"Mohammad Asif was the scariest bowler I faced" : Kevin Pietersen

[Adil_94]

Extracts from KPs book.

 

[PB]

Asif was quality. But once again lacked of common sense.

 

[Fastandfurious]

How surprising. Asif made him dance every time.

 

[Adil_94]

Asif was a cheat but how i wish we had a bowler like him right now

 

[Silly Point]

Cook also said that Asif was the best bowler he ever faced, while Morgan said the same about Amir.

Wish we had more bowlers like those two.

 

[Bullet Drive]

Asif & Amir In sha Allah will both make comebacks.

 

[Hawkeye]

Asif and Amir were both potential future legends.

Amir can still and inshAllah will be Waiting for that day when he'll be ripping through top orders. And will be a changed man as well.

When is Asif's punishment getting over? He was a repeat offender though, not sure how much he has changed.

 

[Savak]

Over rated to be honest. Both were lucky to have played most of their games in England, NZ, Australia. On flat patta wickets like the UAE both will struggle and have struggled.

 

[steelo green]

Asif will never come back, Amir will but be scrutinized forever.

 

[Silly Point]

Over rated to be honest. Both were lucky to have played most of their games in England, NZ, Australia. On flat patta wickets like the UAE both will struggle and have struggled.

As opposed to?

 

[KarachiKing]

Lot of international players rated Asif. He was proven class and one of a kind.

Jimmy Anderson said that Asif was one of the best bowlers he saw and by just observing him he learnt a lot. He credited his success in the 2010-11 tour of Oz to him.

He was a true genius. Amir was good but nothing out of the extraordinary

 

[Fastandfurious]

Lot of international players rated Asif. He was proven class and one of a kind.

Jimmy Anderson said that Asif was one of the best bowlers he saw and by just observing him he learnt a lot. He credited his success in the 2010-11 tour of Oz to him.

He was a true genius. Amir was good but nothing out of the extraordinary

lol nice observation.

 

[mastersaan10]

Asif is everything but overrated. He is the person you wake up in the morning or stay up late to watch. In my opinion the best new ball bowler we have ever produced.

 

[coy0607]

Lot of international players rated Asif. He was proven class and one of a kind.

Jimmy Anderson said that Asif was one of the best bowlers he saw and by just observing him he learnt a lot. He credited his success in the 2010-11 tour of Oz to him.

He was a true genius. Amir was good but nothing out of the extraordinary

thats exactly what he was! What else do you call a 17 year old ripping through the best test batting lineups in the world in completely foreign condition

Amir was, by definition, an extraordinary bowler!

 

[Fastandfurious]

Stop comparing Amir and Asif, they were both great bowlers but even greater cheats.

 

[Savak]

Asif struggled on flat patta pitches, no doubt he was an absolute gem on wickets with bit of green juice but he was ineffective when the wickets were flat just look at his record. On the truly flat wickets he played on i.e. The SA tour of Pakistan in 2007 in the test matches, Multan ODI, the 2006 ODI series against India in Pakistan, the Second test against India at Faislabad, the first test against Australia and the second test against Australia in Sydneyin 2010 when the pitch had flattened out and the last test as well we was ineffective, the Asia Cup match against SL and Bangladesh in 2010, he was useless an ineffective.

He was a pure fantastic green top bowler nothing else. I have the same thing to say for Amir, that England tour was a boon. I remember seeing a thread at the time of the 2010 T-20 WC titled "Is Mohd Amir regressing".

Yes they were big losses but not perfect bowlers. Both will be very ineffective if they have to bowl day in and day out on Wickets in UAE.

 

[KarachiKing]

thats exactly what he was! What else do you call a 17 year old ripping through the best test batting lineups in the world in completely foreign condition

Amir was, by definition, an extraordinary bowler!

ok lets get this myth busted. Also foreign conditions?? More like the most helpful conditions possible. It was an especially wet summer which was ideal for his bowling.. And apart from Eng he didn't rip through anyone and even against them, Asif played a bigger role in most matches.

