Expect Pakistan to crumble if Afghanistan post 200+

[deems]

Though our batting line has strengthened a little, Afghanistan's bowling is much superior in terms of variety and quality also. I'm expecting a tough game from the afghans!

 

[Usman Chadda]

No

 

[Slim]

How about no? Keep the wrist slitting to yourself.

 

[YousafTheBeast]

Anything over 200 from Afghan and it’s game over, can’t see these noobs doing much against the spinners!

 

[Boi]

They’re not going to get more than 160, don’t worry.

 

[Arham_PakFan]

No.

 

[Azeem Zafar]

Anything over 230 will be a tough task to chase, but I don't think Afg will reach 200. Pakistan's bowling lineup is way better than Bangla & Srilanaks, they won't let Afgahnis score freely at all.

 

[Hawkeye]

No.

Even if Afg makes 300, Pak will chase it. Mark my words.

 

[Donal Cozzie]

OP has a point.

Afghanistan, even if some people here dislike them for political reasons, have undeniably the best spin bowling attack in LO cricket at the moment.

Rashid is the best in the world right now, Mujeeb is quality, Nabi is solid, Rehmat is decent, and on top of that they have Zahir Khan and Qais Ahmed in t20 leagues making waves who havent even played for the national side yet. A ridiculous level of talent.

If they make 220 plus I wouldnt be surprised to see a repeat of yesterdays result.

 

[Hawkeye]

OP has a point.

Afghanistan, even if some people here dislike them for political reasons, have undeniably the best spin bowling attack in LO cricket at the moment.

Rashid is the best in the world right now, Mujeeb is quality, Nabi is solid, Rehmat is decent, and on top of that they have Zahir Khan and Qais Ahmed in t20 leagues making waves who havent even played for the national side yet. A ridiculous level of talent.

If they make 220 plus I wouldnt be surprised to see a repeat of yesterdays result.

Pak does not have any mental block against Afg and will easily chase whatever they put up.

 

[Shandarchowka]

Afghanistan will do well to reach 200 against deadly Pakistani bowling

 

[Gullycricket]

Today there is good depth in batting.If Afghans post over 200 expect a malik special

 

[Sirris]

All I want is an entertaining game.

Though I am backing the team to win it.

Too early for expert analysis.

 

[BlackShadow]

Pak does not have any mental block against Afg and will easily chase whatever they put up.

Lack of ability isn't the same as "mental block".

Afgan spinners are world class, so Pakistani batsmen will have to play very well to win.

 

[Hawkeye]

Lack of ability isn't the same as "mental block".

Afgan spinners are world class, so Pakistani batsmen will have to play very well to win.

No. The likes of Sarfraz and Malik thrive on spinners.

 

[Ozeirk]

No. If anything chasing down a big total will do wonders for the team confidence.

 

[deems]

How about no? Keep the wrist slitting to yourself.

Haha, that is my opinion..

Anyhow, the chase will start soon and I don't expect Pakistan to canter to the target.

 

[deems]

If we are to get over the line, Harry, bobzy and malka need to bat the overs

 

[MMHS]

Anything over 230 will be a tough task to chase, but I don't think Afg will reach 200. Pakistan's bowling lineup is way better than Bangla & Srilanaks, they won't let Afgahnis score freely at all.

BD rested Mustafiz and didn't bowl full quota of any regular bowler barring Shakib, and still AFGs have posted higher - now come back to tell us Mustafiz is a tundler.

Can't you ever talk a little less arrogant without bringing any other team?

 

[Boi]

They’re not going to get more than 160, don’t worry.

Maybe not

 

[Rana]

In games like these you miss Shahid Afridi.

The guy was the king of pouncing on weaker teams and their spinners.

 

[KingKhanWC]

In games like these you miss Shahid Afridi.

The guy was the king of pouncing on weaker teams and their spinners.

100%

Afridi would have killed these spinners.

Now our team has fear and worry against spin bowlers which is sad to see.

Only Malik and Fakhar will go after them, it's up to them today or an easy victory for Afghans is very much on here.

 

[sjahmed23]

Afghan is the new Pak of bowling.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Afghan is the new Pak of bowling.

Pakistan batting is rubbish more like. Not taking anything away from Afghan bowlers but you wouldn't write off any of the big boys if they were chasing 250+.

Pakistan batting is just low quality.

 

[Rotie]

Stop being so negative. Pakistan will win and we will all eat roti and daal salan together!!

 

[fitCricFan]

In games like these you miss Shahid Afridi.
The guy was the king of pouncing on weaker teams and their spinners.

