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Are Abdullah Shafique and Saim Ayub the worst opening batting pair Pakistan has ever produced?

Both are pretty awful and have been getting a long lifeline in this team.

Can't believe fakhar has been discarded for these 2.
 
Imran Farhat and Nasir Jamshed

Azhar Ali and Ahmed Shahzad

Imam ul Haq and Abdullah Shafique


Pick the worst or most depressing
 
Saim should open with someone like fakhar zaman or atleast a strike rotator who ticks on... This shafique guy is mediocre to say the least, he goes on piling dots after dots and puts pressure on the opposite end.
An out of form and unfit fakhar or sharjeel is miles better than shafique.
 
I would rather just open with Shan Masood and Babar Azam for ODIs. few reasons:
1. Babar still seems like the best ODI batsman we have at the moment. giving him maximum overs is best.
2. Shan is here for some time it seems as Test captain, so allowing him ODI also benefits him in both formats for us, especially as prep for playing on overseas tours conditions.
3. Shan is good at rotating strike and is generally much more positive.
4. Allows giving others change in middle order. Kamran can bat up the order. We can introduce others in middle order. maybe even Saud who could be good for subcontinent especially playing spin in middle overs. Possibly even Qasim Akram in another slot.
 
I remember when Pakistan were opening with Abid Ali and imam at one point, I thought Jesus, is this the 1980s are we using snail like batsmen in ODIs where other teams are scoring are high rates.

Now we've surpassed that with an even slower and more inept pair, seems to be no logic when it comes Pakistan openers in ODis for last 8 years or so..
 
Amjid Javed said:
I remember when Pakistan were opening with Abid Ali and imam at one point, I thought Jesus, is this the 1980s are we using snail like batsmen in ODIs where other teams are scoring are high rates.

Now we've surpassed that with an even slower and more inept pair, seems to be no logic when it comes Pakistan openers in ODis for last 8 years or so..
Click to expand...
Same in T20s

They have a quota of having at least 5 out 7 Laanti batsmen in the team. This is the reason why you will always see a laanti who plays for himself as an opener in all of their teams running through into domestics and youth sides.


This is our quota system
 
Did Sami Aslam and Azhar Ali also open at some point in ODI?
 
Rana said:
Imran Farhat and Nasir Jamshed

Azhar Ali and Ahmed Shahzad

Imam ul Haq and Abdullah Shafique


Pick the worst or most depressing
Click to expand...
Azhar Ali and Ahmed shehzad is the best pair. Both are decent test batters and in odi have actually achieved something granted both were medicore and by 2018 shehzad was done in odi.

Imran farhat and nasir jamshed depending on the time period is either the best or worst as they were talented and have played gems before but fizzled out very quickly and Misbah's obsession to play them when they were unfit burnt corpses cost them their reputation + Jamshed fixing as well.

Imam and Abdullah are defo the worst. Imam isn't too bad cause he can stat pad but gets exposed when he faces good bowling however his 150 against peak England is probs his best innings he can latch onto. Abdullah on the other hand is a failure and is useless.

The first 2 opening duo achieved more. Imam is stuck qith Abdullah who's achieved nothing
 
mominsaigol said:
Azhar Ali and Ahmed shehzad is the best pair. Both are decent test batters and in odi have actually achieved something granted both were medicore and by 2018 shehzad was done in odi.

Imran farhat and nasir jamshed depending on the time period is either the best or worst as they were talented and have played gems before but fizzled out very quickly and Misbah's obsession to play them when they were unfit burnt corpses cost them their reputation + Jamshed fixing as well.

Imam and Abdullah are defo the worst. Imam isn't too bad cause he can stat pad but gets exposed when he faces good bowling however his 150 against peak England is probs his best innings he can latch onto. Abdullah on the other hand is a failure and is useless.

The first 2 opening duo achieved more. Imam is stuck qith Abdullah who's achieved nothing
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Imam’s 150 was standard for that day. I think England chased the score down in 44 overs, Pakistan had 300+ on the board.

I recon someone like Roy, Bairstow or Hales would have scored 200 had England batted first in Bristol that day.
 
Both of them are ultimate parchis

I have no idea how they managed to play for Pakistan in so many matches. They delivered null performances against top-quality sides like Australia and India.
 
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Rana said:
Imam’s 150 was standard for that day. I think England chased the score down in 44 overs, Pakistan had 300+ on the board.

I recon someone like Roy, Bairstow or Hales would have scored 200 had England batted first in Bristol that day.
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Imam and Abdullah are the worst opening pair.

