If Fawad Alam had played Tests for Pakistan instead of Asad Shafiq...

[srh]

If Fawad Alam has played tests instead of Asad Shafiq then what would have been results? Asad Shafiq first class domestic record was quite inferior to Fawad Alam yet Asad Shafiq played tests and Fawad Alam did not. What if selectors and captain had made the right decision?

 

[ask_analyse_act]

If Fawad Alam has played tests instead of Asad Shafiq then what would have been results? Asad Shafiq first class domestic record was quite inferior to Fawad Alam yet Asad Shafiq played tests and Fawad Alam did not. What if selectors and captain had made the right decision?

Well that is the case for many players. Not just Fawad alam

 

[ChTab]

TBH IMO Pakistan had pretty stable middle order till 2017, Asad was doing very well at number 6. It's only after MisYou's retirement that Asad became an awful cricketer.

 

[Mainul]

Asad didn't deserve to get a call to national side . He was lucky and Pakistan was unlucky. Fawad definitely would have averaged 47 plus in tests had he been selected in place of Fawad. In his case , Pakistan cricket team were unlucky as they did miss Fawad's service very much.

 

[Mamoon]

How many Fawad threads do we need? You would think he broke Lara’s 400* record, but all he did was score a baby hundred in his home ground and then threw it away when he had the chance to go big and completely shut South Africa out.

Welcome to Pakistan cricket and standards of Pakistani fans in 2020.

A dozen threads are created in tribute when a batsman scores 109. Unbelievable.

 

[srh]

Well that is the case for many players. Not just Fawad alam

I don't think Pakistan has any bastmen other Fawad Alam, who averaged over 50 in domestic first class yet still could not make the national team and instead an inferior batsman made the team

 

[Energy]

Would have yielded similar results. He would have averaged around 40.

 

[burger_uno]

asad shafiq is to pak test cricket what younas khan was to pak odi cricket.

both put some notable performances here and there but ultimately were not good enough or consistent enough to deliver at the highest level. both kept out deserving players whose presence could have been difference between victory and defeat in high profile series/competitions.

as for fawad vs asad shafiq, a glance over their respective odi record will tell us all we need to to know about the difference fawad would have made had he been preferred over asad shafiq.

 

[CricFan2012]

How many Fawad threads do we need? You would think he broke Lara’s 400* record, but all he did was score a baby hundred in his home ground and then threw it away when he had the chance to go big and completely shut South Africa out.

Welcome to Pakistan cricket and standards of Pakistani fans in 2020.

A dozen threads are created in tribute when a batsman scores 109. Unbelievable.

Its not like we have world beaters man, its nice to see someone succeed after being sidelined for so many years because of corruption and nepotism.

 

[MenInG]

How many Fawad threads do we need? You would think he broke Lara’s 400* record, but all he did was score a baby hundred in his home ground and then threw it away when he had the chance to go big and completely shut South Africa out.

Welcome to Pakistan cricket and standards of Pakistani fans in 2020.

A dozen threads are created in tribute when a batsman scores 109. Unbelievable.

And you have posted in each one of them!

Obviously this is an event which is special.

 

[wajid]

And you have posted in each one of them!

Obviously this is an event which is special.

Fitting!!

 

[MaVeRiCk]

How many Fawad threads do we need? You would think he broke Lara’s 400* record, but all he did was score a baby hundred in his home ground and then threw it away when he had the chance to go big and completely shut South Africa out.

Welcome to Pakistan cricket and standards of Pakistani fans in 2020.

A dozen threads are created in tribute when a batsman scores 109. Unbelievable.

On behalf of everyone at pakpassion, please just zip for once

 

[Barragan]

Pakistan would have had a batting leader, instead of relying on a relatively inexperienced Azam.

FC average of 38 vs 50+ is a huge gulf, but unfortunately the 38 one had a better technique and the other one unorthodox.

 

[Markhor]

I don't always agree with the verbose of all who call out the intellectual dishonesty of our selection policies. Fawad's one of a long list of Pakistani cricketers who did everything asked of him, who churned out domestic performances year after year, and was never involved in a hint of scandal or controversy.

Yet our all-knowing selectors, operating on personal likes and dislikes, only interested in playing to the galleries to keep their jobs, and claiming to possess this mythical "eye for talent" which consists of little more than spotting the prettiest cover driver in the nets or phaastest net bowler, claimed to know better.

They claimed to know more than the cold hard data, that numbers be damned, their golden boys were to be backed no matter what.

So sucks to be you Fawad Alam - sorry you were robbed of 10 years of international cricket but have you seen Asad Shafiq in the nets ?

Sucks to be you Aizaz Cheema who debuted way past his prime.

Sorry Naeemuddin and Taufiq Umar we had to give Imran Farhat, Salman Butt and Mohammad Hafeez their thousandth recall.

Sorry Zulfiqar Babar but in your prime you weren't a darts thrower like our main spinner.

