Can Faheem Ashraf be Pakistan's #6 batsman?

[cricketerB94]

From what I have seen of Faheem Ashraf in his innings against Sri Lanka, he looks like a proper bat while middling the ball and he had no problems facing any bowler. The plus point of Faheem Ashraf is that he is a decent hitter and he can hit pacers as well as spinners.

His Competitors are Amir Yamin and Malik. But according to my observation, Yamin and Malik posses more hitting ability against spinners as compared to pacers. One have to be good enough against pacers as well at that number and at the deep end of the innings. We have actually good hitters of spinners in our line up. Even Imad hits well against spin. But we have serious lack of hitting ability against pace in our line up down the order. We can not depend on Sarfraz and Imad to hit pacers continuously as we all know that their strength is spin. And as a result, pressure gets them and they lose their wicket.

If we include Faheem as our no.6 and look at our line up then we can see a very dynamic line up in coming days.

Fakhar
Sharjeel, Farhan
Babar
Haris
Sarfraz
Faheem
Imad
Shadab
Amir
Hasan
Junaid

In recent times, we were depending most of the times on our openers to give us a brisk start and then we built on that start to get to that 300 mark. But if we have partnership makers in middle order and dynamic lower middle order and a capable tail then we have a real chance of putting 350 on board continuously.

What do you guys think about this?

 

[Arsalan Pro]

I agree that Fahim looks like a proper batsman and can play up the order, but this can be only implemented after 2019 cricket World Cup when both Shoaib Malik and Mohammed Hafeez hang there boots from the game. Until then, we should stick with playing Fahim in overseas conditions with one of Imad/Shadab and both Imad and Shadab in Asian conditions.

 

[Seamer]

I would play him at 7, but I know it'll never happen because for this to happen we have to say goodbye to Hafeez. I would want the loi batting lineup to look like this:

1. Azhar Ali
2. Fakhar Zaman
3. Babar Azam
4. Haris Sohail
5. Malik
6. Sarfaraz
7. Fahim Ashraf
8. Shadab Khan
9. Amir
10. Hassan Ali
11. Junaid Khan

 

[Hamza_]

I agree that Fahim looks like a proper batsman and can play up the order, but this can be only implemented after 2019 cricket World Cup when both Shoaib Malik and Mohammed Hafeez hang there boots from the game. Until then, we should stick with playing Fahim in overseas conditions with one of Imad/Shadab and both Imad and Shadab in Asian conditions.

Fahim is needed as power hitter. Our lower middle order will be too one dimensional without him, He must play at #7-#8

 

[Im Suds]

I would play him at 7, but I know it'll never happen because for this to happen we have to say goodbye to Hafeez. I would want the loi batting lineup to look like this:

1. Azhar Ali
2. Fakhar Zaman
3. Babar Azam
4. Haris Sohail
5. Malik
6. Sarfaraz
7. Fahim Ashraf
8. Shadab Khan
9. Amir
10. Hassan Ali
11. Junaid Khan

I agree Imad is not good enough to be a number 6.
I would replace S Malik with Umar Akmal [Malik s been a great cricketer but we need to build team that's fit for world cup

 

[Im Suds]

1. Azhar Ali
2. Fakhar Zaman
3. Sharjeel/Babar Azam
4. Umar Akmal/Babar Azam
5. Haris Sohail
6. Sarfaraz
7. Fahim Ashraf
8. Shadab Khan
9. Amir
10. Hassan Ali
11. Junaid Khan

balance between wicket taking bowlers and aggressive batsmen

 

[PakLFC]

Try him before the WC to see how he performs. Could be our trump card in 2019, how good is Shadab Khan with the bat?

 

[pakistanigoneaussie]

let him be a number 7 first, id rather give Talat a go at 6

 

[Billy1999]

1. Azhar Ali
2. Fakhar Zaman
3. Sharjeel/Babar Azam
4. Umar Akmal/Babar Azam
5. Haris Sohail
6. Sarfaraz
7. Fahim Ashraf
8. Shadab Khan
9. Amir
10. Hassan Ali
11. Junaid Khan

balance between wicket taking bowlers and aggressive batsmen

Your team is the 75/5 one

 

[Slog]

He looked decent with the bat but he has an atrocious domestic record as a batsman so Im not super hopeful

 

[Markhor]

If we're playing in UAE/Asia, and I assume our pace attack will consist of Amir, Ali and Junaid, then is there any need for a fourth pacer ?

He's not good enough to be a third pacer in internationals yet, still needs to work on his action although his pace seems fine despite people writing him off as a trundler before the CT.

If we're outside Asia, then he's more likely to play.

 

[Es83268n]

You can take Imad out for ODIs and play rumman raees instead. With Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam and sharjeel you have enough fire power where required and a healthy innings provided by Babar. We need to revert back to our Pace heritage by using Junaid, Hasan, Amir and Rumman Raees. Shadab is enough a spinner we need along with Fakhar as specialist.

 

[Syed1]

He looked decent with the bat but he has an atrocious domestic record as a batsman so Im not super hopeful

His average is 15 and he scored 15. It all makes sense.

 

[Saj]

Early days yet.

That innings against Bangladesh was superb but I think we need to see more of his batting.

 

[Hasan123]

People are going OTT with his batting. He hasn't scored anything significant in a proper international game. He deserves a chance but there's no need to put him under unnecessary expectations.

I would try him at 7 or 8.

 

[Justcrazy]

He should be number 7 . 6 is too high for him right now.

 

[ads101]

guys hoping to break into the top 6 should be averaging 50 in domestic ideally. Not 15.

7th is the highest that he should be batting. Ideally he would be and 8 who in this day and age also needs to bat, but not sure he's better than the other pacers, and I'd rather have Amir as a no.8 even though while his batting is not a tailenders, probably a bit below what you expect these days fro no.8.

With Imad's position looking shaky and with the emergence of Shadab coming in as our main spinner, the no.7 spot well could open up for Fahim, especially since a part timer pace option would be perhaps more valuable with Hafeez, Malik and now Zaman all being able to bowl spin already.

 

[ExpressPacer]

Don't have much faith from a guy who has a domestic average of 15 but one things for sure, he does have hitting ability, maybe not as good as some of the best players in the world, but better than the ones we have. I think he should try to develop himself into a bowler who can slog a few sizes down the order. I like his bowling. Good pace and a bit of seam.

 

[khurram39]

I think you had a good combination.
Agreed.

I would play him at 7, but I know it'll never happen because for this to happen we have to say goodbye to Hafeez. I would want the loi batting lineup to look like this:

1. Azhar Ali
2. Fakhar Zaman
3. Babar Azam
4. Haris Sohail
5. Malik
6. Sarfaraz
7. Fahim Ashraf
8. Shadab Khan
9. Amir
10. Hassan Ali
11. Junaid Khan