Amir averaged 29 in tests which is great. But apart from England where he averaged 20. he was very poor in the other countries.

Average 40, 44, 44 in Australia, Sri Lanka and NZ, the other countries where he played tests.

So his good perfromances were only from his sample size in England where he was a) in very good form, and b) had the best bowling conditions he would have probably seen his whole career.

Fact is that he was a very talented bowler but there is no guarantee that he would have been some world beater as there is just not enough of a sample size to base that predicition on. Theres a good chance he would have kicked on fro mthe England series but theres a similarly good chance that he would have been just a good bowler. The argument here is whether he would have been a very good bowler or an all time great and posters here seem to give him a certificate for becoming an ATG way too easily.

Amir did struggle whenever he was confronted with a flat track.

 

[Hawkeye]

Asif struggled on flat patta pitches, no doubt he was an absolute gem on wickets with bit of green juice but he was ineffective when the wickets were flat just look at his record.

Averages a mighty 10 at a strike rate of 27 in SL, including a 10-fer - Home of world's flattest decks. Played 4 innings there!!

Only has a mediocre average of 42 in PAK in 7 innings. Has good performances in PAK too, few bad ones have inflated the average.

Nothing to suggest he was poor on flat decks.

 

[KarachiKing]

Averages a mighty 10 at a strike rate of 27 in SL, including a 10-fer - Home of world's flattest decks. Played 4 innings there!!

Only has a mediocre average of 42 in PAK in 7 innings. Has good performances in PAK too, few bad ones have inflated the average.

Nothing to suggest he was poor on flat decks.

Not disputing that he could do well on flat tracks. But that 10 is dependent totally on a match where he took 11 or so wickets.

And he only played one more test in SL

 

[Savak]

Averages a mighty 10 at a strike rate of 27 in SL, including a 10-fer - Home of world's flattest decks. Played 4 innings there!!

Only has a mediocre average of 42 in PAK in 7 innings. Has good performances in PAK too, few bad ones have inflated the average.

Nothing to suggest he was poor on flat decks.

SL had a few green wickets, in the few innings where the pitch flattened out, he was infective. Same story in UAE when he toured with Pakistan against India for a few odis

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[Hawkeye]

Not disputing that he could do well on flat tracks. But that 10 is dependent totally on a match where he took 11 or so wickets.

And he only played one more test in SL

Bowled for 4 innings in SL, 7 innings in PAK..

SL had a few green wickets, in the few innings where the pitch flattened out, he was infective. Same story in UAE when he toured with Pakistan against India for a few odis

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You're nitpicking out of a large sample size. Anyway, don't think he was a great ODI bowler, but was a beast in Tests.

 

[KarachiKing]

Bowled for 4 innings in SL, 7 innings in PAK..



You're nitpicking out of a large sample size. Anyway, don't think he was a great ODI bowler, but was a beast in Tests.

4 innings is 2 matches. My point. In 2 test matches, one great or one really bad performance is enough to skew the stats.

Im not disputing he was a great bowler. Im just pointing out the errors in your reasoning

 

[blackanhyellow]

I cant believe people are belittling Asif and Amir's performance in england. Yes they were heavy bowling conditions, but guess what? The batsmen they bowled to were the best bats against swing bowling in the world. Day in and day out they batted in those conditions. They batted against anderson, broad, etc.. in the nets. So a 18 year old kid and a magician in Asif that ran through their lineup is no small acheivement.

I get people are angry at them for what they did, but to say they were not world class bowlers is completely wrong.

Btw how many kids that young can bowl at the pace Amir did swinging it both ways with control? Forget about age, how many bowlers in the world can bowl at that pace with control?

 

[Savak]

I cant believe people are belittling Asif and Amir's performance in england. Yes they were heavy bowling conditions, but guess what? The batsmen they bowled to were the best bats against swing bowling in the world. Day in and day out they batted in those conditions. They batted against anderson, broad, etc.. in the nets. So a 18 year old kid and a magician in Asif that ran through their lineup is no small acheivement.