Sorry Shoaib Mohammad but you weren't an Aitchison Old Boy. And on and on it goes...

 

[Shoaibbtt]

I will say this he made my all time Pakistan test XI before as well as now, but had he been given ample chances no doubt he would've gotten 10,000 runs guaranteed in my mind. However, even being a Fawad fan i'm still a little sceptic as to how he will do outside and specifically in nations where the Dukes ball is used.

I will say this in some of the selectors defenses his inclusion wasn't valid when Misbah, Younis, Azhar and Asad were going good but when Misbah and Younis retired he 100% deserved a spot in the squad in my view. However, the bizarre selection of Haris Sohail and the one match performance of Malik followed by immediate retirement kept him out and they silently dropped him which was wrong.

I think the respect and admiration he gets these days wouldn't have been this much had he been selected 10 years ago, I will say this that he is a solid batsmen and must be persisted throughout this year because he will perform. Allow a batsman to get runs and confidence under his belt, sometimes you need to play selfishly to keep your spot but then you do gain confidence with your ability which is what Younis even said in a recent media interaction (correct me if i'm wrong).

Let's let by gone's be by gone's and appreciate what he's done today.

 

[BreadPakoda]

I will say this he made my all time Pakistan test XI before as well as now, but had he been given ample chances no doubt he would've gotten 10,000 runs guaranteed in my mind.

That would make him Pakistan's second most prolific batsman. Ahead of Miandad, Inzi, MoYo, etc.

And in world's all time top-15. Ahead of batsmen like Clarke, Laxman, Sehwag, Amla, and many others.

Not only Pakistan, the world has missed witnessing this epic. An ATG. We all should be ashamed.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

That would make him Pakistan's second most prolific batsman. Ahead of Miandad, Inzi, MoYo, etc.

And in world's all time top-15. Ahead of batsmen like Clarke, Laxman, Sehwag, Amla, and many others.

Not only Pakistan, the world has missed witnessing this epic. An ATG. We all should be ashamed.

This is just my view but i seriously think if we gave him proper chances like the others he would've took full toll, i mean he's not had an easy return with away tours in NZ and Eng along with now facing SA (even if this is at home). The main thing is that he's improving and just have dua for people, don't wish the worst for them and if they fail don't go on a bashing mission because Tendulkar said it best hey you can't score in every game.

May Allah make him successful and may he achieve what he sets out to achieve until his day of retirement.

 

[MaVeRiCk]

That would make him Pakistan's second most prolific batsman. Ahead of Miandad, Inzi, MoYo, etc.

And in world's all time top-15. Ahead of batsmen like Clarke, Laxman, Sehwag, Amla, and many others.

Not only Pakistan, the world has missed witnessing this epic. An ATG. We all should be ashamed.

Im 36 years old, joined pakpassion in my early 20s but just browse and not really posted due to work and other committments. I have watched years go by, he kept churning out the runs at an average of 56 yet still ignored. One thing we must remember is that stats dont lie.

I feel utterly jubilated by his success and i wanted to thank all of you that have supported him for so long, knowing deep down that he should be in the side.

There should be an independent investigation carried out into nepotism within the PCB. All those should be tried and made to apologise at the very least.

Lessons have to be learned, this must never be allowed to happen again, selections must be based on stats. Just imagine all those test matches that could have been won or saved with fawad in the side, he would easily had over 20+ centuries to his name. Sad very very sad

 

[RyanRyan10]

I don't always agree with the verbose Dr Niaz but he's absolutely right to call out the intellectual dishonesty of our selection policies. Fawad's one of a long list of Pakistani cricketers who did everything asked of him, who churned out domestic performances year after year, and was never involved in a hint of scandal or controversy.

Yet our all-knowing selectors, operating on personal likes and dislikes, only interested in playing to the galleries to keep their jobs, and claiming to possess this mythical "eye for talent" which consists of little more than spotting the prettiest cover driver in the nets or phaastest net bowler, claimed to know better.

They claimed to know more than the cold hard data, that numbers be damned, their golden boys were to be backed no matter what.

So sucks to be you Fawad Alam - sorry you were robbed of 10 years of international cricket but have you seen Asad Shafiq in the nets ?

Sucks to be you Aizaz Cheema who debuted way past his prime.

Sorry Naeemuddin and Taufiq Umar we had to give Imran Farhat, Salman Butt and Mohammad Hafeez their thousandth recall.

Sorry Zulfiqar Babar but in your prime you weren't a darts thrower like our main spinner.

Sorry Shoaib Mohammad but you weren't an Aitchison Old Boy. And on and on it goes...

What had happened to him?

 

[leatherface58]

How many Fawad threads do we need? You would think he broke Lara’s 400* record, but all he did was score a baby hundred in his home ground and then threw it away when he had the chance to go big and completely shut South Africa out.

Welcome to Pakistan cricket and standards of Pakistani fans in 2020.

