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Is the current Pakistan T20I team an all time great team?

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Nikhil_cric

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We have discussions about ATG Test and ODI teams on PP and elsewhere but since T20's are a relatively new format we don't have any on this. With 11 successive series wins including whitewashes, can this Pakistan team considered the first true ATG team in this format ? Discuss.
 
Not even close it isn't a top batting unit because it is filled with accumulators. Not enough firepower, so ranking is deceiving. The best side in T20Is is India who have the most formidable batting line up. Their bowling is top notch as well with Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav who are far better than any of the bowlers we have.

If we were to add Sharjeel and if Asif Ali can master the art of building an innings then we can see a team that could compete for the WT20 in Aus.
 
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I think yes. The current Pakistani T20 team has all ingredients of an all-time T20 team and now results are also coming in their favour. The streak is on here for them.

They have got firepowers in form of Fakhar, Hafeez and Asif Ali and then there is Babar Azam and Shoaib Malik who I believe are the backbone of the team and the team revolves around them only. There is a good plethora of all-rounders in form of Shadab, Faheem, Imad and Hafeez and stats can't explain the value they bring to a T20 side.

More importantly, I am mighty impressed by the young lad, Shaheen Shah Afridi who has all ingredients to become next Pakistan great as far as bowling is concerned. He is the next superstar. To pair with him, Hasan Ali is there who doesn't need any description as I believe he is arguably one of the best T20 bowler in the world. I don't see any team challenging this Pakistani team as far as T20s are concerned.

India have got a good team as well but unless it is an off day for Pakistan, I don't see any other result apart from us getting smashed by this team who is currently on an undefeated streak.
 
as a T20 nation we are the greatest. As a current team , if we win the t20 WC with this team then yes we can say this is an ATG..at the moment we are a good team..
 
A consistent T20I team? YES

An ATG T20I Team? I don't think so.

They need to win atleast one T20I WC off the two.(2020/2021)

If they win one and reach finals of other, then they'll be an undisputed ATG T20I team.

But, as of now, they're a very good and consistent team in the most unpredictable format.
 
World T20 and series against more top teams will tell us a lot more.
 
Kohli said:
A Tri series between Ind, Pak and Eng in Eng will be treat to watch.

Other than these 3 teams none are that good.
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Don't Underestimate Australia Better Than All ,Tied With Pakistan And India

They Failed In UAE Because Slow Dead Pitches See Them Next Series Against SA And India How They Treat Them
 
I wouldn't say ATG as lacks 1/2 World Class powerhitters but a very good team nonetheless.
 
For any team to become ATG a world cup is required. So, no this team isn't an ATG team
 
Abdullah Rabbani said:
Don't Underestimate Australia Better Than All ,Tied With Pakistan And India

They Failed In UAE Because Slow Dead Pitches See Them Next Series Against SA And India How They Treat Them
Click to expand...

Australia lost 2 out of 3 games to us on the more lively surfaces of Zimbabwe as well.
 
No, they would need to win against every test playing nation as well as win the T20 World Cup, before it is even mentioned. Also, they have to be a similar level in another format,

ATGs are like the West Indies of the 70s/80s or the Aussies or the 90s/00s as they dominiated all teams and across 2 formats.

As stated before, this is a very good base to step up to the next level, hopefully in either Test or ODI's
 
Not without a T20 World Cup win.

The only ATG T20I team is West Indies having won two World Cups. They don't seem to give a damn about bilaterals but always turn it on in a tournament with their batting lineup stacked with big hitters.
 
If they go onto win the 2020 WT20 then yes. No team can be the all time greatest without winning the premier trophy in the format.

Otherwise some of the South African ODI set ups in late 90s/eary 2000s were close to being the best ever ones, but not winning the WC never them the recognition they could have got.
 
NO!

I think our teams that won the T20 WC and also lost in final were the best. GUL was a Guldozer in the last 8 overs and we have not got a bowler like that since in T20. Afridi can be that bowler. We need one more bowler and a high strike rate bat to claim it. We are the best now no doubt.
 
