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Bumpity bump bump
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Lol. Good one.
See him score a sub 30 score next and he will be a failure in tough situations again

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Bumpity bump bump
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Another 'soft' innings. Unfortunately if he gets a hundred here, it will be brushed aside because 'Misbah scored and absorbed the pressure', even though it was his first pressure hundred for nearly two years.
I think if he gets a hundred here, all doubters must have been answered. There was plenty of pressure on when he came to the wicket, another one at that point and the wicketkeeper comes in with the score still below 200. England would have been scenting victory. Even now, he's still only on 46. He has to go on and make close to a hundred to show he's more than just a temporary annoyance for the England team. He's done half a job, now he needs to finish it.
Another 'soft' innings. Unfortunately if he gets a hundred here, it will be brushed aside because 'Misbah scored and absorbed the pressure', even though it was his first pressure hundred for nearly two years.
I think he gets hate due to his failures in ODI's. People cannot seem to separate the two and believe he is relatively poor in ODIs, meaning he must be just as bad as that in tests.
If he scores in tests, it becomes "well I mean with so many chances eventually he will come good", which is ridiculous because right now he has a century, a to be 50, and potentially another century in 3 innings.
No respect when he performs, and red button finger pointing when he fails.
I honestly have no idea what else he could do for people to respect him has a test batsmen.
46 is hardly a score to gloat and boast about, if he can't even score a 50 on this super flat baked road on which btw a technical hack like Masood scored a 50 at a decent rate, he should call it a day. Lets see how he resumes tomorrow, because it might be a tricky session tomorrow for Pakistan and both players will need to show urgency and score quickly so that they can hope to extend the total to around 450-500 by midway through last session and put England into bat. We all know which Shafiq turns out when he changes his gears and starts attacking, wait is there any version of Shafiq that is aggressive, I don't think so!
People will only respect him when he shows some consistency and not just 1 valuable innings throughout the series which he seems to be doing of late. He needs to impose himself on the bowlers more because atm he exhibits a very unassertive and timid character. Plus he needs to show some urgency and increase his SR once set because to me he is always in the same gear irrespective of his score and wastes alot of time thereby boring us to death.
46 is hardly a score to gloat and boast about, if he can't even score a 50 on this super flat baked road on which btw a technical hack like Masood scored a 50 at a decent rate, he should call it a day. Lets see how he resumes tomorrow, because it might be a tricky session tomorrow for Pakistan and both players will need to show urgency and score quickly so that they can hope to extend the total to around 450-500 by midway through last session and put England into bat. We all know which Shafiq turns out when he changes his gears and starts attacking, wait is there any version of Shafiq that is aggressive, I don't think so!
How come YK didn't score a double hundred if it is a baked flat road? Is he also a hack?
Number 6 is harder than some others imo because.. .
Today is a good illustration of how batting at 6 is easier than 5. Coming in at 85/3 vs coming in at 178/4 - very similar to the scenarios I brought up in my post.
A good knock by Shafiq nonetheless.
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Today is a good illustration of how batting at 6 is easier than 5. Coming in at 85/3 vs coming in at 178/4 - very similar to the scenarios I brought up in my post.
A good knock by Shafiq nonetheless.
Was scratchy at the start but was batting like a dream near the end of the day. Hopefully he continues like this rather than muck around for another half hourexcellent batting today by shafiq.. was a treat to watch!
Debatable. Shafiq gets out innings is pretty much done. And he knows there is little to follow after him so more pressure in that sense.
If an all rounder is batting at number 6 I guess that is less pressure on him but a pure bat is a different story
Debatable. Shafiq gets out innings is pretty much done. And he knows there is little to follow after him so more pressure in that sense.
If an all rounder is batting at number 6 I guess that is less pressure on him but a pure bat is a different story
46* so far, going good and if he goes on to make a ton, I'd call it a true pressure knock.
