Is the Pakistan batters' weakness to play the short-ball that obvious?

[MenInG]

Fazeer Mohammed :

"What clearly will be of concern ahead of the New Zealand Tests and then the three that follow in Australia, beginning with a day/night contest in Brisbane, is vulnerability to good, fast short-pitched bowling"

See more at: http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/s...ead-quot-Fazeer-Mohammed#sthash.0gQcya2q.dpuf

 

[Chief Destroyer]

Yes, it is an obvious weakness. Barring Azhar, who's improved, the rest are vulnerable but I expect them to grind it out.

 

[Haroon786]

Any shot, if you can't play it well, you shouldn't play it.

 

[Khan12]

Any shot, if you can't play it well, you shouldn't play it.

This. Absolutely if you can't play the pull or hook just duck and don't play them.

 

[Hasan123]

Misbah in particular seems to have no answer to it. Gonna have to grind it out

 

[desirous of desire]

yeah it is vulnerable but as long as the bounce is even we'll be able to judge which one to play and which one to leave. I think in Last match complacency and surprise got the better of out overconfident batters and it was a much needed wake up call.

 

[Rayyman]

Only Younis, Yasir and Misbah are weak against the short ball.

 

[Suleiman]

It's why playing Sharjeel is not a bad idea.

 

[Moiza]

It's why playing Sharjeel is not a bad idea.

Are the bowlers stupid? Why would they bowl short to him? All they need are 6 pitched up deliveries and sharjeel is back in the Hut.

 

[Suleiman]

Are the bowlers stupid? Why would they bowl short to him? All they need are 6 pitched up deliveries and sharjeel is back in the Hut.

He has his weaknesses but he has shown improvement. It's a gamble still, but one worth taking.

 

[Junaids]

Any shot, if you can't play it well, you shouldn't play it.

That's my point in the Australia v South Africa thread.

The South African batsmen are used to identical pace and bounce in their own country. If they feel able to hook or pull - or even cut - then so be it.

But the Pakistanis generally have no experience of such conditions, and Cricket Australia is only giving them one warm-up match, at Cairns under water during the monsoon season, which is the country's lowest bouncing ground anyway.

They need to put away the pull and hook. Just duck. Every time.

 

[Saj]

Fawad has a problem with the short ball no doubt.

His stance works for him but at times his balance isn't great when the ball is banged in as he is moving around the crease.

The Zimbabwe bowler yesterday spotted this and got him.

 

[Mamoon]

It amazes me that South Africa and New Zealand allowed Fawad to score hundreds.

It showed their lack of planning and game-awareness. You bowl short to him and he won’t average more than 25.

 

[ElRaja]

Fawad has a problem with the short ball no doubt.

His stance works for him but at times his balance isn't great when the ball is banged in as he is moving around the crease.

The Zimbabwe bowler yesterday spotted this and got him.

he looked terrible yesterday, but will put it down to an off day. once he gets going hes ok at leaving the short balls.

the way he got out yesterday the ball wasnt menacing, he just had a brain freeze and kinda half poked at the ball. didn't look comfortable the whole time he was there.

 

[Yasir_ch]

I hope teams take notes and give fawad or whatever his name is tough time.He should not be playing for national team.Not good enough.

 

[TheNightWatchman]

Fawad has a problem with the short ball no doubt.

His stance works for him but at times his balance isn't great when the ball is banged in as he is moving around the crease.

The Zimbabwe bowler yesterday spotted this and got him.

With a stance like that I thought it would be pretty obvious. He's going to get into an awkward position to play. Can't believe a Zimbabwe bowler figured that out before NZ or SA did

 

[Savak]

It amazes me that South Africa and New Zealand allowed Fawad to score hundreds.

It showed their lack of planning and game-awareness. You bowl short to him and he won’t average more than 25.

Short pitched bowling is usually manageable in the subcontinent

 

[UzmanBeast]

It amazes me that South Africa and New Zealand allowed Fawad to score hundreds.

