Is Kamran Akmal the most deserving opener for our T20I World Cup squad?

[Glen Durrant fan]

I'd probably have Babar and Sharjeel open with Kamran at three, because then Sharjeel can go crazy and if he goes out early you have Kamran to bat for a while. If he comes in after the powerplay, he still has fantastic power hitting with more fielders out, so it's all good. If you have a stabliser, like Hafeez or Malik, at four, then you can have two power hitters to finish, like Iftikhar and Asif, by giving Kami the gloves. That also gives us two part time spin options.

 

[sshakir411]

If one big PSL innings is all we need then Hafeez should also get selected. Hafeez and Kami to open. Welcome to the pakistan team of 2007

 

[Hawkeye]

If one big PSL innings is all we need then Hafeez should also get selected. Hafeez and Kami to open. Welcome to the pakistan team of 2007

So looks like we'll be close to winning in 2020 too.

Hafeez: Best T20 batsman since 2017.

Kami: 3 centuries in PSL, best domestic opener recent seasons.

Everyone else who we tried badly failed and couldn't do what these guys can.

But no you want Pak team to fail and not select the best available options.

 

[aukhan]

On merit he deserves it. He can't do worse than Rizwan. In T20s he will be okay.

 

[shamaan]

On merit he deserves it better than rizwan and sarfraz in t20s

 

[khan_aa]

On merit he deserves it.

So does hafeez.

Hafeez, Malik and Sarfraz were unnecessarily excluded from the squad. Tests and ODIs I can understand making space for Rizwan, Haris abd other people batsman but T20 is bread and butter for these three given the the number of t20 leagues they play in.

 

[shamaan]

On merit he deserves it.

So does hafeez.

Hafeez, Malik and Sarfraz were unnecessarily excluded from the squad. Tests and ODIs I can understand making space for Rizwan, Haris abd other people batsman but T20 is bread and butter for these three given the the number of t20 leagues they play in.

Kamran and hafeez do but not Malik espically in bouncy Australian conditions

 

[ahmadharis1]

Uh no. Absolutely not. This happens every year. Kami will score runs for fun in domestics and PSL and there's the overexcited clamor to bring him back. Even when he was brought back against Windies, he struggled. There's a massive difference between facing bowlers like Mohammad Nawaz and Sohail Khan in Pakistan, versus Starc, Bumrah, Boult, etc. in Australian conditions.

Not to mention his horrendous fielding

 

[Kroll]

Uh no. Absolutely not. This happens every year. Kami will score runs for fun in domestics and PSL and there's the overexcited clamor to bring him back. Even when he was brought back against Windies, he struggled. There's a massive difference between facing bowlers like Mohammad Nawaz and Sohail Khan in Pakistan, versus Starc, Bumrah, Boult, etc. in Australian conditions.

Not to mention his horrendous fielding

Its a major issue as Kami is old school and doesn't believe in good fitness or high fielding standards. But in T20s every run and boundary saved is so valuable.

 

[Forum363]

Uh no. Absolutely not. This happens every year. Kami will score runs for fun in domestics and PSL and there's the overexcited clamor to bring him back. Even when he was brought back against Windies, he struggled. There's a massive difference between facing bowlers like Mohammad Nawaz and Sohail Khan in Pakistan, versus Starc, Bumrah, Boult, etc. in Australian conditions.

Not to mention his horrendous fielding

Horrendous fielding
Guaranteed dropped catches
Unfit and doesn't believe fielding is important
Terrible attitude
Dodgy past aka Sydney test

To ignore all this, you would think we are talking about the next Bradman, not a 38 former former keeper who averaged in the 20s over hundreds of International matches at a poor strike rate.

 

[iniqbal223]

I think, we contradict ourselves a lot :

1) We know our domestic setup and quality is not good, and then we think domestic performers are best. They could be in some cases like Abid Ali, Fawad Alam, etc. But most of them embarrass us a lot. Take an example of Khurram Manzoor, if some one go and look at the highlights of his batting in Asia Cup, we can simply see a huge lacuna between international standards vs our domestic performance

2) With cases of Akmals, Shehzads, etc. consistency was missing from day 1. Its hard for them to replicate even 50% of their domestic performances to international levels. They have not yet worked on their weak areas. And international teams exploit this a lot.

3) We have not yet able to label players. India, on the hand labelled Wasim Jaffer as domestic great, after they gave him a chance for some time, and easily his batting skills were exposed in South Africa , England (even though he had 1 century there)

4) Scoring runs against Nawaz and company is totally different from scoring against quality bowlers.

5) WC is not in Pakistan. Its in Australia, so I don't see any reason to consider Kami.

6) If Kami is so good why he does not get picked in county cricket. Because we know he can not play in those conditions and will be exposed badly. So these guys keep on scoring easy runs in Pakistan and then they say they deserve a chance after 100s of chances being given to them

 

[TeymurBlake]

For me no way should Pakistan consider bringing back a 38 year old former wicketkeeper batsman into the team for the T20I WC, mainly because its in Australia and also we should get away from TTF.

 

[Hawkeye]

He's the reason PZ won today.

Smashed the bowlers up front, gave them momentum, put them ahead of the DLS par score.

Yes, Shadab's bowling changes were also poor, but Kami looked unstoppable.

That's why his quickfire 30s to 50s would be so useful during the PP overs at World T20.

 

[Forum363]

Babar is obviously fixed as an opener. Even Misbah can’t drop him this time like he’s done in the PSL.

So there’s one slot. It’s between Kamraan and Sharjeel with Haider as an outside option.

It’s pretty clear than Sharjeel wins that battle considering the World Cup is in Australia.

 

[shamaan]

Babar is obviously fixed as an opener. Even Misbah can’t drop him this time like he’s done in the PSL.

So there’s one slot. It’s between Kamraan and Sharjeel with Haider as an outside option.

It’s pretty clear than Sharjeel wins that battle considering the World Cup is in Australia.

Ahead of haider ?

 

[Forum363]

Ahead of haider ?

Haider has a tendency to throw his wicket away and is only 19.

But I actually think he’s the most exciting cricket coming out of Pakistan after Shaheen. If he is selected he should play at 3.

Sharjeel has the back foot game, and I’ve never seen a Pakistan batsmen who looks as comfortable against extreme pace. He’s a bit unfit but over the next few months, he could sort it out somewhat by being around the squad.

Babar should be told to bat long and Sharjeel and Haider given the license to attack.

 

[shamaan]

Haider has a tendency to throw his wicket away and is only 19.

But I actually think he’s the most exciting cricket coming out of Pakistan after Shaheen. If he is selected he should play at 3.

Sharjeel has the back foot game, and I’ve never seen a Pakistan batsmen who looks as comfortable against extreme pace. He’s a bit unfit but over the next few months, he could sort it out somewhat by being around the squad.

Babar should be told to bat long and Sharjeel and Haider given the license to attack.

I think if haider is picked he will come in at opening or numebr 4 even thou I dont want hafeez thier he will be and will he batting at 3

 

[Firebat]

Kamran Akmal is playing a gem for Peshawar in their chase of Multan's 193.

37 from 23 already, doesn't look like stopping