New Zealand vs Pakistan | 1st T20I | Wellington | Jan 22, 2018 | Pre-Match Thread

[Arsalan Pro]

With the end of a one sided ODI series, its now time for some 20 overs game between the 2 best ranked sides.

What should be the lineups for the first T20I match?

 

[MoJoJoJo]

hope change of the format brings in change of fortune...otherwise em hopeless...

 

[DRsohail]

Does not matter,this squad is garbage and will lose all matches w.

 

[Usman Chadda]

Expect another thrashing. The management and the players are totally bemused.

 

[Jabo]

the squad is awful so another L here

hopefully we get 1 win though

 

[Pete Rose]

Should rest Babar

 

[ads101]

1. Haris
2. Fakhar
3. Babar
4. Shehzad
5. Sarfraz
6. Fahim
7. Nawaz
8. Yamin
9. Shadab
10. Amir
11. Raees

might as well rest Hasan. id like to try out haris opening and there arent many batsmen in the squad so play shehzad down the order who knows it may work, as hes not exactly suceeded up the order.

 

[Justcrazy]

Kiwis will be even more stronger in 20 20.

 

[mkyawar]

Lets not forget Colin Munro has 3 hundreds in this format

 

[dauntless]

This team is even worse than odi one.No chance here! Awful Shehzad of all people is back too.

 

[Arsalan Pro]

My lineup would be:

Fakhar Zaman
Umar Amin
Babar Azam
Shoaib Malik
Sarfraz Ahmed(C)(WK)
Faheem Ashraf
Shadab Khan
Mohammad Nawaz
Hasan Ali
Mohammad Amir
Rumman Raees

 

[babajee]

Fakhar
Faheem
Babar
Malik
Hafeez
Shadab
Yamin
Hasan
Sarfraz
Amir
Rumman

Trying to make something out of nothing here

 

[MoJoJoJo]

3-0 is on the cards..

 

[hussain.r97]

Squad: Sarfraz Ahmed (capt &wk), Fakhar Zaman, Ahmed Shehzad, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Aamer Yamin, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Rumman Raees, Umar Amin

Fakhar
Amin
Babar
Malik
Sarfraz+*
Shadab
Faheem
Nawaz
Hasan
Amir
Rumman

 

[Lynx]

Knowing Pakistan, they'll go with Fakhar, Shehzad, Babar, Haris, Hafeez and Sarfraz as our top/middle order. Which is bound to fail at all costs. Here's what we should do:

1) Fakhar
2) Sarfraz (He's the captain and have to fit him somewhere...opening slot is as good as any for him)
3) Amin
4) Hafeez
5) Shadab
6) Fahim
7) Yamin
8) Nawaz
9) Hasan
10) Amir (as much as I would like him to be kicked out...he's staying)
11) Rumman

Best combination from this lot.

 

[Sadevdesai]

Die hard fans will hype our Team ... but it is “L” all the way !!!!

 

[Greenstorm]

1. Fakhar Zaman
2. Haris Sohail
3. Umar Amin
4. Amir Yamin
5. Shadab Khan
6. Mohammad Hafeez
7. Faheem Ashraf
8. Mohammad Nawaz
9. Hassan Ali
10. Mohammad Amir
11. Rumman Raees.

This is the best we can make out of this squad.

 

[Hamstead_joy]

People should not expect much, we are in a tough situation and should bakc our team to fight it our gievn the limited resouces they have.

What I'm seeing in PP, People here are interested in making their fantasy XIs which would ever be realized given how our chief selector Inzamam has protected his bunch, Hafeeez, Akmals and Shehzad.

Right now the real worry is no.3 where Pakistan needs a solid bat. Babar's confidence is shaken and even if he was doing well his strike rate is worrisome.
Last 3 innings Azam strike rate is 87, last 5 innings is 101 [incl. West Indies]
Our regular no.4, Hafeez
Last 4 innings Hafeez strike rate is 83 [incl. playing in UAE]
This is the probable who we can't drop.
On top of this nepostistic chief selector sent Shehzad who has even sorse trike rate and troubling form.

Now check New Zealand squad who they are bringing in Wheeler, Seth Rance and Bruce who bowl and their strike rate is not less than 140. They would join with Munro, De Granhomme in the side . This will be real test of Hasan Ali and rest of the bowling unit.

PAkistan needs a no.3 who does'nt allow slump like the odis.
Need Nawaz, Fahim, Yamin, Fakhar, Hasan to play, do well and fire all-cylinders for Pakistan to do reasonably well with somehow carrying the accumulating Amin, Sohail, Sarfaraz and the above mentioned tallunts who might bat above them.

 

[GrandMaster]

Clash of the Titans

 

[Sher Khan]

This is basically the same squad as our Odi one. I don't know on what basis people are thinking we will win this series.

 

[Rayyman]

I hope failures Amin and Shehzad don't play.

What we'll probably get is:
Fakhar
Shehzad
Amin
Babar
Hafeez
Sarfraz*+
Faheem
Shadab
Amir
Hasan
Rumman

What I want is the same as our ODI team:
Fakhar
Babar
Haris
Hafeez
Sarfraz*+
Yamin
Shadab
Faheem
Nawaz
Hasan
Amir/Rumman

 

[Hamza_]

At what time as per PST?

