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Congratulations to Pakistan for becoming the first visiting side to whitewash South Africa in ODIs

Which side will win the 3rd ODI between South Africa and Pakistan?

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  • Poll closed .
Mohammad Rizwan in a post match ceremony:

"It's always a proud moment for us when we win because the nation expects such things from us. We are happy. As a team we give our best and the rest is left to Allah who helps us achieve positive results."

"That was the effort of the whole team in the second ODI where everyone performed. It was the perfect example of a team effort where we performed well in every department."

"It is not easy playing away from home and we know South Africa is a really tough opponent but the guys had trust in each other and played the positive cricket which the game demanded. I must say in these 3 ODIs Allah helped us in difficult times to get the positive results."

"(On Saim Ayub) I can't praise him more, he is an exceptional talent, every time he talks to you about the game and gets involved in it. We trust him and believe that he will perform even more for Pakistan."
 
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Naseem Shah has regressed pacewise and swing. He has now dropped from 145-148 km/hr to 135-137 km/hr.
 
A historic win. Although Pakistan had twice won ODI series in RSA previously, 3-0 was unexpected. Saim finally living up to his potential. Fakhar should replace Abdullah in the white ball side.

Bavuma is the weakest link in this South African top order (as in last year's World Cup). A beneficiary of the ridiculous quota system. I have never seen him perform in important games. Captaincy is nothing special either. Because of Bavuma, more talented batsmen like Reeza Hendricks and new find Rickleton have to sit out.

Klaasen batted well in all three games with scores of 86, 97 and 81. Just did not get enough support from the others.
 
Two months ago, I didn’t think Pakistan would beat Australia in Australia and then whitewash South Africa in South Africa, but under Rizwan’s captaincy, Pakistan seemed to have achieved the impossible. Sure, it is still early days and there are far bigger and tougher tests to come for Rizwan as a captain, but I am going to celebrate this series victory. Under the previous captain, we were losing series after series, and as a Pakistan fan, I was becoming more and more disillusioned with the team, but thankfully Rizwan has come in as a captain and he has been a breath of fresh air. Long may that continue!
 
Pakistan achieved a historic series sweep over South Africa, securing a 36-run victory in the third and final ODI of the series at the Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, on Sunday night. The rain-affected 47-over contest saw South Africa, chasing a target of 309, bowled out for 271 in 42 overs.

The victory was highlighted by a stellar performance from Saim Ayub, who struck his second century of the series, and debutant Sufyan Moqim, who impressed with bowling figures of 4-52. Contributions from skipper Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam, who scored half-centuries, further bolstered Pakistan’s efforts. Saim also contributed with the ball, delivering a tidy 10-over spell with figures of 1-34.

In their chase of Pakistan's 308-9, South Africa struggled as wickets fell at regular intervals. Naseem Shah struck early, removing Temba Bavuma in the fourth over. Shaheen Afridi soon followed by dismissing Tony de Zorzi, who scored a brisk 26 off 23 balls, including two fours and two sixes.

Left-arm wrist-spinner Sufyan Moqim made an impact by dismissing Aiden Markram (19 off 27 balls) in the 16th over, leaving South Africa at 80-3. Mohammad Hasnain and Saim Ayub added to the pressure by taking the wickets of Rassie van der Dussen (35 off 52) and David Miller (3 off 6) in the 20th and 21st overs, respectively.

Heinrich Klaasen provided resistance with a blistering 81 off 43 balls, featuring 12 fours and two sixes. He shared a 71-run stand with Marco Jansen (26 off 22) before Shaheen Afridi dismissed him in the 29th over. Sufyan claimed Jansen’s wicket shortly after.

South Africa required 96 runs from the last 15 overs with three wickets remaining. Corbin Bosch fought valiantly with an unbeaten 40 off 44 balls, including five boundaries, but ran out of partners as South Africa fell 36 runs short with 30 balls remaining. Alongside Sufyan’s four wickets, Naseem and Shaheen took two wickets each, while Hasnain and Saim claimed one apiece.

Earlier, after being sent in to bat, Pakistan faced an early setback as Abdullah Shafique was dismissed for a golden duck in the opening over. Babar Azam (52 off 71) and Saim Ayub steadied the innings with a 114-run partnership over 22.1 overs. Babar reached his 34th ODI half-century before being dismissed by Kwena Maphaka.

Saim, who hammered 13 fours and two sixes in his 94-ball 101, partnered with Rizwan (53 off 52) for a 93-run stand off just 75 balls. Saim achieved his third ODI century in just nine innings during the 34th over.

Pakistan added 85 runs in the last nine overs, thanks to Salman Ali Agha’s explosive 48 off 33 balls, which included three fours and two sixes. Tayyab Tahir also contributed 28 off 24, sharing a 74-run sixth-wicket stand with Salman to propel Pakistan to a competitive total.

For South Africa, Kagiso Rabada took three wickets, while Bjorn Fortuin and Marco Jansen claimed two each.
 
Mohammad Rizwan in a post match press conference:

"When we talk about new players, Pakistan has a lot of potential. There are many performers who have been consistently excelling in domestic cricket for quite some time. As you know, our domestic cricket is very competitive so if players can perform well there, they can perform anywhere at the international level. However, it’s important to evaluate which players can be utilized in specific conditions. Sometimes, certain conditions don’t suit some players and as a captain it’s your responsibility to figure out how and where such players can be best utilized."

"In our recent series wins seniors played a crucial role alongside the youngsters as they performed well and together we are achieving good results. Player form can fluctuate at times but that doesn’t mean a player is not good. Both our youngsters and seniors are performing well and because of that we are seeing positive outcomes."

