Imad Wasim - A must pick in T20Is?

[Saj]

Absolutely brilliant spell once again from Imad Wasim:

Overs 4
Maidens 1
Runs conceded 9
Wickets 1
Economy rate 2.25
Dot Balls 17

To have an economy rate of only 5.89 in T20Is after 33 matches and bowling most of his overs during the batting powerplay is incredible.

He's had plenty of criticism but he seems to have sorted himself out and surely he's now an automatic pick for Pakistan in T20Is?

Whilst others seem to be suffering from the superstar syndrome, Imad seems to be raising his game.

 

[Hasan123]

In T20s no one should have ever questioned his place. His bowling in the PP overs is amazing.

 

[moghul]

Currently, he is the best player in Pakistan T20 team .

 

[j_kazmi]

Tbh he’s a must pick in ODI’s right now aswell.

He’s the only decent lower order hitter we’ve got. He may not be amazing but he gets the job done.

We haven’t had a good good striker of the ball in a long time and he looks like some one who can get the quick runs we need at the end of an innings.

 

[Arham_PakFan]

He is a certain pick in T20Is.

 

[Pete Rose]

Given that we assess players now basis three games at a time : he should be captain

 

[mastersaan10]

Was always a must in lois. The true all-rounder that we neglect .

 

[Saj]

Given that we assess players now basis three games at a time : he should be captain

It'll be interesting to see how he does this time around in the PSL as KK skipper.

 

[Pete Rose]

It'll be interesting to see how he does this time around in the PSL as KK skipper.

He is a character though. That’s good for Pakistan cricket in general

 

[aukhan]

He is underrated in T20s. He was world no.1 bowler in this format before he lost his place in the side. His batting has been good lately as well.

 

[Abdullah719]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Imad Wasim's incredible statistics in the T20I series against South Africa:<br><br>4-0-19-1<br>4-1-9-1<br>4-0-23-1<br><br>Only conceded 51 runs in his 12 overs this series at a superb economy rate of 4.25<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SAvPAK?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SAvPAK</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1093214564634767360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2019</a></blockquote>
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[aukhan]

He will soon become no.1 in T20s again. Impressive bowling from Imad.

 

[hadi123]

No one has doubted him that much in T20I's tbf. Clutch bowler, keeps things tight in the powerplay.

 

[omairsiddiqui]

I just checked his first-class stats and, although he hasn't played a FC game in 18 months, he is solid with both bat and ball. I'm surprised he doesn't get picked over the likes of Shadab in Test cricket. Anyone know why?

 

[Square Drive]

Walks into every side.

 

[hadi123]

I just checked his first-class stats and, although he hasn't played a FC game in 18 months, he is solid with both bat and ball. I'm surprised he doesn't get picked over the likes of Shadab in Test cricket. Anyone know why?

I don't think his bowling will be useful in Tests at all, he doesn't spin the ball much, he just keeps it very tight and also gets through his overs quickly, which is why he is so effective in T20I's, builds a lot of pressure, but in tests it won't really matter as run rate is not a big deal in 5 day cricket.

 

[Snowflake]

Such a valuable bowler to have. Bowls in the powerplay, does not give away anything and takes wickets.

 

[Prince of Pakistan]

IF he does well as captain in the PSL things will get very interesting .. and tough for the PCB.

 

[TheNeutralist]

he is good

 

[King Khan]

I think another year of good performances (esp. in the World Cup) will put him in prime position for the captaincy.

He's captained under 19 and domestic sides, so he has shown leadership experience. Just needs to ensure he's performing for the team with bat or ball consistently before he can be given captaincy.

 

[aukhan]

He is good in T20s. He was world no.1 in this format before he was dropped from the squad for his ODI form.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

I don't think his bowling will be useful in Tests at all, he doesn't spin the ball much, he just keeps it very tight and also gets through his overs quickly, which is why he is so effective in T20I's, builds a lot of pressure, but in tests it won't really matter as run rate is not a big deal in 5 day cricket.

I don't even think his bowling can translate to 50 over games, if he has to bowl 10 overs, the batsmen will have plenty of time to pick their shots against his arm ball, which is his only delivery basically.

