"I feel Sharjeel Khan is ready for selection for the Pakistan side" : Imad Wasim

[Abdullah719]

Karachi Kings captain Imad Wasim speaking to the press

"Its not Delport's fault that we slowed down in that partnership, I am to blame for that; We underestimated the spin on the ball and were trying to take the game deep; Whilst we won this game, but for future we will need to be proactive and we should win in such run chases comfortably"

"Cricket seems incomplete without presence of the crowd, but any PSL team would be happily accept winning the tournament even if there was no crowd"

Regarding Sharjeel:

"Its not easy to make a comeback after 2-3 years at such a stage, yes you can do that at club level but not at this level"

"I feel that Sharjeel has divine help but we all know he is such a talented player; The game is pretty much decided if he plays for 6 overs or so; Even today it was like this but we made it a bit more exciting (referring to his partnership)"

"I feel Sharjeel is ready for selection for Pakistan from my point of view - rest is upto Coach, Selectors"

"From the practice games it appeared that Sharjeel was ready to do well; I told him even if you score 6 ducks, we will play you in the 7th game"

"Even I have been through this when you play in one game then not in the other one, then your confidence levels drop and then you try something extraordinay in your desperation which can be difficult at an international or at this level of cricket"

"A player who is your match-winner needs to be given confidence and it has paid off until now, and if he does that in Semi-Finals and Finals then it will make everyone else happy and will also please me"

"Mohammad Rizwan is undoubtedly our best player who plays in all 3 formats; We are playing for a franchise which has overseas players and we have Chadwick Walton who has done well; We feel that the 'keeper needs to be a finisher hitter; Rizwan is a batsman who needs to come earlier in the order; We have told Rizwan about this and its possible he may play tomorrow as we have already qualified; If he scores well and is not then played in next game then that is what franchise cricket is all about, there is nothing personal against him"

Questioner asking if Misbah is angry that Rizwan not getting a game

"Look this is franchise cricket; if this was the Pakistan side then Misbah Bhai's say would have been considered; I am captain and Dean Jones is coach for our team and Misbah has said nothing like this, nor will he ever"

"I have worked with different coaches at Karachi Kings; Mickey was a great coach but I have yet to have worked with a coach like Dean Jones; He has an aggressive mindset and he tells us about game awareness which all the boys really enjoy; You ask any player in our franchise and they have the same view about Dean Jones that he is a great coach"

 

[SensiblePakFan]

This is why Babar is captain.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Personally I don’t like sharjeel for his fixing and giving him return is just a reward for bad behaviour. Yet he’s looked like he hasn’t missed a beat from his belligerent batting. Him and the Indian bowlers would be a great battle, especially bumrah.

 

[Colorblind Genius]

It's a game of weighing in the probabilities based on analysis to make the call.

In my personal opinion, the probability of Sharjeel inflicting the damage on our own team with his absolutely poor fielding is higher than the probability of him being beneficial for the team with his bat.

Good length rising ball with a good speed will expose him 9 out of 10 times in the international cricket.

But seriously, I am looking at the physique of some of the international players like Alex Hales, Weise etc. Just how lean, strong and active are they in the field?
And then we have the likes of Sharjeel and Azam Khan and Haris Sohail.

Many of us sentimental Pak fans have this built-in character of jumping on the bandwagon of over hyping a player when he displays a little bit of promise in a couple of innings.

I think it started with Umer Akmal where many fans and pundits at PCB compared him with Kohli and predicted stuff like, Umer Akmal is going to end up being better than Tendulkar and Viv Richards combined.

OK, Umer Akmal, I can live with when he started his career, but seriously, one should feel a little ashamed for over hyping these over weight players.

I think it's our culture and domestic environment where these players are unconsciously accepted by almost everyone because, among many of us, the concept is, being fat means, being very healthy.

In modern day cricket, a great fielding side is more important than having a good bowling side.

Every bowler gets spanked like an astray animal these days.
Sometimes it's really disgusting to see this.
That charm of pace bowlers, and that swashbuckling panache of high class pacers being dragged into dust in these tamasha leagues.
But what can you do? It is what it is. We asked for it, now we gotta live with it.

Anyway, these days if poor fielding gives, just ONE chance, (one drop catch or one missed run out chance), the batsmen goes on to slaughter the bowling team.

I am all for Sharjeel to fight for a spot in the team with hard work and by further improving his batting but that's just one aspect of the requirement.

He MUST become a good fielder to meet the modern day's cricket requirement. And to do that, the very first step is to lose at least 30 pounds.

Same goes for Haris and Azam and anyone else.

YOU MUST BECOME A VERY GOOD FIELDER TO SURVIVE IN THE MODERN DAY CRICKET.

