Did Pakistan miss a trick by not playing a 4th seamer and going for an extra batter?

[Ashmal]

No.

5 pacers are one too many...it will make an already fragile batting even more brittle.

And with 5 pacers Pakistan will always come up short in maintaining the over-rate.

Waseem to play instead of Asif next game....that's the only change

 

[sweep_shot]

I think 1 spinner is necessary to avoid slow over-rate. Also, one spinner is just logical in a LOI game.

 

[TheSultan]

Pakistan need to get braver if they want to get further in the competition.

Open with a pinch hitter and pick 4 seamers even if it’s at the expense of the woeful Asif Ali.

All this same same stuff ain’t gonna cut it.

 

[Savak]

Pakistan need to get braver if they want to get further in the competition.

Open with a pinch hitter and pick 4 seamers even if it’s at the expense of the woeful Asif Ali.

All this same same stuff ain’t gonna cut it.

Hasnain has bowled pretty well for Pakistan with the new ball. If Pakistan has the fastest bunch of pacers in the world then they need to use them in Australia.

Pakistan can only be competitive in this cup if the bowlers attack throughout and pickup wickets. Our batting will not cut it in these conditions

 

[Fenrir]

Hasnain has bowled pretty well for Pakistan with the new ball. If Pakistan has the fastest bunch of pacers in the world then they need to use them in Australia.

Pakistan can only be competitive in this cup if the bowlers attack throughout and pickup wickets. Our batting will not cut it in these conditions

I agree.Pakistan should go with Shaheen,Naseem,Rauf and Hasnain or Wasim.Drop Asif and replace Haider with Fakhar.

 

[Yk313]

For goodness sake, all I want for this management to realize is that Asif Ali gives us nothing on these pitches. Literally Mohammad Abbas would probably score more runs. Mohd Wasim Jr demonstrated batting talent, and to be honest if he can score anything above 5, with the extra bowling option he provides he's worth his weight in gold. Asif is nothing but a fraud, only good for 1-2 lucky hits in the subcontinent and worse than a tailender on these wickets. That fraud of a batsman lost us the match today

Replace Haider for Asif in this and your post works equally well. If anything Asif may be the better fielder (his drop against AUS in CWC19 notwithstanding).

 

[Yk313]

I agree.Pakistan should go with Shaheen,Naseem,Rauf and Hasnain or Wasim.Drop Asif and replace Haider with Fakhar.

100%. The net runs that Jr., N Shah, S Shah and H Rauf give us combined is likely higher than those from Haider and Asif combined (over medium term, given past performances). And strike rate won’t be low either. On top of that Jr. has a good arm in the field. Can also bowl 4 overs. A very potent bowling line up that with batting down to number 11.

 

[Yk313]

No.

5 pacers are one too many...it will make an already fragile batting even more brittle.

And with 5 pacers Pakistan will always come up short in maintaining the over-rate.

Waseem to play instead of Asif next game....that's the only change

Fakhar sits out?

 

[D/DAhmed]

Replace Haider for Asif in this and your post works equally well. If anything Asif may be the better fielder (his drop against AUS in CWC19 notwithstanding).

Haider is a useless tulla but just in terms of the eye test the guy has shots all around the ground. The 1/30 times he clicks on these grounds he'll score quick runs to all types of deliveries. Even yesterday he managed to play a shot to that short ball, it was absolutely rubbish but at least he saw it and was able to put some bat on it. In an ideal world he would be out of the side and in domestics, but when his competition is Asif and Khushdil he's resembles Bradman.

For multiple games now, Asif has looked like a school-level batsman against the shorter delivery. Yesterday he was ducking and evading the 135 kph bouncer from trundler Arshdeep as if it was bowled at 160+ kph. At this point he's been playing deliveries with his head rather than bat, and there's 0 chance of him getting any runs out here, unless he gets 2-3 games against Zimbabwe and Netherlands (even then I'm not confident). God knows how he has a BBL contract, Ponting must be regretting that decision immensely right now

 

[moghul]

Team selection is getting easier with today's performance of Shaan and Iftikhar against India , they have cemented their place in middle order , at least for the time being and Asif is "shouting" to drop him from playing eleven .

With two spinning all rounders, 4 pacers are needed and not an extra batter, as we don't have on inform one . If Fakhar is not fit ( why was he included in 15 ?? ) we can persist with Haider for 1-2 more games .

Here is my 11 against Zim

1-Riz
2-Babar
3-Shaan
4-Haider ( or Fakhar if fit )
5-Iftikhar
6-Nawaz
7-Shadab
8-Husnain ( or Waseem )
9-Rauf
10-Afridi
11-Naseem

In 20 over games team doesn't need too may baters.

