Mohammad Nawaz as an opener in ODIs?

[Sean143]

Now the we don't have anybody to open with fakhar for WC 2018( Farhan is young, Imam isn't good enough, and Harris sohail has problems while scoring at a decent click on bouncy tracks). So why don't we try Nawaz as an opener, he has opened in domestic cricket, and if it move clicks, then we will have a pretty balanced side with a hitter like Asif Ali coming at 6/7. Nawaz doesn't seem to be a six hitter so he is already being wasted down the order

My 11 would be
Fakhar (Aggressor)
Nawaz (he is good player of pace bowing just needs to be little bit composed when it's seaming)
Babar (play out the middle overs, knock it around, get a run a ball hundred)
Sarfaraz (be busy, try to increase the scoring rate by sensibly playing his natural game
Shadab (try to accumulate runs, and play according to situation/phase
Malik (Big hitting, rebuilding the innings if needed)
Asif (Big hitting)
Faheem (Big hitting)
Hassan (2-3 crucial lusty blows, if needed)
Amir (Support the other batters, hitting if needed
Shaheen/JK/Usman/Rumman (hope that their turn doesn't come)

 

[Fahdi]

Not good enough. He barely has enough skill as a batsman to be considered an allrounder. I am not against middle order batsmen being given an opportunity to open the innings in LOIs as sometimes it may serve to bring out the best in them. Back in the day I was open to haing Umar Akmal open the innings for us, I still advocate Haris Sohail as opener in ODIs but atleast these guys are specialist batsmen.

 

[ExplicitAI]

One of the worst allrounders I've seen play for Pak, Imad is way better than him and that's saying something.

 

[Eagle_Eye]

what's the need in recycling rubbish?

 

[Arham_PakFan]

Why accomodate him at all?We could easily play someone like Amir Yamin down the order outside Asia.Nawaz doesn't make the ODI sauad anyway.

 

[Markhor]

No, he's the epitome of bits and pieces mediocrity. Nawaz's batting has been no more than tail-ender level.

 

[Sean143]

Why accomodate him at all?We could easily play someone like Amir Yamin down the order outside Asia.Nawaz doesn't make the ODI sauad anyway.

who will be our second spinner ?

 

[Arham_PakFan]

who will be our second spinner ?

I just noticed you haven't put Haris Sohail in your lineup.He could be the second opener and also bowl a few overs if needed.

In T20I's in Asia Nawaz is OK.In other T20s Imad could be brought back(and I say this with a heavy heart because I don't like Imad).In ODIs second spinner should be Zafar Gohar.

 

[Sean143]

I just noticed you haven't put Haris Sohail in your lineup.He could be the second opener and also bowl a few overs if needed.

In T20I's in Asia Nawaz is OK.In other T20s Imad could be brought back(and I say this with a heavy heart because I don't like Imad).In ODIs second spinner should be Zafar Gohar.

Gohar is still far away from Pak setup, and Harris is not a proper bowler. Shadab was primarily a batsman who started to work on his leg spin but hasn't mastered it completely as yet, so we need a proper spinner to support him. Harris btw won't be able to score quickly in the powerplay(i mean this guy ducks bouncers 90% of the times in LOI's, and his range as a stroke player is limited, but he would be solid as a rock at the top)

 

[hadi123]

Awful idea. His batting style doesn't even suit the openers position anyway. I know Sunil Narine as an opener in T20s has made people consider putting pinch hitters at the top of the order but Nawaz is not that type of batsman anyway. If we wanted to implement that idea, the best option would be Faheem Ashraf opening, he did that once against in NZ and that plan didn't work.

 

[Hawkeye]

Mohammad Nawaz does not deserve to play highest level FC or List A cricket.

HOW COME is he even playing for Pakistan?

Nothing better than CLUB level. And we have people like OP advocating for him OPENING. :S What are we? Worse than Hong Kong?

 

[Sean143]

Awful idea. His batting style doesn't even suit the openers position anyway. I know Sunil Narine as an opener in T20s has made people consider putting pinch hitters at the top of the order but Nawaz is not that type of batsman anyway. If we wanted to implement that idea, the best option would be Faheem Ashraf opening, he did that once against in NZ and that plan didn't work.

Faheem Ashraf is a bowler who can hit the long ball very well, but nawaz was a pure batsman before coming to Pak team. He is terrible against spin, but can be good against fast bowling if he works hard. We haven't got Gilchrist on the bench to partner Fakhar, so Nawaz might be a good option

PS:He is from my region Pindi/Islamabad and I been following him for a long long time now, and to be fair he is decent bat(by Pakistani standards)

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Nawaz is a glorified tail-ender. He can barely bat at 8 or 9 and you're talking about playing him as an opener

 

[Sean143]

Mohammad Nawaz does not deserve to play highest level FC or List A cricket.

HOW COME is he even playing for Pakistan?