Seems like the thread has been bumped too early, anything can happen tomorrow. And no if he indeed scores big, it won't be brushed aside because Misbah was there alongside him.
Walking in at 178/4 is not a "true pressure knock".
A true pressure knock would be say YK's century against Aus, walking in at 7/2.
178/4 is actually a pretty common position to be in, and not a bad one.
I'm not saying he hasn't played well, but sheesh, you guys build a mountain out of a molehill.
Few things.
Masood has consistently not scored where Shafiq has, but you don't seem to be discussing the discrepency there.
Secondly you ignore the other two players who have been consistently good who scored nothing where Shafiq did score.
The latter point regarding aggression is another poor one. How often has Shafiq come in where he had the opportunity to be aggressive? He is either there to save innings, after a collapse, doesn't bat, or just comes in when the innings is almost done and said, okay Shafiq, just go and slog, a big score from you is irrelevant from you right now, the top scored enough.
It is a very tough spot to be #6, because you don't set the tone of your batting. The tone is set by those who have batted above you.
No one is claiming him a superstar, but he is a very good player, at least by our standards and people need to see all the factors that affect his batting before claiming incorrect things.
46* so far, going good and if he goes on to make a ton, I'd call it a true pressure knock.
Seems like the thread has been bumped too early, anything can happen tomorrow. And no if he indeed scores big, it won't be brushed aside because Misbah was there alongside him.
Real test for Shafiq starts, 5 down now.
Yes, now that his mentor is gone, we'll see what's he made of, but I still can't see him imposing himself and taking the initiative when he has the company of Sarfraz, as usual he'll look up to him to score quickly giving him breathing space while continuing with his timid approach. The only way we'll see him more assertive is when he is running out of partners with 7-8 down and he has no choice left but to attack and perishing in the pursuit of his 100.
Today was another example of how he has missed out on runs because of his batting position. He has run out of time/partners in nearly 3-4 of his hundreds as well as the 80 today.
A very valuable innings when everyone else around him lost his head.
Good point but will the team management take note.A very good innings despite his inability to take charge into his hands when he was running out of partners. Only one boundary by him in the last 20 overs by him. He should be promoted to number 3 in the next match and malik should be demoted to number 6. Malik can play better with the tailenders.
Giving a bit too much credit. Added 40 odd runs today, didn't try to take charge even once and kept exposing tailenders after Sarfraz got out.
80 runs are valuable in match context, very valuable, but again he folded as soon as Sarfraz went. 4 wickets. He couldn't score during those.
And why did Sarfraz fail?
He did very well under the circumstances - Sarfraz threw his wicket away, Wahab played a retarded stroke and the partnership with Yasir was useful. Wahab and Yasir are capable of scoring a few runs so giving them the strike is not exposing the tail.
Babar and Imran are bunnies anyway and we did lose maybe a few runs due to him getting hit in the knee but I think a hundred was beyond him any way because a partnership couldn't have been formed.
Of course you are free to nitpick to save your thread.
Well, you called it.
Still, he scored 83 valuable runs.
In this situation, he did miss out on a century by running out of partners.
I'm just surprised you liked his finishing when you always rip apart a legend like AB.
80 runs are valuable, no doubt.
And why did Sarfraz fail?
He did very well under the circumstances - Sarfraz threw his wicket away, Wahab played a retarded stroke and the partnership with Yasir was useful. Wahab and Yasir are capable of scoring a few runs so giving them the strike is not exposing the tail.
Babar and Imran are bunnies anyway and we did lose maybe a few runs due to him getting hit in the knee but I think a hundred was beyond him any way because a partnership couldn't have been formed.
Of course you are free to nitpick to save your thread.
