End of the line for Mohammad Amir and Shoaib Malik?

[MenInG]

From PCB release:

“Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Amir are not part of the white-ball matches as for this tour we have opted to invest, develop and focus on the promising and emerging players who are likely to be available to Pakistan for all formats.

==

So not included for a high profile tour of New Zealand.

Seems selectors showing their lack of trust in both players.

Is this a temporary phase or something permanent?

 

[Hasan123]

Looks like the end for Amir but would not rule Malik out as the nest World T20 is India.

 

[Mir jibran]

Looks like the end for Amir but would not rule Malik out as the nest World T20 is India.

Khushdil and haider have to keep performing consistently otherwise one of them ll be compromised

 

[MenInG]

From PCB release:

“Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Amir are not part of the white-ball matches as for this tour we have opted to invest, develop and focus on the promising and emerging players who are likely to be available to Pakistan for all formats.

 

[moghul]

Does not make any sense to drop Amir, there must be some personal grudge against him from Misbah.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

People might disagree with me here but I don't think this is right. Amir is Pakistan's highest ranked bowler in ODIs, Malik is still a good performer in T20Is, and we need them both for the T20 World Cup. PCB has an axe to grind with Amir when they should just move on. Because if it really is about players who are available for all formats than Hafeez and Wahab wouldn't be there either.

Investing in talent is a positive thing but you can't rush so many new faces into the side just like that. A number of these guys have done well in domestic cricket but are not ready for international cricket. Misbah did the same thing in Australia and we got a mauling for the ages.

 

[ElRaja]

Does not make any sense to drop Amir, there must be some personal grudge against him from Misbah.

makes perfect sense, theyve stated it in the press release. they want to discourage players from format picking, which i agree with.

was a big amir fan back in the day but for all his protestation of not being able to handle test cricket i dont see how he couldn't have played 3 or 4 tests a year. he was outbowled by musa, tanvir and rauf for northern, it was obvious he was still holding back.

peak amir is a world class white ball player, but he doesnt want to play for pak anymore. this sets an excellent precedent imo for players thinking of doing something similar in their peak years.

 

[moghul]

makes perfect sense, theyve stated it in the press release. they want to discourage players from format picking, which i agree with.

was a big amir fan back in the day but for all his protestation of not being able to handle test cricket i dont see how he couldn't have played 3 or 4 tests a year. he was outbowled by musa, tanvir and rauf for northern, it was obvious he was still holding back.

peak amir is a world class white ball player, but he doesnt want to play for pak anymore. this sets an excellent precedent imo for players thinking of doing something similar in their peak years.

What else he said when you spoke to him ?

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

A number of these selections are highly questionable: Hussain Talat, Mohammad Musa, Sohail Khan, Imran Butt, Faheem Ashraf, Rohail Nazir. These players are either not ready for international cricket or simply not good enough. I'm all for grooming talent but not at the expense of losses.

 

[Ertugrul_Bey]

Sohail Khan who is hardly fit for any format is picked over Amir? Amir is match winner and with up coming T20 WC in India, you can’t just ignore the guy.

 

[ElRaja]

People might disagree with me here but I don't think this is right. Amir is Pakistan's highest ranked bowler in ODIs, Malik is still a good performer in T20Is, and we need them both for the T20 World Cup. PCB has an axe to grind with Amir when they should just move on. Because if it really is about players who are available for all formats than Hafeez and Wahab wouldn't be there either.

Investing in talent is a positive thing but you can't rush so many new faces into the side just like that. A number of these guys have done well in domestic cricket but are not ready for international cricket. Misbah did the same thing in Australia and we got a mauling for the ages.

wahab is 35 (pbly 37 or 38 irl) and hafeez is 40, its perfectly natural for players to format pick at that age. amir was at most 29 or 30 so they aren't comparable imo.

 

[Zaz]

People might disagree with me here but I don't think this is right. Amir is Pakistan's highest ranked bowler in ODIs, Malik is still a good performer in T20Is, and we need them both for the T20 World Cup. PCB has an axe to grind with Amir when they should just move on. Because if it really is about players who are available for all formats than Hafeez and Wahab wouldn't be there either.

Investing in talent is a positive thing but you can't rush so many new faces into the side just like that. A number of these guys have done well in domestic cricket but are not ready for international cricket. Misbah did the same thing in Australia and we got a mauling for the ages.