 

[BlueDoritos]

at what time as per pst?

8 am

 

[Brilliance]

Fakhar.
Shehzad.
Amin.
Haris.
Sarfaraz.
Shadab.
Fahim.
Nawaz.
Yamin.
Hasan.
Amir.

 

[BlueDoritos]

At what time as per PST?

8 am

Sorry that's wrong.

It's 10 AM PST.

 

[Markhor]

Wellington again ? Hopefully its a slow, worn pitch as that'll suit us more.

A flat deck and their powerhitters will outmatch us.

 

[Abdullah719]

Sorry that's wrong.

It's 10 AM PST.

Nah, 8 AM PST is correct. 3 GMT = 8 PST.

Last two T20Is are at 6 GMT = 11 PST.

 

[Sultan Baba]

Fakhar Zaman
Ahmad Shehzad
Umar Amin
Harris Sohail
Mohammad Hafeez
Shadab Khan
Faheem Ashraf
Aamir Yamin
Sarfraz Ahmad
Hassan Ali
Mohammad Amir

Drop From Playing XI

Babar Azam
Mohammad Nawaz
Rumman Raees
Shoaib Malik(Injured)

 

[Hiraeth]

Wellington again ? Hopefully its a slow, worn pitch as that'll suit us more.

A flat deck and their powerhitters will outmatch us.

I think this one is at Westpac Stadium and not the Basin reserve.

 

[Markhor]

I think this one is at Westpac Stadium and not the Basin reserve.

Ah OK.

If its a fresh pitch and a belter then we're dead.

 

[Officer Barbrady]

It's time to look past Hafeez/Malik. Wonder if the team management has it in them to move past the seniors (Hafeez is in this case)?

Spinners have done well on this tour so should play both Shadab and Nawaz. Line up has plenty of bowling options.

1) Fakhar
2) Amin
3) Babar
4) Haris
5) Sarfraz
6) Faheem
7) Yamin
8) Shadab
9) Nawaz
10)Amir
11) Rumman

 

[BunnyRabbit]

Fakhar
Yamin
Amin
Sarfraz
Hafeez
Shadab
Fahim
Nawaz
Hasan
Amir
Ruman

 

[Misia]

Fakhar
Sarfraz*+
Haris
Hafeez
Yamin
Shadab
Faheem
Nawaz
Hasan
Amir
Rumman

 

[coy0607]

T20 is a totally different ballgame - Pak doesn't need batsmen to settle in and score centuries at healthy SRs like they do in T20s

I expect a very close series - won't be surprised if Pakistan takes it 2-1

 

[Abdullah719]

This is basically the same squad as our Odi one. I don't know on what basis people are thinking we will win this series.

We now have Ahmed Shehzad. That's the difference....

 

[Abdullah719]

 

[Usman Chadda]

I really hope we don't see Haris Sohail in a T20 match.

 

[Justcrazy]

Pakistan do not select correct players for correct formats . They need to play right players according to pitches and format.

 

[Nil Dhumrojal]

Chance is higher now to win

 

[MoJoJoJo]

Chance is higher now to win

yeah chances are higher now because ahmed shahzad is back in the team..

 

[Manager101]

Prediction:

PAK: 85/10 in 17 overs
NZ: 86/0 in 8 overs

 

[barah_admi]

Pakistan are a very good t20 side but in this conditions? Who knows. I think they need to go back to play 2 or 3 spinners, especially with Imad missing. Strangle NZ for runs and then hit big. Zaman, Babar and plenty of others have played well in recent t20s, no excuses for them not to replicate that.

 

[DRsohail]

3-0 is coming up and see what inzi does.meeray paas players nahi ha ...

 

[DRsohail]

Prediction:

PAK: 85/10 in 17 overs
NZ: 86/0 in 8 overs

add 50 runs.

 

[Azeem Zafar]

That squad is soo ugly looking that I can already forsee another whitewash. I'll watch the first match though to see whether our team can put up a decent enough perfromance at all. They need to play all of the availabale allrounders though. No babar please, not in T20's.

Fakhar, Umar, Hafeez, Haris, Sarfaraz, Faheem, Shadab, Yameen, Nawaz, Hasan, Ruman

 

[Hasan123]

Fakhar
Amin
Babar
Hafeez
Sarfraz
Faheem
Yamin
Shadab
Amir
Hasan
Ruman

 

[Imr4n_Khan]

Shorter format automatically increases winning percentage for any team. The one good thing that is going for Pakistan is the number of all rounders we have in the squad. Yamin, Faheem, Shadab and Nawaz who can bowel and hit few balls which provides variety to the batting and bowling. Hassan and Ammir can also be handy with the bat so depending on what the playing XI would be can provide Pakistan with a lot of bowling options, without thinning the batting, and the batting can bat until #10.