It showed their lack of planning and game-awareness. You bowl short to him and he won’t average more than 25.

Not just Fawad, but most of our team.

You bowl a well-directed bouncer to Babar, even he won't be able to play it well.

Pakistani players have never mastered the art of the pull/hook shot. It's the reason why we are never able to perform on bouncy, quick tracks.

Not all batsmen around the world are capable of playing the pull/hook shot, so they master the art of leaving the short-pitched delivery and moving out of the way. Our batsmen who aren't able to play these strokes still attempt to do so, and fail miserably.

I'm surprised Archer didn't use the short ball against Pakistan either, every team should know that our two biggest weaknesses are the moving ball, and the short-pitched delivery.

This is why we are a joke of a team in foreign conditions in test cricket.

 

[Farabi]

Pakistan’s best players for short bowl currently is Usman S who should be in test team. Shan’s okay too.

 

[The cricket enthusiast]

Pakistan’s best players for short bowl currently is Usman S who should be in test team. Shan’s okay too.

Grass is always greener on the other side.

 

[Farabi]

Grass is always greener on the other side.

Not necessarily. Usman struggles with strike rate and weakness against spin in second innings.
If Shan was otherwise good, he’d be in the team.

 

[Hasan123]

Fawad Alam is certainly going to be targeted by the short ball going forward.

 

[Farabi]

Fawad Alam is certainly going to be targeted by the short ball going forward.

As usual, quick reactions and rash judgements.
Batsmen don’t average 55 over 11k runs if they can’t manage the short ball. Sure there aren’t Nortje but there’s Pak bowlers who can bowl short.
Sehwag was a dominating test player averaging 50 w/o playing hook/pull. You just need to manage it.

 

[Match]

It amazes me that South Africa and New Zealand allowed Fawad to score hundreds.

It showed their lack of planning and game-awareness. You bowl short to him and he won’t average more than 25.

What an insight. Wonder what analysts are doing and getting paid for.
It seems that in domestic cricket there is no bowler who can bowl a bouncer
Hence the 50+ average.

 

[Hasan123]

As usual, quick reactions and rash judgements.
Batsmen don’t average 55 over 11k runs if they can’t manage the short ball. Sure there aren’t Nortje but there’s Pak bowlers who can bowl short.
Sehwag was a dominating test player averaging 50 w/o playing hook/pull. You just need to manage it.

The quality of bowling ay International level is much higher than domestic cricket. And if Zimbabwe bowlers can trouble Fawad imagine what top quality bowlers can do.

 

[Mamoon]

Short pitched bowling is usually manageable in the subcontinent

When your technique is poor, short-pitched bowling is not easily to manage in any conditions.

Fawad will struggle against well-directed 87 mph+ bouncers on any pitch.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

When your technique is poor, short-pitched bowling is not easily to manage in any conditions.

Fawad will struggle against well-directed 87 mph+ bouncers on any pitch.

Fawad deserves a chance to prove that wrong, he should not be judged on one dismissal. You have championed Imam ul Haq long and hard as an opener despite him constantly getting out to the shorter ball, and on at least one occasion being laid flat out by a bouncer.

Perhaps Fawad will show he can adjust in subsequent innings.

 

[Muhammad Saad]

When your technique is poor, short-pitched bowling is not easily to manage in any conditions.

Fawad will struggle against well-directed 87 mph+ bouncers on any pitch.

Our every domestic has 87+mph bowlers yet he average 50.

 

[Nasty Naz]

Not just Fawad, but most of our team.

You bowl a well-directed bouncer to Babar, even he won't be able to play it well.

Pakistani players have never mastered the art of the pull/hook shot. It's the reason why we are never able to perform on bouncy, quick tracks.

Not all batsmen around the world are capable of playing the pull/hook shot, so they master the art of leaving the short-pitched delivery and moving out of the way. Our batsmen who aren't able to play these strokes still attempt to do so, and fail miserably.