 

[Savak]

Fakhar is horrible against the short ball. He will be a sitting duck on Australian wickets. He was also in horrible form a month ago in the Asia Cup where even Sri Lanka troubled him against the short ball. Our people and selectors have short term memories who keep making the mistake of selecting players on the basis of past performances as opposed to recent form and fitness. Taking out of form, short of confidence players on the big stage most of the times backfires.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

Yes, ideally we would have a pace all rounder. However we dont so we need to go one with one more fast bowler. Haider Ali and Asif Ali are useless. You can drop one of them and it really wont impact the batting.

 

[Shaka81]

Asif Ali is a fraud and a myth. This constant talk about his six hitting ability when he was at his peak was hilarious as he did it so rarely but now in his current form any of the bowlers would do a better job than him. We need to drop Asif permanently and bring in another fast bowler. I think most Pakistan fans recognised right away that we were a bowler short today, yet Babar and the coaching staff couldn't see that!

 

[arif_2021]

Asif Ali has had plenty of chances...he should have scored something

He was late on the bouncer.

Time to get Mo Wasim in. Hasnain is a spray gun but I think Wasim has better control and can bat also

 

[Justcrazy]

Pakistan playing too many batsmen for 20 20 , after all it is just 120 balls , you do not need that many batting options. Moreover if required the bowlers shaheen , naseem etc can also hit .

You need to get in fourth fast bowler in these conditions.

 

[Justcrazy]

Asif Ali has had plenty of chances...he should have scored something

He was late on the bouncer.

Time to get Mo Wasim in. Hasnain is a spray gun but I think Wasim has better control and can bat also

Playing asif Ali is useless now , he is a certified failure , not good enough at International arena.

 

[OmaIR1]

Pakistanis need to stop trying to find a reason for the loss.

Hindsight is 20/20, if this turned out to be a spinning track and we put in an extra seamer then there would be a thread about why Pakistan rested Shahdab/Nawaz.

Pakistan played the best team and we just lost a close game.

 

[Bilal7]

Anyone asking to play five pacers needs to settle down. You need your spinners as well.

However, if this defeat helps the think thank realize that we need four pacers + three spin options for the remainder of this world, it may well have been worth it.

One of Mohammad Wasim or Hasnain should definitely be brought in.

 

[dildilpak]

Pakistanis need to stop trying to find a reason for the loss.

Hindsight is 20/20, if this turned out to be a spinning track and we put in an extra seamer then there would be a thread about why Pakistan rested Shahdab/Nawaz.

Pakistan played the best team and we just lost a close game.

Problem is that the match was played under cloudy & windy conditions - yet Pakistan opted for 3+ 2 combination. But tbh, not much they can do. The lack of a fast bowling all-rounder really hits them hard.

 

[proud_pakistani]

Pakistan is one bowling option short in T20s

Watching Pakistan over the last few months, having only 5 bowling options is becoming a problem. If one of our bowlers has a bad day there is no backup. For India Axar Patel had a bad over and he never came back to bowl, Pakistan didnt have that luxury.

India was quite lucky to have Hardik Pandya who is a good fast bowling allrounder. The World Cup being in Australia we should have prepared and groomed a pace bowling all rounder. Either it be Fahim Ashraf, Aamir Yamin or Aamir Jamal. Even having Imad Wasim over Khushdil Shah in the squad would give more balance.

This is very very poor planning overall.

 

[IAJ]

Asif Ali has had plenty of chances...he should have scored something

He was late on the bouncer.

Time to get Mo Wasim in. Hasnain is a spray gun but I think Wasim has better control and can bat also

Wasim has decent yorkers also, bowled them consistently in the Tri-series prior to the WC, but he needs to polish them a bit more, a few of them were low fulltosses, good batsmen can easily flick them or use the scoop/pedal sweep also.

 

[Corridor of Uncertainty]

This is a fair point as far as having a seamer is concerned.

Pakistan do have an extra spin bowling option in Iftikhar.

But no backup seamer. Who could fill that role?

 

[daytrader]

Anyone asking to play five pacers needs to settle down. You need your spinners as well.

However, if this defeat helps the think thank realize that we need four pacers + three spin options for the remainder of this world, it may well have been worth it.

One of Mohammad Wasim or Hasnain should definitely be brought in.

Agreed. Even India has 4 pace options. I think Hasnain should get the nod, his pace will be unplayable by the weaker teams in the group.

 

[proud_pakistani]

This is a fair point as far as having a seamer is concerned.

Pakistan do have an extra spin bowling option in Iftikhar.

But no backup seamer. Who could fill that role?

Iftikhar would never come on and bowl against a big team like India, England or NZ. At the max he might be allowed to bowl against Srilanka. Wont really classify him as a proper bowler yet.

 

[OmaIR1]

Problem is that the match was played under cloudy & windy conditions - yet Pakistan opted for 3+ 2 combination. But tbh, not much they can do. The lack of a fast bowling all-rounder really hits them hard.