"When you talk about experienced players like Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, and Shaheen Afridi, they’ve already played a lot of cricket around the world and know how to handle pressure situations. As seniors they share their knowledge with youngsters and as a captain I keep discussing match strategies with them. For juniors, I try to utilize them based on their capabilities and strengths. This combination of junior and senior players is working well for us."

"In my opinion, Heinrich Klaasen is currently the world’s best middle-order batter. Regarding today’s game, the pitch improved slightly in the second innings. When Babar and Saim were batting the wicket was a bit tricky so they took their time to settle in before scoring. In the second innings, the ball came onto the bat nicely. However, despite Klaasen’s impressive batting our bowlers remained on the attack. We also had the DLS par score in mind due to the rain forecast and there was a message that South Africa might try to achieve that par score so we planned and executed our strategies and Shaheen’s breakthrough turned the game in our favor."

"ODIs and T20s are different formats because T20 cricket allows limited time but right now our focus is on ODIs. In T20s, we often rest senior players and experiment with combinations. However while experimenting compromises are sometimes necessary. In ODIs our team is gelling well at the moment. We focus on what the game demands and work even harder to achieve positive results leaving the rest to Allah."

"Every player is playing with a positive mindset. Even though the ball was seaming tonight but Saim and Babar played their shots confidently. We are committed to playing positive cricket and with Allah’s help we achieved a positive result tonight. I’m sure our nation is very proud of us."
 
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Congratulations to all the fans who deserve to see some success after all the misery. South Africa is a great place to win. Saim Ayub was undoubtedly the star of this series. I’m also pleasantly surprised to see him bowl also. Very rare to see batters bowling nowadays. If he can chip in a few overs he becomes very valuable.

With two series wins away in two of the toughest tours, Pakistan has made itself a genuine contender in next year’s Champions trophy which they will be hosting.
 
Mamoon said:
Credit goes to Rizwan for persisting with Sufyan but credit also goes to Sufyan for showing stout character and not letting the flurry of boundaries and long hops deter his confidence. This is something that Shadab and Usama lacked.

As a wrist spinner, you are always at risk of going for plenty but you will also always be likely to pick up wickets, so your head should always be in the game.
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Absolutely! Rizwan is a smart captain. Bringing in Sufiyan to clean up the tail was a bold and calculated risk.
 
Sohaib Maqsood, while talking on his YouTube channel:

"Honestly, if you asked me before the series whether I expected Pakistan to win 3-0, I was thinking that Pakistan would give South Africa strong competition and Pakistan might even win it, but winning 3-0 was surprising."

"If you look at the Johannesburg pitch, it’s one of the fastest pitches with the most bounce. In South Africa, I have never seen a ball spin so much. But today Pakistan won by 36 runs."

"Abdullah Shafique is one of the biggest concerns right now for Pakistan. Three ducks in this series. I think he is a very talented player, but when you force someone to play in a certain format, their performance in other formats also gets affected. I am sure there are better options than Abdullah Shafique at the moment. Imam-ul-Haq can be tried, Fakhar Zaman has to come back."

"I’ve rarely seen this kind of unity in the team. They communicate about the bowler, pitch conditions, and what to do next. If we look at the team management’s thinking, they are preparing the same top six batters for the Champions Trophy. The seventh position is a big question."

"We always say there should be an all-rounder at number seven, but Pakistan's tail is very long. If we add an all-rounder, the batting might get shorter."
 
FearlessRoar said:
Sohaib Maqsood, while talking on his YouTube channel:

"Honestly, if you asked me before the series whether I expected Pakistan to win 3-0, I was thinking that Pakistan would give South Africa strong competition and Pakistan might even win it, but winning 3-0 was surprising."

"If you look at the Johannesburg pitch, it’s one of the fastest pitches with the most bounce. In South Africa, I have never seen a ball spin so much. But today Pakistan won by 36 runs."

"Abdullah Shafique is one of the biggest concerns right now for Pakistan. Three ducks in this series. I think he is a very talented player, but when you force someone to play in a certain format, their performance in other formats also gets affected. I am sure there are better options than Abdullah Shafique at the moment. Imam-ul-Haq can be tried, Fakhar Zaman has to come back."

"I’ve rarely seen this kind of unity in the team. They communicate about the bowler, pitch conditions, and what to do next. If we look at the team management’s thinking, they are preparing the same top six batters for the Champions Trophy. The seventh position is a big question."

"We always say there should be an all-rounder at number seven, but Pakistan's tail is very long. If we add an all-rounder, the batting might get shorter."
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ABD is a quality player who got a good nut in the 2nd ODI and could of left the other two but that can happen sometimes early in the innings.

Shows how well the rest of the players played that we could afford 3 ducks from our opener and be the first team to ever whitewash S A in an ODI series on their home turf.
 
Solid all round display and overall good captaincy by Riz as expected.

Should of bowled Saim in the 2nd ODI as well.

ABD is a quality player but had a rough series with 3 ducks.

Got a good ball from jansen is the 2nd ODI but should of left the other two.

Took a great catch in the outfield to dismiss fortuin at a cruicial time in the game.

Saim is a 3 format player, Sufiyaan and Irfan khan are going to be key players in the future.

Hasnain bowling with pace was good to see after his injury but he and Naseem need to bowl more yorkers at the death to take their game to the next level.

Tayyab and Usman should be replaced by Abdul Samad and Jahandad who are far better options that can go down the Saim route.

Riz showing why having a captain that knows how to set fields and use bowlers is priceless as it wins you the toughest series abroad.
 
Ah was wondering why Saim and Jaiswal thread were being bumped.

Congratulations, can’t wait for ICC CT now that home team is no more underdogs!
 
Shoaib Akhtar 100 MPH said:
Solid all round display and overall good captaincy by Riz as expected.

Should of bowled Saim in the 2nd ODI as well.

ABD is a quality player but had a rough series with 3 ducks.

