Is Mohammad Amir getting a rough deal from the selectors?

[MenInG]

"woh Allah kar sakta hai banda ni or mje Allah pe trust logon pe ni"

Replying to a tweet which quotes Misbah comments about why he and Malik were not picked for NZ tour

 

[Kroll]

"woh Allah kar sakta hai banda ni or mje Allah pe trust logon pe ni"

Replying to a tweet which quotes Misbah comments about why he and Malik were not picked for NZ tour

Saari galtian pehle karlo phir Allah (swt) ko yaad karo.

 

[Saj]

What needs to be done is for Misbah and Amir to have a sit down and a chat over a cup of tea. At the moment the gap is widening between the 2 of them and that is not good for Pakistan cricket.

Misbah has concerns, Amir is feeling like he's not being treated fairly. Both need to clear the air and sort this out.

 

[shamaan]

Amir is a must for WC. He is one of those players who turn up in big tournaments. I wont judge him on recently concluded T20 tournament where a dozen catches were drop in each match. Not sure what has Wahab, Musa and Sohail Khan done to get a call for NZ series ...smh

Wahab sohail musa will play practise matches and if required in the shaheens or main squad as for amir he clearly stated hes not avaliable

 

[shamaan]

Terrible terrible management by Misbah. He has let his ego get in the way again.

Amir should have continued to play limited overs cricket and been convinced to play overseas Tests against England and New Zealand. If he feels his body is not up to the mark for every match, play him in the ones where he can best serve Pakistan.

At the end of the day, it’s about the needs of the country. Would Pakistan be a better attack with Amir in New Zealand - a resounding yes.

Whst if he stil states no he doesnt want to play test cricket then what ? You cant force people to play

 

[shamaan]

It's the right call to not include muhammed amir he must now go and improve his fitness and get back in form and then can come back in the team

 

[Forum363]

Whst if he stil states no he doesnt want to play test cricket then what ? You cant force people to play

Ofcourse not. But it’s evident what his issues are here.

Misbah as captain was the one who ran him into the ground after his comeback. He was phenomenal in domestic cricket and in some of the limited over games against India he was unplayable. But then Misbah bowled him into the ground across all formats, before his body fully became accustomed to the rigours of international cricket.

He seemed to then have some unofficial deal with Mickey where he would play overseas tests in conditions which suited his bowling. This made sense because it was good for him and also for the team. When this was no longer on the cards, he retired from Tests to prolong his career.

It should also be worth mentioning it is very very clear Amir is at least 30. Many people who played cricket with him in Rawalpindi/ studied with him have confirmed this.

However if the right ‘manager’ asked him to play selectively in certain Tests such as England and New Zealand, he will definitely say yes. Just don’t use him in Pakistan, UAE, Australia where he won’t be effective anyway.

But posters and Misbah can’t look past their ego. ‘Why should he not play everything. Why should he play the ‘easy’ Tests’ etc. Basically non sensical arguments that can be broken down very easily. Unfortunately Misbah is in charge for now.

 

[Shafi]

I am a big fan of Amir and a super critic of Misbah. But in this instance I support Misbah because Amir is playing victim game. Nowadays he became a very lazy and money hungry guy plus he doesn't give 100% of his potential. His focus on those franchise leagues where he can make more money by average input.PCT really needs players to give 100% of their potential rather than save their energy to play those T20 leagues.PSL and domestic are enough to live comfortable life.

 

[Varun]

Amir should have continued to play limited overs cricket and been convinced to play overseas Tests against England and New Zealand. If he feels his body is not up to the mark for every match, play him in the ones where he can best serve Pakistan.

Wah - what royal treatment for the 30-averaging fraud.

 

[Forum363]

Wah - what royal treatment for the 30-averaging fraud.

As I said, posters like you and Misbah cannot look past your own ego to see the bigger picture.

Easy to make generic statements like this. We both know he’s a better bowler than Musa, Sohail Khan, Faheem.

 

[shamaan]

Ofcourse not. But it’s evident what his issues are here.