Yea, we do need a Hardik Pandya, Abdul Razzaq type player.

 

[Muhammad Saad]

More than anything we lost the match because Babar told our pacers to not get hit for boundaries and keep bowling Slow off cutters in order to contain Hardik and Kohli , if he had allowed the bowlers to go full pace at hard lengths and yorkers and bouncer , we would have surely gotten one of the batters and the rest would have struggle to score at 11 RPO. This defensive mentality can't win you major tournament.

 

[Muhammad Saad]

If you have seen Hardik was struggling against Rauf on Hard length at full pace, and Rohit also departed because of that length and Kohli also wasn't looking good at that length but surely offcutters is the right way to go to win matches right? I blamed Shaheen for keep bowling crap to Kohli and that two bad deliveries by Rauf in the penultimate over out of which one was again a slower offcuter but Kohli belted for 6.

 

[Grunge101]

Yea, we do need a Hardik Pandya, Abdul Razzaq type player.

Well we don't have one and that is the reality. Faheem has been tried and tested before and with his recent domestic stats showing no reason for consideration, the only other option is Aamer Jamal who might need another year to mature into someone who can take up that slot.

In the current scenario the only option is to go with Hasnain and drop Haider or Asif. There is absolutely no point of a specialist batter coming in at number 8 specially considering how long our openers usually take the innings through before the rest come in.

 

[Grunge101]

Asif Ali has had plenty of chances...he should have scored something

He was late on the bouncer.

Time to get Mo Wasim in. Hasnain is a spray gun but I think Wasim has better control and can bat also

Used to be a spray gun. He's improved significantly since his return. His control isn't at the level of a Rauf or Shaheen yet ofcourse but to me he is a better option that Waseem in every way possible except batting skills where Wasim is superior. The biggest factor is also his much higher ceiling than someone like Wasim who will at best be a useful player at times in T20 format and nothing more.

I've posted stats from Hasnain's performances in the main thread before. His opening spell skills have been excellent, it's the death bowling where he struggles (though not any more than Shaheen or Waseem). With Rauf, Naseem and Shaheen already available to bowl the last 4 overs, he won't be needed for that anyway.

He might have a significant with that chest high shirt length that he can bowl at a 150 km/hr. We've seen top batters get out to it in UAE and Pakistan pitches by top edging attempted pull shots because it rushes them. One can only assume it will be deadlier on Australian tracks.

 

[Inswing]

Even SA went with 4 pacers today.

 

[Mirpur express]

If Pak want to progress further in the tournament then M Wasim is a must , we have to play 4 pacers in Australia, Ps the management should be sacked after the tournament even if we end up winning simply because they don’t think outside the box & stick to the same old tactics & lineups .. absolute disgrace

 

[OmaIR1]

Well we don't have one and that is the reality. Faheem has been tried and tested before and with his recent domestic stats showing no reason for consideration, the only other option is Aamer Jamal who might need another year to mature into someone who can take up that slot.

In the current scenario the only option is to go with Hasnain and drop Haider or Asif. There is absolutely no point of a specialist batter coming in at number 8 specially considering how long our openers usually take the innings through before the rest come in.

Not to mention our bowlers (Rauf, Nawaz, Shaheen, etc) can do better power hitting than the likes of Asif Ali, Khushdil, etc.

 

[shamaan]

The 5 man attack is fine no need to change that but I would drop Asif Ali for Fakhar.

 

[jnaveen1980]

You have to look at the ground and go. Back in the mid-2010s, ABDV was complaining about a sluggish MCG pitch that would negate their pace bowling before the world cup. Last year they relaid the pitch and expected to be quicker. Ball was just zipping through.

 

[Zaz]

Yes of course on these pitches having only 5 bowlers of which 2 are spinners arent enough options

All it takes is one bowler to be taken down and then your stuck

Instead of Asif Ali another pacer should play going forward Youve got to have more than bowling options

 

[PerfectionPersonified]

i dont think we missed the trick...we had two walking wickets but that doesnt mean we could have played an extra bowler.

Being in the stadium gives you a complete different prospective.

Was Shaheen 100 %fit ?

Absolutely NOT, not sure if TV picked it up but he was limping few times, he is usually poor in his second spell so tactical error by Babar, he should have let him completed his quota with 4 overs straight or just not played him at all..


Can Nawaz handle the pressure of bowling the last over ??

Again miscalculated or made a tactical error again by captain

Should Chacha have sneaked in an over...?
Absolutely .


Should Asif be picked for next game ?
Absolutely NOT


This leaves us only to play Wasim who isnt worse than Asif when it comes to batting

 

[ethan hunt]

We absolutely must play another pacer at perth. Spinners are getting massacred.
Ahmed jamal would have been a decent pick here too.

