And the backup bowler for this match is Mohammad Wasim.
Dear me, what a mess we are in.
Mohammed Wasim is, in my view, a better bowler than Mohammed Ali by a country mile. Yes he hasn’t played test cricket, but Wasim has pace and control. Ali has neither.
The decision to play Ali and Faheem as the front line pace attack is just totally nuts. Even if Shaheen, Naseem and Harris were all injured, I would have opted for Hassan Ali and Wasim. Hassan has been off colour at times, but at least he has the ability to reverse swing and is skiddy. Mohammed Ali and Faheem on the other hand are, at best, a 4th or 5th seamer in an attack.
If the decision to pick Mohammed Ali was made on the basis that Pakistan want a slow pacer who bowls wicket to wicket and maintains control, then why wouldn’t they pick Mohammed Abbas instead? Why pick a poor man’s Mohammed Abbas?
Whoever thought that Zahid is an international quality leggie deserves to be sacked. Our complaint with Yasir Shah was his lack of control - Zahid makes even Yasir’s control look like that of Shane Warne. Again, I would have picked Shadab 10 times out of 10 ahead of Zahid.
Nawaz again is not a test match quality bowler. He’s just an ok off spinner who at times gets taken apart even in the shorter formats of the game. I can’t believe he was the best option.
All in all, a rubbish attack. The debutant Abrar is carrying them as if he is playing his 100th test match.