Domestic cricket season 2019/20 | Team Balochistan | Discussion Thread

[Markhor]

It is heartening to see Balochistan get proper representation in the First Class setup. However due to
decades of neglect and lack of investment in their cricketing infrastructure, there is a lack of local talent in their squad compared to other regions. Hence, the PCB have propped up their squad with many non-Balochi cricketers.

Hopefully a greater representation of Balochi cricketers will be achieved in the future.

Strengths: If Babar Azam is Pakistan’s best batsman, then Balochistan captain Haris Sohail has the strongest case as the second best batsman. An elegant left hander assured against pace and spin, Sohail will join Imam-ul-Haq and Imran Farhat, fresh from last season’s QEA Trophy success with HBL, in the top order.

Yasir Shah and Mohammed Asghar should make for a potent spin combination.

Weaknesses: It’s difficult to see Balochistan compete without the centrally contracted players.

Players to watch: Part of HBL’s winning team in last season’s QEA Trophy, Amad Butt will look to throw himself in contention for Pakistan who are searching for a quality seam bowling allrounder. Mohammed Asghar will also be eyeing a place in Pakistan’s Test team which needs competition to Yasir Shah.

First XI - Imran Farhat (vice-captain) (Lahore), Abu Bakar (Faisalabad), Ali Shafiq (Sialkot), Ammad Butt (Sialkot), Asif Zakir (Karachi), Azeem Ghumman (Hyderabad), Bismillah Khan (wicketkeeper) (Quetta), Hussain Talat (Lahore), Imran Butt (Lahore), Khurram Shehzad (Faisalabad), Mohammad Asghar (Quetta), Shahbaz Khan (Quetta), Shahzaib Ahmed Khan (Karachi), Taimur Khan (Quetta), Taj Wali (Peshawar) and Umar Gul (Abbottabad).

Second XI - Akbar-ur-Rehman (captain) (Karachi), Akhtar Shah (Quetta), Atif Jabbar (Sialkot), Awais Zia (Rawalpindi), Dawood Khan (Quetta), Fahad Iqbal (Karachi), Gohar Faiz (Quetta), Gulraiz Sadaf (wicketkeeper) (Multan), Haseeb Azam (Rawalpindi), Jalat Khan (Quetta), Mohammad Junaid (Quetta), Nazar Hussain (Quetta), Rameez Raja (Quetta), Shehzad Tareen (Quetta), Taimur Ali (Quetta) and Usama Razzaq (Quetta).

White ball specialists - Akif Javed (Kohat), Ibtisam Sheikh (Hyderabad) and Mohammad Talha (Faisalabad).

PCB central contract players – Haris Sohail (captain) (Sialkot), Imam-ul-Haq (Lahore) and Yasir Shah (Swabi).

 

[shah_1]

Too many pensioners in the squad

1. Imran Farhat-37 year old
2. Asif Zakir-38 year old
3. Khumram Shehzad 38 year old
4. Azeem Ghumman-30 year old
5. Bismillah Khan-29 year old
6. Shahbaz Khan-28 year old with a FC average of 18
7. Umar Gul -35 year old
8. Akbar-ur-Rehman-35 year old
9. Awais Zia- 33 year old
10. Fahad Iqbal-33 year old
11. Gohar Faiz-32 year old, played first class two years in Sri Lanka
12. Gulraiz Sadaf-30 year old
13. Haseeb Azam-32 year old
14. Jalat Khan-33 year old
15. Nazar Hussain-31 year old
16. Rameez Raja-30 year old
17. Shahzad Tareen-30 year old
18. Taimur Ali-28 year old with a first class average of 26

Pathetic squad

Only Hussain Talat and Imran Butt are the batsmen of having any chance of playing for Pakistan. [MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION] was right.

 

[Khan12]

Too many pensioners in the squad

1. Imran Farhat-37 year old
2. Asif Zakir-38 year old
3. Khumram Shehzad 38 year old
4. Azeem Ghumman-30 year old
5. Bismillah Khan-29 year old
6. Shahbaz Khan-28 year old with a FC average of 18
7. Umar Gul -35 year old
8. Akbar-ur-Rehman-35 year old
9. Awais Zia- 33 year old
10. Fahad Iqbal-33 year old
11. Gohar Faiz-32 year old, played first class two years in Sri Lanka
12. Gulraiz Sadaf-30 year old
13. Haseeb Azam-32 year old
14. Jalat Khan-33 year old
15. Nazar Hussain-31 year old
16. Rameez Raja-30 year old
17. Shahzad Tareen-30 year old
18. Taimur Ali-28 year old with a first class average of 26

Pathetic squad

Only Hussain Talat and Imran Butt are the batsmen of having any chance of playing for Pakistan. [MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION] was right.

Didn't Rashid latif select them?