I'm surprised Archer didn't use the short ball against Pakistan either, every team should know that our two biggest weaknesses are the moving ball, and the short-pitched delivery.

This is why we are a joke of a team in foreign conditions in test cricket.

Yep, it's why every Australian tour is so miserable. Getting bounced out vs West Indies in 19' World Cup literally cost them a place in semi-finals. Pitches that generate tons of bounce domestically would go a long way in preparing our players for the short balls.

 

[Farabi]

The quality of bowling ay International level is much higher than domestic cricket. And if Zimbabwe bowlers can trouble Fawad imagine what top quality bowlers can do.

Are you REALLY saying that this Zimbabwe attack has better fast bowlers than all of the domestic Pak fast bowlers produced in the last 15 years? If yes, I rest my case.
It’s too immature to form judgements on 1 innings. NZ bowlers including Jamieson did test Fawad with short stuff with not much success. Nortje tried in that 1 afternoon session as well but Fawad went on to score a century

 

[Hasan123]

Are you REALLY saying that this Zimbabwe attack has better fast bowlers than all of the domestic Pak fast bowlers produced in the last 15 years? If yes, I rest my case.
It’s too immature to form judgements on 1 innings. NZ bowlers including Jamieson did test Fawad with short stuff with not much success. Nortje tried in that 1 afternoon session as well but Fawad went on to score a century

I never said Zimbabwe bowlers are better than our domestic bowlers.

Let's just not worry about Fawad struggle against the short ball against a club level attack.

 

[Rana]

The quality of bowling ay International level is much higher than domestic cricket. And if Zimbabwe bowlers can trouble Fawad imagine what top quality bowlers can do.

But Fawad scored a hundred against Boult, Southee and Jamieson. Also a hundred against Nortje, Rabada and Mahraj.

I think your argument makes sense, these 6 bowlers are not top quality bowlers

 

[Farabi]

I never said Zimbabwe bowlers are better than our domestic bowlers.

Let's just not worry about Fawad struggle against the short ball against a club level attack.

Yes, If a batsman got hit on the body by short ball couple of times, it means he “struggles with the short ball”.
12k runs over 15 years at 55 average was a fluke.
World is flat.

 

[Mamoon]

What an insight. Wonder what analysts are doing and getting paid for.
It seems that in domestic cricket there is no bowler who can bowl a bouncer
Hence the 50+ average.

Our every domestic has 87+mph bowlers yet he average 50.

Pakistan’s fast bowling has been a joke for years because the bowlers have no intelligence and game-awareness. They do not know how to set the batsmen up and execute their plans.

When the cream of the domestic bowlers, i.e. those who get picked in international cricket, exhibit no bowling intelligence, what can you expect for mediocre domestic bowlers?

 

[Mamoon]

Fawad deserves a chance to prove that wrong, he should not be judged on one dismissal. You have championed Imam ul Haq long and hard as an opener despite him constantly getting out to the shorter ball, and on at least one occasion being laid flat out by a bouncer.

Perhaps Fawad will show he can adjust in subsequent innings.

Fawad is almost 36. When you are a 36 year old with 12k FC runs at an average of 56, you are expected to not make rookie mistakes and immediately show that you are a world class Test player, because that is what you expect from someone who is highly experienced and has one of the greatest FC records in history of cricket.

Based on the returns that he has produced over the last 12 months, it is fair to say that Fawad’s FC average is highly inflated. Against top bowling attacks, he is a 35-40 averaging player just like Azhar, Shafiq, Babar etc. He is clearly not in the same league as the likes of Younis, Inzamam, Yousuf, Miandad etc. as far as Pakistani Test batsmen are concerned, so we must question the domestic bowlers who allowed a 35-40 averaging player to have a better FC record than those big names.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Fawad is almost 36. When you are a 36 year old with 12k FC runs at an average of 56, you are expected to not make rookie mistakes and immediately show that you are a world class Test player, because that is what you expect from someone who is highly experienced and has one of the greatest FC records in history of cricket.