Sarfraz is an aggressive and busy player, he lives on the edge and won't take you out of jail everytime he comes to bat. I think under the circumstances he was decent nothing more. Regarding Shafiq, he had a great opportunity to step up and race towards his 100 when he had Sarfraz on the other end, because we knew the field setting would make it more tough for him to score runs once England got to our tail. But instead of showing urgency, he remained in his bubble and let Yasir Shah farm the strike and play aggressively while he watched from the other end until he ran out of partners and perished in pursuit of his 100. He has only himself to blame, no one else, enough with the justifications please.
Not sure why certain PPers get upset so much if someone doesn't worship SA players and what de Villiers have to do here. SA players are loved more on PakPassion than perhaps on a South African forum.
But now that you are on it, the fact that he is not a good finisher is a valid criticism. Similarly, to say that Shafiq struggles with strike rotation is also valid, but you are nitpicking here by refusing to put an ounce of blame on Misbah for falling in the first over and once again showing that he cannot score big and your refusal to criticize Sarfraz for throwing his wicket away.
Finally something you can agree on, it must have been hard, doesn't it?
Had he tried to slog after Sarfraz, he would have been criticized for throwing his wicket away and not looking to add valuable runs with the tail.
Yasir is no bunny and he did well, so I am not sure what your point is. After his departure, he could have hit out but everyone acknowledges the fact that he is not very good when it comes to aggressive batting, but he once again showed by the notion that he scores soft runs and cannot absorb pressure is a myth.
Its his overly defensive approach that's the problem, he came out to bat yesterday and despite batting for two full sessions, he couldn't reach his 100. Atleast Misbah made up for his tuk-tuking by slogging a few at the end but Asad doesn't have any gear besides blocking. What's the point of your stay at the crease underpressure when you can't score runs but instead build more pressure by being ultra defensive?
For someone who likes to call himself an analyst, your ability to analyze and comprehend plain English is pretty poor.
Check post #62, #65 and especially #101 where I've commented on his weaknesses.
If you still don't understand, maybe we can converse in another language? I can't use simpler English than this.
Yes I read your posts, my comprehension ability is working pretty fine thanks, but its just a rare sight you acknowledging his shortcomings, because mostly you're busy in bashing others like Misbah in every thread because of his defensive approach while disregarding your favorite's very same incompetency.
Don't change the channel now. You criticized me for not accepting his shortcomings and said it must be hard for me as if post #207 was the first time I pinpointed his weakness.
If you think I am a Misbah basher than I don't blame you because you are new. You haven't seen the real Misbah bashers; I don't criticize Misbah for his tuk tuk in Tests but his inability to score big.
He is a fine Test batsman but not a great one because of that factor.
Sorry but its pretty obvious from your posts in this thread, the hate and abhorrence you've shown whenever your favorite's performance has been questioned makes one certain that you're bitter towards Misbah. Maybe your insecurity is getting the better of you, you're a smart and reasonable poster, don't let the bias and prejudice cloud your judgement.
Lol predictable pattern in the thread and called it.
It was supposed to be a pressure situation if shafiq had gotten out after a few overs and suddenly since he made a good 80 odd history is being revised.
Since when is 178/4 a pressure situation?
Since when is 178/4 a pressure situation?
Masood is not a regular in the side, he hardly gets picked up for a test or two while Shafiq has been a permanent No. 6 in our side for the last 5 years but still he's incapable of delivering the goods on consistent basis.
Misbah and YK have been consistently scoring, mostly coming in at difficult situations when the top order batsmen have got out cheaply, avoiding an imminent collapse, stabilizing and taking the innings forward. Shafiq has only filled his boots when Top/Middle order scored runs, he usually comes in at a relatively comfortable position but still is unable to score briskly and is usually 14 (48) before he gets out to a cheap shot or edges it behind.
Another poor assessment, he comes in a much easier situation with the ball significantly old and the pitch flattened out in baking hot sun. There is no excuse for him to score at a leisurely and sluggish rate building pressure on himself and the team when there is a more competent batsman in the form of Sarfraz to follow. Besides a few innings where I've seen him coming at a difficult situation, he usually comes to the crease when the tone of the innings has already been set up by those who came before him and therefore he's required step up to the occasion, accelerate and give it a final touch in order to set a target but instead he either chickens out or spends ample amount of time for his odd 50 disintegrating the entire complexion of innings because of his selfish and defensive approach.