Its the right call I know the t20 world cup is in india but we need to start looking and investing for the future

Maliks has had 20 years and we know what hes about Hes avge to mediocre most of the time and t20 bilaterals should be used as a launching pad for discovering all format cricketers
You cant have both malik and hafeez both 40yr olds in the t20 lineup No other team would.N you cant pick both n bench them Its better one is picked and hafeez is better against pace than malik

Amir case is different Hes retired form tests but his t20 stats are mediocre Hes good at containment but has lost the ability in t20s to run through the opposition Is he one of the best 5 pacers in the country in t20s? not for me

Although he should still be one of the first names selectd for odis

You can make a strong case he should be selectrd over musa whos medicore but as a stand alone decision its not too much of loss for pakistan as amir doesnt bring too much to the format that we will miss

 

[in_cutter]

Does not make any sense to drop Amir, there must be some personal grudge against him from Misbah.

Amir selfishly retired from Test cricket after the PCB went out of it’s way to bring him back from the brink.

What has he done in recent Int’l cricket?

Enlighten as to why he deserves to be selected and what this grudge is you speak about.

 

[Markhor]

Malik should've been canned a decade ago. The fact is our selectors are only now catching up to that reality. He offers nothing going forward - he did zilch in the 2019 WC.

Amir will likely make a return as he tends to step up his game before ICC tournaments. He'll need to perform in the Pakistan Cup and PSL though.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

Let’s get one thing straight. None of this nonsense about format picking - Misbah was very clear that they are just looking at current form and based on that they did not pick Amir.

I.e National T20 cup.

He said that he is monitoring PSL playoffs and the Sri Lankan Premier League, and is expecting them to come back in form.

Please stop the conspiracy theories.

 

[Mamoon]

“Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Amir are not part of the white-ball matches as for this tour we have opted to invest, develop and focus on the promising and emerging players who are likely to be available to Pakistan for all formats.”

So what is Wahab doing in the team?

I am not on anyone’s side here but PCB is clearly holding a grudge against Amir and expecting him to get on his knees and beg for selection.

Pretty poor behavior.

 

[gazza619]

“Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Amir are not part of the white-ball matches as for this tour we have opted to invest, develop and focus on the promising and emerging players who are likely to be available to Pakistan for all formats.”

So what is Wahab doing in the team?

I am not on anyone’s side here but PCB is clearly holding a grudge against Amir and expecting him to get on his knees and beg for selection.

Pretty poor behavior.

We have a short term memory. Do you recall how Amir performed last time he played for Pakistan post lockdown? He barely completed his first over in a T20 game and was showing sign of niggles. I havent come across a more non serious athlete than Amir.

 

[Mamoon]

We have a short term memory. Do you recall how Amir performed last time he played for Pakistan post lockdown? He barely completed his first over in a T20 game and was showing sign of niggles. I havent come across a more non serious athlete than Amir.

And we picked Sohail Khan for the Test team even though he is dead after one spell.

If PCB is holding a grudge then it should at least have the cojones to be honest and not come with these lame excuses that no one will buy.

If all-format availability is a factor then Wahab shouldn’t be in the squad.

If fitness is a factor then Sohail shouldn’t be in the squad.

 

[SensiblePakFan]

Amir will be in the world t20 squad lol.

 

[Kroll]

This is Misbah's last stint as selector, so Amir could still make a comeback but with Misbah still be being head coach, he could potentially still block his inclusion.

 

[MenInG]

“Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Amir are not part of the white-ball matches as for this tour we have opted to invest, develop and focus on the promising and emerging players who are likely to be available to Pakistan for all formats.”

So what is Wahab doing in the team?

I am not on anyone’s side here but PCB is clearly holding a grudge against Amir and expecting him to get on his knees and beg for selection.

Pretty poor behavior.

From PCB release:

We have kept faith in Mohammad Hafeez and Wahab Riaz purely on the basis of their outstanding and consistent performances as well as the value they bring to the T20I squad.

 

[Aami]

Dont worry guys ...mark my words both will be in World T20 squad...
Reason?...PCB is gutless, clueless and prone to 'fear of losing' mentality ...so when the crunch comes, they'll bottle it!

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

wahab is 35 (pbly 37 or 38 irl) and hafeez is 40, its perfectly natural for players to format pick at that age. amir was at most 29 or 30 so they aren't comparable imo.

“Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Amir are not part of the white-ball matches as for this tour we have opted to invest, develop and focus on the promising and emerging players who are likely to be available to Pakistan for all formats.”

I suggest you read the statement carefully. PCB's statement is contradictory and not in-line with the actual selection of the side and the players.

 

[ahmedzee]

Aamir is Pakistan's top bowler in ODIs. Anyone remembers how he performed in 2019 WC? He was our best.
Totally unfair selection by Misbah. If long term and consistency is the issue then what the hell is Musa, Faheem, Sohail Khan doing there? Musa is not fit to be in Pakistan "D" team, and Faheem is not international quality at all. Sohail remains unfit and should've been a good selection 5 years ago, not now.