A dozen threads are created in tribute when a batsman scores 109. Unbelievable.

You are free to not post if you don't like it. All this reaction proves is at the core, you are no different with your bias and tendency to downplay achievements of players or teams that you do not fancy. Of course, you will write reams of words about players and teams you enjoy. So, you are just like everyone else here except you are better at writing in English.

Considering Pakistan was 33/4 trailing by more than 100 against a pace attack which was smelling blood and only Rizwan and Faheem to follow, to leave Pakistan leading by 90 at the end of the day more than merits praise. Admittedly, he was helped by South African bowlers losing their lines and dropping catches along with QDK being almost Paine-esque in terms of his use of DRS but it is ultimately a test hundred which is not exactly a piece of cake.

You could easily have mentioned that it was a good knock but he should have carried on and posters here should not get carried away which is what I think you are implying but you simply could not control yourself. Maybe too much time spent here with all the other armchair experts has brought you down to their level.

 

[Markhor]

Im 36 years old, joined pakpassion in my early 20s but just browse and not really posted due to work and other committments. I have watched years go by, he kept churning out the runs at an average of 56 yet still ignored. One thing we must remember is that stats dont lie.

I feel utterly jubilated by his success and i wanted to thank all of you that have supported him for so long, knowing deep down that he should be in the side.

There should be an independent investigation carried out into nepotism within the PCB. All those should be tried and made to apologise at the very least.

Lessons have to be learned, this must never be allowed to happen again, selections must be based on stats. Just imagine all those test matches that could have been won or saved with fawad in the side, he would easily had over 20+ centuries to his name. Sad very very sad

Looking at Fawad's season by season FC averages - even our ATGs cannot match such numbers.

This's a cricket nation that's reintegrated match fixers.

A nation that's forgiven drug takers. A nation that rehabilitates ball tamperers, fan attackers, womanisers, lazy unfit players, Apartheid rebel tourists and factional ringleaders.

All of them welcomed back with a red carpet. But Fawad Alam had a funny technique.

What a deplorable, corrupt, sick, bankrupt, twisted and hypocritical nation this is. Every run from Fawad is a slap to the face of these people who've ran our game into oblivion.

 

[gazza619]

Fawad would have made a far better career than Shafiq.

 

[Ilan Bluestone]

I think the realty is, Fawad would have had a fairly solid career.

Not saying he would be a top 10 test batsmen or anything, but a consistent player who would get the odd big innings.

It's a bit sad to see people attacking a now 36 year old player who has never said anything wrong in the media about his selection, and stuck to just going out there and playing his best.

For the laughs that he gets for his technique, at the end of the day, it is irrelevant, he scores runs.

A century in NZ is in and of itself a huge accomplishment given the fact he had so much pressure. He knows there is little backing and most expect failure, so what does he do, just plays his game.

South Africa is known as one of the worlds best bowling attacks and he goes out and scores a century after a 30-4 start bringing the team back from the brink of potential defeat.

All these technique laden batsmen, came and didn't score centuries. It is cricket - getting out for a low score is fairly common and a part of the game, but how can others get the benefit of the doubt to not score and him not applause when he does score.

The unfortunate realty is we probably lost a very nice test career from a humble player who just wanted to play for his nation.

Asad Shafiq with all his technique and 128 innings, thought of as the next big sensation and constantly touted, year after year, still could not finish with a 40 average, when he had little to no pressure to lose his spot on the squad.

The selection bias is appalling and has plagued Pakistan for too long.

I know Fawad doesn't have a lot of time left unfortunately, whether it be due to him retiring, or one or two failures and the door is already shown, but he is at least some glimpse into the odd selection over the years from Pakistan.

I applaud him for his efforts, his humble nature, and it saddens me that people want to downplay his success. It was once "he can score maybe against the mediocre teams, but any decent bowling attack and he is finished", but a century in NZ, and now one albeit at home is impressive nonetheless.

Vitriol should not be shown to those who love and respect their nation and never name names, but admiration and respect.

Congrats Fawad, I hope you can keep this going and you get to wear the green for at least a few years for yourself and for us to cheer you on.

 

[UzmanBeast]

Looking at Fawad's season by season FC averages - even our ATGs cannot match such numbers.

This's a cricket nation that's reintegrated match fixers.

A nation that's forgiven drug takers. A nation that rehabilitates ball tamperers, fan attackers, womanisers, lazy unfit players, Apartheid rebel tourists and factional ringleaders.

All of them welcomed back with a red carpet. But Fawad Alam had a funny technique.

What a deplorable, corrupt, sick, bankrupt, twisted and hypocritical nation this is. Every run from Fawad is a slap to the face of these people who've ran our game into oblivion.

I completely agree.

We brought in the traitors who sold out our country. We did so many atrocities and injustices against Fawad, yet he still chooses to play for us.

He deserves the spotlight, because he is far, far better than this team and this country's management.

Pathetic from previous selectors. Just borderline pathetic. They should be held answerable for this.