I get people are angry at them for what they did, but to say they were not world class bowlers is completely wrong.

Btw how many kids that young can bowl at the pace Amir did swinging it both ways with control? Forget about age, how many bowlers in the world can bowl at that pace with control?

Not belittling their bowling achievement in England, NZ, Australia for that matter. The question is that could they have been as effective on flat patta wickets. There is evidence to suggest nope. They struggled when pitches flattened out and this is why i suspect we are setting ourselves up for huge disappointments when they come back once their cricketing suspensions are over.

 

[Alchemy]

Asif was a class of his own. A number 2 ranked bowler when he got caught for fixing (stupid stupid stupid ) and was in contention for ICC bowler of the year. Such a massive loss. Hurts.

 

[Fastandfurious]

[MENTION=2501]Savak[/MENTION] You are disrespecting a world class bowler with a skillset never seen before.

 

[Savak]

[MENTION=2501]Savak[/MENTION] You are disrespecting a world class bowler with a skillset never seen before.

World class on a green deck, a typical average bowler on a flat patta

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[blackanhyellow]

Not belittling their bowling achievement in England, NZ, Australia for that matter. The question is that could they have been as effective on flat patta wickets. There is evidence to suggest nope. They struggled when pitches flattened out and this is why i suspect we are setting ourselves up for huge disappointments when they come back once their cricketing suspensions are over.

Lol what evidence is there? Amir played 3 test matches in Sri lanka in his debut test series. Apart from the small sample size, it was his debut.

As an example, I will use a recent Pakistan test bowler who has proven himself on flat phattas. Junaid Khan.

Junaid had a terrible debut series in Zimbabwe. He averaged 64!

Wasim Akram averaged 31 in his first tour to Sri lanka.

Honestly there is absolutely no evidence that Amir would have been ineffective on flat pitches. He had pace, control, could move the ball, basically was a better version of junaid.

 

[Fastandfurious]

World class on a green deck, a typical average bowler on a flat patta

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http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/en...st=7;template=results;type=bowling;view=match
A whopping total of 4 tests in Pakistan, not large enough sample size. Took 7 wickets at average of 18 in one the matches.

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/en...st=8;template=results;type=bowling;view=match
His stats in SL are ridiculous...

What are you basing this off of...?

 

[godzilla]

a great bowler is measured by whether he is better than everyone else, or amongst the best, not whether he can bowl on glass. what kind of stupid yardstick is that?

 

[Savak]

Lol what evidence is there? Amir played 3 test matches in Sri lanka in his debut test series. Apart from the small sample size, it was his debut.

As an example, I will use a recent Pakistan test bowler who has proven himself on flat phattas. Junaid Khan.

Junaid had a terrible debut series in Zimbabwe. He averaged 64!

Wasim Akram averaged 31 in his first tour to Sri lanka.

Honestly there is absolutely no evidence that Amir would have been ineffective on flat pitches. He had pace, control, could move the ball, basically was a better version of junaid.

In amirs case we can take a look at his performance in uae, West indies as an indicator as well as the Asia Cup. In Sri Lanka he did ok on tracks which had some movement. Smaller sample size then asif. When the wickets were absolutely flat he looked like any other bowler

I had seen enough of asif to understand that he was a green top bully like Anderson.

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[blackanhyellow]

In amirs case we can take a look at his performance in uae, West indies as an indicator as well as the Asia Cup. In Sri Lanka he did ok on tracks which had some movement. Smaller sample size then asif. When the wickets were absolutely flat he looked like any other bowler

I had seen enough of asif to understand that he was a green top bully like Anderson.



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Oh dear god. That man could get seam movement on the flattest pitches on earth. Not sure if you ever even watched him bowl.

 

[Savak]

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/en...st=7;template=results;type=bowling;view=match
A whopping total of 4 tests in Pakistan, not large enough sample size. Took 7 wickets at average of 18 in one the matches.

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/en...st=8;template=results;type=bowling;view=match
His stats in SL are ridiculous...

What are you basing this off of...?