Misbah as captain was the one who ran him into the ground after his comeback. He was phenomenal in domestic cricket and in some of the limited over games against India he was unplayable. But then Misbah bowled him into the ground across all formats, before his body fully became accustomed to the rigours of international cricket.

He seemed to then have some unofficial deal with Mickey where he would play overseas tests in conditions which suited his bowling. This made sense because it was good for him and also for the team. When this was no longer on the cards, he retired from Tests to prolong his career.

It should also be worth mentioning it is very very clear Amir is at least 30. Many people who played cricket with him in Rawalpindi/ studied with him have confirmed this.

However if the right ‘manager’ asked him to play selectively in certain Tests such as England and New Zealand, he will definitely say yes. Just don’t use him in Pakistan, UAE, Australia where he won’t be effective anyway.

But posters and Misbah can’t look past their ego. ‘Why should he not play everything. Why should he play the ‘easy’ Tests’ etc. Basically non sensical arguments that can be broken down very easily. Unfortunately Misbah is in charge for now.

Amir retired in 2019 so he no longer is interested in playing in tests for example wahab retired in test but stil played in the practise matches to help Pakistan.amir went for the money which is fine but he cant complain when hes dropped he made his decision misbah made his.lets be honest his fitness is poor just look at anderson how many games hes played

 

[shamaan]

As I said, posters like you and Misbah cannot look past your own ego to see the bigger picture.

Easy to make generic statements like this. We both know he’s a better bowler than Musa, Sohail Khan, Faheem.

but would amir willing to play for the shaheens or the main test squad the answer is no

 

[Forum363]

but would amir willing to play for the shaheens or the main test squad the answer is no

Ofcourse he would. If someone good was in charge and not Misbah.

 

[StreetSmart]

Amir is a must for T20.

 

[Saj]

I guess the question is did he deserve to be picked ahead of one of the others who are going on the tour?

Faheem Ashraf?
Sohail Khan?
Musa Khan?

 

[Thunderbolt14]

I guess the question is did he deserve to be picked ahead of one of the others who are going on the tour?

Faheem Ashraf?
Sohail Khan?
Musa Khan?

Ahead of those three? No. Even though I don’t think they deserved to be there either, Amir’s performance in the National T20 was even worse than theirs.

 

[Pacy with wisdom]

I guess the question is did he deserve to be picked ahead of one of the others who are going on the tour?

Faheem Ashraf?
Sohail Khan?
Musa Khan?

Have you asked him if the pace and fitness is back now that he gets so much rest? Why was he bowling like a glorified mark ealham in the national t20?
This is the only relevant question. The rest are just creating cognitive dissonance to suit his victim narrative.
And yes Musa and Sohail were both better than him in the national t20.

 

[Caved12]

No matter how good, you can't pick a player who is just not bothered to work hard and play for his country.
Amir fully deserves this treatment as PCB have already treated him like a King after he fixed games and got caught. Went to jail and got banned for five years.

Amir is a very skilled bowler and probably the best in our country, but what good are those skills when he is just not willing to work hard, especially after all that has happened to him.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Let's not pretend like we have guys knocking the door down to take Amir's place. Shaheen and Wahab are the only ones who you want in that side. Besides that who do we have?

Faheem has consistently gotten worse the more he has played. He is a thoroughly untalented player with no discernable talent with either bat or ball. Hasnain clearly has talent but he can be a spray gun at times and does not have much going in the way of consistency and control. Rauf has pace but he lacks that control and can go for plenty under pressure. Musa shouldn't be anywhere near the international team.

Amir on the other hand brings control and consistency with the ball. He is skillful. Even when he doesn't pick up wickets he knows how to stem the run-flow and has adapted to the shorter format very well.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Pakistan's best pace attack for this series would have been Shaheen, Amir, Wahab. With Rauf and Hasnain as the back-ups. None of the others; Sohail Khan, Faheem, Musa are good enough to be there.

