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Is criticism towards Wahab Riaz unwarranted?

msb314

msb314

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This guy seems to turn up when all hope is lost and can blow away the opposition as he did in the 2nd innings here.

It is Amir who let us down this time around - although if he was carrying an injury, I can sympathize with him.

I am not advocating his return in ODI's or T20's but in Tests he does have some value.
 
He has heart. But 1/100 is when he truly performs. At the international level it is not good enough.
 
Wahab performing well is bad in the long run. Looks like he is having another Shane Watson moment and this will secure his place till the 2019 World Cup. However, one can be certain that he will continue to be awful 8/10 times.
 
Absolutely. The thing with Pakistan is that we declare a player to be poor solely on the basis of one format, Wahab was never bad in Tests to begin with and we need his short bursts to be a successful side. He has been the best fast bowler in BOTH innings for both teams and by quite a mile. We need a player like him who adds excitement and draws viewers into watching the game.

And anyway, if good for nothing trundlers like Abbas can play, then not playing Wahab would be criminal.
 
Nope.

He Should play just tests, that too only in UAE.

Wahab is what you need in UAE tests.

This should be your attack in UAE.

Abbas
Wahab
Yasir
Asghar
Haris (5th bowler)
 
Mamoon said:
Wahab performing well is bad in the long run. Looks like he is having another Shane Watson moment and this will secure his place till the 2019 World Cup. However, one can be certain that he will continue to be awful 8/10 times.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Now he will get in the ODI side and lose us a few matches. We all know how obsessed Mickey is with pace.
 
Again, even on this mere thread people seem to have forgotten that Wahab recently just picked up a 5fer a few matches ago in Tests and has been doing really well all year. It is ODI's where he's suffered. I wouldn't want him in my ODI team but in Tests he is an absolute necessity.
 
Has a pretty good record in UAE tests, but for me he is way too inconsistent.

This test summed up his career. Below-average in the first innings, and then delivers an excellent spell in the second innings.

He's a very frustrating bowler to watch.
 
Kohli said:
Nope.

He Should play just tests, that too only in UAE.

Wahab is what you need in UAE tests.

This should be your attack in UAE.

Abbas
Wahab
Yasir
Asghar
Haris (5th bowler)
Click to expand...

Why is the criticism justified? Of course, he's not a good ODI player but he's been spectacular in Tests for Pakistan. Was great in the UAE in the last few years and was also pretty good in England and WI.
 
Mamoon said:
Wahab performing well is bad in the long run. Looks like he is having another Shane Watson moment and this will secure his place till the 2019 World Cup. However, one can be certain that he will continue to be awful 8/10 times.
Click to expand...

I specifically mentioned that he should not be recalled to the ODI side and I hope Mickey sees that way too. This discussion is about Tests only
 
On these surfaces of the UAE he's very useful and not appreciated enough, although I'd not select him for ODI's or Tests beyond the UAE unless the wicket was completely dead.
 
he can produce such spells 1 out of 20 times
but at the same time he will cost more matches due to his wayward spraying
I must say that he got my respect for todays spell
who knows what can happen tomorrow
 
He shows up once a year. So we should decide which 1 game to play him.
 
I don't care about his future for the team etc.

What I love about him is his fire and aggression and passion and lionheart so when he is bowling I get pumped up watching and he bleeds green.
 
He gets criticism when he performs poorly. Today he did a good job so he deserves praise. On dead wickets in UAE and pitches that have bounce he has some use .
 
Suleiman said:
He shows up once a year. So we should decide which 1 game to play him.
Click to expand...

Turns up in Tests more often that not. And I know most fans on here are obsessed with stats but like a wise man once said, cricket isn't a game if statistics. Jumble would be a better bowler than Wasim Akram if it were.

Wahab doesn't have a lot of 5fers, a great average or even a good SR but he does produce match turning spells every now and then which completely blow the opposition away and he's very consistent in doing that. A real match-winner and a first pick in the Test XI.
 
ExpressPacer said:
Why is the criticism justified? Of course, he's not a good ODI player but he's been spectacular in Tests for Pakistan. Was great in the UAE in the last few years and was also pretty good in England and WI.
Click to expand...