Nothing better than CLUB level. And we have people like OP advocating for him OPENING. :S What are we? Worse than Hong Kong?

No matter what he will play as your second spinner in WC 2018

 

[hadi123]

Faheem Ashraf is a bowler who can hit the long ball very well, but nawaz was a pure batsman before coming to Pak team. He is terrible against spin, but can be good against fast bowling if he works hard. We haven't got Gilchrist on the bench to partner Fakhar, so Nawaz might be a good option

PS:He is from my region Pindi/Islamabad and I been following him for a long long time now, and to be fair he is decent bat(by Pakistani standards)

Disagree, his domestic batting averages are not that of a pure batsman, more of an all rounder type, definitely shouldn't open.

 

[Sean143]

Nawaz is a glorified tail-ender. He can barely bat at 8 or 9 and you're talking about playing him as an opener

So do you thing Tail-enders score 187 for fun?

There are some flaws in his game, particularly againt spinner because of which he has under performed so far, but his game against Fast bowling is okayish, and we can get the best out of him as an opener.

 

[Sean143]

Awful idea. His batting style doesn't even suit the openers position anyway. I know Sunil Narine as an opener in T20s has made people consider putting pinch hitters at the top of the order but Nawaz is not that type of batsman anyway. If we wanted to implement that idea, the best option would be Faheem Ashraf opening, he did that once against in NZ and that plan didn't work.

The Idea was basically presented by Rashid Latif

 

[Sean143]

Disagree, his domestic batting averages are not that of a pure batsman, more of an all rounder type, definitely shouldn't open.

How many batters in our FC/list A have got an average of a Pure batsman and aren't thakkas(blockers)?

 

[hadi123]

How many batters in our FC/list A have got an average of a Pure batsman and aren't thakkas(blockers)?

I'm not saying that our 2nd opener isn't a problem, it is. Zaman is set but we haven't found a suitable partner for him. But Nawaz is definitely not the answer to this problem.

 

[Shaka81]

Nawaz would be a terrible option to open. His batting is barely good enough to be considered an allrounder. Even Imad Wasim is a better player. There are so many players who are specialist openers who could do a better job and just need the same level of backing that losers like Nawaz get.

 

[Fineline]

I would rather go for Fahim as an opener than a certified ttf like Nawaz!

 

[Hasan123]

Awful suggestion. He doesn't make the team on merit and you want him to occupy an essential part of the team ?

 

[bilawal666]

Lol, why do people come try this guy as opener thread. Opening the batting is a specialist skill, you can't just choose anyone to open the batting.

 

[Justcrazy]

His bowling is overrated , Harris , fakhar and malik can easily bowl 6 - 10 overs per game.

 

[TeymurBlake]

Would be a much better option to have him at like No.7-8 rather than open. I think Sahibzada is the choice to open right now despite not getting picked in the ODI team.

 

[aloo paratha]

Wth This man can hardly hold the bat and you want him to open?? He should be nowhere near the team. Imad should replace him in T20s, and neither of them should be in the ODI team.

 

[TeamPak95]

Awful idea. His batting style doesn't even suit the openers position anyway. I know Sunil Narine as an opener in T20s has made people consider putting pinch hitters at the top of the order but Nawaz is not that type of batsman anyway. If we wanted to implement that idea, the best option would be Faheem Ashraf opening, he did that once against in NZ and that plan didn't work.

I'd honestly wouldn't mind having the team open Fakhar with Faheem. Up until now, the guy has rarely batted for a decent amount of time (let alone whether he scores or not) + him doing it once in NZ and failing shouldn't be enough to scrap that idea entirely. I'd say, let Faheem open for a few innings and see how that works (although let's face it, it's going to be either Imam or Hafeez).

 

[Jryder]

Even Josh Hazlewood is a better Batsmen than this guy.

 

[Khan12]

No he's shouldn't even be in the team.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

So do you thing Tail-enders score 187 for fun?

There are some flaws in his game, particularly againt spinner because of which he has under performed so far, but his game against Fast bowling is okayish, and we can get the best out of him as an opener.

One innings in domestic cricket is by no means a measure for success. And without that 187 which is his only List A hundred, he would average in the 20s.

No, someone like Imad Wasim has some flaws in his game. Nawaz has no game, it's juts all flaws. I've seen him bat most times he struggles to get the ball away for a single

 

[The_Odd_One]

If this thread was about Shadab opening then I would have said yes!

 

[ArabKnight]

Horrible idea. Nawaz averages 18.00 with the bat after 7 years.

 

[mominsaigol]

Just ask brock lesnar to come to India and take imam ul haq to suplex City and problem solved.

We can have haris as an opener. Haris is a hack but he won't do worse then imam I guarantee it. No more wasted no sixes powerplays atleast. One problem will be solved for this world cup, After that bring haris at 7 and let saim ayub open with Abdullah, post world cup.