Good batsmen adjust themselves to the situation and fulfill the roles thats expected from them. By your logic Sarfraz shouldn't be able to able to score hundreds and be more cautious than Shafiq because he comes at an even more difficult position and bats mostly with our pathetic tail, but that is not the case. We have seen Shafiq often plays second fiddle to Sarfraz when he's on crease taking the attack to opposition, giving him some breathing space while the former continues with his tentative approach block after block after block which doesn't get him anywhere until he loses his wicket in pathetic fashion.
Yes, he is not a superstar and never will be, at best he can be a decent bat but nothing more than that if he continues with his mental approach. No one is claiming incorrect things about him, we have nothing personal against him. Criticism he receives is legit and warranted, only way he can escape our harsh judgment is by changing his style and mental approach that can contribute to our success.
Masood is not a regular in the side, he hardly gets picked up for a test or two while Shafiq has been a permanent No. 6 in our side for the last 5 years but still he's incapable of delivering the goods on consistent basis.
Misbah and YK have been consistently scoring, mostly coming in at difficult situations when the top order batsmen have got out cheaply, avoiding an imminent collapse, stabilizing and taking the innings forward. Shafiq has only filled his boots when Top/Middle order scored runs, he usually comes in at a relatively comfortable position but still is unable to score briskly and is usually 14 (48) before he gets out to a cheap shot or edges it behind.
- See more at: http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/s...ressure-situations/page3#sthash.nHh7zmJ9.dpuf
Another poor assessment, he comes in a much easier situation with the ball significantly old and the pitch flattened out in baking hot sun. There is no excuse for him to score at a leisurely and sluggish rate building pressure on himself and the team when there is a more competent batsman in the form of Sarfraz to follow. Besides a few innings where I've seen him coming at a difficult situation, he usually comes to the crease when the tone of the innings has already been set up by those who came before him and therefore he's required step up to the occasion, accelerate and give it a final touch in order to set a target but instead he either chickens out or spends ample amount of time for his odd 50 disintegrating the entire complexion of innings because of his selfish and defensive approach.
- See more at: http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/s...ressure-situations/page3#sthash.nHh7zmJ9.dpuf
Good batsmen adjust themselves to the situation and fulfill the roles thats expected from them. By your logic Sarfraz shouldn't be able to able to score hundreds and be more cautious than Shafiq because he comes at an even more difficult position and bats mostly with our pathetic tail, but that is not the case. We have seen Shafiq often plays second fiddle to Sarfraz when he's on crease taking the attack to opposition, giving him some breathing space while the former continues with his tentative approach block after block after block which doesn't get him anywhere until he loses his wicket in pathetic fashion.
- See more at: http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/s...ressure-situations/page3#sthash.nHh7zmJ9.dpuf
Yes, he is not a superstar and never will be, at best he can be a decent bat but nothing more than that if he continues with his mental approach. No one is claiming incorrect things about him, we have nothing personal against him. Criticism he receives is legit and warranted, only way he can escape our harsh judgment is by changing his style and mental approach that can contribute to our success.
- See more at: http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/s...ressure-situations/page3#sthash.nHh7zmJ9.dpuf
Oh this is fun.
Usually I find this is the tendency around here: Hyperbole, hyperbole, misinterpretation, grasping at straws, creating unsaid narratives, hyperbole, hyperbole.
Thank you for staying true to form.
You were the one who brought up Masood, I was simply responding to you, and you completely ignored the context of the point and turned it into something completely different, or did you not notice the conversation about Hafeez and Malik?