Got a good ball from jansen is the 2nd ODI but should of left the other two.

Took a great catch in the outfield to dismiss fortuin at a cruicial time in the game.

Saim is a 3 format player, Sufiyaan and Irfan khan are going to be key players in the future.

Hasnain bowling with pace was good to see after his injury but he and Naseem need to bowl more yorkers at the death to take their game to the next level.

Tayyab and Usman should be replaced by Abdul Samad and Jahandad who are far better options that can go down the Saim route.

Riz showing why having a captain that knows how to set fields and use bowlers is priceless as it wins you the toughest series abroad.
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What do Jahandad and Abdul Samad have in common with Saim Ayub?
Saim Ayub is a stroke player with 360 degree range and positive intent. He’s a proper batter not a “powerhitter”, whatever that means.
Of the players you mentioned in that statement, he’s closest to Tayyab in that TT and Saim are proper batters who can represent Pak in all 3 formats.
 
Farabi said:
What do Jahandad and Abdul Samad have in common with Saim Ayub?
Saim Ayub is a stroke player with 360 degree range and positive intent. He’s a proper batter not a “powerhitter”, whatever that means.
Of the players you mentioned in that statement, he’s closest to Tayyab in that TT and Saim are proper batters who can represent Pak in all 3 formats.
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Tayyab Tahir can play all formats?
 
Farabi said:
What do Jahandad and Abdul Samad have in common with Saim Ayub?
Saim Ayub is a stroke player with 360 degree range and positive intent. He’s a proper batter not a “powerhitter”, whatever that means.
Of the players you mentioned in that statement, he’s closest to Tayyab in that TT and Saim are proper batters who can represent Pak in all 3 formats.
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The reason I mentioned Abdul Samad and Jahandad as going down the Saim route is due to their ability and what they bring to the table.

Not because their batting styles matches Saim.

That should be obvious.

With regards to Tayab he is definitely not a 3 format player, has a poor technique , cant construct an innings and hasnt got the rangge of shots.

Saim is levels ahead and that was before his Aus form and Twin SA 💯.

Fakhar & Saim opening is the way forward.
 
Shoaib Akhtar 100 MPH said:
The reason I mentioned Abdul Samad and Jahandad as going down the Saim route is due to their ability and what they bring to the table.

Not because their batting styles matches Saim.

That should be obvious.

With regards to Tayab he is definitely not a 3 format player, has a poor technique , cant construct an innings and hasnt got the rangge of shots.

Saim is levels ahead and that was before his Aus form and Twin SA 💯.

Fakhar & Saim opening is the way forward.
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Got it!

I was saying both are specialist batters. I wasn’t saying that Tayyab Tahir and Saim Ayub are on the same level of talent. Saim is clearly an elite talent, while Tayyab is more of an ordinary one.

That said, Tayyab is a prolific accumulator in domestic cricket, and for me, the best measure of technique is runs—lots and lots of them. I don’t care how a player "looks." As Miandad once said, “Whether you hold the bat facing forward or backward, what matters are the runs.”

The rest is just fluff, as we’re now seeing with ABD, who "looks" like he has great technique but doesn’t actually have one. The other extreme being somebody like Steve S, who is the most consistent test batter since Bradman with what looks like a tailender technique.
 
khyberlion said:
Tayyab Tahir can play all formats?
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I didn’t say he should play for Pakistan in all formats. I said he can as has the game for it, but there are better options.
He’s one of the top 5-10 run accumulators in Pakistan in the last 5 years.
 
Farabi said:
I didn’t say he should play for Pakistan in all formats. I said he can as has the game for it, but there are better options.
He’s one of the top 5-10 run accumulators in Pakistan in the last 5 years.
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No he can't at best he can play odis batting at 4 in SC. his technique is poor to be a test batsmen. His game against pace is also useless. He was missing short and wide deliveries yesterday because he can't play pace.

In t20s he shouldn't be even in the reserve as he's not a hitter. He's a very poor batsmen in general.
 
Farabi said:
Got it!

I was saying both are specialist batters. I wasn’t saying that Tayyab Tahir and Saim Ayub are on the same level of talent. Saim is clearly an elite talent, while Tayyab is more of an ordinary one.

That said, Tayyab is a prolific accumulator in domestic cricket, and for me, the best measure of technique is runs—lots and lots of them. I don’t care how a player "looks." As Miandad once said, “Whether you hold the bat facing forward or backward, what matters are the runs.”

The rest is just fluff, as we’re now seeing with ABD, who "looks" like he has great technique but doesn’t actually have one. The other extreme being somebody like Steve S, who is the most consistent test batter since Bradman with what looks like a tailender technique.
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Bro perhaps you didn't mean to say Tayab is a 3 format player but this is your quote.

Of the players you mentioned in that statement, he’s closest to Tayyab in that TT and Saim are proper batters who can represent Pak in all 3 formats.

When I say technique I mean he comes across as a hack who looks to hit tennis shots every ball or dab and run on the offside with no plan or understanding of his game and identifying where the gaps are and what shots to execute against a particular bowler.

I would be more than happy to be proved wrong by him in the future but right now no and the same goes for Usman.

scoring runs at domestic level doesn't guarantee your good enough for international cricket.

Ramps was a prolific batter on the county circuit but not international class but trescothick on the other hand had a modest domestic record but was a class player at international level.

ABD is a class act and he has a proven track record at international level.

Getting a few ducks doesn't define his career.

In the 2nd ODI he got a good nut from jansen.
 
Shoaib Akhtar 100 MPH said:
Bro perhaps you didn't mean to say Tayab is a 3 format player but this is your quote.

Of the players you mentioned in that statement, he’s closest to Tayyab in that TT and Saim are proper batters who can represent Pak in all 3 formats.