Pathetic from Misbah.

 

[ahmedzee]

Aamir is Pakistan's top bowler in ODIs. Anyone remembers how he performed in 2019 WC? He was our best.
Totally unfair selection by Misbah. If long term and consistency is the issue then what the hell is Musa, Faheem, Sohail Khan doing there? Musa is not fit to be in Pakistan "D" team, and Faheem is not international quality at all. Sohail remains unfit and should've been a good selection 5 years ago, not now.

Pathetic from Misbah.

 

[Indiafan]

Amir will be in the world t20 squad lol.

Yep, this is actually a favor to Amir. The young guns will not do as well on a tough over seas tour, and Amir will be back right in time for the world cup, well rested

 

[Indiafan]

Aamir is Pakistan's top bowler in ODIs. Anyone remembers how he performed in 2019 WC? He was our best.
Totally unfair selection by Misbah. If long term and consistency is the issue then what the hell is Musa, Faheem, Sohail Khan doing there? Musa is not fit to be in Pakistan "D" team, and Faheem is not international quality at all. Sohail remains unfit and should've been a good selection 5 years ago, not now.

Pathetic from Misbah.

Afridi was clearly Pakistan's best bowler in 2019 WC, but Amir was very good too

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Its the right call I know the t20 world cup is in india but we need to start looking and investing for the future

Maliks has had 20 years and we know what hes about Hes avge to mediocre most of the time and t20 bilaterals should be used as a launching pad for discovering all format cricketers
You cant have both malik and hafeez both 40yr olds in the t20 lineup No other team would.N you cant pick both n bench them Its better one is picked and hafeez is better against pace than malik

Amir case is different Hes retired form tests but his t20 stats are mediocre Hes good at containment but has lost the ability in t20s to run through the opposition Is he one of the best 5 pacers in the country in t20s? not for me

Although he should still be one of the first names selectd for odis

You can make a strong case he should be selectrd over musa whos medicore but as a stand alone decision its not too much of loss for pakistan as amir doesnt bring too much to the format that we will miss

If you think Pakistan can win the T20 World Cup with newbies, many of whom haven't even played in the PSL, than you are in for a reality check, assuming ofcourse PCB actually follows through with this. Malik and Hafeez can be Pakistan's most important batsmen in India. They have played there before many times, they are world-class players of spin and they have actually been in good form in this format in the last few years. Ditto for Amir who has big-match potential and can flip on a switch unlike any other bowler in the world when the time comes. There is simply no substitute for experience. I assure you Abdullah Shafique and Haider Ali will not be bailing Pakistan out when they are 64-4 getting beaten by Kuldeep and Jadeja from all ends.

Also, if Amir's stats are mediocre; average: 21.4, ER: 7.02 and a SR of 18.2 that matches that of Bumrah, what exactly constitute as excellent stats in your book?

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Yep, this is actually a favor to Amir. The young guns will not do as well on a tough over seas tour, and Amir will be back right in time for the world cup, well rested

Amir has had plenty of rest as it is. He last played an international match 3 months ago. After a certain point rest translates to rust.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Aamir is Pakistan's top bowler in ODIs. Anyone remembers how he performed in 2019 WC? He was our best.
Totally unfair selection by Misbah. If long term and consistency is the issue then what the hell is Musa, Faheem, Sohail Khan doing there? Musa is not fit to be in Pakistan "D" team, and Faheem is not international quality at all. Sohail remains unfit and should've been a good selection 5 years ago, not now.

Pathetic from Misbah.

It's these kind of inconsistent selections that make Pakistan the team it is. Other teams introduce one or two new players at a time, and a select few are in their plans. They are given a chance to establish themselves after they have put in the hard yards in domestic cricket. Meanwhile the core team remains largely the same. With Pakistan you have a host of new faces in every series, many of whom are neither ready nor capable of making it on the international level. You do well in a couple of PSL games or National T20 games and suddenly you are in the reckoning for a national call-up.

Granted, this can work in your favor when selecting new fast-bowlers, but in most cases it translates to failure. Case(s) in point: Pakistan test series in Australia last year, and the ODI series against Australia in UAE before the World Cup.

 

[Bewal Express]

Amir has been meh for a long time and this is a kick u his backside. He is around 33, so age is not on his side but its likely that he will get picked. If Malik is picked on the bouncier tracks, he will end up failing miserably once again and its one of the better decisions made.