I would go with the following playing XI:

1. Fakhar Zaman
2. Umer Amin
3. Babar Azam
4. Haris Shoail
5. Sarfraz Ahmed
6. Aamer Yamin
7. Mohammed Nawaz
8. Faheem Ashraf
9. Hassan Ali
10. Mohammed Amir
11. Rumman Reese

 

[MMHS]

I believe, PAK is going to play Ahmed & drop Haris. The reason being, the way the squad is picked, I see an effort to bring back Ahmed. Normally, if a seasoned player is dropped (he is in his 9th year in PAK cap now), what every other team does is that they select the next man in contention and pick a rooky as back-up. That senior guy (who is dropped),has to go to domestics, perform and wait for his time for first the incumbent fails, then the rooky as well. A classic example was Hayden - After Mark, Slater they did get the chance, failed, so Aussies tried Elliot - finally Hayden came back after almost 4/5 years later and this time stayed.

Here, PAK dropped Ahmed for his failure against all conquering Lanka attack and his back-up (Amin) is picked, but instead of picking a rooky (Mukhtar, Farhan, comes to mind) Ul Haq has gone back to Ahmed the very next tour - now if Amin (or FZ) fails in 1st 2 games, Ahmed'll be picked and almost certainly he'll be retained in next series ...... then we go to the same cycle again for 2 years. This started from Ul Haq (Captain) era, mastered in Misbah era and now Ul Haq is taking it to next level as CS - hence by 2020, won't be surprised if PAK's T20 squad reaches an average age of 35 (38).

1. FZ
2. Ahmed
3. Babar
4. MoHa
5. Amin
6. Sarfraz
7. Shadab
8. Fahim
9. Nawaz
10. Hasan
11. Amir

This is probably going to be the starting XI for 1st game (or may be Hari comes for Ahmed & Amin opens - Hari won't happened had Mian been fit) ....... I am sure, had there been a Test series followed by T20, Ul Haq would have picked almost same squad - this is called revolution.

 

[run-out]

Hasan ali as an opener?

 

[PakSarZameen]

Fakhar Zaman
Ahmad Shehzad
Umar Amin
Muhammad Hafeez
Sarfraz Ahmed
Shadab Khan
Fahim Ashraf
Muhammad Nawaz
Hasan Ali
Muhammad Amir
Rumman Raees

 

[neonoir]

What ever happened to shahzaib hasan, have not seen him since SA tour of Uae in 2010

 

[CricFan2012]

Pakistan's lack of power hitters and their dominances over weaker sides in the last dozen or so T20 should be exposed just like our ODI side was after a fluke champions trophy win.

 

[MoJoJoJo]

What ever happened to shahzaib hasan, have not seen him since SA tour of Uae in 2010

charged for match fixing in psl 2..

 

[MoJoJoJo]

I believe, PAK is going to play Ahmed & drop Haris. The reason being, the way the squad is picked, I see an effort to bring back Ahmed. Normally, if a seasoned player is dropped (he is in his 9th year in PAK cap now), what every other team does is that they select the next man in contention and pick a rooky as back-up. That senior guy (who is dropped),has to go to domestics, perform and wait for his time for first the incumbent fails, then the rooky as well. A classic example was Hayden - After Mark, Slater they did get the chance, failed, so Aussies tried Elliot - finally Hayden came back after almost 4/5 years later and this time stayed.

Here, PAK dropped Ahmed for his failure against all conquering Lanka attack and his back-up (Amin) is picked, but instead of picking a rooky (Mukhtar, Farhan, comes to mind) Ul Haq has gone back to Ahmed the very next tour - now if Amin (or FZ) fails in 1st 2 games, Ahmed'll be picked and almost certainly he'll be retained in next series ...... then we go to the same cycle again for 2 years. This started from Ul Haq (Captain) era, mastered in Misbah era and now Ul Haq is taking it to next level as CS - hence by 2020, won't be surprised if PAK's T20 squad reaches an average age of 35 (38).

1. FZ
2. Ahmed
3. Babar
4. MoHa
5. Amin
6. Sarfraz
7. Shadab
8. Fahim
9. Nawaz
10. Hasan
11. Amir

This is probably going to be the starting XI for 1st game (or may be Hari comes for Ahmed & Amin opens - Hari won't happened had Mian been fit) ....... I am sure, had there been a Test series followed by T20, Ul Haq would have picked almost same squad - this is called revolution.

haris in for amin and yamin in for nawaz.. overall good lineup..

 

[CadPakFan]

Is this going to be a flat track or a green track?

 

[Railu Katta]

Pakistan's lack of power hitters and their dominances over weaker sides in the last dozen or so T20 should be exposed just like our ODI side was after a fluke champions trophy win.

Here comes another champion! Shabash you should go on my thread about the world T20 2007 and world Cup 2011 fluke thread. It is dedicated to us like minded people.

Impossible is nothing flukes are everything - Railu Katta and/or Nietzsche
[MENTION=138254]Syed1[/MENTION] [MENTION=1650]Usman Chadda[/MENTION] [MENTION=143344]babajee[/MENTION]

 

[KingKhanWC]

Is this going to be a flat track or a green track?

Track will be flat, good for power hitting on this ground but depends on the weather [MENTION=132954]Aman[/MENTION] ? .

Pakistan should win this series, the shorter format bridges any gap and will allow Pakistan to be more aggressive with the bat.