounds crazy but I would recommend opening the batting with Junaid Khan v Australia or SA because against good quality fast bowling a tailender will get about as many runs ( between 0 and 10) as your so-called specialist opening batsman and this gives you the luxury of an extra bowler in the team. Just check scorecards to see what Pakistani openers have delivered in the last 15 years v Australia and SA.

last series in SA

1st test: Nasir Jamshed 2 & 46, Mohammed Hafeez 6 & 2
2nd test: Nasir Jamshed 3 & 0, Mohammed Hafeez 17 & 0
3rd test: Imran Farhat 30, Mohammed Hafeez 18 & 0, Azhar Ali 27

last series vs Aus

1st test: Azhar Ali 5 & 71, Sami Aslam 22 & 15
2nd test: Azhar Ali 205N & 43, Sami Aslam 9 & 2
3rd test: Azhar Ali 71 & 11, Sharjeel Khan 4 & 40