 

[JaDed]

India and Pakistan have the worst selectors in cricket.

 

[JibranAnsari]

its best to move from amir ,very rarely i see him pick wickets with the new ball anyway. Time for youg guns.

 

[gazza619]

And we picked Sohail Khan for the Test team even though he is dead after one spell.

If PCB is holding a grudge then it should at least have the cojones to be honest and not come with these lame excuses that no one will buy.

If all-format availability is a factor then Wahab shouldn’t be in the squad.

If fitness is a factor then Sohail shouldn’t be in the squad.

Sohail Khan is picked for the nets, you know that and I know that. Sohail Khan can bowl 10 solid overs in the nets and is still much fitter than Amir.

Amir can also bowl 10 overs but 75% off those will be cutters. Sorry but Amir is so bad now that even Sohail Khan looks stronger than him.

 

[Shafi]

Can’t believe people now want Malik in the team. Fahim, Musa and Sohail are rubbish but Amir has lack of passion now-a-days. He cannot take wickets plus cannot pick wickets either. He prefers T20 leagues rather than national team.People should be happy to get rid of oldies rather than stay in team forever.

 

[Faizan001]

I believe that Mohammad Amir in his head thinks he is entitled for selection but does not have either recent performance or the 'venom' to merit his selection. His recent performance in National T20 is evident.

When he came back from retirement, he had decent pace, guile and swing (See: his Asia Cup performance against India with pace (145+) and swing. His work ethic has seriously let him down since then and does not have an athleticism to support his art. His pace, even during world cup, was mediocre at best. I do not obsess over his speed but he lost something which he had in abundance and that raises questions. All the complain about burnout and rest was put to 'rest' when he flew to England for t20 series and was a shadow of his own self. This proved that he did zilch during covid times to keep himself fit. I am quite sure he has enough money to buy equipment and access to field to keep himself fit and ready. But no, he still drags 'I-am-tired-of-overbowling' corpse through the desert.

He still has age on his side and needs to let go of his entitlement and put in hard yards to back up his athlete status and inspire us again like the 18yo kid who lit England and Australia on fire a decade ago. He just needs to reorient and develop fitness, rest everything will follow. His art and skills are still world class, better than SSA, but he needs to build a person to support that as well. He has experience, know how and muscle memory to support the bowling but until his body doesnt follow him, he will remain a spent-force.

 

[ElRaja]

“Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Amir are not part of the white-ball matches as for this tour we have opted to invest, develop and focus on the promising and emerging players who are likely to be available to Pakistan for all formats.”

I suggest you read the statement carefully. PCB's statement is contradictory and not in-line with the actual selection of the side and the players.

availability is the crux here, its obvious players in the peak of their careers who format pick to use the national team to get franchise cricket contracts will not be part of long term development plans, which is exactly as it should be and i've stated why hafeez and wahabs selection doesn't contradict that.

 

[ahmedzee]

It's these kind of inconsistent selections that make Pakistan the team it is. Other teams introduce one or two new players at a time, and a select few are in their plans. They are given a chance to establish themselves after they have put in the hard yards in domestic cricket. Meanwhile the core team remains largely the same. With Pakistan you have a host of new faces in every series, many of whom are neither ready nor capable of making it on the international level. You do well in a couple of PSL games or National T20 games and suddenly you are in the reckoning for a national call-up.

Granted, this can work in your favor when selecting new fast-bowlers, but in most cases it translates to failure. Case(s) in point: Pakistan test series in Australia last year, and the ODI series against Australia in UAE before the World Cup.

Completely agree. Core players should remain the same with few new faces here and there. We all know Faheem, Sohail, Musa have no future with Pakistan team, and yet they are given a consistent run. If they're international quality, we would know it by now.

In regards to core player being same, we had that in test for a while and now slowly we are chopping and changing. I think in bowling, Aamir, Shaheen, Naseem should be the core players, with chances given to others here and there. Unfortunately that is not happening.

 

[cricketAXEpert]

From PCB release:

“Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Amir are not part of the white-ball matches as for this tour we have opted to invest, develop and focus on the promising and emerging players who are likely to be available to Pakistan for all formats.

==

So not included for a high profile tour of New Zealand.

Seems selectors showing their lack of trust in both players.

Is this a temporary phase or something permanent?

LOL, available to Pakistan for all formats. is an Amir Specific line. PCB is punishing Amir for abandoning the side just before the Austraian tour a thing also done by Wahab. A lot of Memebers here are bringing up Wahab. But Wahab made himself available for England Tests although he was not played in England but he was an option. Wahab only announced a temporary break from Tests (aka temp retirement if there is such a thing). In my opnion both Amir and Wahab are equally gulity about the Austrailian tour. But PCB is leniant on Wahab because he made himself available for England. But Waqar and Misbah wanted to persist with Naseem Shah.