When I say technique I mean he comes across as a hack who looks to hit tennis shots every ball or dab and run on the offside with no plan or understanding of his game and identifying where the gaps are and what shots to execute against a particular bowler.

I would be more than happy to be proved wrong by him in the future but right now no and the same goes for Usman.

scoring runs at domestic level doesn't guarantee your good enough for international cricket.

Ramps was a prolific batter on the county circuit but not international class but trescothick on the other hand had a modest domestic record but was a class player at international level.

ABD is a class act and he has a proven track record at international level.

Getting a few ducks doesn't define his career.

In the 2nd ODI he got a good nut from jansen.
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Agreed. I too will be happy to be proven wrong but he's not a good batsmen. I have watched cricket long enough and played at a very good level to know the chances of him succeeding are very low. My friend played against him a few years ago and Tayyab was struggling against him and he never made it to county level.
 
khyberlion said:
Agreed. I too will be happy to be proven wrong but he's not a good batsmen. I have watched cricket long enough and played at a very good level to know the chances of him succeeding are very low. My friend played against him a few years ago and Tayyab was struggling against him and he never made it to county level.
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Some of us who have a deep understanding of the game can spot certain characteristics in players.
 
Shoaib Akhtar 100 MPH said:
Bro perhaps you didn't mean to say Tayab is a 3 format player but this is your quote.

Of the players you mentioned in that statement, he’s closest to Tayyab in that TT and Saim are proper batters who can represent Pak in all 3 formats.

When I say technique I mean he comes across as a hack who looks to hit tennis shots every ball or dab and run on the offside with no plan or understanding of his game and identifying where the gaps are and what shots to execute against a particular bowler.

I would be more than happy to be proved wrong by him in the future but right now no and the same goes for Usman.

scoring runs at domestic level doesn't guarantee your good enough for international cricket.

Ramps was a prolific batter on the county circuit but not international class but trescothick on the other hand had a modest domestic record but was a class player at international level.

ABD is a class act and he has a proven track record at international level.

Getting a few ducks doesn't define his career.

In the 2nd ODI he got a good nut from jansen.
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Here are some key observations:

1. “Scoring runs at the domestic level doesn’t guarantee success internationally.”This statement is one of the most misunderstood ideas in Pakistani cricket. Nothing in life is guaranteed. The discussion isn’t about guarantees but about what provides the most reliable signal for identifying talent—and that is performance in domestic cricket. It’s objective and the best evidence we have.

2. Pakistani List A and first-class cricket are still competitive levels. If it were as easy as some make it sound, every player would average 47, have seven List A centuries, and a century in an Emerging Cup final. Clearly, that’s not the case.

3. ABD might be a class act "to the eyes," but I don’t care for subjective opinions. I value runs—plenty of them—because they’re the ultimate proof of a player’s class and technique. A list A average of 35 and strike rate of 83 by ABD in the “lowly” level according to you and @khyberlion! Shouldn’t he be killing it in List A if it’s so easy.
 
Farabi said:
Here are some key observations:

1. “Scoring runs at the domestic level doesn’t guarantee success internationally.”This statement is one of the most misunderstood ideas in Pakistani cricket. Nothing in life is guaranteed. The discussion isn’t about guarantees but about what provides the most reliable signal for identifying talent—and that is performance in domestic cricket. It’s objective and the best evidence we have.

2. Pakistani List A and first-class cricket are still competitive levels. If it were as easy as some make it sound, every player would average 47, have seven List A centuries, and a century in an Emerging Cup final. Clearly, that’s not the case.

3. ABD might be a class act "to the eyes," but I don’t care for subjective opinions. I value runs—plenty of them—because they’re the ultimate proof of a player’s class and technique. A list A average of 35 and strike rate of 83 by ABD in the “lowly” level according to you and @khyberlion! Shouldn’t he be killing it in List A if it’s so easy.
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Abdullah is a mental midget but ability wise he's light years ahead of Tayyab and that is coming from someone who doesn't rate abdullah highly. As poor as abdullah has been, whatever he's achieved so far is already far more than what Tayyab tahir will achieve. Abdullah at the same age as Tayyab was playing international cricket while Tayyab Tahir wasn't being picked in domestics. You talk about performance? Why is Tayyab tahir an all format player with an FC average of 30 odd? Look I get you are all about performance but for some players you have to look beyond that. I would pick someone like Saim Ayub with an average of 20 in domestic over the likes of Tayyab tahir with 50+ in domestics as there is a gulf of difference in ability and talent.

We had the same debate about Farhan who I said he not good enough. It didn't take long for Pakistan to discard him. The same will be the case the with Tayyab tahir and Usman, regardless how much they score at domestic level. The bottom line is their basics are quite poor and they won't work at international level, which has been quite evident already with these guys. Did you see Tayyab tahir bat yesterday? If so you would know he poor he was against pace.

People keep bringing that 100 in emerging cup from Tayyab. What they don't bring is that most of his runs were scored against spinners who were mainly a bunch of u21 kids. Abdullah has a WC ton something which is far bigger than anything Tayyab has achieved so far.
 
khyberlion said:
Abdullah is a mental midget but ability wise he's light years ahead of Tayyab and that is coming from someone who doesn't rate abdullah highly. As poor as abdullah has been, whatever he's achieved so far is already far more than what Tayyab tahir will achieve. Abdullah at the same age as Tayyab was playing international cricket while Tayyab Tahir wasn't being picked in domestics. You talk about performance? Why is Tayyab tahir an all format player with an FC average of 30 odd? Look I get you are all about performance but for some players you have to look beyond that. I would pick someone like Saim Ayub with an average of 20 in domestic over the likes of Tayyab tahir with 50+ in domestics as there is a gulf of difference in ability and talent.