I am basing this on the following

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/238216.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/pakvrsa/engine/match/299004.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/pakvrsa/engine/match/299005.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/233797.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/64115.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/237571.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/237222.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/236520.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/244511.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/nzvpak2009/engine/match/423780.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ausvpak09/engine/match/406199.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ausvpak09/engine/match/406200.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ausvpak09/engine/match/406201.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/asia2010/engine/match/455231.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/asia2010/engine/match/455235.html

As you can see from the above, on absolute patta wickets he was as ineffective as everyone else. And in the matches where has done brilliantly in the first innings, its been because of excellent bowling conditions but he has returned ineffective in the second innings due to brilliant batting conditions. He struggled to knock over the tail and in the Sydney test match his traditional line and length stuff against Siddle was ineffective whereas had Shoaib been there he would have been looking to knock over Siddle.

On a green top he was indeed world class and our present mediocre bowlers still struggle to make full use of excellent bowling conditions so full marks to him. But had he played more and more on flat wickets and in the UAE from 2010-2014, he would have been exposed.

 

[Savak]

Oh dear god. That man could get seam movement on the flattest pitches on earth. Not sure if you ever even watched him bowl.

I have. Like i said brilliant on a green top, ordinary like everyone else on flat wickets.

 

[Junaids]

Asif was a cheat but how i wish we had a bowler like him right now

11 more months and you will have!

 

[Alchemy]

11 more months and you will have!

Amir is not Asif.

 

[Junaids]

There are major ethical issues, but I don't believe in double jeopardy. You do the crime, you serve the time, then you wipe the slate clean.

There will be tours of England and Australia coming up. It strikes me that no-one had seized the vacancies left by Butt, Asif and Amir and unless a miracle happens in the next ten months they will all be back in the team by this time next year.

I don't mind that, but it saddens me that Butt is actually the only realistic candidate to skipper Pakistan beyond 2016. In fact, it horrifies me.

 

[Savak]

There are major ethical issues, but I don't believe in double jeopardy. You do the crime, you serve the time, then you wipe the slate clean.

There will be tours of England and Australia coming up. It strikes me that no-one had seized the vacancies left by Butt, Asif and Amir and unless a miracle happens in the next ten months they will all be back in the team by this time next year.

I don't mind that, but it saddens me that Butt is actually the only realistic candidate to skipper Pakistan beyond 2016. In fact, it horrifies me.

Butt cannot and should not captain again. He had his golden chance and he blew it. Infact apart from the spot fixing crime and taking Amir down with him, i also cannot forgive him for the fact he allowed Misbah ul Haq back into the team. Butt in fact should not even play for Pakistan again and i say this because for 3 long years he lied, slung mud at everyone from Waqar to Afridi to Amir in his weak lame attempts to get himself off. Had he shown remorse and apologized very early on in the debacle i might have been convinced to forgive him.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

Asif was a true genius.

Osman Samiuddin was on record to say that Amir told him...

"You can find many bowlers like me in the streets of Pakistan. But you will never find one like Asif."

The way he set up the batsmen was almost a treat to watch.

I really think he would have been amazing if he was playing right now.

 

[Zanjeer]

Asif was slower in pace, but boy he was some talent. As good as McGrath when he was on song.

 

[Savak]

Deluded fans need to understand Asif was toothless on flat decks and his bowling average and wickets would have moved in opposite directions if he had to play most of his test matches in the UAE.

 

[Snow]

Not only Pakistan, Cricket miss Asif
Amir on other hand was new to cricket, he wasn't tested yet to make a conclusion.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

Deluded fans need to understand Asif was toothless on flat decks and his bowling average and wickets would have moved in opposite directions if he had to play most of his test matches in the UAE.

Even if that was the case, how many bowlers do you see on flat decks performing?

Perhaps you would rate Junaid Khan higher than Asif because he performed on Sri Lanka flatties ?

Asif could work over batsmen and had a fantastic brain to set batsmen up.

And there is not a single bowler in Pakistan who has a brain like that.