 

[zacattakk]

A number of these selections are highly questionable: Hussain Talat, Mohammad Musa, Sohail Khan, Imran Butt, Faheem Ashraf, Rohail Nazir. These players are either not ready for international cricket or simply not good enough. I'm all for grooming talent but not at the expense of losses.

Hussain Talat was great in the national T20 cup and is also currently the leading run scorer in the QuaideAzam trophy. He has made a strong case for selection in at least the Shaheens squad, if not the main team.

 

[Saj]

Malik I guess it's going to be tough for him to get back into the international fold - he hasn't got age on his side and he has not much form to fall back on either.

Regarding Amir, this is going to get interesting. because both sides are testing the other's patience and something is going to give. The PCB are taking the we want to give players who are available in all formats a chance, stance. Amir isn't giving in and making himself available for Tests so he isn't giving in either.

 

[Usman Chadda]

Malik I guess it's going to be tough for him to get back into the international fold - he hasn't got age on his side and he has not much form to fall back on either.

Regarding Amir, this is going to get interesting. because both sides are testing the other's patience and something is going to give. The PCB are taking the we want to give players who are available in all formats a chance, stance. Amir isn't giving in and making himself available for Tests so he isn't giving in either.

Malik will find himself in the team come the World Cup, while Amir will probably miss out. People forget how ordinary Amir looked in the National T20 in comparison to everyone selected on this tour, even Sohail Khan was at a better level.

Malik will inevitably make his umpteenth comeback, owing to how bad the media will rip apart the young boys when they fail.

 

[zacattakk]

I really hope its over for Malik but we've all learnt to never say never with the Don!

 

[Ellipsism]

Amir couldn’t even make Northern’s final XI in the National T20. Those 130 kph cutters won’t cut it at the international level anymore.

He deserves to be benched until he puts on some muscle and works on his action to regain some pace, but a fact remains that he won’t do so because he’s a lazy coward who only cares about the cash.

 

[shamaan]

Does not make any sense to drop Amir, there must be some personal grudge against him from Misbah.

Amir has been poor his fitness is poor also he bowls as fast as shahid afridi

 

[shamaan]

People might disagree with me here but I don't think this is right. Amir is Pakistan's highest ranked bowler in ODIs, Malik is still a good performer in T20Is, and we need them both for the T20 World Cup. PCB has an axe to grind with Amir when they should just move on. Because if it really is about players who are available for all formats than Hafeez and Wahab wouldn't be there either.

Investing in talent is a positive thing but you can't rush so many new faces into the side just like that. A number of these guys have done well in domestic cricket but are not ready for international cricket. Misbah did the same thing in Australia and we got a mauling for the ages.

Only a few will play in the main squad but alot will play in the shaheens I dont think amir warrants a spot in the team based on form and fitness

 

[shamaan]

A number of these selections are highly questionable: Hussain Talat, Mohammad Musa, Sohail Khan, Imran Butt, Faheem Ashraf, Rohail Nazir. These players are either not ready for international cricket or simply not good enough. I'm all for grooming talent but not at the expense of losses.

They are in the squad and will be part of the shaheens not the main squad baring 1 or 2 players !

 

[shamaan]

its best to move from amir ,very rarely i see him pick wickets with the new ball anyway. Time for youg guns.

Exactly amid is done hes not fit enough and his pace has gone down considerably

 

[Hadi Rizvi]

“Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Amir are not part of the white-ball matches as for this tour we have opted to invest, develop and focus on the promising and emerging players who are likely to be available to Pakistan for all formats.”

So what is Wahab doing in the team?

I am not on anyone’s side here but PCB is clearly holding a grudge against Amir and expecting him to get on his knees and beg for selection.

Pretty poor behavior.

For once I fully agree.

What is the basis for selecting Wahab, Sohail and Hafeez in the team if they're looking for "all-format" players?
If not that then what magic have Musa, Faheem and Iftikhar conjured in recent team to be selected ahead of Amir.

There is a grudge from Misbah and it is clear for all to see.
He is a pathetic human. Losing respect every single series with his baseless selections and stubbornness to learn.

 

[Gullycricket]

Huge Amir fan here but he has let us down with his non interest. And why are we clamouring for him , weren't Naseem, Shaheen and Abbas going to destroy the opposition and put fear in their eyes?
A change in ppers opinion just after one thrashing in England

 

[sweep_shot]

It should be end of line for Shoaib.