 

[Caved12]

Saj, since you are in contact with him, please let him know us fans cant be fooled by this victim narrative he is trying to propagate.
He should know that he has been dropped because of how ineffective he has become at his skill. He took retirement from tests so that he could perform better in LOI's. Okay, ask him, is the pace back? Is the swing back?
He was still seen trundling at 130 kph bowling off cutters.
How can he be entitled to a place with that?

Tell him that he needs to change his training, diet first of all because he doesnt have enough workable muscle to bowl fast.
Secondly his bowling action has deteriorated beyond belief.

He hasnt been using his hips at all for a good three years now and is just using upper body contraction which has caused great fatigue in his upper body.

Secondly, he isnt even using his runup properly, and pauses two paces before his load up, which means there is almost no transference of momentum.
He never did this when he was in form.

Let him know that he will never recover his speed if he doesn't identify these issues and it isnt all about quitting tests and getting more rest.

Rest only works if he works on these issues in the time off, and not just by sitting on your bum all the time.

The best post in this thread.

Yes Saj, Please do let him know.

 

[Saj]

I wonder if all this will push him towards settling in UK, getting British citizenship, playing some County and a few T20 leagues in future.

 

[Zaz]

I wonder if all this will push him towards settling in UK, getting British citizenship, playing some County and a few T20 leagues in future.

Well that would just reinforce the fact that his heart isnt in it to play for pakistan

What he really needs to do is get stronger, start bowling with alot more pace n intent and start taking a lot of wickets He needs to stop going through the motions

There seems to be a lot of talk from him over the last year but very little action to back it up

 

[Pacy with wisdom]

I wonder if all this will push him towards settling in UK, getting British citizenship, playing some County and a few T20 leagues in future.

The PCB and the fans bent backwards for him to give him another chance, yet he rewards us with this?

Pakistan doesn't need his ahsaan faramoshi.

Irrespective of our troubles, we are a proud nation and we dont need such characters anymore. So I say; good riddance.

 

[shamaan]

Ofcourse he would. If someone good was in charge and not Misbah.

No chance otherwise he would have said clearly hes avaliable as and when required and would have taken back his retirement

 

[MenInG]

Well he has a chance to show he is worth something PSL playoffs.

 

[Saj]

4 wicketless overs today in the PSL for 27 runs.

Steady rather than spectacular.

 

[bilawal666]

Amir has been pretty average of late. I don't know if he's still passionate about playing cricket. Lacks the hunger he once had.

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Whilst he bowled 2 wides, that was Mohammad Amir at his best in the Super Over. Yorker after yorker when the pressure was on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKvMS?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKvMS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1327616225485213697?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 14, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Titan24]

Was outstanding in the super over vs MS. There were never any doubt about his pressure handling skills but, about his fitness, form and commitment.

 

[Usman]

Amir just did what he does best. In real crunch situations, he delivers for his team. He may not look special all the time, but when the pressure is on, Amir delivers. The fact that hacks like Faheem are selected ahead of him is a complete joke.

 

[MMHS]

Seen that over - excellent commitment, desire & focus; it was in his eyes. I wish, if I could have said that for Mo Amir in PAK colours.

 

[Xoib]

Was outstanding in the super over vs MS. There were never any doubt about his pressure handling skills but, about his fitness, form and commitment.

Was also outbowled by two rookies arshad and waqas in normal game time also the superover as good as it was was vs two domestic albelt successful journeyman the quality he will come across in world championship will be couple of steps up if not more.

 

[Rana]

So we took Musa, Faheem and Sohail khan to New Zealand as fast bowlers but not Amir.

 

[kingusama92]

Told you guys.

When the pressure ramps up, who do you look at? You look at the guy who is economical and accurate regardless of what's happening around him. That's Amir.

It's precisely why I mentioned his economy rate even when out of form. He's remarkably consistent.

The guys who looked good in the National T20 will fold like a house of cards under the bright lights of a world cup. But I do think the selectors will use their common sense eventually.

 

[marlonbrowndo]

He has to be in the LOI squads

 

[ethan hunt]

I do not like the guy anymore nor do i back him.
Although he is a pakistani great in limited overs cricket for his role in winning 2 world tournaments.
Probably the most clutch cricketer we have produced in a long long time.
Sad really.