 

[Snow]

Deluded fans need to understand Asif was toothless on flat decks and his bowling average and wickets would have moved in opposite directions if he had to play most of his test matches in the UAE.

For UAE Pakistan had spinners to take advantage. IN conditions like SA, ENgland, NZ and Australia, you need someone like Asif to win matches.

 

[Savak]

For UAE Pakistan had spinners to take advantage. IN conditions like SA, ENgland, NZ and Australia, you need someone like Asif to win matches.

That is true, can't dispute that. But I have utmost regard for fast bowlers like McGrath, steyn who can do the job on pattas as well

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[Fastandfurious]

Savak has some personal grudge against Asif.

The man was a magician.

 

[Savak]

Even if that was the case, how many bowlers do you see on flat decks performing?

Perhaps you would rate Junaid Khan higher than Asif because he performed on Sri Lanka flatties ?

Asif could work over batsmen and had a fantastic brain to set batsmen up.

And there is not a single bowler in Pakistan who has a brain like that.

Junaid Khan deserves more credit than asif and amir for having respectable test match stats even though he has played all of his games in the subcontinent. Asifs and amirs stats would have deteriorated if they played 10-12 consecutive test matches in the UAE

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[Dr_Bassim]

Junaid Khan deserves more credit than asif and amir for having respectable test match stats even though he has played all of his games in the subcontinent. Asifs and amirs stats would have deteriorated if they played 10-12 consecutive test matches in the UAE

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)

Now you think Junaid Khan is better than Asif and Amir.

Savak you've lost it yaar.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

Savak has some personal grudge against Asif.

The man was a magician.

Asif kaun hy....

Junaid Khan hy na

 

[Savak]

Savak has some personal grudge against Asif.

The man was a magician.

No personal grudge. On a green top or even on a pitch with early new ball movement, would take him with a heart beat. But the guy had issues bowling on flat dead wickets and when the wicket offered nothing to him. He wasn't the complete package he is portrayed to be

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[Savak]

)

Now you think Junaid Khan is better than Asif and Amir.

Savak you've lost it yaar.

He is less talented but he has very respectable stats for someone who has played all his life on pattas.

I haven't seen enough evidence on amirs side with regards to whether he could have been successful on uae type pattas. Asif I know always struggled

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[pakistanigoneaussie]

Amir was special, everyone who was someone said so.

Steve Waugh who rarely comments on such matters called him a Once in a Generation bowler. I once personally asked Mike Hussey about and he said if he was playing he would have eventually been at least as good as steyn. Watson in the past has stated he was the best pacer he had faced in recent years

besides one could see it for himself

Kid has everything at the age of 18, was a complete bowler. Could bat as well

 

[UpInTheAir]

Asif was a true under achiever. Not just talking about the spot fixing, but every other way he messed up.

Sent

 

[dhump]

One can wish that he was half as honest as he was talented with the ball.

Cheat and liar make 0 difference now how good he was.

 

[MRSN]

Savak must have missed outstanding test series in Sri Lanka Asif had? He totally demoloshed a very good batting line up of Sri Lanka and single handedly won us the series which I think was our last test series win in Sri Lanka. The great Sanga was made to look tailender by Asif in that series.

 

[junaid.ahmed]

Over rated to be honest. Both were lucky to have played most of their games in England, NZ, Australia. On flat patta wickets like the UAE both will struggle and have struggled.

asif was beast at srilanka, wasn't???? & karachi

 

[Savak]

asif was beast at srilanka, wasn't???? & karachi

Savak must have missed outstanding test series in Sri Lanka Asif had? He totally demoloshed a very good batting line up of Sri Lanka and single handedly won us the series which I think was our last test series win in Sri Lanka. The great Sanga was made to look tailender by Asif in that series.

Those wickets had juice and green in them. They were not the typical flat subcontinent wickets you see. Heck even razzler picked up four wicket hauls on those wickets.

Whenever asif bowled on a dead pitch he looked an average bowler like everyone else.

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[KarachiKing]

asif was beast at srilanka, wasn't???? & karachi

yaar that karachi pitch against india was the greenest wicket produced in the history of subcontinent probably.