Not sure about Amir. Amir can still play perhaps.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Completely agree. Core players should remain the same with few new faces here and there. We all know Faheem, Sohail, Musa have no future with Pakistan team, and yet they are given a consistent run. If they're international quality, we would know it by now.

In regards to core player being same, we had that in test for a while and now slowly we are chopping and changing. I think in bowling, Aamir, Shaheen, Naseem should be the core players, with chances given to others here and there. Unfortunately that is not happening.

I think in Tests this is even more important than other formats. Because succeeding in Tests requires alot of factors. That said, I think the composition of Pakistan's test side is alright. Abid, Shan, Azhar, Fawad, Babar, Haris Sohail and Rizwan all deserve to be there in my opinion. Shaheen and Naseem will only get better with time. I worry injuries being an issue for Naseem in the future, which is why it is even more important for Pakistan that Hasnain, Haris Rauf play as much FC matches as possible. Because they are very raw at this point. Meanwhile you have the experience of Abbas and Yasir Shah aswell.

Not a great side, I know. It is still severely lacking bench strength and an all-rounder for foreign conditions. But I think with time it can turn into a cohesive unit when players are allowed to settle into their roles. This is ofcourse dependent on the idea that there is consistency in selections.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

availability is the crux here, its obvious players in the peak of their careers who format pick to use the national team to get franchise cricket contracts will not be part of long term development plans, which is exactly as it should be and i've stated why hafeez and wahabs selection doesn't contradict that.

If you think Amir is at the peak of his career you a deeply mistaken. He is not. And fostering these kind of grudges against a player is unbecoming of a national cricket board. It reflects badly on the organization which should stand above petty issues such as this.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

“Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Amir are not part of the white-ball matches as for this tour we have opted to invest, develop and focus on the promising and emerging players who are likely to be available to Pakistan for all formats.”

So what is Wahab doing in the team?

I am not on anyone’s side here but PCB is clearly holding a grudge against Amir and expecting him to get on his knees and beg for selection.

Pretty poor behavior.

Hasn't Amir himself withdrawn from representing Pakistan in test matches? I think given his relatively mediocre form with the ball, and there being a general distrust of his motives following the spot-fixing furore, it's quite understandable that PCB feel he might not be fully committed.

I was always a big Amir fan before his ban, but since coming back he doesn't look like his heart's in it. He's barely turning his arm over these days and won't really be missed.

 

[ElRaja]

If you think Amir is at the peak of his career you a deeply mistaken. He is not. And fostering these kind of grudges against a player is unbecoming of a national cricket board. It reflects badly on the organization which should stand above petty issues such as this.

hes played 7 years of international cricket in the last 12 years, if this isn't his peak, what is? and if hes past his peak then why the big deal.

its not about a grudge, its about a precedent, and for a board that is as vulnerable as Pakistan to having its best talent poached by t20 leagues the ramifications are anything but petty.

hes a backup pacer now, in line with his recent performances, if pak need him he'll be selected. for a short t20 tour of nz, he definitely isnt.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

hes played 7 years of international cricket in the last 12 years, if this isn't his peak, what is? and if hes past his peak then why the big deal.

its not about a grudge, its about a precedent, and for a board that is as vulnerable as Pakistan to having its best talent poached by t20 leagues the ramifications are anything but petty.

hes a backup pacer now, in line with his recent performances, if pak need him he'll be selected. for a short t20 tour of nz, he definitely isnt.

The board's job is not to send messages. It is to ensure the team has everything at its disposal to perform effectively. What the board is doing at present is not in the best interests of the team because Amir is Pakistan's highest ranked ODI bowler. His issues in test cricket and with the workload are well-documented and not something that came out of the blue. You can disagree with his decision but to act like Pakistan doesn't need him is preposterous especially since he was Pakistan's leading wicket-taker at the World Cup. It is also ironic that posters who were calling for him to be dropped from the test side for years are now suddenly exhibiting collective amnesia.

 

[ElRaja]

The board's job is not to send messages. It is to ensure the team has everything at its disposal to perform effectively. What the board is doing at present is not in the best interests of the team because Amir is Pakistan's highest ranked ODI bowler.

but theres no odis on the nz tour tho, and his ranking is based on his performance in england. hes always done well in English conditions, what major assignment does pak have in England that would warrant him to be part of the teams short term plans?

His issues in test cricket and with the workload are well-documented and not something that came out of the blue.

yes, and in light of that pak stopped playing him in uae tests, he was playing 5 tests a year on average for his last 2 and a half years, and decided that the 150 odd overs hed bowl across those tests was too much.