Furthermore, what is consistency for a test batsmen? He has a 43 CAREER average, which is very solid, a 58 average this year in 7 matches and a 45.66 average in 9 matches last year, he is now pretty much finding consistency and becoming a 50 batsmen consistently. For a solid, very good batsmen, that is what you expect, I honestly don't know what else you want exactly? He isn't a saviour, no one is claiming him to be one, but he is a good batsmen, and has his weaknesses that have been well documented, but he gets a lot of flack for being the 3rd most consistent batsmen on this team (look at the numbers for numbers guys, he is better than Azhar Ali as well and Sarfraz doesn't have large enough sample size to compare to), and has been given a very tough position.
That is simply not true. There is literally no factual basis to this. 251-4 in the last match isn't an easy situation and he scored a century, the century against SL saved the innings and the match. Briskly is a bit irrelevant, the main point is saying he comes in comfortably, which I have discussed a plethora of times, and when he comes in, including his position et cetera, et cetera....
Literally just the last two matches he came into tough positions (okay don't consider England tough, how about SL?). Yes he can't "accelerate" but again, this topic has been discussed numerous times, and his position accounts for a lot of what he has been able to show and [MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION] and I have both gone into great depths to show that there are plenty fallacies regarding what Shafiq is simply due to personal bias'.
And Sarfraz now seems to have run into a little hiccup. Not saying he won't be able to adjust, but bowlers can adjust to Sarfraz and the way he bats can be beat.
Furthermore, how has Asad not adjusted? 35 matches at #6 and averages 46 with 8 centuries and 11 fifties in 54 innings, AND he is now consistently getting fifty almost every other inning and only getting better.
What do you expect from him? Really? The bigger question is, who else could replace him and do better? Is there a better option? No. Is there flaws? Of course. But you are literally having unreal expectations. If Shafiq did what you expect, which is saying "hey do this Shafiq, it's not hard" then he would be a world class test batsmen, which he isn't. We only have (almost finished now) one of those, and oddly enough, that batsmen at the age of about 30 had numbers very similar to the same Shafiq.
It is this lack of perspective and simply saying blanket statements that is bothering me right now.
Decent bat? He is already past decent, and again, look at history, and examples of other players like Shafiq and many became stars.
You have said plenty incorrect things as said previously.
I myself have criticized Shafiq plenty of times, especially in ODIs where I think he will never do well, and still think he has plenty of issues in tests, but despite all those things he is on the whole doing fine.
You keep discussing how I am saying he doesn't warrant criticism, and yet some of the criticisms are just flat out wrong. How am I to take you seriously then?
Oh this is fun.
Usually I find this is the tendency around here: Hyperbole, hyperbole, misinterpretation, grasping at straws, creating unsaid narratives, hyperbole, hyperbole.
Thank you for staying true to form.
You were the one who brought up Masood, I was simply responding to you, and you completely ignored the context of the point and turned it into something completely different, or did you not notice the conversation about Hafeez and Malik?
Furthermore, what is consistency for a test batsmen? He has a 43 CAREER average, which is very solid, a 58 average this year in 7 matches and a 45.66 average in 9 matches last year, he is now pretty much finding consistency and becoming a 50 batsmen consistently. For a solid, very good batsmen, that is what you expect, I honestly don't know what else you want exactly? He isn't a saviour, no one is claiming him to be one, but he is a good batsmen, and has his weaknesses that have been well documented, but he gets a lot of flack for being the 3rd most consistent batsmen on this team (look at the numbers for numbers guys, he is better than Azhar Ali as well and Sarfraz doesn't have large enough sample size to compare to), and has been given a very tough position.
That is simply not true. There is literally no factual basis to this. 251-4 in the last match isn't an easy situation and he scored a century, the century against SL saved the innings and the match. Briskly is a bit irrelevant, the main point is saying he comes in comfortably, which I have discussed a plethora of times, and when he comes in, including his position et cetera, et cetera....