Based on the returns that he has produced over the last 12 months, it is fair to say that Fawad’s FC average is highly inflated. Against top bowling attacks, he is a 35-40 averaging player just like Azhar, Shafiq, Babar etc. He is clearly not in the same league as the likes of Younis, Inzamam, Yousuf, Miandad etc. as far as Pakistani Test batsmen are concerned, so we must question the domestic bowlers who allowed a 35-40 averaging player to have a better FC record than those big names.

It was one dismissal, you can't write off a player based on one innings. It's not his fault Fawad is 35 either, he should have been given more opportunity down the years to prove his claim to a place in the Pakistan team. He's earned his shirt, let him keep it until he's relinquished the right through failure.

 

[street cricketer]

As usual, quick reactions and rash judgements.
Batsmen don’t average 55 over 11k runs if they can’t manage the short ball. Sure there aren’t Nortje but there’s Pak bowlers who can bowl short.
Sehwag was a dominating test player averaging 50 w/o playing hook/pull. You just need to manage it.

What..Sehwag struggled against lateral movement, but I've seen him playing the pull and hook shot plenty of times. In fact, someone like Kohli only plays the pull shot and never plays the hook shot or the upper cut while Sehwag played all three of those to short pitched deliveries.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Fawad is almost 36. When you are a 36 year old with 12k FC runs at an average of 56, you are expected to not make rookie mistakes and immediately show that you are a world class Test player, because that is what you expect from someone who is highly experienced and has one of the greatest FC records in history of cricket.

Based on the returns that he has produced over the last 12 months, it is fair to say that Fawad’s FC average is highly inflated. Against top bowling attacks, he is a 35-40 averaging player just like Azhar, Shafiq, Babar etc. He is clearly not in the same league as the likes of Younis, Inzamam, Yousuf, Miandad etc. as far as Pakistani Test batsmen are concerned, so we must question the domestic bowlers who allowed a 35-40 averaging player to have a better FC record than those big names.

Oh and a player like Imam should be given a shot who averages 27 in tests? Can't believe you called Imam's 74 against Ireland a "masterstroke".

In terms of some of those guys there, yes Younis, Yousaf and Miandad were a cut above, however Inzi was an average player against top teams like South Africa and Australia in which he has only 1 century against Australia. NZ has come a long was since back then is one of the strongest test bowling attacks at the moment.

Oh and while you are at it, maybe you can enlighten us all what average the Pakistan "oldies" are in this current year.

https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/e...st_runs_career.html?class=1;id=2021;type=year

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Fawad deserves a chance to prove that wrong, he should not be judged on one dismissal. You have championed Imam ul Haq long and hard as an opener despite him constantly getting out to the shorter ball, and on at least one occasion being laid flat out by a bouncer.

Perhaps Fawad will show he can adjust in subsequent innings.

Imam has not done anything to prove he is of test value yet, with him averaging 27

 

[Farabi]

Fawad is almost 36. When you are a 36 year old with 12k FC runs at an average of 56, you are expected to not make rookie mistakes and immediately show that you are a world class Test player, because that is what you expect from someone who is highly experienced and has one of the greatest FC records in history of cricket.

Based on the returns that he has produced over the last 12 months, it is fair to say that Fawad’s FC average is highly inflated. Against top bowling attacks, he is a 35-40 averaging player just like Azhar, Shafiq, Babar etc. He is clearly not in the same league as the likes of Younis, Inzamam, Yousuf, Miandad etc. as far as Pakistani Test batsmen are concerned, so we must question the domestic bowlers who allowed a 35-40 averaging player to have a better FC record than those big names.

[MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION] boss I've seen you mention this a few times but this myth has been debunked many times. Most batsmen dont average 50+ immediately unless they start their careers at home vs minnow. Test Cricket is a league above FC cricket. Inzi, Younis and Misbah took 10-20 tests to find their feet and it took them 40 tests to peak.
It's not fair to expect Fawad to average 50+. He has played ONLY 11 tests (2 home, 9 away) and still averages a very respectable 42 with 4 centuries and a few match-winning knocks.
If Fawad got 5-10 test matches at home (like Inzi, Yousuf did or Williamson, Kohli do), I would be very surprised if that average did not shoot up over 50.

 

[Farabi]

What..Sehwag struggled against lateral movement, but I've seen him playing the pull and hook shot plenty of times. In fact, someone like Kohli only plays the pull shot and never plays the hook shot or the upper cut while Sehwag played all three of those to short pitched deliveries.

I think you are talking about LOI cricket. In Red-ball cricket, Sehwag preferred ducking and he never took on the short-ball. In his last few years, he developed pull, hook and flick. But he always had a weakness with straight short-pitched bowling in test cricket. Sehwag however was a master at managing it.
I remember watching a test match in Pak where Sehwag ducking all of Akhtar's short balls but Sachin was taking them on.

 

[street cricketer]

I think you are talking about LOI cricket. In Red-ball cricket, Sehwag preferred ducking and he never took on the short-ball. In his last few years, he developed pull, hook and flick. But he always had a weakness with straight short-pitched bowling in test cricket. Sehwag however was a master at managing it.
I remember watching a test match in Pak where Sehwag ducking all of Akhtar's short balls but Sachin was taking them on.

Very few batsmen except probably the very best take on 150k short deliveries aimed at your head. And I doubt even they are "comfortable" facing it. Just like the ball in the 4th stump line will always trouble any batsman, the short ball aimed at your head will always be difficult to play. But Sehwag did have a pull and hook shot, he's not someone like Raina who couldn't play the short ball to save his life.

 

[Farabi]

Very few batsmen except probably the very best take on 150k short deliveries aimed at your head. And I doubt even they are "comfortable" facing it. Just like the ball in the 4th stump line will always trouble any batsman, the short ball aimed at your head will always be difficult to play. But Sehwag did have a pull and hook shot, he's not someone like Raina who couldn't play the short ball to save his life.

Of yeah for sure! I think the new gen Indian batsmen are much better with short-ball. Gill, Rahul, Kohli, Rahane, and Rohit are all really good

 

[TeymurBlake]

No just Fawad but a couple of players in the Pakistan struggle against short pitch bowling. Its been a problem for Pakistan for years.

Its amazing how its not been addressed yet.

 

[mesmerizer85]

Pak Batsmen's weakness against short balls

Going forward Pak batsmen need to really work on tackling those short balls. I think everyone agrees the way Babar got out (similar to how he got out to Starc vs Aus) and rest of our players, they need to work on this seriously. Bowling coach Shaun tait should just bang in balls in the nets to our batsmen and get them to practice hitting out of the park...

 

[Shafi]

First round exit in World Cup 2022.Big humiliation is on the way. Hopefully we can get rid of fake all-rounders, coaches, CS and accumulators.

 

[Cover Drive Six]

Pak bowlers also failed with short balls experiment, short balls smashed all over the park.

 

[MP2011]

I won't read too much into yesterday's game. There are times when whatever you try, you fail. Yesterday was one such instance as far as batting against short bowling is concerned.

 

[Saj]

Expect more of the same with the T20 World Cup in Australia.

 

[Rana]

The Khushdil and Rizwan wickets proved how mediocre they really are

Ifti and Babar were a bit unlucky. Their deliveries did rise a bit too much on them

 

[chuck]

Expect more of the same with the T20 World Cup in Australia.

This. Teams would have seen how unequipped these batters are to deal with the short ball and pitches in Australia will be bounce friendly in general. Definitely expect more of this during world cup.

 

[mesmerizer85]

If I recall well, the last ODI WC match opener we lost against West Indies , most batsmen got out to short balls... I think either they don't want to learn from their mistakes or think such cases wouldn't happen again.. Turning ones weakness into a strength is what defines a good player...look how Rohit Sharma plays those short balls well.. Most of the times they land as six...