You can disagree with his decision but to act like Pakistan doesn't need him is preposterous especially since he was Pakistan's leading wicket-taker at the World Cup.

not really, his stats arent that impressive outside england, as ive said before, hes a very good squad bowler now, but by no means is dropping him preposterous.

It is also ironic that posters who were calling for him to be dropped from the test side for years are now suddenly exhibiting collective amnesia.

when did i call for him to be dropped from the test squad? i always said using him as a rotation bowler was the right thing to do.

 

[BigShak]

If Amir really was committed to the cause he wouldve gone away and sorted his fitness issues out. Hire a trainer or whatever it takes to get stronger and get his pace back. Instead he is just intent on treating us to his trundling and slower balls with the new ball. No thanks. Keep him in the bin, Misbah.

 

[shamaan]

For once I fully agree.

What is the basis for selecting Wahab, Sohail and Hafeez in the team if they're looking for "all-format" players?
If not that then what magic have Musa, Faheem and Iftikhar conjured in recent team to be selected ahead of Amir.

There is a grudge from Misbah and it is clear for all to see.
He is a pathetic human. Losing respect every single series with his baseless selections and stubbornness to learn.

Wahab played the practise matches against England even if he didnt want to I think hafeez did also.

As for musa he can play in the shaheens would Amir except playing in the shaheens in either format answer is NO

 

[shamaan]

I think it's the end of malik rightly so.Amir can stil make a come back but he has to perform consistanly and improve his fitnes otherwise he should not be in the squad

 

[Saj]

Not going to NZ might be a blessing in disguise for Malik as there will be one or two disasters on that tour amongst the batsmen and he could benefit from their struggles.

 

[GudduBadmash]

Not going to NZ might be a blessing in disguise for Malik as there will be one or two disasters on that tour amongst the batsmen and he could benefit from their struggles.

Yup he is a walking wicket and would not have made it past 5 runs.

 

[BigShak]

Not going to NZ might be a blessing in disguise for Malik as there will be one or two disasters on that tour amongst the batsmen and he could benefit from their struggles.

Maybe if he was looking for a spot in the Test side. But I actually think our batsmen will enjoy the pitches for the T20 series like they did last time around. The tiny boundaries play in to our hands which even the likes of shadab should be able to clear.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

but theres no odis on the nz tour tho, and his ranking is based on his performance in england. hes always done well in English conditions, what major assignment does pak have in England that would warrant him to be part of the teams short term plans?



yes, and in light of that pak stopped playing him in uae tests, he was playing 5 tests a year on average for his last 2 and a half years, and decided that the 150 odd overs hed bowl across those tests was too much.



not really, his stats arent that impressive outside england, as ive said before, hes a very good squad bowler now, but by no means is dropping him preposterous.



when did i call for him to be dropped from the test squad? i always said using him as a rotation bowler was the right thing to do.

I'm sorry, what? An average of 21.4, an economy rate of 7.02 and a SR of 18.2 that matches that of Bumrah is not impressive? Shaheen, Amir and Wahab are Pakistan's best limited overs bowlers. They are world-class in both of the shorter formats and the only bowlers capable of winning us the World Cup.

Also, when you play test cricket you play all tests, or you don't play at all. You don't get to pick and choose. It's unfair to the youngsters. Amir knew he wasn't good enough to do well consistently in the longest format, his pace had gone down considerably and outside a country like England when the balls seams, he was not effective enough. For context, he took 4 wickets in his first innings in Australia on the 2016/17 tour, and another in the second and then went wicket less for the entire series.

 

[hitthestump]

There is no basis to select Amir at the moment. He was distinctly toothless during his last international outing in England and his poor form continued into the national t20 cup. Being able to use him as an example to any 'format pickers' is the cherry on top.

Can't rule Malik out. His t20 record speaks for itself and he could easily find his way back into contention with good form until then. If we are going to go with a batting line up which includes Haider, Khushdil and possibly even Abdullah, then Malik's experience suddenly looks quite tempting.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

I'm sorry, what? An average of 21.4, an economy rate of 7.02 and a SR of 18.2 that matches that of Bumrah is not impressive? Shaheen, Amir and Wahab are Pakistan's best limited overs bowlers. They are world-class in both of the shorter formats and the only bowlers capable of winning us the World Cup.

Also, when you play test cricket you play all tests, or you don't play at all. You don't get to pick and choose. It's unfair to the youngsters. Amir knew he wasn't good enough to do well consistently in the longest format, his pace had gone down considerably and outside a country like England when the balls seams, he was not effective enough. For context, he took 4 wickets in his first innings in Australia on the 2016/17 tour, and another in the second and then went wicket less for the entire series.