Shehzad and Azhar are the best.

But all 3 are crap 🤣🤣.

Regardless Jamshed and Imran Farhat had more talent then everyone here but by 2013-2015 they were 100% the worst lol. Ct 2013 was hilarious.
 
mominsaigol said:
Azhar Ali and Ahmed shehzad is the best pair. Both are decent test batters and in odi have actually achieved something granted both were medicore and by 2018 shehzad was done in odi.

Imran farhat and nasir jamshed depending on the time period is either the best or worst as they were talented and have played gems before but fizzled out very quickly and Misbah's obsession to play them when they were unfit burnt corpses cost them their reputation + Jamshed fixing as well.

Imam and Abdullah are defo the worst. Imam isn't too bad cause he can stat pad but gets exposed when he faces good bowling however his 150 against peak England is probs his best innings he can latch onto. Abdullah on the other hand is a failure and is useless.

The first 2 opening duo achieved more. Imam is stuck qith Abdullah who's achieved nothing
Click to expand...

Ahmed Shahzad is a pathetic cricketer... has failed to play any meaningful knock ever...

Please refrain from including him in good openers or good batsmen or even good cricketers...
 
mon858 said:
I would rather just open with Shan Masood and Babar Azam for ODIs. few reasons:
1. Babar still seems like the best ODI batsman we have at the moment. giving him maximum overs is best.
2. Shan is here for some time it seems as Test captain, so allowing him ODI also benefits him in both formats for us, especially as prep for playing on overseas tours conditions.
3. Shan is good at rotating strike and is generally much more positive.
4. Allows giving others change in middle order. Kamran can bat up the order. We can introduce others in middle order. maybe even Saud who could be good for subcontinent especially playing spin in middle overs. Possibly even Qasim Akram in another slot.
Click to expand...

Babar has been absolutely spineless and pathetic in the past 2 years...

Drop him and ask him to improve - there should be a limit to how much he can play on his reputation alone without putting in any performances...
 
People who still have doubts that this pair is pathetic should watch cricket with open eyes.
 
I think Saim is just a bit raw and needs more seasoning. Needs to work on his defence and strokemaking a bit more and I think he has a solid 10-15 years ahead of him. His bowling is also quite decent and can improve as time goes on. And he at least has been selected on merit as he's been participating in domestic tournaments. On the other hand, Abdullah Shafique does not make the team on ANY criteria. He's not even gritty like Imam and is double useless.

Dropping Fakhar is criminal and the PCB should be apprehended for this. You chose ego over your country
 
usman.sandhu said:
Ahmed Shahzad is a pathetic cricketer... has failed to play any meaningful knock ever...

Please refrain from including him in good openers or good batsmen or even good cricketers...
Click to expand...
I never called him a good cricketer so please refrain from twisting my words
 
usman.sandhu said:
Quoting your words "Azhar Ali and Ahmed Shahzad is the best pair" - own up to them... stop trying to wriggle your way out of this...
Click to expand...
The best pair from what @Rana Presented.

He presented 3 options

A) Imran farhat and Nasir jamshed

B) Ahmed Shehzad and Azhar Ali

C) Imam and Abdullah

Shehzad and azhar are still better then the other 2 options.
 
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Saim should only play t20's and open with fakhar

Rizwan and babar should open in odis and statpad for 20-30 overs so we get a good start
 
I just don't understand the approach by Abdullah Shafique.

He came into the 1st ODI and he's blocking every single ball, no matter whether it's a good ball or not he's just blocking it back to the bowler. Atleast Imam would try to rotate the strike on each ball, if it's a block he tries to place it in the gap and get down the other end.

Abdullah just kept blocking and blocking, there's no way he in his right mind thinks this is the approach he should take in 2024. Or is he really just THAT mediocre that he doesn't trust himself?

And I'm definitely not defending Saim's failures but when your opposition partner is tuk-tuking every single ball it leads to the other guy having to take the risk and in turn losing their wicket to try and get some runs.
 