 

[ayemgilani86]

How many Fawad threads do we need? You would think he broke Lara’s 400* record, but all he did was score a baby hundred in his home ground and then threw it away when he had the chance to go big and completely shut South Africa out.

Welcome to Pakistan cricket and standards of Pakistani fans in 2020.

A dozen threads are created in tribute when a batsman scores 109. Unbelievable.

yes our standards have been that low, if Misbah or Asad like in the last 10 years would have been batting at 5 or 6 this wouldve been a collapse in home conditions as always, or if it was Misbah he would have scored a 50 then gotten out, but Fawad got a 100 from 40 for 4 so yes he does deserve praise

 

[Saj]

Asad was one of those players who would once in a series make a score that would help him keep his place in the squad.

Finally his time ran out, which should have happened a few years ago.

PCB definitely backed the wrong horse out of the two.

 

[Hasan123]

If you think by including him instead of Shafiq it would have made us a better test team over the years, you are mistaken.

 

[topspin]

Shafiq should have been dropped early on but it is Misbah who should have made way for Fawad after he was finished with bat and captaincy following the sh1t show during the Zimbabwe and SA tours in 2013.

Misbah knew what he was doing by excluding him from the team.

 

[Usman]

How many Fawad threads do we need? You would think he broke Lara’s 400* record, but all he did was score a baby hundred in his home ground and then threw it away when he had the chance to go big and completely shut South Africa out.

Welcome to Pakistan cricket and standards of Pakistani fans in 2020.

A dozen threads are created in tribute when a batsman scores 109. Unbelievable.

You and I both know that if an Indian scores a century, you will bend over backwards to comment on how brilliant and superior they are to every living organism on planet earth. When a Pakistani scores a century, you'll try and make it sound worthless, find all the negatives etc etc. Either you're a Pakistani with an inferiority complex or you're trolling. Whichever it is, just give it a rest for once.

Instead of focussing on the fact that Fawad got out, which yes unfortunately he did, just appreciate the fact that a guy not selected for 10 years has come in and scored 2 centuries in 3 games. The injustice of his exclusion is what gets Pakistani fans so angered. That's what they are expressing today. No need for you to dress it up as "Oh Pakistanis just celebrate anything their standards are so poor". Stop it.

Asad was one of those players who would once in a series make a score that would help him keep his place in the squad.

Finally his time ran out, which should have happened a few years ago.

PCB definitely backed the wrong horse out of the two.

The most painful aspect of this is that Asad was backed for no reason other than optics. He looked good. It did not matter that he was a significantly worse batsman than Fawad. It's just that he looked beautiful when making his 20 runs.

Every Pakistani selector who has had this mentality for the last 10 years should be hanging their heads in shame right now.

 

[Justcrazy]

Fawad would have played at least 80 more test matches , and would be scoring his 22 nd hundred today instead of 3 rd.

 

[Saj]

The most painful aspect of this is that Asad was backed for no reason other than optics. He looked good. It did not matter that he was a significantly worse batsman than Fawad. It's just that he looked beautiful when making his 20 runs.

Every Pakistani selector who has had this mentality for the last 10 years should be hanging their heads in shame right now.

He had a lot of media backing.

Some of the same media crying crocodile tears over Fawad Alam, were the ones backing Asad Shafiq over him.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Your question exposes a perception in the minds of Pakistani selectors. Which is backing a good-looking but otherwise mediocre batsman over a batsman who is hard-worker and a gritty player but looks terrible aesthetically.

 

[Bewal Express]

Asad was one of those players who would once in a series make a score that would help him keep his place in the squad.

Finally his time ran out, which should have happened a few years ago.

PCB definitely backed the wrong horse out of the two.

Asad wasnt a bad player but for the chances he had, he never really developed any toughness and become the number 4 batman that we needed.

 

[Bewal Express]

And you have posted in each one of them!

Obviously this is an event which is special.

He is like a guy that watches to moan. What a sad life

 

[Mamoon]

So far, he has batted like Shafiq. A couple of baby hundreds with soft dismissals and a string of single digit scores.

Shafiq producing the same scores over the last two series would have yielded a different reaction from the supporters.

While the argument that Fawad deserved chances over him has a lot of merit, the gap between the two at the international level is not as wide as the gap between the two at domestic level.

Fawad is a 35-40 averaging batsman at Test level, which is is roughly what Shafiq has produced over the course of his career.

Those who are suggesting that Fawad would average 50+ are basically arguing that he is in the class of Kohli/Smith/Root/Williamson which is nonsense.

 

[Esfahani]

So far, he has batted like Shafiq. A couple of baby hundreds with soft dismissals and a string of single digit scores.

Shafiq producing the same scores over the last two series would have yielded a different reaction from the supporters.

While the argument that Fawad deserved chances over him has a lot of merit, the gap between the two at the international level is not as wide as the gap between the two at domestic level.