Even Headingely is flat compared to it. Some of the blades of grass were almost a centimeter long

 

[junaid.ahmed]

Those wickets had juice and green in them. They were not the typical flat subcontinent wickets you see. Heck even razzler picked up four wicket hauls on those wickets.

Whenever asif bowled on a dead pitch he looked an average bowler like everyone else.

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if there was some juice then why srilankan didnt utilized that????? only 3, 4 wickets in that whole match by srilankan pacers

& pak 2nd inning at khi was the came out as the nightmare for indian pacers, but what asif did is unexplainable

 

[JibranAnsari]

Asif was a genius with the ball.. still remember how he used to tease kp. Beautiful sight.

 

[IMMY69]

Savak, you really are a prized plonker


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[junaid.ahmed]

yaar that karachi pitch against india was the greenest wicket produced in the history of subcontinent probably.

Even Headingely is flat compared to it. Some of the blades of grass were almost a centimeter long

there was something but wicket went flat with the passage of time, pak 2nd inning was example for that or you think that pakistani batsmen were capable of playing seam & swing.........accept that we cant bat if ball seam/swing.

 

[menace2society]

KP is a good man, he is the few people in cricket who is empathetic towards Pakistani cricketers. He deserves our support.

England's best batsman of the last decade, sidelined out of jealousy.

We are with you KP.

 

[KarachiKing]

there was something but wicket went flat with the passage of time, pak 2nd inning was example for that or you think that pakistani batsmen were capable of playing seam & swing.........accept that we cant bat if ball seam/swing.

Faisal Iqbal had the match of his life. He fluked to his hundred otherwise we would have folded too. And Indian bowlers lost steam in the 2nd innings

it was a great victory and i saw it live. One of my fave cricketing memories ever so lets not try to undermine it in a meaningless back an forth

 

[junaid.ahmed]

have you forget the sajda of bhanja with helmet on

 

[junaid.ahmed]

Faisal Iqbal had the match of his life. He fluked to his hundred otherwise we would have folded too. And Indian bowlers lost steam in the 2nd innings

it was a great victory and i saw it live. One of my fave cricketing memories ever so lets not try to undermine it in a meaningless back an forth

no it wasn't other wise case, there were 6 50+ scores including 2 90's, each & every batsmen contributed well in that match.

 

[Savak]

if there was some juice then why srilankan didnt utilized that????? only 3, 4 wickets in that whole match by srilankan pacers

& pak 2nd inning at khi was the came out as the nightmare for indian pacers, but what asif did is unexplainable

Like i said Asif on a green top, an absolute legend. Even on a green top it takes great skill to absolutely destroy the opposition. For e.g. if you give Junaid, Irfan, Sami, Gul the ball on a green top, they will either spray it, or get the odd wicket or two or not swing the ball thus wasting the early advantage. But Asif on the other hand will walk all over you. So credit due where credit due.

But on flat wickets he had nothing to offer, no speed, gun barrel straight and became easier to play. He was lucky to have played on so many seaming wickets that he got both in the SC and outside Pakistan. Had he been required to bowl in the UAE he would have struggled for effectiveness.

 

[Pete Rose]

To me if they had not been banned Pakistans fast bowling legacy would rank in terms of achievement as

Imran
Wasim
Waqar
Asif
Aamir
Shoaib

I think talent wise the ranking would still be the same.

 

[in_cutter]

Junaid Khan deserves more credit than asif and amir for having respectable test match stats even though he has played all of his games in the subcontinent. Asifs and amirs stats would have deteriorated if they played 10-12 consecutive test matches in the UAE

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Laughable. Asif worked his magic on flat tracks.. vs India & SL

 

[in_cutter]

Asif is our biggest loss to date. He was another level. Amir had something special but was still work in progress.