They obviously have areas they need to improve however they will likely get the series.
 
mon858 said:
I would rather just open with Shan Masood and Babar Azam for ODIs. few reasons:
1. Babar still seems like the best ODI batsman we have at the moment. giving him maximum overs is best.
2. Shan is here for some time it seems as Test captain, so allowing him ODI also benefits him in both formats for us, especially as prep for playing on overseas tours conditions.
3. Shan is good at rotating strike and is generally much more positive.
4. Allows giving others change in middle order. Kamran can bat up the order. We can introduce others in middle order. maybe even Saud who could be good for subcontinent especially playing spin in middle overs. Possibly even Qasim Akram in another slot.
Click to expand...
Everyone touting babar as opener. He was captain for 4 years. Why didn’t he open in ODIs? He knows that he’s useless against a new ball facing 10 overs against the best new ball bowlers in the opposition.
 
mominsaigol said:
The best pair from what @Rana Presented.

He presented 3 options

A) Imran farhat and Nasir jamshed

B) Ahmed Shehzad and Azhar Ali

C) Imam and Abdullah

Next time consider taking some reading classes.

Shehzad and azhar are still better then the other 2 clown options. Talking about their prices ofcourse.
Click to expand...

I'll reiterate, Ahmed Shahzad is not the best, I disagree with you...

Also, your comprehension of the English language is well below par...

Consider taking some classes - logic and English before you try to put someone else down for differing with your opinion...

Shame on you and your pathetic ruse for attention...
 
emranabbas said:
Saim should only play t20's and open with fakhar

Rizwan and babar should open in odis and statpad for 20-30 overs so we get a good start
Click to expand...
Saim is not even eligible to play club cricket, its a biggest fluke that he has represented pakistan in all 3 formats.
 
usman.sandhu said:
I'll reiterate, Ahmed Shahzad is not the best, I disagree with you...

Also, your comprehension of the English language is well below par...

Consider taking some classes - logic and English before you try to put someone else down for differing with your opinion...

Shame on you and your pathetic ruse for attention...
Click to expand...
I never said shehzad is the best. I said he and azhar are > Imam + Abdullah and > Jamshed + Farhat.

Why can't you lot understand this simple fact?
 
Imran Farhat and Salman Butt/Nasir Jamshed in 2005-06, 2010 and 2010-13 presents a tough competition.

And Ahmed Shehzad cost Pak more games than any other opener in ODIs.

Nasir was corrupt and lethargic.
Shehzad was plain selfish.
Imran Farhat was a domestic bully.
 
I can say this confidently about Saim Ayub... How can a player with such mediocre performances make it to the international level? Has it become that easy?
 
It certainly does look like that.

I dont mind giving Saim more chances due to his handiness with the ball.
 
gazza619 said:
It certainly does look like that.

I dont mind giving Saim more chances due to his handiness with the ball.
Click to expand...
Why? Saim Ayub has had plenty of chances and averages 14, playing in one of the easiest positions. If he deserves a spot, then Asif Ali, with an average of 15 just one more than Saim certainly deserves a chance as well.

@Rana
 
emranabbas said:
Why? Saim Ayub has had plenty of chances and averages 14, playing in one of the easiest positions. If he deserves a spot, then Asif Ali, with an average of 15 just one more than Saim certainly deserves a chance as well.

@Rana
Click to expand...
It seems like you did not read my post. Saim can chip in with some overs. A batting average of 15 is not acceptable no doubt. If Saim can average 30 odd, that would be ok.
 
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2nd highest opening partnership for these 2... 19 runs...Hope they can break the barrier and do better job today.
 
Highest partnership of 39* today in 14 innings.


1731051328105.png
 
The highest score for these openers..... 39 now. Brilliant. Setting new records every day.
 
1st one for them.

P8s2tqi.png
 
First 100 runs partnership between Saim and Abdullah in all format
 
They will hopefully represent Pakistan for a long time across all formats.

We all know Saims capabilities but Abdullah is a player too. Just needs to come out of his shell.
 
100+ runs partnership in Australia against the mighty Aussie attack after like many decades
 
As I have said previously on a few occassions about Saim and Shafique is that they have not played enough domesic cricket as one is 22 and the other is 25. Give them a run as at times Shafique has looked out of sorts but this is how he can develop his game as when he should have been playing FC and domestic he was being kept on the bench with the intl team.

Saim has just started off in intl cricket especially in just his 2nd ODI today and made 82 so let's not be too severe on him despite his poor returns in T20 intl's and test cricket till date.

At the same time in the off season they should be working on their game and fixing their flaws as Shafique has this tendency of getting stuck in the crease and Saim has this triggered movement at times which leads to his downfall.

Having put on 137 today against Australia after a run of poor opening stands, let's try this pair out for a stretch of games before any judgement.

It'll be better if they played more 50 over and 4 day cricket instead of too many T20's.
 