All the best to you guys.

 

[Gullycricket]

Personally I don’t like sharjeel for his fixing and giving him return is just a reward for bad behaviour. Yet he’s looked like he hasn’t missed a beat from his belligerent batting. Him and the Indian bowlers would be a great battle, especially bumrah.

He couldn't do jack against India in Asia cup and WT 20 2016

 

[Hawkeye]

Sharjeel is needed for his unbelievable hitting vs pace. Spin too.

Period.

Why? Because nobody else in Pak can do it.

 

[TeamPak95]

Sharjeel does what he did today in the playoffs and its a trip to the wt20, I feel.

 

[angrypathan]

He couldn't do jack against India in Asia cup and WT 20 2016

Both those pitches were demonic to be fair. Sharjeel is obviously a limited batsman who won't do well on seaming or turning wickets, but he's better than any of the alternatives on flat wickets, which most LOI matches are played on

 

[Danyaalr01]

He is a must to open with Babar. Bat Haider Ali at 3. That is a really good top 3. Iftikhar and Shadab can bat at 4 and 5.

 

[Danyaalr01]

He couldn't do jack against India in Asia cup and WT 20 2016

That Wt20 pitch was a square turner, the Asia cup pitch had a lot of seam movement. Pak were all out for around 80 and Amir ripped through India's top order. Both pitches were difficult. Aussie will have roads.

 

[Mamoon]

Sharjeel is terrible. He never was and never will be international material.

However, I am glad that he fluked a few innings that should be enough to get him into the squad for the WT20.

His supporters deserve the humiliation that is coming their way. He is barely better than players like Fakhar and Jamshed, but his supporters pretend as if he is our Warner.

A reality-check is coming for them and it will be brutal.

 

[israyal malik]

In my view sharjeel at least deserve a chance in remaining 8-10 T20 left if he performs . he should be in the T20 WC squad. And he is better than our so called openers . I also think that he is not our Warner . He is just better than our openers . Except babar.

 

[Sher Khan]

Sharjeel is terrible. He never was and never will be international material.

However, I am glad that he fluked a few innings that should be enough to get him into the squad for the WT20.

His supporters deserve the humiliation that is coming their way. He is barely better than players like Fakhar and Jamshed, but his supporters pretend as if he is our Warner.

A reality-check is coming for them and it will be brutal.

You always seem to forget that the WT20 is taking place in Australia. Sharjeel loves those tracks they suit his style as he plays the short ball well. He scored three fifties in his last five innings in Australia, and was absolutely battering the likes of Starc and Cummins. Comparing him to duds like Fakhar and Jamshed is offensive.

 

[Mamoon]

You always seem to forget that the WT20 is taking place in Australia. Sharjeel loves those tracks they suit his style as he plays the short ball well. He scored three fifties in his last five innings in Australia, and was absolutely battering the likes of Starc and Cummins. Comparing him to duds like Fakhar and Jamshed is offensive.

Those were just three innings 4 years ago on extremely flat pitches, where Australia scored 350 and 370.

He is a poor batsman and he will not succeed against quality international bowling.

Please don’t put too much pressure on him. He is not selecting himself, and the fact that he is not good enough it is not his fault.

His fault is his atrocious fitness which should be enough to block his return to international cricket.

Sharjeel has been a failure throughout his international career. At the age of 31 with three years on the sidelines, nothing will change.

This PSL has showed that his weaknesses that prevented him from performing in international cricket have not withered away.

His presence or absence makes absolutely no difference to Pakistan’s chances in the WT20, which are minimal either way.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

In every thread where those who want to see Pakistan fail pop up I will need to offer the counter argument. I agree that Sharjeel isn't as good as the players the opposition cheerleaders admire. He takes risks he doesn't need to and often gets out cheaply as a result.

But one fact the critics can't ever challenge is this: he is one of the few Pakistani batsmen who can deal with hostile fast bowling by crashing them into the stands for 6's.

Those Pakistanis who worship other teams will never offer an alternative home batsman who can do this.

 

[Hawkeye]

Sharjeel is terrible. He never was and never will be international material.

However, I am glad that he fluked a few innings that should be enough to get him into the squad for the WT20.

His supporters deserve the humiliation that is coming their way. He is barely better than players like Fakhar and Jamshed, but his supporters pretend as if he is our Warner.

A reality-check is coming for them and it will be brutal.

Cool story.

He's just better than the rest in PAK. And that's enough for him to be selected.

 

[Savak]

You know a player merits selection for Pakistan when Mamoon relentlessly hates on him

 

[Mamoon]

Cool story.

He's just better than the rest in PAK. And that's enough for him to be selected.