 

[trickyone]

Too many pensioners in the squad

1. Imran Farhat-37 year old
2. Asif Zakir-38 year old
3. Khumram Shehzad 38 year old
4. Azeem Ghumman-30 year old
5. Bismillah Khan-29 year old
6. Shahbaz Khan-28 year old with a FC average of 18
7. Umar Gul -35 year old
8. Akbar-ur-Rehman-35 year old
9. Awais Zia- 33 year old
10. Fahad Iqbal-33 year old
11. Gohar Faiz-32 year old, played first class two years in Sri Lanka
12. Gulraiz Sadaf-30 year old
13. Haseeb Azam-32 year old
14. Jalat Khan-33 year old
15. Nazar Hussain-31 year old
16. Rameez Raja-30 year old
17. Shahzad Tareen-30 year old
18. Taimur Ali-28 year old with a first class average of 26

Pathetic squad

Only Hussain Talat and Imran Butt are the batsmen of having any chance of playing for Pakistan. [MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION] was right.

Give them a chance and everyone can see their talent on TV... They won't have any excuse when they will be dumped for good.

 

[shah_1]

Didn't Rashid latif select them?

So? He has selected a rubbish squad

Khuram Shehzad is a Misbah pick. He is 38 year old, plays for Faislabad and SNGPL, he averaged 25 last season with a career average of 30.

 

[shah_1]

Give them a chance and everyone can see their talent on TV... They won't have any excuse when they will be dumped for good.

Not every match is going to be telecasted

 

[Finisher]

So? He has selected a rubbish squad

Khuram Shehzad is a Misbah pick. He is 38 year old, plays for Faislabad and SNGPL, he averaged 25 last season with a career average of 30.

Could be Khurram Shehzad the bowler

 

[silent ischemia]

Where is DMJ's Usama Baloch

 

[shah_1]

Could be Khurram Shehzad the bowler

He is not from Faisalabad

http://www.espncricinfo.com/pakistan/content/player/41242.html

Faisalabad player

 

[Khan12]

So? He has selected a rubbish squad

Khuram Shehzad is a Misbah pick. He is 38 year old, plays for Faislabad and SNGPL, he averaged 25 last season with a career average of 30.

Oh yes. How can i forget khurram shehzad, misbah selected this rubbish every time he got a chance.

 

[Abdullah719]

Where is DMJ's Usama Baloch

Usama Razzaq, 2nd XI.

 

[Markhor]

Too many pensioners in the squad

1. Imran Farhat-37 year old
2. Asif Zakir-38 year old
3. Khumram Shehzad 38 year old
4. Azeem Ghumman-30 year old
5. Bismillah Khan-29 year old
6. Shahbaz Khan-28 year old with a FC average of 18
7. Umar Gul -35 year old
8. Akbar-ur-Rehman-35 year old
9. Awais Zia- 33 year old
10. Fahad Iqbal-33 year old
11. Gohar Faiz-32 year old, played first class two years in Sri Lanka
12. Gulraiz Sadaf-30 year old
13. Haseeb Azam-32 year old
14. Jalat Khan-33 year old
15. Nazar Hussain-31 year old
16. Rameez Raja-30 year old
17. Shahzad Tareen-30 year old
18. Taimur Ali-28 year old with a first class average of 26

Pathetic squad

Only Hussain Talat and Imran Butt are the batsmen of having any chance of playing for Pakistan. [MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION] was right.

The Second XI looks woeful but the First XI, with the centrally contracted players, could win the odd game.

However I guess the main thing is Balochistan have proper FC representation now and hopefully the local talent will come through over time.

 

[Titan24]

Obviously not as strong as the other teams but Amad Butt, Ali Shafiq, Hussain Talat and Imran Butt along with the batting and captaincy (He understands the game of cricket well) of Haris Sohail will be interesting to watch.

 

[Titan24]

Also Mohammad Junaid (17 years old left arm orthodox spinner) playing in 2nd team is a good young talent. Though not sure why we hasnt been playing with the U19 squad.

 

[The Viper]

The team will get battered once the central contracted players leave.

But it will be interesting to see if Haris can lead from the front in the game he plays.

 

[Abdullah719]

Balochistan, ready to make big impression

Lahore, 12 September 2019: Balochistan will begin their 2019-20 campaign with their match-up against Sindh on 14 September at the UBL Sports Complex in Karachi.

The side is being led by Test batsman Haris Sohail, who averages above 50 in first-class cricket. The left-handed middle-order batsman struck two centuries in five Tests against Australia and New Zealand towards the backend of 2018.

Imran Farhat, who led Habib Bank Limited to the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy title in the last season, will be Haris’ deputy. The left-handed batsman, who has taken up the responsibilities of a middle-order batsman, was the second highest run-getter last year with 744 runs in 11 matches.

Balochistan will also have the option of utilising the experience of Test opener Imam-ul-Haq, when the left-hander opening-batsman is not on the national duty.

Bismillah Khan, the Quetta-born, will take the gloves, which presents him an opportunity to lay claim to a spot in the player draft for the next year’s HBL Pakistan Super League. The 29-year-old had donned Quetta Gladiators colours in the opening edition in 2016. The other local players in the First XI are right-handed batsman Taimur Khan, left-handed batsman Shahbaz Khan and slow left-arm orthodox Mohammad Asghar.