Excellent innings by both today and both have the ability specially Saim. Abdullah is a very strange bat. He can hit and plays too conservative in his approach. When batting against pace he seems to have time but at the same time he's clueless. Can't rotate strike but does play some beautiful shots. Very strange.
 
khyberlion said:
Excellent innings by both today and both have the ability specially Saim. Abdullah is a very strange bat. He can hit and plays too conservative in his approach. When batting against pace he seems to have time but at the same time he's clueless. Can't rotate strike but does play some beautiful shots. Very strange.
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Abdullah is all mental. Even his technical flaws that people excerpt are mental. If he can overcome that. He can become a beast of a batter. A bit like Babar Azam but with more power shots
 
Any opening pair with Abdullah is bound to be the worst.

He's a rubbish player.

It's a shame 80% of the forumn don't understand cricket.

Bunch of misbah's chamchei's
 
RidiculousMan said:
Abdullah is all mental. Even his technical flaws that people excerpt are mental. If he can overcome that. He can become a beast of a batter. A bit like Babar Azam but with more power shots
Click to expand...
Yeah he can become a solid all format batsman.
 
emranabbas said:
Why? Saim Ayub has had plenty of chances and averages 14, playing in one of the easiest positions. If he deserves a spot, then Asif Ali, with an average of 15 just one more than Saim certainly deserves a chance as well.

@Rana
Click to expand...
Have you woken up.
 
It's one innings. There is still work to be done, they still need gain consistency which isn't easy specially in Pakistan cricket. However it is still a superb partnership which to be fair started tentatively.
 
TeymurBlake said:
It's one innings. There is still work to be done, they still need gain consistency which isn't easy specially in Pakistan cricket. However it is still a superb partnership which to be fair started tentatively.
Click to expand...
In theory if they both fill up their potential. They can be great openers for Pakistan Cricket in the long run
 
My only gripe if you can all it that was that Saim should have tried to follow it through to the end when it was well within his grasp. I wanted them to get that record where Aus have never been beaten by 10 wickets on their own soil.

That would have been some record for the opening pair to have achieved alas Saim went for the expansive shot and got out.
 
TeymurBlake said:
It's one innings. There is still work to be done, they still need gain consistency which isn't easy specially in Pakistan cricket. However it is still a superb partnership which to be fair started tentatively.
Click to expand...
They're young players notwithstanding any age fudging. Seemed to have beefed up a bit as I remember AS had matchsticks as arms but looks a bit stronger now hence clearing the boundary a bit more freely.

Best to persevere with true stroke makers rather than bits and pieces and we may bare fruit.
 
Both of these openers start timidly despite having potential to attack from first over. We should persist with them for now.
 
Do not hype these 2 because they played 1 good inning. It was a good knock from both of them but if they cannot repeat it more often, they are useless.

Remember Abdullah scored a century against Bangladesh and then we all know what happened in the next 7-8 inning.
 
BouncerGuy said:
Do not hype these 2 because they played 1 good inning. It was a good knock from both of them but if they cannot repeat it more often, they are useless.

Remember Abdullah scored a century against Bangladesh and then we all know what happened in the next 7-8 inning.
Click to expand...
Abdullah shafique is the new boss, if pak wins this series then rizzu will be the new boss.

And once ct happens, Travis Head will remind everyone who's the real boss
 
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BouncerGuy said:
Do not hype these 2 because they played 1 good inning. It was a good knock from both of them but if they cannot repeat it more often, they are useless.

Remember Abdullah scored a century against Bangladesh and then we all know what happened in the next 7-8 inning.
Click to expand...
The easiest format to open in is ODIs. Tests and T20s are both much harder to open for different reasons which is why they are harder for players to pin down and sustain.
I am pretty sure they will settle down. Pitches are usually flat, batters get time to settle down with low/no pressure of strike rate. Imam Fakhar made records, now Gill already breaking them, Jaisawal will break those, it’s getting easier to open an ODIs
 
heddie19 said:
I mentioned 2 worst openers. Worst opening pair must be Farhat and Shezzy
Click to expand...
That’s like saying Ramiz Raja and Imam ul Haq are the worst opening combination in history, although they never played together.

The purpose of the thread is to pick two who played and opened together.

Besides, there are two versions of Imran Farhat. The first is the one that wasn’t married to the PCB director’s daughter, the second is post marriage.

The pre-marriage, earlier version of Imran Farhat was quite an exciting talent. He played very positively and had strong shots particularly on the off side.

The returned, watchful version was absolute trash.
 
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