 

[asadee]

Wasim Jr is our best yorker bowler atm. He is a must

 

[bones]

We absolutely must play another pacer at perth. Spinners are getting massacred.
Ahmed jamal would have been a decent pick here too.

Came here to say exactly the same thing. We need outright pace and I would prefer hasnain to wasim. I would also drop asif or Haider and ask nawaz to bat higher up the order.

But hasnain with rauf, shaheed and Naseem is a must.

 

[bones]

Wasim Jr is our best yorker bowler atm. He is a must

It might come down to who is in better rhythm in the nets but I just think the pace of hasnain might be a better option.

 

[ethan hunt]

It might come down to who is in better rhythm in the nets but I just think the pace of hasnain might be a better option.

Hasnain if and its a massive if with him, hits the right line and length, he will be unhittable at Perth with his pace and bounce.

 

[ethan hunt]

Also as we saw today, there is no need to overdo the slower ball at perth and MCG.
The slower ball just becomes a military medium pace.

 

[asadee]

If Shaheen is not fully fit we can play Hasnain in his place plus Waseem instead of Asif

 

[Concerned]

Surely you go into a world cup knowing the team combination?

I don’t think Pakistan should play 2 spinners on fast paced pitches but i’m sure the think tank throughly explored this already.

 

[shamaan]

If Pakistan are looking to add another pacer then it should Wasim Jnr over Hasnain.

 

[happydavy]

Pakistan has a very good team, mark my words Pakistan is reaching this World Cup finals and India would be defeated in semis. There's nothing wrong with the bowling line up, it's high quality line up, the only thing pakistan needs to figure out is who to replace for Fakhar. I expect more calm batting from shadaab khan his contribution of 20-25 runs is important.

 

[wrongun]

You have to look at the ground and go. Back in the mid-2010s, ABDV was complaining about a sluggish MCG pitch that would negate their pace bowling before the world cup. Last year they relaid the pitch and expected to be quicker. Ball was just zipping through.

MCG has changed curators since then and done a major overhaul of their drop ins, changed how they store and prepare them and even got new soil/pitches.

I wonder if all T20 wc cup pitches are on the new ones or any old ones still in use?

https://www.news.com.au/sport/crick...m/news-story/b73624e1819352f31f7f1466f657ef74

 

[ex-q-zit]

If you compare both the teams that played on Sunday the diference was quite stark. Both faced the same issues. around the 12th over both the left arm spinners Nawaz and Axar went for 20 runs. India nevr went back to him and Hardik bowled 4 overs. But Babr didn't have the luxary and was compelled to bring Nawaz at the end. Its not that a 4th seamer would have done wonders or changed the result but it would have atleast given Babr an option.

the dilemma that Pak has is that their middle order is low on confidence and replacing a batsman with an allrounder would further weaken the batting. I dont think thats the case with Pakistan. For a team like England which goes bang bang from the start they require the additional cushion. But pakistan has a different appriach. their openers play almost until the 15th over. So having someone like asif ali or muhammad waseem jnr would yield similar results as both can swing the bat wildly with teh latter yeilding better results in the last outing he had.

 

[ethan hunt]

A sackable offence if there ever was one.

Unforgivable blunder to feed 8 overs of spin to Pandya who struggles against any hard length ball.

Going in with just 3 pacers when your opening bowler is not even fit on that MCG track is one of the biggest blunders ive seen. Wasim jr woild have killed the match in the middle overs. Smh

 

[ethan hunt]

This will haunt me forever.
Not playing Wasim jr vs India was a gigantic blunder. Would have coasted to a win.

 

[Muhammad Saad]

Wasim Jnr is our best bowler this world cup so far by a long margin , you can't sit him out.

 

[Savak]

Khusdil, Asif and now Haider Ali have proven to be wasted selections in this WC. Fakhar was not even fit.

Pakistan would have been better off selecting a couple of additional pace bowling all rounders in Ahmed Jamal, Faheem Ashraf and Aamir Yamin

 

[Kianig89]

Muhammad Wasim the Chief Selector is the biggest culprit for this fiasco, he selected unfit and noobs for this WC and this costed us big time.

Fakhar, Shan, Haider, Asif, Khusdil that's 5 out of 15 who are of no use complete waste of space.

HarisSohail, Imad Wasim, AzamKhan, Ahmed Jamal, Haris should have made the first squad

 

[happydavy]

Pakistan has a very good team, mark my words Pakistan is reaching this World Cup finals and India would be defeated in semis. There's nothing wrong with the bowling line up, it's high quality line up, the only thing pakistan needs to figure out is who to replace for Fakhar. I expect more calm batting from shadaab khan his contribution of 20-25 runs is important.

Said it after Pakistan lost to India!