Twenty-two-year-old Hussain Talat and Ammad Butt will be the two young all-rounders who will provide the desired balance to both departments.

Balochistan also have left-armer Taj Wali in their ranks, Taj’s name always makes it to the top of the list of the most penetrative bowlers at the first-class level. The presence of Test bowler Umar Gul is bound to benefit Balochistan as the 35-year-old will provide the desired grooming to the youngsters in the side.

What further adds depth to Balochistan’s line-up is the presence of Yasir Shah – arguably the best leg-spinner across the globe in red ball cricket. The team is bound to start as favourites whenever he is not at the national duty.

The upcoming cricketing season will not only bring in the representation of Balochistan in red-ball cricket, but will also take the game to the province with Quetta hosting first-class cricket after a drought of 11 years.

Balochistan will host Southern Punjab at the picturesque Bugti Stadium, the first of the four matches of the season at the venue, in the second round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.

The Balochistan Cricket Association currently has 44 per cent local representation in their 32-player squad, which the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) expects to increase in the coming seasons with regular cricketing activities in the region.

Captain Haris Sohail’s squad assessment:

“I am very excited to be leading Balochistan in what will be a competitive domestic season. What adds to the thrill is that we will see top first-class cricketers compete in the tournament.

“Balochistan is quite a balanced side. We have bowlers in Taj Wali, Umar Gul and Yasir Shah who have proved their mettle. In our batting department, the presence of Imran Farhat provides the necessary depth. Hussain Talat and Ammad Butt will provide balance to the side with their all-round abilities. So, I am quite satisfied with the line-up.

“We have local players in the side who the seniors will look to groom by sharing their experiences as domestic tournaments provide us the opportunities to help the up-and-coming cricketers understand the game better.”

Balochistan Second XI:

The Balochistan Cricket Association’s Second XI team will be led by all-rounder Akbar-ur-Rehman, who has 95 first-class matches under his belt.

The team possesses exciting young talent in Usama Razzaq, who is the third highest run-getter in the U16 three-day cricket in the last four seasons, and Akhtar Shah, the product of the PCB’s U16 talent hunt programme who is now part of the national U19 side.

Gulraiz Sadaf, the Lahore Qalandars player, will be taking up the wicketkeeping responsibilities.

Thirty-three-year-olds slow left-arm Jalat Khan and right-handed batsman Fahad Iqbal add to the experience.

Balochistan take on Sindh in their opening match of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Second XI tournament on 14 September at NBP Stadium in Karachi.

https://www.pcb.com.pk/press-release-detail/balochistan-ready-to-make-big-impression.html

 

[mak36]

Likely XI:

1. Imam ul Haq
2. Imran Farhat
3. Haris Sohail (c)
4. Asif Zakir
5. Hussain Talat
6. Bismillah Khan (wk)
7. Amad Butt
8. Umar Gul
9. Yasir Shah
10. M Asghar
11. Taj Wali


12. Shahzaib Ahmed Khan
13. Usama Razzaq
14. Imran Butt
15. Akhtar Shah
16. Atif Jabbar


Comments:

• Lack of batting depth, but good bowling options
• Good chance for Talat and Butt to step up
• Shahzaib is an excellent legspinner
• Unknown quantity in terms of local players
• Shahzaib is a like for like replacement for Yasir, and Imran Butt will come in for Imam, but absence of Haris will definitely be felt.

 

[mak36]

He is not from Faisalabad

http://www.espncricinfo.com/pakistan/content/player/41242.html

Faisalabad player

Oh yes. How can i forget khurram shehzad, misbah selected this rubbish every time he got a chance.

As per the training videos, it's the bowler ("Dale Steyn action")

 

[Arham_PakFan]

As per the training videos, it's the bowler ("Dale Steyn action")

Yes it's the bowler.

He was pretty rapid, faster than the other bowlers.

 

[MenInG]

Good performers after 1st round :

Imam-ul-Haq 152
Yasir Shah 3/127

 

[Abdullah719]

1st XI for National T20 Cup

Haris Sohail (c)
Imran Farhat (vc)
Akif Javed
Ali Shafiq
Amad Butt
Awais Zia
Bismillah Khan
Hussain Talat
Imam-ul-Haq
Imran Butt
Mohammad Asghar
Mohammad Talha
Shahbaz Khan
Taimur Khan
Umar Gul
Yasir Shah


2nd XI for National T20 Cup

Akbar-ur-Rehman (c)
Jalat Khan (vc)
Abubakar Khan
Asif Zakir
Atif Jabbar
Azeem Ghumman
Dawood Khan
Fahad Iqbal
Gulraiz Sadaf
Ibtisam Sheikh
Khurram Shehzad
Nayyer Abbas
Nazar Hussain
Taimoor Ali
Taj Wali
Usama Razzaq