 

[Usman Chadda]

We crashed out of the 2019WC due to this issue, it won’t be addressed any time soon until our batsmen play on better wickets at home.

 

[Gayle_Force]

I think everyone was caught off guard by the bounce in the pitch. We should not over read it. Babar is generally a decent player of the pull shot. Even Kohli top edged a pull shot yesterday. Also, the ball to Rizwan kept a bit low from the looks of it.

India had the advantage of analyzing the pitch in the first half but they still struggled.

 

[sweep_shot]

They seemed to have struggled against short bowling.

Then again, all subcontinental teams struggle against it.

 

[chuck]

They seemed to have struggled against short bowling.

Then again, all subcontinental teams struggle against it.

Not sure about that, that might have been the case in past but didn't India recently win the test series in Australia? That said, well directed bouncers with pace can trouble any batsmen esp. on a friendly pitch but the issue with Pakistan seems to be technical with most batsmen lacking the right technique to deal with it. This needs to be seriously looked at before the world cup.

 

[dildilpak]

While Pakistani batsmen struggle against the short stuff is well documented especially in Tests, dont think that should matter much in the T20 WC as the wickets will be flat, fast & bouncy & that will infact help to clear the boundary. Not like yesterday where the wicket was slow & bouncy - a spongey bounce which led to people struggling to clear the boundary. The Indian bowlers deliberately took out the pace of the ball to exploit the pitch, which worked in this instance - this cant happen in Australia.

 

[Saj]

For Pandya it was like taking candy off a kid.

Bang it in and reap the reward - as simple as that.

Technically it was predictable and so poor from the Pakistan batters and in fact it could have been more wickets lost to the short ball against India.

 

[Local.Dada]

For Pandya it was like taking candy off a kid.

Bang it in and reap the reward - as simple as that.

Technically it was predictable and so poor from the Pakistan batters and in fact it could have been more wickets lost to the short ball against India.

The Kushdil shot was lack of skill and balance but you have to give Hardik credit here. Both the balls to Ifthakar and Rizwan were killer short balls right at the throat at 140 clicks.

Not sure how much you have seen of pandya recently but he was troubling England and WI players with pace and bounce too recently.

Only Babar got out playing a false shot but he is usually good against short pitch so benefit of doubt.

 

[mesmerizer85]

If i remember well...in CT2017 final too it was Pandya who bounced out Fakhar Zaman for a catch...we really need to work on how to tackle Pandyas bowling imo..and probably Bhuvaneshvars swing...if we excel these two i think we can play better in next matches...

 

[shamaan]

I think they didn't expect Indian bowlers to bang it in short espically Bhuvi.
The ball that got Khushdil out was due to a lack of technique and skill.

 

[Saj]

Mark Wood rattling the Pakistani batters tonight with his pace and the short stuff.

Expect plenty of the same in Australia.

Yousuf has his work cut out to sort this issue out.

 

[MenInG]

Here is an example

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[daytrader]

Short bowling again our nemesis today. It should be our biggest worry in Australia. All the teams will be looking to exploit this weakness. Still get nightmares about the game against WI in 2019 W.

 

[Saj]

Pacers around the world licking their lips at the thought of bowling at Pakistani batters in Australia soon.

Some horrible techniques, particularly body positions.

 

[Champ_Pal]

Pakistan can only dish out fast bowling to opponents. But they cannot take it if the opponents bowl fast at them.

 

[SpiritOf1903]

Embarrassing.

Get them to play on wet slate

 

[Markhor]

And this thread was created 6 years ago ! How has this not been rectified ?

 

[daytrader]

And this thread was created 6 years ago ! How has this not been rectified ?

Constant chop and change in management. No one can stay long enough to implement their plans to the finish

 

[Bewal Express]

And this thread was created 6 years ago ! How has this not been rectified ?