Literally just the last two matches he came into tough positions (okay don't consider England tough, how about SL?). Yes he can't "accelerate" but again, this topic has been discussed numerous times, and his position accounts for a lot of what he has been able to show and [MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION] and I have both gone into great depths to show that there are plenty fallacies regarding what Shafiq is simply due to personal bias'.
And Sarfraz now seems to have run into a little hiccup. Not saying he won't be able to adjust, but bowlers can adjust to Sarfraz and the way he bats can be beat.
Furthermore, how has Asad not adjusted? 35 matches at #6 and averages 46 with 8 centuries and 11 fifties in 54 innings, AND he is now consistently getting fifty almost every other inning and only getting better.
What do you expect from him? Really? The bigger question is, who else could replace him and do better? Is there a better option? No. Is there flaws? Of course. But you are literally having unreal expectations. If Shafiq did what you expect, which is saying "hey do this Shafiq, it's not hard" then he would be a world class test batsmen, which he isn't. We only have (almost finished now) one of those, and oddly enough, that batsmen at the age of about 30 had numbers very similar to the same Shafiq.
It is this lack of perspective and simply saying blanket statements that is bothering me right now.
Decent bat? He is already past decent, and again, look at history, and examples of other players like Shafiq and many became stars.
You have said plenty incorrect things as said previously.
I myself have criticized Shafiq plenty of times, especially in ODIs where I think he will never do well, and still think he has plenty of issues in tests, but despite all those things he is on the whole doing fine.
You keep discussing how I am saying he doesn't warrant criticism, and yet some of the criticisms are just flat out wrong. How am I to take you seriously then?
His contribution at 6 has been valuable for the team. Was an almost last man standing today. But he has weak power hitting skills, which let him down today. Ideally i want a batting all rounder at 6 who has good power hitting skills.
Good innings though.
Exactly, Haris Sohail must be drafted in at number 6 while Shafiq should be moved up the order if they want to persist with him in the side.
Haris' injury has set him back anyway but even when he was playing he had many temperament issues and got bogged down and under pressure too easily for him to be considered ready for Test cricket.
But atleast he'll score runs at a brisk rate at his position and can rotate strike at will which means he can be more productive with the tail. Shafiq is more suitable to #3 or #4 position where he can take the time to settle and build an innings but instead he comes in at #6 and disrupts the whole momentum of the innings plus isn't efficient with the tail either because he has to step out of his comfort zone and change his gear while farming the strike, something he's not equipped to do. You need someone agile and busy at #6 to accompany Sarfraz and the rest of tail to up the ante, Shafiq has done enough at his position to warrant a promotion in the batting order, the sooner management realizes this, the better for Pakistan.
Not Haris Sohail. At 6 we need a batting all rounder. Malik now, Hammad or Yamin or Immad in the future.Exactly, Haris Sohail must be drafted in at number 6 while Shafiq should be moved up the order if they want to persist with him in the side.
His timidness and demeanor is not going to change, because that is how he is and I can understand why it is not everyone's cup of tea, but it does not matter really when you are a very good Test batsman and he is one.
Some players remain timid throughout their careers. Ian Bell is still timid after 116 matches and 23 hundreds.
Not Haris Sohail. At 6 we need a batting all rounder. Malik now, Hammad or Yamin or Immad in the future.
His timidness and demeanor is not going to change, because that is how he is and I can understand why it is not everyone's cup of tea, but it does not matter really when you are a very good Test batsman and he is one.
Some players remain timid throughout their careers. Ian Bell is still timid after 116 matches and 23 hundreds.
Bell at times has played match winning and series saving innings for his side and has played knocks where he has got the world's attention. Shafiq is yet to achieve that, there was a time when there was talk of dropping him at the end of 2013, start of 2014 i.e. January 2014 because of his inconsistency and his habit of scoring one century followed by 6-7 failures.
But he got away with it because Pakistan's next test assignment was in August 2014 after a gap of almost 6 months and all was forgotten.