He was so wayward in England. Leaked runs for fun.

Was ineffective in the 1 match he played in Windies.
 
Yes it is. What you see today is not his usual, he's usually wayward even in tests, although I agree he should play as backup bowler in UAE. He can turn games in pressure situations.
 
ExpressPacer said:
Turns up in Tests more often that not. And I know most fans on here are obsessed with stats but like a wise man once said, cricket isn't a game if statistics. Jumble would be a better bowler than Wasim Akram if it were.

Wahab doesn't have a lot of 5fers, a great average or even a good SR but he does produce match turning spells every now and then which completely blow the opposition away and he's very consistent in doing that. A real match-winner and a first pick in the Test XI.
Click to expand...

Lol very consistent? When was his last "match turning" spell?
 
Enigma_ said:
He has heart. But 1/100 is when he truly performs. At the international level it is not good enough.
Click to expand...

But when he gives that 1/100 performance he looks like a one in a million bowler :wahab :wahab :wahab
 
ExpressPacer said:
I remember him bowling a couple of great spells.
Click to expand...

But that's the problem. If it was great spells followed by mediocre spells then I wouldn't mind so much. His problem is his peak and his trough are worlds apart. He is very rarely average/good.

He either delivers an amazing spell or is terrible. There is no in-between with him. To the point he sometimes forgets how to bowl (think first innings: in one over he stopped in his run up 5 times, over lasted 7.5 minutes!)

Like I said he's decent in UAE but would be most effective in short bursts as part of a five man attack (need an all-rounder for that to happen) but it's risky having him as part of a 4 man attack.
 
Last edited:
ExpressPacer said:
Why is the criticism justified? Of course, he's not a good ODI player but he's been spectacular in Tests for Pakistan. Was great in the UAE in the last few years and was also pretty good in England and WI.
Click to expand...


Yes a second coming of Imran Khan he is. Averages 34 in Tests. Has not taken more than 2 5fers in his entire career.

In this game he bowled two ordinary deliveries and the batsmen played some irresponsible shots.

Compare

Wahab Riaz to Karunaratne, OUT, played on. Big wicket. Keeps Pakistan in this game. Short and wide, not a great delivery, but he won't care. Karunaratne goes through with a cut but plays over it slightly, gets a thick inside edge which clatters into the stumps. The second time Karunaratne has chopped on this Test
FDM Karunaratne b Wahab Riaz 7 (27b 1x4 0x6) SR: 25.92

Mohammad Abbas to Silva, OUT, gone this time! An absolute ripper from Abbas. Late swing. Full delivery on off, the ball swerves away late. By this time, Kaushal brings his bat down straight, looking to hit the ball straight but that very late movement takes the outside edge and through to Sarfraz. Unplayable, not much Silva could have done
JK Silva c †Sarfraz Ahmed b Mohammad Abbas 3 (5b 0x4 0x6) SR: 60.00
 
ExpressPacer said:
Turns up in Tests more often that not. And I know most fans on here are obsessed with stats but like a wise man once said, cricket isn't a game if statistics. Jumble would be a better bowler than Wasim Akram if it were.

Wahab doesn't have a lot of 5fers, a great average or even a good SR but he does produce match turning spells every now and then which completely blow the opposition away and he's very consistent in doing that. A real match-winner and a first pick in the Test XI.
Click to expand...

Stats never tell the whole story, it only does for Indians. If stats were the be and end all Wahab would not have won MOM for one of the tests when England toured the UAE, his numbers were not spectacular but his impact during key moments practically won the game for us. On these pitches I'd always select him.
 
New Yorker said:
Yes a second coming of Imran Khan he is. Averages 34 in Tests. Has not taken more than 2 5fers in his entire career.

In this game he bowled two ordinary deliveries and the batsmen played some irresponsible shots.