He has been great in T20s though so definitely deserves his place in that format.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

In T20s he's indispensable. Probably one of the best T20 bowlers in the world. However, in ODIs as well I think he plays a crucial role. He may not always pick up wickets but he delivers economical performances and makes run-scoring difficult for batsmen. As a batsman he is also very useful. Averaging 43 @ a SR of 101 is phenomenal for any lower order batsmen despite the small sample size. And as we saw in the SA series his power-hitting is also improving which is extremely important as we have missed a good hitter at the back end of the innings for pretty a long time now.

 

[Abdullah719]

Tough to negotiate with the new ball for England.

 

[Mercurial]

Our best T20I spinner, can't even think of dropping him.

 

[Mamoon]

He is Pakistan’s best all-rounder.

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Imad Wasim was excellent once again yesterday. Incredible T20I numbers for him:<br><br>Matches 44<br>Overs 156<br>Runs conceded 939<br>Wickets 44<br>Maidens 3<br>Economy rate 6.01<br>Strike rate 21.2<br>Average 21.34<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENGvPAK?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ENGvPAK</a> <a href="https://t.co/LP0t7JtMrJ">pic.twitter.com/LP0t7JtMrJ</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1299609638443327488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2020</a></blockquote>
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[Saj]

The first over of the match which was superb gave Pakistan a good platform for the first 6 overs.

Got hit a bit later on but that was to be expected with Banton in full flow.

 

[Mesozoic]

He'll be invaluable against any team not named India in T20 cricket.

Probably the most valuable T20 allrounder from Asia. Don't think Shakib is that good in the shortest format.

 

[jeeteshssaxena]

He'll be invaluable against any team not named India in T20 cricket.

Probably the most valuable T20 allrounder from Asia. Don't think Shakib is that good in the shortest format.

India doesn't have many options for T20 and imad is better than all of them also he can bat so he will be a sure shot pick in our side
.
Edit: oh sorry I didn't read ur post properly

 

[sweep_shot]

He can get the job done in T20 format. But, he is not a spinner. He is a darter.

Shadab is a proper spinner.

 

[shah_1]

Imad has learned to spin the ball away(saw it in 2019 WC for the first time), he doesn’t spin the ball much. Good enough to create uncertainty

 

[shamaan]

Yes bowls economical overs and can slog at the end

 

[hitthestump]

He's a gun t20 player, really improved a ton over the years in both batting and bowling. Considering he opens the bowling his figures are nothing short of world class.

 

[Saj]

He can get the job done in T20 format. But, he is not a spinner. He is a darter.

Shadab is a proper spinner.

Darter, spinner or whatever else.

What matters are wickets, dot balls, economy.

 

[MenInG]

Imad not that impressive today but cant expect him to carry Pakistan through all the time - 3 overs and 30 runs - not that great.

 

[Firebat]

Imad Wasim not picked in the T20 squad vs SA due to family reasons.

Let's see how Pakistan get on without one of our T20 mainstays for the last few years.

 

[UzmanBeast]

The only thing stopping Imad Wasim from becoming a genuinely great wicket-taking bowler along with his ability to contain runs is if he develops some sort of variation.

The carrom ball, the googly, the leg break, the backspinner, or something unique which could create uncertainty when batsmen are playing him. IMO that's the only thing stopping him from being recognized as a world class T20 bowler.

 

[Saj]

According to Mohammad Wasim, Imad asked to be left out of the T20I squad against South Africa due to personal reasons.

 

[saeedhk]

I watch Pakistan matches to see Imad in action. It is a tragedy he is not playing.

 

[Ahmed216]

Wont mind him getting dropped. Hardly produces impactful performances. Definition of bits n pieces. Top teams wont let him bat or bowl

 

[shamaan]

Good opportunity for Qadir to put preesure on shadab and imad

 

[Firebat]

After going the distance a few times, Imad strikes back to get the wicket of Lynn

 

[Markhor]

Dropped in all formats for South Africa and Zimbabwe.

 

[gazza619]

Dropped in all formats for South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Really surprised. I thought he was injured. Did M Wasim give a reason for his exclusion?

 

[asadee]

I think him hiding himself as a bowler during PSL has come back to bite him

 

[MenInG]

Mohammad Wasim speaking to the press:

"Look we replaced Imad with Nawaz and the way he has performed, we will continue with Nawaz; He can bowl with the new ball, bowl in the middle overs, against left or right-handed batsman - he can handle any situation; The same applied to his batting where he can bat in any position or play the role in any slot"

"Imad Wasim has some limitations which he needs to improve upon, because you cannot be a limited cricketer in any form of the game; You need to be ready for any scenario or situation - so when we compare both, Nawaz is the better option"

 

[Mamoon]

I am happy to see the underrated Nawaz finally get the recognition he deserves, but Imad did not deserve to get axed.