 

[Titan24]

Was also outbowled by two rookies arshad and waqas in normal game time also the superover as good as it was was vs two domestic albelt successful journeyman the quality he will come across in world championship will be couple of steps up if not more.

I agree but, that is why I only mentioned his pressure handling skills and ability to raise his game both of which were showcased today while mentioning his other struggles he is having.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Seen that over - excellent commitment, desire & focus; it was in his eyes. I wish, if I could have said that for Mo Amir in PAK colours.

Exactly. We all know he has the talent, but we don't know if he's motivated playing for Pakistan. No surprise he suddenly showed his true colours after getting dropped. Actually shows how much he has in his arsenal that he can still produce great deliveries when he bowls at 70% pace these days.

 

[Savak]

Lol at motivation. He is not good enough. He is a left medium pacer who just bowls innocuous cutters for the most part.

 

[Hadi Rizvi]

If out of form Amir can nail 6 yorkers in a row at 135+
Then imagine what an in form Amir is capable of.

What he needs is backing from the dressing room not pathetic personal games by Misbah. Waqas and Arshad might've bowled well in the normal game but they will wither away under pressure like most PAK players. Not Amir though. He's a once in a generation talent who needs to be backed no matter what. AUS never gave up on Starc even during his inconsistent expensive patches all those years ago. ENG never gave up on Jimmy when he was smacked around Down Under and avg at home. India didn't give up on Ishant until he evolved to become a good Test bowler.

We need to do the same. Everyone knows Amir's got potential. Gotta unlock it, not let it fade away in domestics.

 

[Kroll]

You have to consider the fact that in the 20 overs he went wicketless. Not every match is going to go to a super over.

 

[MMHS]

Exactly. We all know he has the talent, but we don't know if he's motivated playing for Pakistan. No surprise he suddenly showed his true colours after getting dropped. Actually shows how much he has in his arsenal that he can still produce great deliveries when he bowls at 70% pace these days.

First sign of motivation for a pro sportsman is how much blood & sweat he is willing to shed to keep himself in shape. MJ at 38 was earning over $100 a year off the court from his endorsements, air Jordan brand and his image rights and he had six nba rings, 5 MVP, 4 nba finals MVP and an Olympic gold. Still, that guy used to spend 6 hours daily in gym to keep himself fit & maintained his diet chart. This is commitment which comes from the passion for your game, desire to be successful & self respect to keep own standard high.

Even if I take 3-5 years buffer, Amir is maximum 32-33 now ... at an age Imran came back from two years complete isolation from the game and went on to become no. 1 pacer after turning 35 .... and those days he was averaging 50+ with bat as well. This is self respect, commitment to your profession & desire to serve your country more than anything else. Amir doesn’t have those, he was morally corrupt and now his shallow sides are getting exposed.

 

[Zaz]

This game summed up amir

He seems to be only motivated in the big games and moments and when pressure is on Otherwise hes pretty avge and thats 90% of the time

Pakistan doesnt need someone who turns up when he likes every now n then but someone who day in day out will produce the goods and be consistent for the majority not the minority

 

[Kroll]

First sign of motivation for a pro sportsman is how much blood & sweat he is willing to shed to keep himself in shape. MJ at 38 was earning over $100 a year off the court from his endorsements, air Jordan brand and his image rights and he had six nba rings, 5 MVP, 4 nba finals MVP and an Olympic gold. Still, that guy used to spend 6 hours daily in gym to keep himself fit & maintained his diet chart. This is commitment which comes from the passion for your game, desire to be successful & self respect to keep own standard high.

Even if I take 3-5 years buffer, Amir is maximum 32-33 now ... at an age Imran came back from two years complete isolation from the game and went on to become no. 1 pacer after turning 35 .... and those days he was averaging 50+ with bat as well. This is self respect, commitment to your profession & desire to serve your country more than anything else. Amir doesn’t have those, he was morally corrupt and now his shallow sides are getting exposed.