Compare

Wahab Riaz to Karunaratne, OUT, played on. Big wicket. Keeps Pakistan in this game. Short and wide, not a great delivery, but he won't care. Karunaratne goes through with a cut but plays over it slightly, gets a thick inside edge which clatters into the stumps. The second time Karunaratne has chopped on this Test
FDM Karunaratne b Wahab Riaz 7 (27b 1x4 0x6) SR: 25.92

Mohammad Abbas to Silva, OUT, gone this time! An absolute ripper from Abbas. Late swing. Full delivery on off, the ball swerves away late. By this time, Kaushal brings his bat down straight, looking to hit the ball straight but that very late movement takes the outside edge and through to Sarfraz. Unplayable, not much Silva could have done
JK Silva c †Sarfraz Ahmed b Mohammad Abbas 3 (5b 0x4 0x6) SR: 60.00
Click to expand...

Please refer to post #20. On my phone so typing it out again is a pain. :P
 
ExpressPacer said:
Turns up in Tests more often that not. And I know most fans on here are obsessed with stats but like a wise man once said, cricket isn't a game if statistics. Jumble would be a better bowler than Wasim Akram if it were.

Wahab doesn't have a lot of 5fers, a great average or even a good SR but he does produce match turning spells every now and then which completely blow the opposition away and he's very consistent in doing that. A real match-winner and a first pick in the Test XI.
Click to expand...

Again, what on earth are you smoking? How many match winning spells in a 25 Test career? He has taken 2-3 wickets at times to help shape a match, but never runs through a lineup. It is left for lesser bowlers like Sohail Khan to take those gritty, unglamorous 5 fers.
 
Wahab fans back with the enforcer rubbish and how he helps other bowlers take wickets by "roughing the batsmen" up and "running in hard"...

Conveniently ignoring the fact that 8/10 times, he makes life hard for the other bowlers by bowling rubbish. Anyhow, they deserve their moment in the sun. After all, it only comes once or twice a year.
 
ExpressPacer said:
Why is the criticism justified? Of course, he's not a good ODI player but he's been spectacular in Tests for Pakistan. Was great in the UAE in the last few years and was also pretty good in England and WI.
Click to expand...

Spectacular in tests? Now i now why pak fans hype mediocrity.

A player averaging 35 runs per wicket is spectacular in what universe?
 
Wahab out performed Amir against Eng in 2016, Wahab out performed Amir against the WI in 2016, Wahab out performed Amir against Australia in 2016-17 and has now out performed Amir against SL in 2017. Yes his ODI and T-20 career should be finished but he is still a useful Test match bowler for us especially in UAE type conditions and much better than Amir in the sense that he doesn't give up when things are against him.
 
New Yorker said:
Again, what on earth are you smoking? How many match winning spells in a 25 Test career? He has taken 2-3 wickets at times to help shape a match, but never runs through a lineup. It is left for lesser bowlers like Sohail Khan to take those gritty, unglamorous 5 fers.
Click to expand...

That is exactly my point. He's helped us win a lot of Test with his 2-3 wickets that came at an important time!
 
He was never great in FC aswell but his phaast pace got him selected and years of mediocrity followed today was a decent spell it's a one off based on past performances.
 
Rahat Ali took out 3 of english top order in 1st test 2016.

By this, bring him back too?
 
in UAE tests Wahab is a decent option
its LOIs where he is truly dreadful
 
Hamza_ said:
Rahat Ali took out 3 of english top order in 1st test 2016.

By this, bring him back too?
Click to expand...

There can only ever be one right answer to this question.

giphy.webp
 
[MENTION=133760]Abdullah719[/MENTION] Even ICC gave him a free ranking promotion recently as marriage gift. ATG is in class of his own :))
 
No don't think it is unwarranted. He just lacjs consistancy. Why not perform like that all the time?
 
He is definitely one of those very few sportsmen who know how to comeback and absorb all the criticism.
 
Performs once in a blue moon and then hopes that people keep talking about the performance for years.

He has failed to improve.
He has failed to develop his bowling.
He has failed to work on his technical problems.
 
Saj said:
Performs once in a blue moon and then hopes that people keep talking about the performance for years.

He has failed to improve.
He has failed to develop his bowling.
He has failed to work on his technical problems.
Click to expand...

