Is Wahab Riaz the most accomplished net bowler ever to tour for Pakistan?

[MenInG]

Sorry but question needs to be asked.

Why was he selected and taken to England? Was it because he said he has retired from Tests so to show that PCB can still use him he was put in with the squad?

Is he there to provide good net practice to our batsmen?

Also how did he perform in the intra-squad games for T20s - seems to be no details available.

So once again, why is he in England.

And I leave you with this tweet from Shahid Afridi who is wondering the same.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Disappointing result, we posted a good score but the bowling failed to back the batsmen. Really feel Pakistan needed to play Wahab Riaz, if he is there he should be used considering his experience in T20 format. should have taken control of the game, disappointing defeat.</p>— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/SAfridiOfficial/status/1300118433200300032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 30, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Bhaijaan]

Really feel cricket needs to add the substitution feature they have in some.other sports so that bench warmers can also get some chance to play.

 

[Kroll]

Riaz is too hit n miss for my liking, usually more miss than hit. Probably not a bad idea to have him here as bench strength but I don't he would add anything as he's very susceptible to being tonked around.

 

[MenInG]

Riaz is too hit n miss for my liking, usually more miss than hit. Probably not a bad idea to have him here as bench strength but I don't he would add anything as he's very susceptible to being tonked around.

Think some other youngster or good PSL performers should have been in bench strength - not great to put someone so senior there. Also my question is for Wahab also. If he cant get in the team with so much experience - isnt it time to move on?

 

[BreadPakoda]

Agree with Afridi.

PCT missed the trick by selecting # insert most expensive bowler in last game # over Wahab. I'm sure Wahab would have performed better.

 

[DandyFellow]

We need to make comparisons for performances in the same format and in T20s PSL is a good way to judge players. I feel Shaheen played Tests and should have been rested for T20s. Wahab had a pretty decent PSL and has improved his death bowling with change in the run up. However, he has always been inconsistent so you are never sure which Wahab will turn up today.

 

[Saj]

Wahab, Sarfaraz, Khushdil and Sohail Khan have had long holidays.

No idea where Shinwari and Faheem are.

 

[Kroll]

Wahab, Sarfaraz, Khushdil and Sohail Khan have had long holidays.

No idea where Shinwari and Faheem are.

I'd include Asad Shafiq in that list as well whose had a longer holiday than he normally has.

 

[Firebat]

Wahab gets a chance today, due to Amir's injury. Let's see if he can show what we missed last game.

 

[Bhaijaan]

Good luck to Wabby from fans of India. The best fans of Cricket in the world.

 

[MenInG]

Good luck to Wabby from fans of India. The best fans of Cricket in the world.

Not impressed so far. No ball issue still there - Azhar must be shaking his head as he worked so hard with Wahab on this.

 

[Bhaijaan]

Not impressed so far. No ball issue still there - Azhar must be shaking his head as he worked so hard with Wahab on this.

Hopefully some old man on return luck today. Like Akhtar, Nehra used to.

Gotta get Banton out quickly

 

[Firebat]

Wahab with the run out of Jordan and then the caught and bowled of Moeen in the 2nd last over to swing the game way back into Pakistan's favour. Conceded just 3 runs. Finishes on figures of 2/26 from his 4 overs. Match-winning performance?

 

[leg-side-flick]

19th over was brilliant....

Pak would have lost otherwise

 

[jiduguravindra]

Single handedly won a game for Pakistan

 

[shamaan]

Wahab with the run out of Jordan and then the caught and bowled of Moeen in the 2nd last over to swing the game way back into Pakistan's favour. Conceded just 3 runs. Finishes on figures of 2/26 from his 4 overs. Match-winning performance?

Yes defo they would have told if they didnt get moen out excellent last over match winning performance

 

[QalandarFan]

Wahab was brilliant yesterday.

 

[MenInG]

Misbah-ul-Haq speaking to the press:


“Wahab faced some problems due to COVID but eventually he made good progress there. But he couldn’t get ready for Test matches. He performed well when he got a chance. He has a role in white ball cricket, it’s up to him. Everyone saw his spell in the last match and his match-winning ability."

 

[sweep_shot]

Wahab should keep on playing. He is not that old. I always liked his energy.

 

[shah_1]

Wahab has changed a lot since 3 to 4 years. A champion white ball cricket bowler. There is no one better than in Pakistan for bowling from 7 to 20 overs(T20) and 11 to 50 overs(ODI). It is a shame that Micky didn't play him from 2017 to 2019.