Yes, I agree, the only thing that motivates Amir is money, materialism and UK citizenship.

Bags of ability but a thoroughly shady character.

 

[JibranAnsari]

The only thing good about amir is his bowling economy , he is not a threat with the ball anymore. He swings the ball on a very cloudy day. His commitment to the team green is doubtful , and we have seen it in a couple of years.

 

[Saj]

Pumped up, motivated and wanted to show what he can do in the Super Over.

Maybe that hunger has been lacking of late.

 

[MMHS]

Yes, I agree, the only thing that motivates Amir is money, materialism and UK citizenship.

Bags of ability but a thoroughly shady character.

Think about Wasim Akram - he won’t be proud of his every act as PAK player, but no one can question his commitment- he was chronic diabetic by 1995, suffered from loose groin throughout the career and he had to use glasses by 30s; still he was the hardest worker in his team. Amir can’t complain to anyone after what PCB & PAK cricket did for him - not a fan, but I won’t blame Misbah here; I would have done same.

 

[Hasan123]

Picks and chooses when he turns up. Wouldn't be doing banghra over this performance. He is more than good enough for Pakistan LO team but he deserves the treatment he is getting for trying to embarrass PCB and for picking and choosing when he turns up.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

First sign of motivation for a pro sportsman is how much blood & sweat he is willing to shed to keep himself in shape. MJ at 38 was earning over $100 a year off the court from his endorsements, air Jordan brand and his image rights and he had six nba rings, 5 MVP, 4 nba finals MVP and an Olympic gold. Still, that guy used to spend 6 hours daily in gym to keep himself fit & maintained his diet chart. This is commitment which comes from the passion for your game, desire to be successful & self respect to keep own standard high.

Even if I take 3-5 years buffer, Amir is maximum 32-33 now ... at an age Imran came back from two years complete isolation from the game and went on to become no. 1 pacer after turning 35 .... and those days he was averaging 50+ with bat as well. This is self respect, commitment to your profession & desire to serve your country more than anything else. Amir doesn’t have those, he was morally corrupt and now his shallow sides are getting exposed.

Very well put. Not everyone will have the drive of Michael Jordan, but at least they could take the game seriously when they are still at their peak. Considering he lost 5 years of his career due to the ban you would think he would appreciate getting a second life. But the same flaws which saw him sell out his country previously are still showing now. I don't like Misbah being the coach or whatever his role is, but I am glad Amir got dropped for NZ. Not that I rate Musa either, but at least he looks like he is proud to pull on the green shirt.

 

[Mamoon]

Misbah still has time to swallow his pride and pick him in place of the street cricketer Rauf.

 

[Ertugrul_Bey]

Still a way better option than Musa, Haris Rauf, Fahim and legend Sohail Khan.

 

[Saj]

It seems that Misbah and the selectors want to teach him a lesson and show him who's the boss. It's almost becoming a case of we will pick others ahead of you, just to show you that we can dictate terms on when you will and will not play for Pakistan.

 

[Zaz]

It seems that Misbah and the selectors want to teach him a lesson and show him who's the boss. It's almost becoming a case of we will pick others ahead of you, just to show you that we can dictate terms on when you will and will not play for Pakistan.

Do you blame them saj? Hes been lacking motivation and desire over the last 2 years Hes been going through the motions whilst playing for the national team And then retires from tests

I think if pcb officials had the time again theyd have never backed him post 2010 after all thats happened over the last 2 yrs

 

[Energy]

Wanted the ball in the super over. Always looked confident. Apart from Shaheen, there's no other bowler in Pakistan who is better than him.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Wanted the ball in the super over. Always looked confident. Apart from Shaheen, there's no other bowler in Pakistan who is better than him.

Maybe not, but at least the other bowlers still look like they have some dreams of playing for their country. With Amir it's started to feel like he thinks he's doing us a favour.

 

[Energy]

Maybe not, but at least the other bowlers still look like they have some dreams of playing for their country. With Amir it's started to feel like he thinks he's doing us a favour.