We just need one more world class batsman in the mould of Fakhar/Babar. A genuine spinner would be really handy as well.
 
I have no idea how one can say yes to this.

IND is still a better team, and other teams like Eng/NZ/SA/Aus will have a 50/50 chance of beating us on good pitches.

Yes I know we've won against Eng and Aus in Zim once.

But to be considered ATG you have to repeatedly beat them, not just a single series.

Plus, we'd not win the World T20 either. Unlikely.
 
Hawkeye said:
I have no idea how one can say yes to this.

IND is still a better team, and other teams like Eng/NZ/SA/Aus will have a 50/50 chance of beating us on good pitches.

Yes I know we've won against Eng and Aus in Zim once.

But to be considered ATG you have to repeatedly beat them, not just a single series.

Plus, we'd not win the World T20 either. Unlikely.
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I agree with you the real test will come if we beat these teams at their own backyards and with there is an exception that this team can loose one match against each country during 3 match series.
 
Kohli said:
A consistent T20I team? YES

An ATG T20I Team? I don't think so.

They need to win atleast one T20I WC off the two.(2020/2021)

If they win one and reach finals of other, then they'll be an undisputed ATG T20I team.

But, as of now, they're a very good and consistent team in the most unpredictable format.
Click to expand...

I agree with you.The atg team for me is the west indian team of the previous world t20.
 
It's on a run of 28-4, so definitely. If I compare the 3 other recognized ATG teams - Bradman's 1948 team, Lloyd's WIN team of early 1980s & Waugh/Ponting's AUS of early 2000s - I don't think any of them had such dominance over a prolonged period - I am not sure how many teams have ever reached 136 ranking points either. It's non stop barrage, almost frightening, I am sure players will be scared to look at PAK players eye ball to eye ball.

There are few small gaps in this team definitely, but that was the case for every such legendary teams, like Lloyd's team didn't have a proper spinner (neither all-rounder, Marshall was a bowler how could bat a bit, while Viv was opposite - this team has Hafeez, Malik for that role while Imad, Shadab are proper all-rounders while Fahim is potential proper all-rounder), Waugh/Ponting's team didn't have an all-rounder of note, Bradman's team also missing a spinner (Bill O'reily retired after 1946 Ashes).

Even, if I look at other sports, that MJ's Chicago Bulls had only 72-10 record, Pep's Man City or Barca could manage only 100 points out of 114 in offer; Wenger's Arsenal went unbeaten in 2002, but didn't win the CL, that All-Black generation failed to win 2 WC finals in their prime, even Federar or Serena couldn't win the Grand Slam, neither Tiger ...........

So, why not and team's such status should put Sarfraz along with the 4 other illustrious cricket names I mentioned here - Donald G Bradman, Clive H Lloyd, Steven R Waugh, Ricky T Ponting, Sarfraz Ahmed.
 
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Markhor said:
Not without a T20 World Cup win.

The only ATG T20I team is West Indies having won two World Cups. They don't seem to give a damn about bilaterals but always turn it on in a tournament with their batting lineup stacked with big hitters.
Click to expand...

Even in bilaterals against good teams with their best players aren't that bad.
 
play Sharjeel, hide Sarfraz from batting as much as possible, Asif become consistently good and then we are talking
 
ATG or not, this side is the team to beat right now in T20Is. The consistency is insane for the fickle format that T20 is. Pakistan fans should be proud of the achievements, rather than try to find faults. I don't remember the last time a team destroyed New Zealand like this in ANY format.
 
As individuals none of them will make all time Pakistan eleven (nevermind World eleven).

As a matter of fact none of them will even make it to Pakistan squad of the 90s.

However there are 3 things which make this T20 squad unique:

1. They play well as a team.
2. The fielding is the strongest i have ever seen
3. All the players are giving their 100% and there are no fixers.
 
gazza619 said:
As individuals none of them will make all time Pakistan eleven (nevermind World eleven).