Because it requires a fundamental change in players technique. Pulling and hooking is a natural thing, it's difficult to learn if you can't do it naturally.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

This is one area where you miss Hafeez. For all his inconsistencies, he was one of the few who was capable of playing bouncers well.

 

[TheSultan]

Because it requires a fundamental change in players technique. Pulling and hooking is a natural thing, it's difficult to learn if you can't do it naturally.

Fundamentally it also requires the batsmen to have a bit more courage. I’m sorry to say, but recently it seems more of a mental problem than a technical one. Your pull shot can be brilliant, your positioning can be brilliant, but if you’re apprehensive when playing the ball you may not get in to the right position.

 

[Minnowbasher]

We'll get lynched in Australia if we don't work on this area of our game. Even Babar looks horrible against the bouncer these days.

 

[Kroll]

We'll get lynched in Australia if we don't work on this area of our game. Even Babar looks horrible against the bouncer these days.

It's gone on for so long, I can't see anything changing in a few weeks.

 

[Savak]

Based on the PCB videos, it appears our batters only practice shots against deliveries in their zones on shots they are very good or comfortable with. Have not seen any batter practicing against sustained non stop bouncers from Shaheen, Hasnain, Dhani, Rauf, Wasim Jr nor do I see the batsmen practice against the wet ball on concrete for sustained time periods.

Shan Masood had a terrible problem against short deliveries and he was getting bounced out by Anderson off all people but he went to England and practiced 3-4 hours daily with an English coach and later worked with Gary Kirsten in South Africa on his own dime.

Players who have the hunger to improve, succeed and be the best possible versions of themselves will do so regardless of the impediments. You can take a horse to water but you can't force it to drink it.

 

[Bewal Express]

Fundamentally it also requires the batsmen to have a bit more courage. I’m sorry to say, but recently it seems more of a mental problem than a technical one. Your pull shot can be brilliant, your positioning can be brilliant, but if you’re apprehensive when playing the ball you may not get in to the right position.

I take your point about having some ticker but players are told to get on the front foot and those guys that lack a bit of talent and can't get back to pull or hook, get into trouble when they try to pull the guys that surprise them.

 

[fight_club]

Short pitch stuff has been bit of a bummer for Pakistan batting however many of the players, Rizwan, babar, haider, Fakhar they are all decent batsmen against short pitch stuff. The issue is none of them play ramp shot as bowlder target short pitch stuff outside off and at a height becomes difficult to pull.

The surface in Pakistan vs England series have been pathetic. With WC in Australia and Pakistan desperately searching for Middle order batsmen, true Pitches would have been an idea prep. On these slow and low pitches playing short pitch stuff is very difficult

 

[mesmerizer85]

One thing I've learned over the years watching PAK team is when you have high expectations they will play so dismally..and the day you have low expectations they win against best teams and surpise us... honestly watching their weaknesses against short balls not being rectified, i would hope they somehow reach Semis of WC at minimum, worst case scenario would be first round exit...

 

[_Ace_]

What boggles my mind is why do the Pak batsmen not play the ramp shot, like at all? Trying to just hook your way out of 155 kph bouncers under the pressure of quick run scoring for T20I cricket is asking for trouble to begin with. So many of the Indian and Sri Lankan batsmen for instance utilize that stroke against high pace short bowling so effectively, even many of their less abled batsmen. The ramp shot is clearly not practiced enough.

 

[hitthestump]

What boggles my mind is why do the Pak batsmen not play the ramp shot, like at all? Trying to just hook your way out of 155 kph bouncers under the pressure of quick run scoring for T20I cricket is asking for trouble to begin with. So many of the Indian and Sri Lankan batsmen for instance utilize that stroke against high pace short bowling so effectively, even many of their less abled batsmen. The ramp shot is clearly not practiced enough.

When was the last time we had a really innovative batting coach? We keep picking guys from a previous era. The only way they are learning the ramp shot is when they are away from the national side, and for the all format guys that's rare.