We had the same debate about Farhan who I said he not good enough. It didn't take long for Pakistan to discard him. The same will be the case the with Tayyab tahir and Usman, regardless how much they score at domestic level. The bottom line is their basics are quite poor and they won't work at international level, which has been quite evident already with these guys. Did you see Tayyab tahir bat yesterday? If so you would know he poor he was against pace.

People keep bringing that 100 in emerging cup from Tayyab. What they don't bring is that most of his runs were scored against spinners who were mainly a bunch of u21 kids. Abdullah has a WC ton something which is far bigger than anything Tayyab has achieved so far.
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1. Saying “Abdullah is light years ahead of Tayyab” is your subjective opinion based on what you perceive. Similarly, I could claim “Akif Javed the bowler has the best batting technique.” How would you disprove me? Opinions don’t matter; what counts is output—runs. Show me the runs, and I’ll agree. It’s irrelevant to compare a newcomer with those who already had chances. Tayyab cannot score a WC century from his home.

2. Tayyab’s First-Class average is undeniably underwhelming, and I agree that he hasn’t done enough to justify selection as a Test cricketer.

3. S. Farhan was thrown into international cricket in Australia in the wrong format. His strongest suit is Test cricket, but he was discarded too soon without a proper run. In Pakistan’s cricket history, players who “look good” often get multiple chances, while those who don’t are cast aside after just 2–3 opportunities. This reflects the flawed approach that has led to many failures.

4. I watched Tayyab Tahir bat yesterday, and he played well in that innings. He deserves more opportunities to prove himself.

5. Saim Ayub and Omair Bin Yousuf also played in the Emerging Cup, but why didn’t they score centuries? Tayyab Tahir averages 47 with a strike rate of 110 in the same tournament, while Saim Ayub averaged 32 with a strike rate of 84 against U21 players. If the bowlers were as easy as you put it, why didn’t the rest dominate? The numbers speak for themselves—stop embarrassing yourself.
 
Farabi said:
1. Saying “Abdullah is light years ahead of Tayyab” is your subjective opinion based on what you perceive. Similarly, I could claim “Akif Javed the bowler has the best batting technique.” How would you disprove me? Opinions don’t matter; what counts is output—runs. Show me the runs, and I’ll agree. It’s irrelevant to compare a newcomer with those who already had chances. Tayyab cannot score a WC century from his home.

2. Tayyab’s First-Class average is undeniably underwhelming, and I agree that he hasn’t done enough to justify selection as a Test cricketer.

3. S. Farhan was thrown into international cricket in Australia in the wrong format. His strongest suit is Test cricket, but he was discarded too soon without a proper run. In Pakistan’s cricket history, players who “look good” often get multiple chances, while those who don’t are cast aside after just 2–3 opportunities. This reflects the flawed approach that has led to many failures.

4. I watched Tayyab Tahir bat yesterday, and he played well in that innings. He deserves more opportunities to prove himself.

5. Saim Ayub and Omair Bin Yousuf also played in the Emerging Cup, but why didn’t they score centuries? Tayyab Tahir averages 47 with a strike rate of 110 in the same tournament, while Saim Ayub averaged 32 with a strike rate of 84 against U21 players. If the bowlers were as easy as you put it, why didn’t the rest dominate? The numbers speak for themselves—stop embarrassing yourself.
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I can say the same thing players can't score centuries while sitting at home during the emerging cup. I could also say Saim scored centuries against SA while Tayyab tahir manager 28. It doesn't work like that. Just because you perform once doesn't mean you are good or better than others. With due respect you just go based on runs which I am absolutely fine with as long as the player is decent too.

Farhan just wasn't given the Australian series. He made his debut in Zimbabwe if not mistaken where he was poor. The given a go in UAE again he was poor. So don't use Australian series as an excuse because after the Australian series he also flopped against Zimbabwe.

Let's forget the eye tests or the runs. Could you even tell us what impresses you about Tayyab Tahir's batting. Please don't say something basic like temperament etc.
 
the way abdullah failed in the serie should be the last nail in coffin for him. He is not class act, he is just stylish and he wants to look like a kitabi player which is not enough if you are getting ducks every game and getting out in the same manner.

He needs to go back to the domestic to work on his shortcomings. Saim has been a revelation. The way he has improved his game is brilliant. His pair with Fakhar will do good for the team. ABdullah needs to be sent packing. ENgough of his class and style.
 
khyberlion said:
I can say the same thing players can't score centuries while sitting at home during the emerging cup. I could also say Saim scored centuries against SA while Tayyab tahir manager 28. It doesn't work like that. Just because you perform once doesn't mean you are good or better than others. With due respect you just go based on runs which I am absolutely fine with as long as the player is decent too.

Farhan just wasn't given the Australian series. He made his debut in Zimbabwe if not mistaken where he was poor. The given a go in UAE again he was poor. So don't use Australian series as an excuse because after the Australian series he also flopped against Zimbabwe.

Let's forget the eye tests or the runs. Could you even tell us what impresses you about Tayyab Tahir's batting. Please don't say something basic like temperament etc.
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I was referring to overall performance in the Emerging Cup, where both Saim Ayub and Tayyab Tahir played in the top order with equal opportunities. However, Tayyab Tahir had a far more prolific tournament.

If he handles pace effectively and dominates spinners, what’s wrong with that? It’s a legitimate strategy—one that has worked for many successful players. In fact, our team lacks players who can consistently take on spinners.

S. Farhan deserves a proper chance in Test cricket.

My criteria for evaluating players is simple: consistent runs. Tayyab Tahir’s record in List A cricket speaks for itself, with an impressive average and strike rate. Consistently scoring runs proves a player has the required temperament and technique. The rest is just noise or opinion.
 