Fawad is a 35-40 averaging batsman at Test level, which is is roughly what Shafiq has produced over the course of his career.

Those who are suggesting that Fawad would average 50+ are basically arguing that he is in the class of Kohli/Smith/Root/Williamson which is nonsense.

Not to mention that Fawad bats in dire circumstances while Shafiq had the backs of Misbah and Younis. So skill level gap is larger then it seems.

 

[moghul]

Asad was one of those players who would once in a series make a score that would help him keep his place in the squad. ][/B]

Finally his time ran out, which should have happened a few years ago.

PCB definitely backed the wrong horse out of the two.

The same was true with Misnah, Younas Khan ( in his last 5 years if not longer ) and now Azhar Ali,

 

[moghul]

If I tack back Pakistan cricket history, I would put Fawad one of the most gutsy batsmen we have ever produced.

More than a decade after scoring a debut ton, he was axed and kept on witness one after another, much inferiors batsmen playing for Pakistan but he kept on piling runs, season after season . Selectors came and gone, but no one "liked" his batting, he never complained.

When at not so young age, he was given a 2nd chance , in very demanding conditions, he scored a ton in NZL against a world class bowling. Now again, stepped in when team was 4 down in fading light , he scored another ton and brought the team from losing to winning position.

What a gutsy man , take a bow Fawad Alam , you're a man of True Grit.

 

[MHN1293]

So far, he has batted like Shafiq. A couple of baby hundreds with soft dismissals and a string of single digit scores.

Shafiq producing the same scores over the last two series would have yielded a different reaction from the supporters.

While the argument that Fawad deserved chances over him has a lot of merit, the gap between the two at the international level is not as wide as the gap between the two at domestic level.

Fawad is a 35-40 averaging batsman at Test level, which is is roughly what Shafiq has produced over the course of his career.

Those who are suggesting that Fawad would average 50+ are basically arguing that he is in the class of Kohli/Smith/Root/Williamson which is nonsense.

Fawad had a similar start to all the batsmen you have mention 10 years back so i dont know how you can downplay him to asad shafiq level. He might not be better than the 4 but could easily have been a 45 averaging batsmen.

 

[Nadeemp]

Anyone with some intelligence cant deny the fact that Alam had been done wrong. Alam has taken all this in stride ( acting or not, does not matter). He has never complained, just kept his head down and kept scoring in domestics for 10 DAMN YEARS. I repeat 10 DAMN YEARS. You have to tip you hat to that. Is he the next bradman, NO. Will he average 50 plus, NO. He has 2-3 years left. Let the man play and enjoy.

 

[Usman Chadda]

So far, he has batted like Shafiq. A couple of baby hundreds with soft dismissals and a string of single digit scores.

Shafiq producing the same scores over the last two series would have yielded a different reaction from the supporters.

While the argument that Fawad deserved chances over him has a lot of merit, the gap between the two at the international level is not as wide as the gap between the two at domestic level.

Fawad is a 35-40 averaging batsman at Test level, which is is roughly what Shafiq has produced over the course of his career.

Those who are suggesting that Fawad would average 50+ are basically arguing that he is in the class of Kohli/Smith/Root/Williamson which is nonsense.

The difference is Fawad rescued our team somewhat from 33-4 in this test, while Shafiq would only look to rescue his own career.

 

[Nadeemp]

Let the man play. He deserves that

 

[observer1]

How many Fawad threads do we need? You would think he broke Lara’s 400* record, but all he did was score a baby hundred in his home ground and then threw it away when he had the chance to go big and completely shut South Africa out.

Welcome to Pakistan cricket and standards of Pakistani fans in 2020.

A dozen threads are created in tribute when a batsman scores 109. Unbelievable.

Its not a batsman scoring 109 though ia it.

Incase you've been living under a rock, which I think you probably like to do in your spare time, the dudes had a pretty remarkable career of being shut out of the team for a decade.

If you can't understand the nuance of that, but manage to screech in delight whenever an Indian batsman plays a good knock, it really begs the question if you're an Indian Larking as a Pakistani.

I mean I've come sccross self hating people before but if you can't even pretend to understand why Fawad playing a clutch inning is important, than you're free to leave and not come back.

 

[Usman Chadda]

Its not a batsman scoring 109 though ia it.

Incase you've been living under a rock, which I think you probably like to do in your spare time, the dudes had a pretty remarkable career of being shut out of the team for a decade.

If you can't understand the nuance of that, but manage to screech in delight whenever an Indian batsman plays a good knock, it really begs the question if you're an Indian Larking as a Pakistani.

I mean I've come sccross self hating people before but if you can't even pretend to understand why Fawad playing a clutch inning is important, than you're free to leave and not come back.

This poster will be running laps around Mohali naked if a random Mohan Lal from India scores a 50, so let’s stop falling for the bait for this disgraceful attention seeker.

I am not a Fawad Alam fan at all myself, but the resilience shown by the man after being shut out for 10 years from the national team, is nothing short of extra-ordinary.