SA was grossly overrated as a batsman. Againsy quality bowling, he was usually a flop. Afg is playing to a plan and frankly, batting has never been our strength.

 

[YousafTheBeast]

The cracks have appeared with fakhar gone, we’ll be crumbled when rashid comes on

 

[InziRules]

You think we'll crumble
You think we'll lay down and die

Oh no not us,
We will survive

 

[Sirris]

You think we'll crumble
You think we'll lay down and die

Oh no not us,
We will survive

Dude I remember you as being amongst the pessimists in the match thread.

 

[InziRules]

Dude I remember you as being amongst the pessimists in the match thread.

Posted this 3 hours ago, man, we were 1 down for nothing then

I said we'd win closely or lose this in the Afghan innings thread though

 

[kuskash]

Said in match thread, Pak to win by 100 runs or 8-9 wkts.

 

[InziRules]

The cracks have appeared with fakhar gone, we’ll be crumbled when rashid comes on

Nope

 

[JaDed]

PCT did crumble but thanks to Shobby got saved.

 

[YousafTheBeast]

Needed a veteran to save us, that’s embarrassing

 

[Finisher]

Today there is good depth in batting.If Afghans post over 200 expect a malik special

Lottery numbers Bro?

 

[mak36]

So, what happened?

 

[Sirris]

Needed a veteran to save us, that’s embarrassing

That's why the veteran is in the team in the first place.

 

[NA]

Needed a veteran to save us, that’s embarrassing

There was also a 154 run partnership in 33 overs, which is a great start in most circumstances. There's nothing embarrassing about running into troubles on slow pitches against a host of spinners (and one of them being quite good).

 

[moghul]

We have Shoaib, Afghanistan will be taken care of, don't worry.

 

[the_outsider]

So, what happened?

Lost 6 wickets for 88 runs after the second wicket partnership. So batting did crumble. But luckily it didn't result in a loss.

 

[Boi]

Believe in shobby.

 

[YousafTheBeast]

There was also a 154 run partnership in 33 overs, which is a great start in most circumstances. There's nothing embarrassing about running into troubles on slow pitches against a host of spinners (and one of them being quite good).

There is when half of the squad is picked by psl performances which are played at the same venue!

 

[mak36]

Lost 6 wickets for 88 runs after the second wicket partnership. So batting did crumble. But luckily it didn't result in a loss.

Pakistan won. OP said otherwise.

 

[deems]

Pakistan won. OP said otherwise.

Please quote where I said that.

 

[the_outsider]

Pakistan won. OP said otherwise.

No. Read the OP. It says "Pakistan will crumble". And they did. It said "I'm expecting a tough game from Afghans". And it was.

 

[Hasan123]

A quality innings from Malik was the difference.

 

[90MPH]

Pakistan didn’t really crumble, they were totally cruising it till the run out.

Afghanistan then saw the door opened with a few wickets but Pak were always there with the runrate.

In the end it could have gone either way but Shoaib proved the difference.

 

[mak36]

Please quote where I said that.

No. Read the OP. It says "Pakistan will crumble". And they did. It said "I'm expecting a tough game from Afghans". And it was.

No one likes a squirrel. You made a prediction and it fell flat on your face. Now deal with the consequences.

 

[DHONI183]

Whereas saying that might be a little overboard, but throughout I´d the thought in my mind that anything over 235 will cause Pakistan jitters, and it obviously did as we saw.

Now, I´m going to voice a very unpopular opinion here. Although the commentators were full of praise for the Imam-Babar partnership, but if Pakistan had lost on Friday, I´d have laid partial blame of the defeat on these two. Before my friends out there jump on it, let me explain you why. On the back of over eight years of experience of watching cricket in the UAE, one thing that I know for sure is that you should never let the required run-rate climb over six - never! Although they both batted very sensibly, ran fast between the wickets and found the gaps beautifully, the problem was that neither of them ever looked to take the initiative at all. Now if you bat like that, it becomes a must for at least one of them to go on to bat till the end, but they both got out within the space of an over I think - leaving the team to chase over six an over with seven wickets in hand. Pakistan were fortunate that Malik played one of his career´s best cameos ever, otherwise the whole strategy of going about the run-chase almost failed and fell flat on its face. Against any team other than an inexperienced Afghanistan this might not have worked, and Pakistan could land in deeper trouble if they repeat anything such.

I may have been very harsh in my assessment here, but take nothing away from a very calming partnership that it was otherwise. My criticism is more or less based on the batsmen to come, Haris, Sarfraz, Asif and Nawaz - guys whom I wouldn´t trust much in a tense chase.