It doesn’t matter when he’s inferior to his counterparts in other teams. Pakistan will still lose.

 

[Mamoon]

You know a player merits selection for Pakistan when Mamoon relentlessly hates on him

Well some say I do not want Pakistan to do well. If that was so I would have advocated for his selection, because average players him are perfect to ensure that Pakistan continuous to lose majority of its matches against India/England/Australia.

The fact that I am against the selection of this 31 year old mediocrity proves that I have the best interests of Pakistan at heart.

 

[Titan24]

It doesn’t matter when he’s inferior to his counterparts in other teams. Pakistan will still lose.

Do have have options to match other teams counterparts?

 

[Mamoon]

Do have have options to match other teams counterparts?

No, which is why I don’t see the point of excitement.

 

[Titan24]

No, which is why I don’t see the point of excitement.

I guess excitement for the fans is based upon probably an upgrade to otherwise lack of batting talent we have overall especially in T20s.

 

[GreenKhan]

Fakhar v Sharjeel is the the ways it’s going to be .

Fakhar - Has player some clutch knocks for Pakistan . His form tailed of but he has shown the mental strength to perform when it matters . His last 10 t20 innings for Pakistan have poor , however his form seems to improving .

Sharjeel-
Looks like a dream when he plays and is on song but his international record is very mediocre. He flatters to deceive more often than not, and barring a 150 against Ireland I would not say he has really set the international stage alight . His potential is unlimited .

Fakhar is the much bette fielder , and more athletic.

Both have shown similar form in the Psl with fakhar edging it so far with 2 50s in the last 3 innings .

Who do we go for . It’s an interesting dilemma.

 

[Kroll]

I guess excitement for the fans is based upon probably an upgrade to otherwise lack of batting talent we have overall especially in T20s.

And he has excited in the past with some brutal hitting.

 

[The_Odd_One]

Sharjeel is terrible. He never was and never will be international material.

However, I am glad that he fluked a few innings that should be enough to get him into the squad for the WT20.

His supporters deserve the humiliation that is coming their way. He is barely better than players like Fakhar and Jamshed, but his supporters pretend as if he is our Warner.

A reality-check is coming for them and it will be brutal.

I completely agree. He has been portrayed as hard hitting batsman like Jayasuriya but in fact he is as big a hack as Fakhar with just better pull shot. His batting technique is embarrassing to watch, tries to hit everything to mid-wicket. No wonder, he has nothing to show but that 152 score against the club level Irish bowling attack. He will fail against decent teams 4 out of 5 times.

The only reason he will be selected for WT20 is because Pakistan needs a hack to partner Babar. Him and Kamran are the only two options right now.

 

[Mamoon]

I completely agree. He has been portrayed as hard hitting batsman like Jayasuriya but in fact he is as big a hack as Fakhar with just better pull shot. His batting technique is embarrassing to watch, tries to hit everything to mid-wicket. No wonder, he has nothing to show but that 152 score against the club level Irish bowling attack. He will fail against decent teams 4 out of 5 times.

The only reason he will be selected for WT20 is because Pakistan needs a hack to partner Babar. Him and Kamran are the only two options right now.

He cannot play good length deliveries. The other day he got cleaned up by a regulation delivery by Naseem because he misjudged the length. No quality batsman would try to play a pull shot on that delivery.

He cannot deal with change of pace either. A very limited batsman who does not have the intelligence or the skill to deal with smart bowlers or bowlers who bowl smartly.

Our fans would latch onto any semblance of hope that they find. If he wasn’t banned in 2017, he would be history already. That 3 year lay-off boosted his reputation which is about to crash.

He is 31 and has already had two failed stints in international cricket over 6-7 years.

If he is selected, PCB and the fans should not cry when he inevitably fails in his third stint as well.

 

[Hawkeye]

He cannot play good length deliveries. The other day he got cleaned up by a regulation delivery by Naseem because he misjudged the length. No quality batsman would try to play a pull shot on that delivery.

He cannot deal with change of pace either. A very limited batsman who does not have the intelligence or the skill to deal with smart bowlers or bowlers who bowl smartly.

Our fans would latch onto any semblance of hope that they find. If he wasn’t banned in 2017, he would be history already. That 3 year lay-off boosted his reputation which is about to crash.

He is 31 and has already had two failed stints in international cricket over 6-7 years.

If he is selected, PCB and the fans should not cry when he inevitably fails in his third stint as well.

Even if all you say is true, ultimately we can only select players based on the pool available in PAK.

And he's simply ahead in that pool.

If he fails, fine. Others will fail as well. So, we have to select someone who has a chance to succeed or can do great on his day.

It's a gamble. One we have to play.