 

[Kroll]

Wahab has changed a lot since 3 to 4 years. A champion white ball cricket bowler. There is no one better than in Pakistan for bowling from 7 to 20 overs(T20) and 11 to 50 overs(ODI). It is a shame that Micky didn't play him from 2017 to 2019.

Well he did start CT17 and was horrific, getting ousted at that point greatly improved our chances of winning the trophy.

 

[TeymurBlake]

How are we still relying on a 35 year old Wahab Riaz?

Surely there were other bowlers available to play for Pakistan.

 

[shah_1]

Well he did start CT17 and was horrific, getting ousted at that point greatly improved our chances of winning the trophy.

So what?

He was one of our star performer in 2019 WC. One performance doesn't deny the fact that he improved a lot

 

[Kroll]

So what?

He was one of our star performer in 2019 WC. One performance doesn't deny the fact that he improved a lot

It wasn't one performance though was it? The reputation as a brainless bowler and spray gun didn't come without merit.

Don't get me wrong though, I do consider he's under achieved a lot in his career and seems to be revelling as a T20 bowler which is his level nowadays.

And coming back to the the CT and WC, while his replacement in the WC helped us win the trophy, Wahab's good performances still didn't help us get to the knock outs.

 

[shah_1]

It wasn't one performance though was it? The reputation as a brainless bowler and spray gun didn't come without merit.

Don't get me wrong though, I do consider he's under achieved a lot in his career and seems to be revelling as a T20 bowler which is his level nowadays.

And coming back to the the CT and WC, while his replacement in the WC helped us win the trophy, Wahab's good performances still didn't help us get to the knock outs.

Not his fault that rain happened during SL match and pakistan batting failure against WI

 

[Kroll]

Not his fault that rain happened during SL match and pakistan batting failure against WI

To not be such a brainless bowler for most of his career was under his control though.

 

[topspin]

Well he did start CT17 and was horrific, getting ousted at that point greatly improved our chances of winning the trophy.

Don't forget 444 scoreboard at Trent Bridge. Wahab was the main culprit with the ball that day.

 

[shah_1]

To not be such a brainless bowler for most of his career was under his control though.

The point is that he has improved

Players can improve, look at Ishant Sharma.

 

[Abdullah719]

Wahab Riaz on Kamran Akmal’s YouTube channel:

“It was very difficult to be part of the bubble as we couldn’t leave or meet anyone. But as time understood, we understood the process and all the boys started gelling. Eventually, time passed by so quickly. During off days, the badminton court was available, there was an XBox, table tennis table, darts. After we prayed Maghrib till Isha, the players would all play for a while. This helped everyone to gel.

“Nothing was easy. The best thing is that cricket was played. Going after 4 months off was like taking part in an alien activity. The credit goes to the management for getting us ready and they let us take our time. In the first 15 days in Worcester, they didn’t push anyone very hard but as we moved to Derby, we focused on more effort in the build up. When the Tests came, then we did lighter training so that we would stay fresh.

“Before going on tour, I got a phone call about whether I could play Tests if needed due to the situation of the pandemic. I said yes because if there was someone unfit then I had to serve my country. Playing for Pakistan is a great honour.

“Saying that I wasn’t under pressure will be a very big lie. i had a lot of questions in my mind and it was a decider for us. We had to end on a high and Allah didn’t let our effort go to waste. There were many types of pressures but the players really wanted to win. They worked hard for 2 months and wanted to finish on a high. I work very hard always and give my best.

“I think Sohail Khan, Imran Khan, Shinwari, Faheem Ashraf all put in great effort during the tour. Sohail and Imran showed the way when they bowled and worked hard. I would give credit to Shinwari and Faheem, it’s not easy when you’re not in the final team and you can lose heart. But the willingness to do something is there among all the players and these four pacers did a lot of hard work.

“It’s exciting that PSL will be completed and there is a lot of excitement. I don’t know if the foreigners are coming or not but if we look at our local strength, we have a lot of performers. We have good players in PZ like Haider Ali and Shoaib Malik and hopefully Hasan Ali will be fit too. Umar Amin, Imam-ul-Haq also. The team wins matches, not individuals and we have a great atmosphere in the team. If foreigners come then our team will be even stronger.”

 

[Saj]

“I think Sohail Khan, Imran Khan, Shinwari, Faheem Ashraf all put in great effort during the tour. Sohail and Imran showed the way when they bowled and worked hard. I would give credit to Shinwari and Faheem, it’s not easy when you’re not in the final team and you can lose heart.

Showed the way? By doing what?