Golden boy Amir doesn't even perform once in a blue moon. We can't really complain when we aren't spoilt for plenty of choices. Wahab has out performed Amir in the last year and a half for all the series except for the one in WI.
 
Savak said:
Golden boy Amir doesn't even perform once in a blue moon. We can't really complain when we aren't spoilt for plenty of choices. Wahab has out performed Amir in the last year and a half for all the series except for the one in WI.
Click to expand...

Obviously Amir isn't the yardstick by which you measure your bowlers effectiveness, neither should be near the test team right now.

Wahab has been given a long time to show his "potential" yet can't translate it into any sort of consistency. In fact 9/10 he's absolutely mediocre. Surely we can't do too much worse by giving a decent FC pacer like Mir Humza a go.
 
mak36 said:
Has a pretty good record in UAE tests, but for me he is way too inconsistent.

This test summed up his career. Below-average in the first innings, and then delivers an excellent spell in the second innings.

He's a very frustrating bowler to watch.
Click to expand...

I would say that Wahab had an important part to play in the last Test of the 2016 English series that Pakistan won. In England's first innings he removed 3 of the top 5 English batsmen (Root, Vince and Ballance) reducing them to 110/5, a position from which they never quite recovered.
 
Kohli said:
Nope.

He Should play just tests, that too only in UAE.

Wahab is what you need in UAE tests.

This should be your attack in UAE.

Abbas
Wahab
Yasir
Asghar
Haris (5th bowler)
Click to expand...

Agree, only in UAE test matches, if Amir is going through a funk. Definitely could have used a second spinner......
 
Even though Wahab is a honest trier and gives it his all whenever he plays for Pakistan his performances lack consistency. It is hard to justify selection of a bowler who may or may not make an impact in a particular game. If Wahab consistently bowled like how he did in the second innings of the current test match, he would have been a huge asset for the Pakistan test team but unfortunately that has not been the case.
 
Wahab is too inconsistent to be of much value as a regular member of the team. However, he can be useful in home series where 90% of our current fast medium bowling options (Abbas, Rahat, Imran,Usman etc) are pretty much useless after the new ball. Wahab, used in short aggressive bursts, can be effective on his occasional good days. But to play him you have to play 5 bowlers to account for the possibility that he will have one of his frequent off days. If Pakistan can groom a solid allrounder, say Amir Yamin to play at 7,then Wahab can be used occasionally as an aggressive option but with the present 6-4 configuration I don't see much of a future for him.
 
Absolutely there is so much hate for the poor guy. He always gives his 100 percent.He has proven himself in UAE many time he should not be dropped here.In this test he is best performer from both sides.
 
dauntless said:
Absolutely there is so much hate for the poor guy. He always gives his 100 percent.He has proven himself in UAE many time he should not be dropped here.In this test he is best performer from both sides.
Click to expand...

pick me in the pak team and ill give a 100 percent ?

Just because every other player isnt running in with a constipated face doesnt mean they arent trying. Giving a 100% is a minimum.

In limited overs Riaz is a certified failure, was useful after the two new ball rule came into effect.

In Tests he is the bowling equivlanet of Shafiq. Has a an eye catching performance every now and then to save his career but never pushes on.

We all should praise his efforts in the game but not get OTT, its time for him to prove that he can keep this up, and give his age and past histroy i doubt it.
 
pakistanigoneaussie said:
pick me in the pak team and ill give a 100 percent ?

Just because every other player isnt running in with a constipated face doesnt mean they arent trying. Giving a 100% is a minimum.

In limited overs Riaz is a certified failure, was useful after the two new ball rule came into effect.

In Tests he is the bowling equivlanet of Shafiq. Has a an eye catching performance every now and then to save his career but never pushes on.

We all should praise his efforts in the game but not get OTT, its time for him to prove that he can keep this up, and give his age and past histroy i doubt it.
Click to expand...

Yeah I get your point he is rubbish is Odis, but in tests in UAE atleast he has some good spells here.What I m saying they should not have dropped him in first test and in future too he should play in UAE. I m also bit biased here but his performance here also justifies his selection
 
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