Pakistan’s T20I wicketkeeping issue – Who’s the answer?

[RyanRyan10]

Better than Haris Usman Azam

not in the middle order for t20s

 

[Josh]

Umar Akmal can be given another chance

 

[RyanRyan10]

Umar Akmal can be given another chance

He was playing t10 league with club level cricketers in Europe just a month ago.

 

[Josh]

He was playing t10 league with club level cricketers in Europe just a month ago.

So he is match ready.thats another plus point for including him in the team

 

[GOSH11]

As the batting order ends up being fluid outside the top 3/4, I would like a template of

2 explosive openers(Farhan and probably Fakhar)
3 babar
4 open spot
5 Rizwan (WK)
6 open spot

For the open spots, I would look at Haider Ali, Irfan Khan and Kamran Ghulam- I think that they can score quickly and with Babar and Rizzy there as insurance, it would give the flexibility to the side.

 

[mango_bite77]

But he's a opener.

Has played in middle also in PSL. Similar to Nawaz who is also an opener but is pretty good in middle (Except bad asia cup, where most batters failed).

 

[mango_bite77]

Babar as a wicket-keeper would surely be a disaster.

Babar’s fielding is below par, and when it comes to spin, it’s hard to decide what would be weaker, his keeping or his batting.

 

[shamaan]

Has played in middle also in PSL. Similar to Nawaz who is also an opener but is pretty good in middle (Except bad asia cup, where most batters failed).

Oh didn't know he played in the middle order in psl.

 

[mango_bite77]

Nafay is not a regular WK. In case PCB forces him to convert into one, his batting may be impacted. We just can't afford to loose him as a batter.

Pak still has no answer to WK issues.

 

[Obaidd]

Nafay is not a regular WK. In case PCB forces him to convert into one, his batting may be impacted. We just can't afford to loose him as a batter.

Pak still has no answer to WK issues.

Just listened to him speaking before his debut. He says he doesn’t follow keeping much, which shows that he wasn’t looking to become a regular keeper. Interestingly, he mentioned that his favourite keeper is Riz and favourite batter is Babar.

I am definitely against asking non-regular keepers to keep wickets for Pak. Either play the guy on his merit or don’t.

Agreed, the wk slot is far from sorted.

 

[sweep_shot]

In T20, you can get away with a part-time keeper.

Pakistan used to use Umar Akmal as the T20 keeper and he was a part-timer.

I think Nafay should continue as the T20 keeper.

 

[amvbfm]

In T20, you can get away with a part-time keeper.

That's the general perception which is incorrect. At best, a part time keeper will get you 10-15 more runs than a specialist one but even one missed chance, especially in make or break situations can be worth much much more, not to mention extra runs in the form of byes and leg byes. If Haris wasn't performing and Rizwan was out of favor, we could have tested Saad Baig or Rohail Nazir but instead the team management in line with their preference for bits and pieces players opted for Usman and Nafay. The only way such a tactic works is if the part time keeper brings extraordinary skills as a batter which is not the case here.

I hope they prove me wrong but this will not end well.

 

[shehz]

Nafay is miles better than the passenger Usman as a batsman and on par with him as WK. We are wasting time on Usman.

 

[RidiculousMan]

That's the general perception which is incorrect. At best, a part time keeper will get you 10-15 more runs than a specialist one but even one missed chance, especially in make or break situations can be worth much much more, not to mention extra runs in the form of byes and leg byes. If Haris wasn't performing and Rizwan was out of favor, we could have tested Saad Baig or Rohail Nazir but instead the team management in line with their preference for bits and pieces players opted for Usman and Nafay. The only way such a tactic works is if the part time keeper brings extraordinary skills as a batter which is not the case here.

I hope they prove me wrong but this will not end well.

How many runs Nafay leaked with his WK last game? Mind you conditions were difficult because of wet ball and outfield too.

 

[amvbfm]

How many runs Nafay leaked with his WK last game? Mind you conditions were difficult because of wet ball and outfield too.

I didn't watch the first innings. But i don't need to watch it to know that not giving anything in a rain shortened 12 over, inconsequential game, doesn't mean the guy will consistently do well with the gloves or be up to the task or not lose his nerve when presented with difficult chances or high pressure situations. The guy has 0 stumpings in his entire career - let that sink in - 0 stumpings (most probably because he has not kept in more than a handful of games) and you are thinking about giving him the gloves at the international level and that too at the World Cup! Its foolish, if not insane. And not only will it dent the team's prospects but also the player's long term chances as he will be judged for a skill he most probably doesn't possess.

 

[RidiculousMan]

I didn't watch the first innings.

That's all I needed to know. Thank you

 

[amvbfm]

That's all I needed to know. Thank you

As i said, i don't need to. If Wasim Jnr opened the batting or Farhan was asked to bowl at the death would you need to watch the game to judge if they are suitable for those positions? Obviously not. While i admit that might not be a totally fair comparison it is still not wrong because that's kind of what you are asking Nafay to do: take up a specialist job without prior experience of doing it on a regular basis, even at the domestic level. It just doesn't work that way in professional sports. And the logic that you don't need a specialist keeper in T20s is equally faulty. Such compromises work with bowlers and batsmen but not keepers. What would be the compromise here? We'd be ok with a dropped chance every game for a quickfire 20 at number 5? Also, its not as if Nafay has set the world on fire with his batting. Its alarming that we are considering fast tracking a batsman averaging consistently in the mid twenties as a specialist keeper in a World Cup squad!

 

[jeeteshssaxena]

Nafay should be the wk batsman.

 

[RidiculousMan]

As i said, i don't need to. If Wasim Jnr opened the batting or Farhan was asked to bowl at the death would you need to watch the game to judge if they are suitable for those positions? Obviously not. While i admit that might not be a totally fair comparison it is still not wrong because that's kind of what you are asking Nafay to do: take up a specialist job without prior experience of doing it on a regular basis, even at the domestic level. It just doesn't work that way in professional sports. And the logic that you don't need a specialist keeper in T20s is equally faulty. Such compromises work with bowlers and batsmen but not keepers. What would be the compromise here? We'd be ok with a dropped chance every game for a quickfire 20 at number 5? Also, its not as if Nafay has set the world on fire with his batting. Its alarming that we are considering fast tracking a batsman averaging consistently in the mid twenties as a specialist keeper in a World Cup squad!

Nafay is much better batter than Hack Usman and pretty much on par as a keeper.

If team doesn't need part timer then option is Haris. As Rizwan has been pathetic in this format as a batter.

 

[amvbfm]

Nafay is much better batter than Hack Usman and pretty much on par as a keeper.

If team doesn't need part timer then option is Haris. As Rizwan has been pathetic in this format as a batter.

Should be a regular keeper whoever it is.

 

[Rana]

Trust Usman.