That is subjective. Because the formats that he's agreed to play in, he's been performing well and been consistent. Can't fault him for what he puts in his work when he's on the field.

 

[Zaz]

That is subjective. Because the formats that he's agreed to play in, he's been performing well and been consistent. Can't fault him for what he puts in his work when he's on the field.

Yes you can Pre world cup he was going through the motions he had a horrid record for 10-15 games and was on the verge of being dropped until a last min recall

Post world cup same He may be economical but seems to lack the desire and striking ability in most games

 

[Mobashir]

Is Amir one of the best 3 bowlers in Pakistan in t20?
Off course. So he has to be selected.
In the next world cup he will again be our best bowler and one of the best of the tournament.

 

[Saj]

Do you blame them saj? Hes been lacking motivation and desire over the last 2 years Hes been going through the motions whilst playing for the national team And then retires from tests

I think if pcb officials had the time again theyd have never backed him post 2010 after all thats happened over the last 2 yrs

I would rather both sides sat down and agreed a plan going forward, rather than this game of cat and mouse that is being played.

 

[Energy]

Yes you can Pre world cup he was going through the motions he had a horrid record for 10-15 games and was on the verge of being dropped until a last min recall

Post world cup same He may be economical but seems to lack the desire and striking ability in most games

You'd still trust him with the new ball, or the final over, or the super over even if he's not on top form.

It is very hard to drop Amir on the basis of his on-field performances because the other options, bar Shaheen are inferior in comparison. He's going to come back into the team for the World T20I next year anyway, because the rest will get tonked on the NZ tour or a tour after that. So why not just get Amir on board and boost your strength.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

You'd still trust him with the new ball, or the final over, or the super over even if he's not on top form.

It is very hard to drop Amir on the basis of his on-field performances because the other options, bar Shaheen are inferior in comparison. He's going to come back into the team for the World T20I next year anyway, because the rest will get tonked on the NZ tour or a tour after that. So why not just get Amir on board and boost your strength.

Not sure trust is a word I'd use with Amir. During his ban I was a vociferous supporter of bringing him back, but he doesn't look like the same bowler. I'm not convinced he's lost a yard of pace, I just don't think he wants to put his back in any more.

 

[Zaz]

You'd still trust him with the new ball, or the final over, or the super over even if he's not on top form.

It is very hard to drop Amir on the basis of his on-field performances because the other options, bar Shaheen are inferior in comparison. He's going to come back into the team for the World T20I next year anyway, because the rest will get tonked on the NZ tour or a tour after that. So why not just get Amir on board and boost your strength.

What about the games in between do they not matter? When amir feels nothing important is riding on the results he is saving himself rather than putting in 100% Is that acceptable?

 

[Zaz]

I would rather both sides sat down and agreed a plan going forward, rather than this game of cat and mouse that is being played.

Ideally thats what should happen Put egoes to one side, clear the air, is he willing to put in 100% every ball day in day out

A fit n pumped up amir is a match winner for the pakistan team but for too long now hes coasted along n turned it on only when hes wanted Thats not acceptable

 

[Prince of Pakistan]

It's easy. Needs to get his pace back up and find his swing again.

If he does that he will be back in no time.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Misbah still has time to swallow his pride and pick him in place of the street cricketer Rauf.

I think there are much worse bowlers in the squad than Rauf.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Alot of posters here talking about 'lack of wickets' are completely missing the point.

Amir came in during a pressure situation and delivered. Same with Imad Wasim. This is not something you can expect from younger players, and this is why you need guys who can step up when the team needs them most.

 

[FreePalestine]

He is still a quality bowler. Can’t believe so many people think this is fair treatment. I hope the new chief selector has more sense than Misbah has had on this issue, however, I guess, as long as Misbah is coach, he will continue to punish Amir for the embarrassment he had to suffer when he picked Musa and Imran Khan Jnr in Australian tests.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

It's easy. Needs to get his pace back up and find his swing again.

If he does that he will be back in no time.

Pace is overrated in limited-overs cricket. Being skillful matters more. Since the World Cup, Amir has adapted his bowling to limited-overs cricket really well. He can change his pace up, vary it, bowl yorkers and can swing it too on helpful wickets.