Bumrah is winning important matches and takes wickets at important times. Amir is just not having impact in the games that matter, and with his fixing history really needs to perform in those ones. Javed Miandad became a legend for life by hitting Chetan Sharma for 6 in the last ball of the over in some tournament in the emirates. Amir just isn't winning games that matter any more.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

Bumrah is winning important matches and takes wickets at important times. Amir is just not having impact in the games that matter, and with his fixing history really needs to perform in those ones. Javed Miandad became a legend for life by hitting Chetan Sharma for 6 in the last ball of the over in some tournament in the emirates. Amir just isn't winning games that matter any more.

To the contrary, Amir only has impact in games that matter now. Champions Trophy final, Asia Cup, 2019 world cup, Amir has led our pace attack. In JAMODIs he’s been useless.

Right now he’s in horrible form though.

 

[azimiqbal]

Hopefully this will be the kick up backside Amir needs , fair enough does not want to play test cricket , but have seen him struggling to maintain good speed during his spells playing one day internationals

 

[TeymurBlake]

I hope this is the end for Shoaib Malik. Its about time for him.

As for Amir, I do see a recall coming in as soon as the current Intl bowlers fail in NZ T20s and the new CS brings in Amir to save the day.

 

[Ellipsism]

To the contrary, Amir only has impact in games that matter now. Champions Trophy final, Asia Cup, 2019 world cup, Amir has led our pace attack. In JAMODIs he’s been useless.

Right now he’s in horrible form though.

What impact in the world cup? A cheap fiver at the end of the innings against Australia?

Shaheen was comfortably the more impactful bowler in our WC campaign.

 

[Usman Chadda]

Amir went wicketless against England B recently. He got whacked by decent domestic batsmen in the National T20 Cup.

On what basis should he be drafted straight into the team? How is he Pakistan's best bowler, when he is in horrid bowling form right now?

 

[Hadi Rizvi]

What impact in the world cup? A cheap fiver at the end of the innings against Australia?

Shaheen was comfortably the more impactful bowler in our WC campaign.

Yup. It was worthless in front of the 6-fer against a world class BAN batting lineup that topped the league stages... oh wait.

 

[Indiafan]

To the contrary, Amir only has impact in games that matter now. Champions Trophy final, Asia Cup, 2019 world cup, Amir has led our pace attack. In JAMODIs he’s been useless.

Right now he’s in horrible form though.

Champions Trophy Final - After the team had scored 340+, a score never chased in any major final. Even Zimb bowlers would have defended that

Meanwhile Ishant Sharma defended 120 in Champions trophy final. Sreesanth and Irfan won us T20 and ODI world cup finals. None of them are as hyped as Amir is

World cup 2019 - performing after series was almost gone.

Shaheen did way better in world cup than Amir

 

[Indiafan]

Yup. It was worthless in front of the 6-fer against a world class BAN batting lineup that topped the league stages... oh wait.

Shaheen performance kept you in the tournament. Amir's came when it was too late in the tournament, if he had performed earlier, Pak would have qualified

 

[Shazzam]

To the contrary, Amir only has impact in games that matter now. Champions Trophy final, Asia Cup, 2019 world cup, Amir has led our pace attack. In JAMODIs he’s been useless.

Right now he’s in horrible form though.

Where was he in the last World Cup?

 

[Hadi Rizvi]

Shaheen performance kept you in the tournament. Amir's came when it was too late in the tournament, if he had performed earlier, Pak would have qualified

Did we watch the same World Cup?

Amir performed against WI AUS IND and ENG (1st 4 games)
Shaheen got a 6-fer in our last game (against BAN) when both teams had no chance of qualifying. His only other major contribution was the NZ game.

 

[naseem]

Malik yes.... Amir...I think we will see him in future

 

[naseem]

Did we watch the same World Cup?

Amir performed against WI AUS IND and ENG (1st 4 games)
Shaheen got a 6-fer in our last game (against BAN) when both teams had no chance of qualifying. His only other major contribution was the NZ game.

Saheen gain form and understanding of the condition only in last few games.....Nz SA Bd

 

[Usman Chadda]

Shaheen performance kept you in the tournament. Amir's came when it was too late in the tournament, if he had performed earlier, Pak would have qualified

I think you have mixed that up. Shaheen was mediocre before the NZ game, while Amir kept us in the hunt. Credit where it's due. Amir had a fantastic World Cup, no matter what anyone says.

 

[naseem]

Amir would have surely been top 3 wicket takers had Saheen not picked bulk of wickets in last couple of games