 

[Pete Rose]

Laughable. Asif worked his magic on flat tracks.. vs India & SL

He worries when waqar-lite = shoaib Akhtar does not get a mention in any fast bowling discussion

 

[Sandeep]

Asif is the best bowler Pakistan ever produced after Wasim Akram. His skills were just mind numbing.. He could make the ball do whatever he wanted to.. Like a snake charmer!

 

[Dr_Bassim]

To me if they had not been banned Pakistans fast bowling legacy would rank in terms of achievement as

Imran
Wasim
Waqar
Asif
Aamir
Shoaib

I think talent wise the ranking would still be the same.

I would just swap Wasim for Imran.

Rest of list looks fine.

I think Imran had less talent than Wasim but more of a hard worker.

Wasim was the most talented bowler to emerge from Pakistan and could bowl 6 different deliveries in an over.

No Junaid in the rankings ? .. eh...

 

[in_cutter]

I would just swap Wasim for Imran.

Rest of list looks fine.

I think Imran had less talent than Wasim but more of a hard worker.

Wasim was the most talented bowler to emerge from Pakistan and could bowl 6 different deliveries in an over.

No Junaid in the rankings ? .. eh...

Junaid is nothing special so he does not fall into that category.

 

[Savak]

Laughable. Asif worked his magic on flat tracks.. vs India & SL

Watch those matches in which he got those wickets again, those were not flat pitches

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[Zeshan547]

Ladies(if there are any) and gentleman Savak wins the "most delusional poster of PP" award, bhai jaan asman ke tarf mounh kr k thooko gay tu thook apnay he mounh pay giray ge, asif off-field antics are questionable, but his on-field performences and his talent is un-questionable, and savak always remember one thing we all are humans no matter how good we are we have our short-comings, so asif also had off days, which cricketer didn't? Even great Don got a duck in last inning, but did it change the fact that he was greatest batsman ever atleast statistically? but savak if it's a case of personal hate toward asif, then nobody no argument and no logic can help you.,

 

[JaDed]

To me if they had not been banned Pakistans fast bowling legacy would rank in terms of achievement as

Imran
Wasim
Waqar
Asif
Aamir
Shoaib

I think talent wise the ranking would still be the same.

Asif and Amir above Shoaib no way.Also, Wasim was better than Imran imo could be because he was a left arm pacer.

 

[menace2society]

To me if they had not been banned Pakistans fast bowling legacy would rank in terms of achievement as

Imran
Wasim
Waqar
Asif
Aamir
Shoaib

I think talent wise the ranking would still be the same.

Agree with Doc, Wasim was one of the best bowlers in history and easily ranks no.1

Asif is the most skilled bowler we have produced in the 21st century.

He is able to deliver variation with precision and intelligence.

Have seen what the current pacers do? Irfan, Junaid and Wahab all bowl without a plan for the over.

For example in the last game against OZ, Irfan took out Finch in the first ball and pathetically released the pressure by bowling the same line. He should have gone for a rapid yorker immediately followed by a hostile bouncer. If he had the ability to swing perhaps bring the ball in unexpectantly after a couple of balls moving away from the batsman.

They just do not know what to do in an over. They don't understand creating micro pressure zones, bowl defensively to a defensive field, set by a defensive captain. They do not know the weak areas of batsman so they can target. It is just so mediocre.

Asif used his brain and attempted to work the batsman out. He would have been easily ATG Test bowler, far superior to Philander.

Look at this, takes out ABD's middle stump with an absolute beauty.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

Savak would rank Wahab Riaz better than Asif.

He has a soft spot for "fast bowlers with great pace".

 

[Alchemy]

Ladies(if there are any) and gentleman Savak wins the "most delusional poster of PP" award, bhai jaan asman ke tarf mounh kr k thooko gay tu thook apnay he mounh pay giray ge, asif off-field antics are questionable, but his on-field performences and his talent is un-questionable, and savak always remember one thing we all are humans no matter how good we are we have our short-comings, so asif also had off days, which cricketer didn't? Even great Don got a duck in last inning, but changed the fact that he was greatest batsman ever atleast statistically? but savak if it's a case of personal hate toward asif, then nobody no argument and no logic can help you.,

Good post.