Also, expecting him to "find his swing again" is an unrealistic thing to say since the nature of limited-overs cricket these days is heavily predicated on factors that eliminate the swing factor i.e. two new balls, the pitches being flat; which is why bowlers have to consistently resort of yorkers, slower balls and other deliveries to outsmart the batsmen. It isn't as simple as you make it out to be.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

He is still a quality bowler. Can’t believe so many people think this is fair treatment. I hope the new chief selector has more sense than Misbah has had on this issue, however, I guess, as long as Misbah is coach, he will continue to punish Amir for the embarrassment he had to suffer when he picked Musa and Imran Khan Jnr in Australian tests.

Misbah should have know better than to select Musa. That was an absolutely ludicrous selection. There are atleast 20 bowlers in domestic cricket who would have been better choices. The fact that he managed to keep his ER under 6 is an achievement on its own.

 

[Prince of Pakistan]

Pace is overrated in limited-overs cricket. Being skillful matters more. Since the World Cup, Amir has adapted his bowling to limited-overs cricket really well. He can change his pace up, vary it, bowl yorkers and can swing it too on helpful wickets.

Also, expecting him to "find his swing again" is an unrealistic thing to say since the nature of limited-overs cricket these days is heavily predicated on factors that eliminate the swing factor i.e. two new balls, the pitches being flat; which is why bowlers have to consistently resort of yorkers, slower balls and other deliveries to outsmart the batsmen. It isn't as simple as you make it out to be.

It is not indeed, but it is something that you need to succeed these days in especially ODI cricket. You can survive by containing runs in T20 cricket, but in ODI's you need early wickets with the new ball to make inroads which has been a big issue for Pakistan.

Shaheen Shah has been decent, but we need another bowler who is able to swing the new ball in especially helpful conditions. If he doesn't swing the ball and isn't the fastest on the day he becomes an easy target for quality top order batsmen on good wickets. We saw that in the UK as well.

Wasim Akram has worked a bit with Amir so hopefully he will be back to its best soon again. I remember Wasim saying Amir had started bowling a bit too short since his comeback.

 

[Prince of Pakistan]

It is not indeed, but it is something that you need to succeed these days in especially ODI cricket. You can survive by containing runs in T20 cricket, but in ODI's you need early wickets with the new ball to make inroads which has been a big issue for Pakistan.

Shaheen Shah has been decent, but we need another bowler who is able to swing the new ball in especially helpful conditions. If he doesn't swing the ball and isn't the fastest on the day he becomes an easy target for quality top order batsmen on good wickets. We saw that in the UK as well.

Wasim Akram has worked a bit with Amir so hopefully he will be back to its best soon again. I remember Wasim saying Amir had started bowling a bit too short since his comeback.

By the way we do not expect Amir to bowl 90 mph, but he was bowling around 80 mph in the UK this year which was a worry. There might be other factors involved, but hopefully he will be back to its normal 86/87 mph.

 

[QalandarFan]

On current form he hardly makes into the top 10 Pakistani pacers, guys like Tabish Khan , Sohail Khan & even Imran Khan snr have outperformed him , he needs to get his head down & work hard , he’s an intelligent guy , the Misbah SAAB remark hasn’t gone down well with a lot of fans too , serious attitude change needs IMO

So who are the 10 bowlers you'd pick ahead of him?

 

[QalandarFan]

Pace is overrated in limited-overs cricket. Being skillful matters more. Since the World Cup, Amir has adapted his bowling to limited-overs cricket really well. He can change his pace up, vary it, bowl yorkers and can swing it too on helpful wickets.

Also, expecting him to "find his swing again" is an unrealistic thing to say since the nature of limited-overs cricket these days is heavily predicated on factors that eliminate the swing factor i.e. two new balls, the pitches being flat; which is why bowlers have to consistently resort of yorkers, slower balls and other deliveries to outsmart the batsmen. It isn't as simple as you make it out to be.