 

[Mamoon]

Its not a batsman scoring 109 though ia it.

Incase you've been living under a rock, which I think you probably like to do in your spare time, the dudes had a pretty remarkable career of being shut out of the team for a decade.

If you can't understand the nuance of that, but manage to screech in delight whenever an Indian batsman plays a good knock, it really begs the question if you're an Indian Larking as a Pakistani.

I mean I've come sccross self hating people before but if you can't even pretend to understand why Fawad playing a clutch inning is important, than you're free to leave and not come back.

Yes I am aware of his sob story. I am aware that he was kept out of the team for a million years which cost him the chance to eclipse Bradman. That is not even the point.

The point is that he has not moved mountains since his comeback. He is averaging a mere 37, which is the bare minimum that you would expect from a 35 year old veteran batsman with 12k FC runs.

When you select a batsman at his stage of his career, you expect him to hit the ground running and immediately show worth of all the years of FC experience.

Australia selected Voges at the age of 35 in 2015-16 and he averaged 60+ in Test cricket.

Fawad is not performing at the level you would expect from a veteran FC batsman with an average of 55+.

 

[Mamoon]

For Fawad to prove his worth, he will have to average 50+.

If he is going to scrap around the 35-40 mark, then there is no point in investing in a 35 year old when a younger batsman could do a similar job but will also be around 10 years from now to potentially benefit from this experience.

 

[Cric1234]

He wouldn’t have done a lot better 43-45 average in his prime at a strike rate of 45 then declined steadily to average near 40 would’ve struggled outside Asia over time in SENA but done better in Asia.

 

[Cric1234]

If Umar Akmal has played instead of Shafiq he could averaged near 50 at a strike rate of 70 making some big hundreds in Asia on flatter wickets and maintaining a decent average outside Asia by scoring at a quicker rate.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

Fawad would have averaged at least 45 if he had as many tests as shafiq. He would have had over a 50 average in UAE.

 

[Mamoon]

Averages 35 post comeback, but we won’t stop talking about how wonderful he has been and how big of an upgrade he has been on Shafiq

 

[Varun]

Averages 35 post comeback, but we won’t stop talking about how wonderful he has been and how big of an upgrade he has been on Shafiq

Shafiq IIRC was a king of soft runs.

Fawad seems to score more often when the team has needed it.

 

[Mamoon]

Shafiq IIRC was a king of soft runs.

Fawad seems to score more often when the team has needed it.

Does he? Failed in the Dunedin Test in 2009 when Pakistan needed him to score.

Failed in the first innings of the first Test in New Zealand this time around as well as in both innings of the second Test.

Got out to a tame delivery in the second innings of the first Test after getting set. He had the chance to save the match for Pakistan but he failed.

Failed badly in England.

Failed today when Pakistan needed him to step up.

He has only played one meaningful knock post comeback, and even that was a baby hundred.

He is a high 30 averaging player like Shafiq. It is now clear that there was no injustice against him. He is not as good as people thought.

The only difference between him and Shafiq is that Shafiq is at least good to watch.

 

[Mainul]

Alhamdulillah.For Fawad,the great Pakistani batsman. A really nice niche for my comment, just below the comment of Sir who is probably taking a proton pump inhibitor for heartburn

 

[ElRaja]

cant believe he was kept out for asad all these years, and this is the latter part of his career, in terms of reactions, stamina, etc hes pbly at 80% of his peak 4 or 5 years ago.

should have been bought into the team straight after misbah and yk retired.

 

[boomboom6]

Both Azhar & Shafiq did not deserve to play ahead of Fawad ... Yk + Fawad would've been lethal past decade but that's what we get for ignoring merit and being unjust ... It's a microcosm of Pakistan in general

 

[Shoaibbtt]

His best 100 this year.

That’s now his 4th hundred from his last 4 series now.

100 against NZ
100 against SA
100 against Zim
100 against WI

 

[leatherface58]

Just shows how comically stupid the decision to never pick him was. Fawad is a class act and it is a shame he will not play too many tests. But hey, he will probably have a slump and then the folks here can kick him like they tend to do for every player who goes out of form who they do not like for some reason.

 

[Forum363]

His best 100 this year.

That’s now his 4th hundred from his last 4 series now.

100 against NZ
100 against SA
100 against Zim
100 against WI

What’s his record post comeback? I think he was average for a series or two but since then he must be doing brilliantly?

 

[Shoaibbtt]

What’s his record post comeback? I think he was average for a series or two but since then he must be doing brilliantly?

In this series he averages 83 but since the SA series his average is +50.

 

[Forum363]

In this series he averages 83 but since the SA series his average is +50.

Thank you. Brilliant stuff and a slap in the face of his haters.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Thank you. Brilliant stuff and a slap in the face of his haters.