He is comfortably better than scam-artist Shadab.

 

[angrypathan]

Imad is comfortably better than Nawaz. Nevertheless I'm glad someone with his shocking fitness levels has gotten the axe

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Mohammad Wasim has completely lost his mind. I think he doesn't watch any international cricket. If he did he would know how well Imad has done for Pakistan in both formats.

He is dropping and selecting people based on his personal likes and dislikes. Shadab has no reason to be there. And Sharjeel doesn't meet any metric for fitness. But Fakhar and Imad are dropped.

He's an even worse selector than Misbah.

 

[Mamoon]

Mohammad Wasim has completely lost his mind. I think he doesn't watch any international cricket. If he did he would know how well Imad has done for Pakistan in both formats.

He is dropping and selecting people based on his personal likes and dislikes. Shadab has no reason to be there. And Sharjeel doesn't meet any metric for fitness. But Fakhar and Imad are dropped.

He is trying too hard to showcase himself as some visionary genius. Fishing for cheap praise.

 

[Prince of Pakistan]

Mohammad Wasim has completely lost his mind. I think he doesn't watch any international cricket. If he did he would know how well Imad has done for Pakistan in both formats.

He is dropping and selecting people based on his personal likes and dislikes. Shadab has no reason to be there. And Sharjeel doesn't meet any metric for fitness. But Fakhar and Imad are dropped.

He's an even worse selector than Misbah.

There might be some politics involved as well. Recently Imad announced his support for Amir and said several times to the media that Amir is the best fast bowler in Pakistan. When he said that twice it looked like he was hitting some individuals.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

He is trying too hard to showcase himself as some visionary genius. Fishing for cheap praise.

That has been his MO from day one. But anyone with half a brain-cell can tell that making cheap power point presentations can't substitute for actually making sound selections.

I can't recall a chief-selector who has presided over such a high turnover of players in such a short time. There is no consistency and no long term vision in his selections.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

There might be some politics involved as well. Recently Imad announced his support for Amir and said several times to the media that Amir is the best fast bowler in Pakistan. When he said that twice it looked like he was hitting some individuals.

That's even worse. And if that is actually the case than it just shows how unprofessional he is.

 

[The Viper]

Was surprised that he was dropped. He has been a mainstay in the LOI teams and honestly its worth picking him in ODI's for his batting alone.

 

[Mamoon]

Imad Wasim makes the LOI sides purely as a lower-order finisher. He has a brain and can keep a cool head unlike the other so-called finishers and power-hitters.

A completely pathetic decision.

 

[world cup captain]

That's even worse. And if that is actually the case than it just shows how unprofessional he is.

Maybe they are limiting one fattie per squad thus Imad was dropped to make room for Sharjeel since he adds more value to the playing 11. It's very difficult to hide such guys on the field which creates unnecessary headaches for a captain.

 

[Ahmed216]

I am happy that one of bits n pieces is gone

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Maybe they are limiting one fattie per squad thus Imad was dropped to make room for Sharjeel since he adds more value to the playing 11. It's very difficult to hide such guys on the field which creates unnecessary headaches for a captain.

Sorry but your argument doesn't make any sense. How does Sharjeel bring more to the playing 11? He hasn't played an international since 2016 and is unquestionably one of the most physically unfit cricketers in Pakistan. His biggest selling point is his ability to bash the opposition but that is far from a guarantee which is evident from his performances in PSL. Sometimes it comes off, most times it doesn't.

By comparison, Imad provides consistency with both ball and bat. Unlike Sharjeel who is a bonafide hit or miss Imad's batting has finally provided Pakistan with a reliable lower order finisher. And with the ball he almost always delivers with a misery bowling spell.

 

[ads101]

It's unfair to drop him. It's SA so probably won't be as reliant on him (Zimb will beat anyway).

His batting alone at 7 in ODIs is enough. He nearly always seems to make runs at a good SR down the order. 42 at SR 110 is phenomenal. And his batting stats have even improved over last few years. Getting someone to do that at 6 is hard let alone 7. I assume Faheem will take his place, and hopefully his test batting form will carry over. But if faheem goes ahead and averages 13 again, it's just not good enough.