The funny thing is that almost no one in LOI cricket swings the bowl anymore, yet Amir has to find the swing of 2010 to get back into the side, which no longer exists with these balls and flat wickets.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

It is not indeed, but it is something that you need to succeed these days in especially ODI cricket. You can survive by containing runs in T20 cricket, but in ODI's you need early wickets with the new ball to make inroads which has been a big issue for Pakistan.

Shaheen Shah has been decent, but we need another bowler who is able to swing the new ball in especially helpful conditions. If he doesn't swing the ball and isn't the fastest on the day he becomes an easy target for quality top order batsmen on good wickets. We saw that in the UK as well.

Wasim Akram has worked a bit with Amir so hopefully he will be back to its best soon again. I remember Wasim saying Amir had started bowling a bit too short since his comeback.

Amir's spell against Australia at Taunton was a microcosm of what he can still accomplish. It was a tricky wicket on which the likes of Shaheen and Hasan Ali got hammered but Amir bowled an outstanding spell of two acts; the first saw him getting the new ball to nibble and swing and constantly beat Finch and Warner who simply had no answers to him, and second saw him come back towards the tail-end of the innings with slower balls and other variations and finish with a fifer. It was arguably one of the best spells by a Pakistani bowler that atleast I have seen for a long time, the Australians simply couldn't get him away. And it was a shame that he wasn't backed up by anyone at the other end, or on the field.

I will reiterate that limited-overs cricket is not as simple as make it out to br. Being quick means nothing if you don't have something more to back it up, because fact is that most pitches these days are flat where you can't swing it even if you're James Anderson on overcast afternoon at Lords.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

It is not indeed, but it is something that you need to succeed these days in especially ODI cricket. You can survive by containing runs in T20 cricket, but in ODI's you need early wickets with the new ball to make inroads which has been a big issue for Pakistan.

Shaheen Shah has been decent, but we need another bowler who is able to swing the new ball in especially helpful conditions. If he doesn't swing the ball and isn't the fastest on the day he becomes an easy target for quality top order batsmen on good wickets. We saw that in the UK as well.

Wasim Akram has worked a bit with Amir so hopefully he will be back to its best soon again. I remember Wasim saying Amir had started bowling a bit too short since his comeback.

Amir's spell against Australia at Taunton was a microcosm of what he can still accomplish. It was a tricky wicket on which the likes of Shaheen and Hasan Ali got hammered but Amir bowled an outstanding spell of two acts; the first saw him getting the new ball to nibble and swing and constantly beat Finch and Warner who simply had no answers to him, and second saw him come back towards the tail-end of the innings with slower balls and other variations and finish with a fifer. It was arguably one of the best spells by a Pakistani bowler that atleast I have seen for a long time, the Australians simply couldn't get him away. And it was a shame that he wasn't backed up by anyone at the other end, or on the field.

I will reiterate that limited-overs cricket is not as simple as make it out to br. Being quick means nothing if you don't have something more to back it up, because fact is that most pitches these days are flat where you can't swing it even if you're James Anderson on overcast afternoon at Lords.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

The funny thing is that almost no one in LOI cricket swings the bowl anymore, yet Amir has to find the swing of 2010 to get back into the side, which no longer exists with these balls and flat wickets.

Exactly. The best bowlers in the world are the ones who rely on a multitude of factors.

 

[Saj]

Something else to consider is that when Amir arrived in international cricket he was a quick pacer who swung the ball. But after the ban he came back as a medium fast bowler. I think that was a shock to many.

 

[QalandarFan]

Something else to consider is that when Amir arrived in international cricket he was a quick pacer who swung the ball. But after the ban he came back as a medium fast bowler. I think that was a shock to many.

He was always up around 140+ in LOIs, even when he returned. It was just in Tests that he couldn't maintain that pace like he could in 2009-10 throughout a Test.

 

[Tubs]

Has to be said, if it wasn't for the 2 wides (which didn't amount to anything), he bowled the perfect super over. Not many bowlers in world cricket can bowl consistent yorkers like that (man do I miss Malinga!).