Averages for the last few series will show he’s getting better:

Fawad vs New Zealand - 32 ave
Fawad vs South Africa - 56 ave
Fawad vs Zimbabwe - 72 ave
Fawad vs West Indies - 90 ave

You can see it’s a progressive increase in average from series by series. 4 hundreds in your last 4 series is something very impressive.

Average of +50 in 2021 from Fawad with 3 hundreds and 1 fifty.

Conversion rate has been brilliant from Fawad.

Only criticism as a fan be careful with the running between the wickets and be a little consistent with run making otherwise he’s been a man of crisis.

 

[SaadAliG]

Why in place of Shafiq and not in place of hacks who used to come and go out of the team on regular basis?

Why's this agenda against Shafiq, who himself have served as well as anyone on the number he played having one of the best record on his position in the history of the game.

Fawad may apply himself better but he was never as good as Shafiq, nor did he play in the same position as Shafiq.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Why in place of Shafiq and not in place of hacks who used to come and go out of the team on regular basis?

Why's this agenda against Shafiq, who himself have served as well as anyone on the number he played having one of the best record on his position in the history of the game.

Fawad may apply himself better but he was never as good as Shafiq, nor did he play in the same position as Shafiq.

Name one time other than Brisbane when Shafiq has played a stand out innings from the pack?

 

[MesonK]

Rizwan >> Sarfaraz
Fawad Alam >> Asad Shafiq
Osman Salauddin > Shan Masood, Abid Ali

........ But we ruined Rizwans mid 20s, Fawads entire prime career and Osman may never hit the national squad again.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Rizwan >> Sarfaraz
Fawad Alam >> Asad Shafiq
Osman Salauddin > Shan Masood, Abid Ali

........ But we ruined Rizwans mid 20s, Fawads entire prime career and Osman may never hit the national squad again.

Only thing against Salhuddin is that his SR needs to improve, the last 2 seasons his SR was 41 which on Pakistan pitches is not good enough.

 

[asifp]

Does he? Failed in the Dunedin Test in 2009 when Pakistan needed him to score.

Failed in the first innings of the first Test in New Zealand this time around as well as in both innings of the second Test.

Got out to a tame delivery in the second innings of the first Test after getting set. He had the chance to save the match for Pakistan but he failed.

Failed badly in England.

Failed today when Pakistan needed him to step up.

He has only played one meaningful knock post comeback, and even that was a baby hundred.

He is a high 30 averaging player like Shafiq. It is now clear that there was no injustice against him. He is not as good as people thought.

The only difference between him and Shafiq is that Shafiq is at least good to watch.

Anything to say now mr always critical? If an Indian was performing this way you be singing his praises

 

[pakistanigoneaussie]

Fawad has the capacity to do something that Asad never could: score hard runs, often with the tail.

Asad is arguably the biggest waste of investment in Pakistan batting history. Even more so than the likes of Farhat and Iqbal.

His speciality was making losses more respectable. All batsmen have good innings in losses, but for Asad that was the rule, not the exception.

 

[Mainul]

Fawad has the capacity to do something that Asad never could: score hard runs, often with the tail.

Asad is arguably the biggest waste of investment in Pakistan batting history. Even more so than the likes of Farhat and Iqbal.

His speciality was making losses more respectable. All batsmen have good innings in losses, but for Asad that was the rule, not the exception.

Summed up nicely. The king of soft runs.

 

[Lahorijat]

We need to move on from ‘what if’ and root cause analysis. Things keep changing and even if we find the reasons, solutions cannot be implemented to problems of the past.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Fawad has the capacity to do something that Asad never could: score hard runs, often with the tail.

Asad is arguably the biggest waste of investment in Pakistan batting history. Even more so than the likes of Farhat and Iqbal.

His speciality was making losses more respectable. All batsmen have good innings in losses, but for Asad that was the rule, not the exception.

That last paragraph sums up Asad to a tee, post of the week for me.

 

[Cric_lover4487]

Why in place of Shafiq and not in place of hacks who used to come and go out of the team on regular basis?

Why's this agenda against Shafiq, who himself have served as well as anyone on the number he played having one of the best record on his position in the history of the game.

Fawad may apply himself better but he was never as good as Shafiq, nor did he play in the same position as Shafiq.

I am not really a fan of either Asad or Fawad but i don't get the point of bringing Asad down to bring Fawad up. Its not like Asad is the reason why Fawad had to wait so long. Already many hacks were tried before Fawad. Clearly, team management saw no potential in him. Infact Inzi felt Fawad will struggle to play swing bowling when he was chief selector. Asad was no Kohli but he performed as good as anyone in Pak's test team during his time. Maybe fans should question Misbah who hogged the test spot till he was like 44 years old.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

I am not really a fan of either Asad or Fawad but i don't get the point of bringing Asad down to bring Fawad up. Its not like Asad is the reason why Fawad had to wait so long. Already many hacks were tried before Fawad. Clearly, team management saw no potential in him. Infact Inzi felt Fawad will struggle to play swing bowling when he was chief selector. Asad was no Kohli but he performed as good as anyone in Pak's test team during his time. Maybe fans should question Misbah who hogged the test spot till he was like 44 years old.