In T20s his average isn't high, but he's good at keeping runs down, and as a spinner alone, he's been our best spinner in the T20 format, above Shadab IMO (who he also scores faster than with the bat).

I know he's isn't flashy or a matchwinning sort of player, but he consistently puts performances in a position where usually players go missing. Look at other players stats as the 5th bowler, or batting at 6 or 7. One of my biggest problems when we played faheem in ODIs, he literally was a passenger in the side. He may have been able to do more in a higher position/more bowling responsibility. But then that would force someone else to bat 6/7, 5th bowler. Even batsmen, look how guys like Iftikhar, Kushadil, even Sarfraz when he was in the team struggled to make impact down the order at 6 or so. Imad was the only guy we've had in recent times who actually excelled in that position when the rest struggled.

 

[Last Monetarist]

He's an even worse selector than Misbah.

Yup, I didn't think that was possible. He's selecting players based on how he'll be perceived by the media and fans, it's blatantly undisguised.

 

[IMMY69]

I rate Imad.
He seems to be a strong character which is important.

His batting is extremely underrated and he almost always does a good job with the ball.

 

[Rayyman]

Imad Wasim was my favorite player, but unfortunately he hides down the order way too much.

Mohammad Nawaz is not the finisher that Imad is, but he is younger, fitter, and available to play all formats.

 

[Saj]

Well Nawaz seems to be flavour of the month for Mohammad Wasim and his go-to guy.

Let's see how long that lasts.

Imad with a battle on his hands.

 

[asadee]

Something happened in NZ remember he wasn't played in the last T20 which we won

 

[Hasan123]

T20s is his best format. The next tournament is in India. Would have not dropped him from T20s.

 

[marlonbrowndo]

Unbelievable that the best limited overs all rounder in the country has been replaced. Absurd decision

 

[Corridor of Uncertainty]

At the risk of appearing contrarian, I am inclined to agree here with Mohammad Wasim.

Two reasons:
1. If Imad is a batter, he should come from the 11th or 12th over to make an impact. Most times, he comes in the last over or two - and that is not enough time to make an impact.
2. If he is a bowler, he must get breakthroughs up and down the order or curtail scoring rate.

He was doing that early on but in the last couple of years, I find him not doing either well. His economy rate and average has dropped and his batting is rarely seen.

Having said that, Imad and Nawaz still trump Shadab - who is yet to build on his bowling craft and his batting is being found out.

 

[Saj]

Regarding his lack of wickets as some have stated.

He has 47 wickets in 48 innings which isn't at all bad.

He's not the sort of bowler who is going to pick up 3, 4 or 5 wickets on a regular basis. Instead he will give you control and economy most of the time.

 

[shah_1]

Poor decision to drop him

 

[TeymurBlake]

I felt his fitness had improved somewhat specially this PSL but his lack of bowling in the PSL was definitely a factor and the fact Nawaz played pretty good against SA and PSL.

 

[shamaan]

Good decision to drop him he provided nothing with the ball and bat during the psl and hid himself in the corner

 

[shamaan]

Poor decision to drop him

He didnt put himself foward in preesure situations during the psl and thats whats cost him

 

[shamaan]

Unbelievable that the best limited overs all rounder in the country has been replaced. Absurd decision

He got dropped due to his lack of bowling and batting in psl

 

[shamaan]

T20s is his best format. The next tournament is in India. Would have not dropped him from T20s.

He would not have been dropped if he showed even 50 percent of his bowling and batting form

 

[shamaan]

Yup, I didn't think that was possible. He's selecting players based on how he'll be perceived by the media and fans, it's blatantly undisguised.

What do you think of his non bowling form and batting form in psl ?

 

[Hasan123]

He would not have been dropped if he showed even 50 percent of his bowling and batting form

Shadab has been even worse but still keeps his place.

 

[shamaan]

Shadab has been even worse but still keeps his place.

Atleast he puts his self forward and actually bowls instead of hiding

 

[Saj]

The awkward things is the franchise captain is Imad Wasim and the national captain plays under him.

But in the national team Babar Azam is the skipper and he is part of the group that has dropped the franchise captain.

 

[Zaz]

You can argue in t20s his batting isnt great but he does a brilliant job and almost always returns figures of 1-24 off 4

In odis hes one of the best batters in the team and always a consistent and reliable finisher at a high strike rate His omission from the odi team is inexplicable