BouncerGuy said:
the way abdullah failed in the serie should be the last nail in coffin for him. He is not class act, he is just stylish and he wants to look like a kitabi player which is not enough if you are getting ducks every game and getting out in the same manner.

He needs to go back to the domestic to work on his shortcomings. Saim has been a revelation. The way he has improved his game is brilliant. His pair with Fakhar will do good for the team. ABdullah needs to be sent packing. ENgough of his class and style.
Click to expand...
Exactly! Enough of this obsession with “class,” “style,” and “textbook” technique that doesn’t deliver runs on 300+ pitches.

What we need is simple: runs. Runs. Runs. Tons of them. And then some more. That’s the only proof of a player’s technique and temperament.
 
Farabi said:
Exactly! Enough of this obsession with “class,” “style,” and “textbook” technique that doesn’t deliver runs on 300+ pitches.

What we need is simple: runs. Runs. Runs. Tons of them. And then some more. That’s the only proof of a player’s technique and temperament.
Click to expand...
The only guy capable to replace him atm is Imam actually. Scoring runs in Champions t20 cup as well and at good rate.. Laos fakhar should be given priority over anyone else.

Saim and fakhar combo will be deadly.
 
not many people believed that Pakistan will be able to win the series but they not only won but whitewashed a good side at their own backyard.

Congrats and well done for the whole team.
 
BouncerGuy said:
The only guy capable to replace him atm is Imam actually. Scoring runs in Champions t20 cup as well and at good rate.. Laos fakhar should be given priority over anyone else.

Saim and fakhar combo will be deadly.
Click to expand...

Imam was dropped because he had failed for quite some time.

Last 20 ODIS, average of 32 and strike rate of 79.

Not sure a low grade T20 tournament should be used to suggest he's ready to play international ODI cricket.

However, it's impossible to be worse than Abdullah so it's worth a shot.
 
BouncerGuy said:
That is the only thing that made me say that. How worse can you be than what Abdullah is atm?
Click to expand...

They should try Fakhar and Imam as openers in the tri series and rest Saim because he's also playing Tests against Windies.

Whoever performs better between Fakhar and Imam should be Saim's partner in CT.
 
Nikhil_cric said:
They should try Fakhar and Imam as openers in the tri series and rest Saim because he's also playing Tests against Windies.

Whoever performs better between Fakhar and Imam should be Saim's partner in CT.
Click to expand...
I would not rest saim. Why?

because he needs more exposure to the ODI format. Imam and fakhar both should come in as openers as we need replacements as well and drop Abdullah
 
Congratulations Pakistan

Guys, try to be happy and pleased with good things in life and celebrate victories.

There is plenty of bad news to go around with Pakistan Cricket, your Team whitewashed another team in their own backyard, it's a good thing to be happy about.
 
Pakistan Cricket and Cricket in general needed this. Many congratulations to Pakistani posters. 🥂
 
LordJames said:
Congratulations Pakistan

Guys, try to be happy and pleased with good things in life and celebrate victories.

There is plenty of bad news to go around with Pakistan Cricket, your Team whitewashed another team in their own backyard, it's a good thing to be happy about.
Click to expand...
most of us are happy,
 
Farabi said:
I was referring to overall performance in the Emerging Cup, where both Saim Ayub and Tayyab Tahir played in the top order with equal opportunities. However, Tayyab Tahir had a far more prolific tournament.

If he handles pace effectively and dominates spinners, what’s wrong with that? It’s a legitimate strategy—one that has worked for many successful players. In fact, our team lacks players who can consistently take on spinners.

S. Farhan deserves a proper chance in Test cricket.

My criteria for evaluating players is simple: consistent runs. Tayyab Tahir’s record in List A cricket speaks for itself, with an impressive average and strike rate. Consistently scoring runs proves a player has the required temperament and technique. The rest is just noise or opinion.
Click to expand...
You didn't answer the question which was what is impressive about Tayyab's batting. Or what impresses you with his batting.
 
Farabi said:
Here are some key observations:

1. “Scoring runs at the domestic level doesn’t guarantee success internationally.”This statement is one of the most misunderstood ideas in Pakistani cricket. Nothing in life is guaranteed. The discussion isn’t about guarantees but about what provides the most reliable signal for identifying talent—and that is performance in domestic cricket. It’s objective and the best evidence we have.

2. Pakistani List A and first-class cricket are still competitive levels. If it were as easy as some make it sound, every player would average 47, have seven List A centuries, and a century in an Emerging Cup final. Clearly, that’s not the case.

3. ABD might be a class act "to the eyes," but I don’t care for subjective opinions. I value runs—plenty of them—because they’re the ultimate proof of a player’s class and technique. A list A average of 35 and strike rate of 83 by ABD in the “lowly” level according to you and @khyberlion! Shouldn’t he be killing it in List A if it’s so easy.
Click to expand...
LETS TRY KEY FACTS and not subjective opinions.

ABD has a Test double and 5 hundreds in a 22 Test career to date.

I didn't say every player has to have a great batting style in order to be selected.

The meaning of technique is not just limited to playing in the V with a straight bat.

Its head positioning playing the ball under your eyes , feet positioning being in line with the ball.

Tayyab s competition in the Pakistan side is for a batting slot at 6 or 7 not opening.

I couldn't care less if someone averages a million in domestic cricket and the end of the day its about having the ability to win games for Pakistan

You have come across as someone with a tendency to make things up.

Where have I said domestic cricket is low level???.
 
The Bald Eagle said:
Unbelievable, that Pakistan is the first side to achieve this feat. Kudos to team 👏
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So many haters wrote them off and predicted Pak would get whitewashed. Hats off to Pak team and the captain for this incredible achievement. People were predicting 450 for SA lol and SA scored not much more than 500 in 3 matches LOL.
 
khyberlion said:
You didn't answer the question which was what is impressive about Tayyab's batting. Or what impresses you with his batting.
Click to expand...
You misunderstood my answer/intent. I have no personal liking/disliking for Tayyab or Abdullah Shafique:

What appears “impressive” is irrelevant because there’s no reliable way to judge talent through eye tests or performances in just one or two debut games. Every player has unique strengths and weaknesses, and success at the international level doesn’t require excelling against pace from the outset.