Asad was given a controversial long run of 70+ test matches and he only managed a poor average of 38, sure he was ok but he was nothing great. At no point was anyone gonna say hmmm I think we can do better than Shafiq.

The management and Pak media are to blame for their assumption that Fawad will fail due to his stance and never thought to say let’s just trial him, if he fails then we can justifiably drop him.

Ramiz Raja says about having an eye for talent and I think most fans realised that Fawad’s experience is best utilised in test cricket and not odi.

My biggest problem is is that we assume things too quick and slate people when they fail now and again.

 

[Ab Fan]

Good knock from Fawad.

Shafiq mostly plays soft knocks when his team is already lost. Here, Fawad's hundred has made sure that Pakistan get to match winning total of 300 on this pitch.

 

[BunnyRabbit]

He was given chances in the wrong formats. T20is and ODIs.

The other thing is regardless of how much difference there will be between the stats and "technique", a player with 56+ avg is 9/10 times likely to have a 40+avg in international cricket.

The problem with Asad was, apart from his century at The Oval in 2016, he never really won the team any game. Even in that inning, Younis surpassed him. He was only a secondary guy and could never rise to being the main one. He also had a very bad habit of throwing away his wicket at the worst possible time coupled with single digit scores at crucial points.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

Had Fawad played instead of Asad Shafiq he would have been one of Pakistan greatest Test players, with an average of over 50. PCB ruined his career by not playing him in his prime.

 

[Corridor of Uncertainty]

I read the word 'baby hundred' on this thread. Can't believe a 100 can be a baby.

What is a score of 50 then? conception phase?

Fact is, Fawad Alam is a missed opportunity. We don't know if he would have been successful if consistently backed 10 years ago. The tragedy is, we will never find out.

 

[kingusama92]

Fawad has the capacity to do something that Asad never could: score hard runs, often with the tail.

Asad is arguably the biggest waste of investment in Pakistan batting history. Even more so than the likes of Farhat and Iqbal.

His speciality was making losses more respectable. All batsmen have good innings in losses, but for Asad that was the rule, not the exception.

To be fair to Asad, he was a monster in domestic cricket. His average was in the 60s at the time with a "better technique" than Fawad.

Their real mistake was not letting these two fight it out by keeping them both in the squad. It likely would have improved Asad as a batsman while Fawad would have gone on and become a great Test batsman.

Unfortunately, Fawad was kept out without much reason and Asad became complacent batting behind YK, Misbah, and Azhar.

 

[Mainul]

To be fair to Asad, he was a monster in domestic cricket. His average was in the 60s at the time with a "better technique" than Fawad.

Their real mistake was not letting these two fight it out by keeping them both in the squad. It likely would have improved Asad as a batsman while Fawad would have gone on and become a great Test batsman.

Unfortunately, Fawad was kept out without much reason and Asad became complacent batting behind YK, Misbah, and Azhar.

Fawad got into the team before Asad in 2009. He started his career with a bang unlike Asad who was a sedate and average or below average performer through out his career. Fawad was unfairly dropped just after two tests of that brilliant century on debut against Srilanka in Srilanka against a quality Srilankan attack.

 

[boomboom6]

To be fair to Asad, he was a monster in domestic cricket. His average was in the 60s at the time with a "better technique" than Fawad.

Their real mistake was not letting these two fight it out by keeping them both in the squad. It likely would have improved Asad as a batsman while Fawad would have gone on and become a great Test batsman.

Unfortunately, Fawad was kept out without much reason and Asad became complacent batting behind YK, Misbah, and Azhar.

Shafiq at the time of his selection in 2010 was a 30s avg FC batsman whereas Fawad had just come off a season of FC in 2009 where he scored an unbeaten 296*, which he followed up by scoring 168 on debut and was then axed 2 matches after his debut.

Shafiq had one anomaly FC season YEARS after being in the test team ... But in 2010 upon Shafiq's first ever selection, Fawad was still country miles better than Shafiq but got unjustly axed.

And oh Azhar upon time of his selection in 2010 was averaging in mid 30s in FC ... Fawad was axed while 2 mediocre FC batsmen were given a decade of run while the world class performer was kept out.

I hope for nothing but roastfest for those that denied him of his rightful career!

 

[Barragan]

To be fair to Asad, he was a monster in domestic cricket. His average was in the 60s at the time with a "better technique" than Fawad.

Their real mistake was not letting these two fight it out by keeping them both in the squad. It likely would have improved Asad as a batsman while Fawad would have gone on and become a great Test batsman.

Unfortunately, Fawad was kept out without much reason and Asad became complacent batting behind YK, Misbah, and Azhar.

What?

When was shafiq a "domestic monster"?

The guy had a 38 FC average (at the time of his international selection). LOL