As a matter of fact none of them will even make it to Pakistan squad of the 90s.

However there are 3 things which make this T20 squad unique:

1. They play well as a team.
2. The fielding is the strongest i have ever seen
3. All the players are giving their 100% and there are no fixers.
Click to expand...
Your post is funny, because Shoaib Malik made it into the Pakistan squad of the 90s :))
 
Hasan123 said:
Sarcasm?
Click to expand...

This is actually how you put facts to prove something. Statistically, I haven't written a single word that you can deny - unless you consider that T20I, outside ICC events is a waste of time.

But, I must agree that Sarfraz's T20I team has shown remarkable consistency, clinical ruthlessness. Unfortunately they can't transfer that to ODI or Test. PAK would have buried this AUS before lunch in a T20 equivalent of Dubai Test, but allowed to get away with a draw in 140 overs!!!!

Everything will be useless, unless team makes the Final at least of 2020 WC & win at least one of the 2 WCs in 2020 or 2021.
 
MMHS said:
This is actually how you put facts to prove something. Statistically, I haven't written a single word that you can deny - unless you consider that T20I, outside ICC events is a waste of time.

But, I must agree that Sarfraz's T20I team has shown remarkable consistency, clinical ruthlessness. Unfortunately they can't transfer that to ODI or Test. PAK would have buried this AUS before lunch in a T20 equivalent of Dubai Test, but allowed to get away with a draw in 140 overs!!!!

Everything will be useless, unless team makes the Final at least of 2020 WC & win at least one of the 2 WCs in 2020 or 2021.
Click to expand...

T20s outside of the World T20 aren't important . But credit to the team for the consistency.
 
Usman Chadda said:
Your post is funny, because Shoaib Malik made it into the Pakistan squad of the 90s :))
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Well Malik debut in 1999 and didnt do anything special in his 1st year.

So i still maintain that Malik would also not get into the great 90s team.
 
gazza619 said:
As individuals none of them will make all time Pakistan eleven (nevermind World eleven).

As a matter of fact none of them will even make it to Pakistan squad of the 90s.

However there are 3 things which make this T20 squad unique:

1. They play well as a team.
2. The fielding is the strongest i have ever seen
3. All the players are giving their 100% and there are no fixers.
Click to expand...

I’ll reverse it for you. The Pakistan squad of the 90s would not have players that would make this team.

Let’s see...

Afridi, yes

Anwar or Fakhar? Fakhar is the modern choice.

Inzimam? He probably would adapt to T20 mode so yes he should be there instead of...not sure who though, maybe Sarfaraz as captain who bats at 6-7

Wasim Akram, definetly yes!

Saqlain Mushtaq. Number 11, I would take him any day as the main spinner

Really, the guys that stood out were Afridi, Wasim, Saqlain. You can add Razzaq in that list also

The point is that the fans need to evaluate the current T20 format and the way it is played and make an honest assumption about wether the players of yesteryear Pakistan could cut it in T20. Wasim was a dynamic lower order hitter alongside his world class bowling skills. Afridi was well ahead of his time in aggressive nature.
 
gazza619 said:
Well Malik debut in 1999 and didnt do anything special in his 1st year.

So i still maintain that Malik would also not get into the great 90s team.
Click to expand...
The 90s team wasn't great. The players were great, the team was mediocre.

And Malik did make it into the team, whether he did well or not is not the point you made in your post.
 
They were definitely a top T20 team but something went wrong over the past year or so. They have to select better players; no point in selecting old failures.
 
This team was not even better than 2009-10 Pak T20 outfits.

Batting was weak of both sides but '09-'10 teams had a T20 ATG bowling attack in Ajmal+Afridi +Amir+Gul
 
sweep_shot said:
They were definitely a top T20 team but something went wrong over the past year or so. They have to select better players; no point in selecting old failures.
Click to expand...

Only one thing went wrong- Misbah, not only will he destroy pakistani team but most importantly, he will destroy Babar Azam as the top t20 batsman.
 
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