The real proof of a player’s technique and temperament lies in the runs they’ve accumulated in domestic cricket, like List A. Now, they need a bit of luck, support, and self-confidence to replicate that success internationally. Give him a consistent run of 20 games, and if they he doesn’t perform well, repeat the process with the next player.
 
Shoaib Akhtar 100 MPH said:
LETS TRY KEY FACTS and not subjective opinions.

ABD has a Test double and 5 hundreds in a 22 Test career to date.

I didn't say every player has to have a great batting style in order to be selected.

The meaning of technique is not just limited to playing in the V with a straight bat.

Its head positioning playing the ball under your eyes , feet positioning being in line with the ball.

Tayyab s competition in the Pakistan side is for a batting slot at 6 or 7 not opening.

I couldn't care less if someone averages a million in domestic cricket and the end of the day its about having the ability to win games for Pakistan

You have come across as someone with a tendency to make things up.

Where have I said domestic cricket is low level???.
Click to expand...
I like ABD and respect his technique for surviving as a Test opener for as long as he has. However, ABD is a punter’s dream, someone who looks good on the eye, and therefore gets more opportunities than another deserving youngster who piles on the runs but doesn’t “look good” on the eye.

His technique is actually worse than it appears. The numbers in List A runs don’t lie. While I’m not a batting coach, even I can see flaws: his bat comes from the slips, creating a gap between the bat and pad, his head positioning is off, and he doesn’t play under the eye line or late enough. He also struggles with short balls, which has been exploited, and his game against spin is far from convincing.

You haven’t directly dismissed domestic cricket as low-level, but your comment implied it. You’re saying TT can’t even take a single, yet the guy has 7 centuries and a 47 List A average. So, your comment essentially suggests that domestic numbers are misleading, right?
 
Farabi said:
You misunderstood my answer/intent. I have no personal liking/disliking for Tayyab or Abdullah Shafique:

What appears “impressive” is irrelevant because there’s no reliable way to judge talent through eye tests or performances in just one or two debut games. Every player has unique strengths and weaknesses, and success at the international level doesn’t require excelling against pace from the outset.

The real proof of a player’s technique and temperament lies in the runs they’ve accumulated in domestic cricket, like List A. Now, they need a bit of luck, support, and self-confidence to replicate that success internationally. Give him a consistent run of 20 games, and if they he doesn’t perform well, repeat the process with the next player.
Click to expand...
So tell us his strengths. You keep avoiding answering a basic question regarding Tayyab. What makes you think he will succeed at international level, other than his average in list A? What are his strengths and weaknesses. You advocated for him to be an all format player like Saim but can't answer basic questions.
 
khyberlion said:
So tell us his strengths. You keep avoiding answering a basic question regarding Tayyab. What makes you think he will succeed at international level, other than his average in list A? What are his strengths and weaknesses. You advocated for him to be an all format player like Saim but can't answer basic questions.
Click to expand...

I’ve already answered the question, but you seem to have missed the point.

What looks impressive in the first 2-3 games is irrelevant. Actual performance matters, and that can’t be reliably predicted through subjective assessments. I can make subjective assessments too but I don’t care to. I can share subjective assessments on ABD because there is enough data on him by now.

The outcomes are simple:
1. He gets enough chances but fails — then we can analyze what led to the failure.
2. He doesn’t get enough chances — then there isn’t sufficient data to judge.
 
Farabi said:
I’ve already answered the question, but you seem to have missed the point.

What looks impressive in the first 2-3 games is irrelevant. Actual performance matters, and that can’t be reliably predicted through subjective assessments. I can make subjective assessments too but I don’t care to. I can share subjective assessments on ABD because there is enough data on him by now.

The outcomes are simple:
1. He gets enough chances but fails — then we can analyze what led to the failure.
2. He doesn’t get enough chances — then there isn’t sufficient data to judge.
Click to expand...
No haven't answered my question. I will leave it at that.
 
Farabi said:
It’s so far from the reality you’re living that it’s not within grasp.
Click to expand...
You can't answer a simple question which you have shown in this conversation. I wanted the reality of how good Tayyab is who you think is the second all format player after Saim. I can't grasp something like that other than being told about his list A record.
 
khyberlion said:
You can't answer a simple question which you have shown in this conversation. I wanted the reality of how good Tayyab is who you think is the second all format player after Saim. I can't grasp something like that other than being told about his list A record.
Click to expand...
I understand. In a country where almost everyone is driven by personal liking/disliking rather than data-driven, objective processes, this might not be the response you were hoping for. Unfortunately, in my world, why I may like Tayyab Tahir is just as irrelevant as why you may dislike him, because it’s just liking/disliking..so I don’t feel the need to opine it.
 
Farabi said:
I understand. In a country where almost everyone is driven by personal liking/disliking rather than data-driven, objective processes, this might not be the response you were hoping for. Unfortunately, in my world, why I may like Tayyab Tahir is just as irrelevant as why you may dislike him, because it’s just liking/disliking..so I don’t feel the need to opine it.
Click to expand...
You don't have an answer when pressed with technical side of batting as to why he's is a good batsmen and can play 3 formats for Pakistan. Hence you have resorted to likes or dislikes and refusal to answer.

The bottom line is you can't justify why someone like Tayyab can play 3 formats for Pakistan while making his debut at around 30 year old. Even Babar who's one of the best batsmen we have reduced in recent times is not an all format batsmen, yet somehow Tayyab who couldn't even get into domestics till his mid to late 20s is a 3 format player, while I am being accused of liking and disliking.

Cricket just doesn't work on looking at scorebook and stats, which is pretty much your premise of Tayyab. It doesn't work that way. Yes performance is important, but you also need to see the capabilities of a player outside scorebook and stats.
 
khyberlion said:
Cricket just doesn't work on looking at scorebook and stats, which is pretty much your premise of Tayyab. It doesn't work that way. Yes performance is important, but you also need to see the capabilities of a player outside scorebook and stats.
Click to expand...

What can we say about Abdullah Shafique then??? What about Usman khan???

These 2 guys should not be in ODI + tests and t20 squads respectively. I am not supporting Tayyab and IMO he is not an all-format player. By the looks of how he started, I think he did a fairly OK job in both T20s and ODis.
 
khyberlion said:
You don't have an answer when pressed with technical side of batting as to why he's is a good batsmen and can play 3 formats for Pakistan. Hence you have resorted to likes or dislikes and refusal to answer.

The bottom line is you can't justify why someone like Tayyab can play 3 formats for Pakistan while making his debut at around 30 year old. Even Babar who's one of the best batsmen we have reduced in recent times is not an all format batsmen, yet somehow Tayyab who couldn't even get into domestics till his mid to late 20s is a 3 format player, while I am being accused of liking and disliking.

Cricket just doesn't work on looking at scorebook and stats, which is pretty much your premise of Tayyab. It doesn't work that way. Yes performance is important, but you also need to see the capabilities of a player outside scorebook and stats.
Click to expand...
1. You’re fixating too much on the all-format comment. I’ve already clarified that he shouldn’t be in the Test side. In T20s, there’s no harm in trying Tayyab Tahir, especially given our lack of middle-order options and his match up to hit spin well—our biggest weakness in the middle overs in T20s. That said, ODIs appear to be his strongest format.

2. Judging technique based on appearances has misled even the greatest coaches and players. In Pakistan, this has often been weaponized, resulting in wasted talent due to subjective biases and personal preferences. I just don’t want to venture there. List A average of 47 is compelling enough and I’d like to see him play 20 ODI games before I will make another comment.
 
BouncerGuy said:
What can we say about Abdullah Shafique then??? What about Usman khan???

These 2 guys should not be in ODI + tests and t20 squads respectively. I am not supporting Tayyab and IMO he is not an all-format player. By the looks of how he started, I think he did a fairly OK job in both T20s and ODis.
Click to expand...
What can we say about Abdullah Shafique? Let’s just say his technique is beautiful to the eyes like Hafeez one said and let’s play him based on that. They all complain about personal liking/disliking until it’s their own liking/disliking.

“Mohammad Hafeez:
"I have never seen a stylish batter with such a beautiful technique like Abdullah Shafique in my career. He can make the records for Pakistan in the future,"

As for Usman Khan, it’s too early. He needs to play a few more List A seasons so we have more data on him.

As backup to Fakhar I think Shan Masood is the best option for ODIs. Nearly 20 list A centuries, a 50+ average, and has enhanced his strike rate in recent years as well. He already has the international experience so it will be an easier adjustment for him so close to the ICC tournament. The other option is to open with Saud Shakeel. Recently opened well in PSL, and plays 1 down, so it’s not a big adjustment.
 
Farabi said:
What can we say about Abdullah Shafique? Let’s just say his technique is beautiful to the eyes like Hafeez one said and let’s play him based on that. They all complain about personal liking/disliking until it’s their own liking/disliking.

“Mohammad Hafeez:
"I have never seen a stylish batter with such a beautiful technique like Abdullah Shafique in my career. He can make the records for Pakistan in the future,"

As for Usman Khan, it’s too early. He needs to play a few more List A seasons so we have more data on him.

As backup to Fakhar I think Shan Masood is the best option for ODIs. Nearly 20 list A centuries, a 50+ average, and has enhanced his strike rate in recent years as well. He already has the international experience so it will be an easier adjustment for him so close to the ICC tournament. The other option is to open with Saud Shakeel. Recently opened well in PSL, and plays 1 down, so it’s not a big adjustment.
Click to expand...
We don't need beutiful technique if you are scoring 3 ducks in a row and have been a walking wicket for a long time now. Technique is over-rated. What matters the most is scoring runs for the team and Abdullah lacks that ability now
 
Congratulations to Pakistan national cricket team and PCB for the success! They are favourites for the Champions Trophy and can go all the way this time around.
 
BouncerGuy said:
LOL... Abdullah has become a joke of a batter himself nowadays. Not sure why no one is talking about him that much.
Click to expand...
Because his technique looks pretty, which seems to matter more than proven domestic performance in Pakistan. People will go to great lengths to dismiss domestic achievements, crafting arguments to defend their personal preferences.

Hafeez and Misbah often criticize the system for favoritism and neglecting domestic performers, yet both supported Abdullah’s inclusion despite his limited domestic experience, overlooking more seasoned players. Now where are they? Who will answer?
 
BouncerGuy said:
What can we say about Abdullah Shafique then??? What about Usman khan???

These 2 guys should not be in ODI + tests and t20 squads respectively. I am not supporting Tayyab and IMO he is not an all-format player. By the looks of how he started, I think he did a fairly OK job in both T20s and ODis.
Click to expand...
Abdullah has a few technical flaws and is a mental midget. On top he can't rotate strike against pace. He shouldn't be in the team. The less said about Usman the better.
 
khyberlion said:
Abdullah has a few technical flaws and is a mental midget. On top he can't rotate strike against pace. He shouldn't be in the team. The less said about Usman the better.
Click to expand...
I hope he is rested for the whole series so he knows that he is not untouchable and stylish shots are not enough.
 
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