Pakistan announce Test squad for the series against Zimbabwe

[Shoaibbtt]

Frankly, dont really care who they select...but?

Why drop Kamran Ghulam, he didnt get a game but now dropped?

Surely, M Wasim gave an explanation?

By the way, when the original 26 man test squad was announced against South Africa, Salman Agha was in there along with Kamran Ghulam.

However, in the final 20 man squad for the series, Kamran was picked but Salman dropped.

So, what has changed?

How has Salman all of a sudden over taken Kamran?....Based on what?

Mind boggling!

Does anyone understand the logic here?

According to the press conference which you should give a listen to, he said Kamran is more of a "rest" as oppose to a "drop" as they wanted an extra bowler for the conditions which is why Dhani was included over Kamran.

I mean personally i would've retained Kamran and dropped Abid. Agha did well for me in the QeA season plus he bowls plus you also have Saud Shakeel/Muhammad Nawaz plus on top of that a somewhat currently performing middle order in Azhar, Fawad and Babar who are more than capable in my humble view.

 

[Saj]

Fantastic opportunity to boost those averages boys.

Cash in, because opportunities like this don't come round too often.

 

[Saj]

Frankly, dont really care who they select...but?

Why drop Kamran Ghulam, he didnt get a game but now dropped?

Surely, M Wasim gave an explanation?

By the way, when the original 26 man test squad was announced against South Africa, Salman Agha was in there along with Kamran Ghulam.

However, in the final 20 man squad for the series, Kamran was picked but Salman dropped.

So, what has changed?

How has Salman all of a sudden over taken Kamran?....Based on what?

Mind boggling!

Does anyone understand the logic here?

I think they drew names out of a hat.

 

[Hasan123]

Yasir Shah is our best test bowler, I don’t understand why he was dropped lol.

Even though some new batters have been selected, it’s obvious we will go with Abid,Imran Butt,Azhar,Babar,Fawad, Rizwan , and Faheem at 7 as he has done well. This series would have been good to try some of these players selected like Saud. But unlikely to happen.

The worry with the current line up is they getting on in terms of age apart from Babar and Imran Butt (who doesn’t look good enough), so once Azhar and Fawad decline we are going to have to bed in 2 new players plus 2 openers as our current 2 aren’t good enough.

 

[mazkhan]

For zimbabwe tests they surely could have rested shaheen and hasan ali . Especially with hasan ali coming off a long layoff from injury.

My playing xi

Imran butt
Abid ali
Azhar ali
Babar azam
Fawad
Rizwan
Faheem ashraf
Nauman
Tabish
Dhani
Rauf

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Yasir Shah is our best test bowler, I don’t understand why he was dropped lol.

Even though some new batters have been selected, it’s obvious we will go with Abid,Imran Butt,Azhar,Babar,Fawad, Rizwan , and Faheem at 7 as he has done well. This series would have been good to try some of these players selected like Saud. But unlikely to happen.

The worry with the current line up is they getting on in terms of age apart from Babar and Imran Butt (who doesn’t look good enough), so once Azhar and Fawad decline we are going to have to bed in 2 new players plus 2 openers as our current 2 aren’t good enough.

I mean yea it would've been ideal to give new guys chances like Saud which yes you can argue probs won't get a chance in the playing XI as the current XI is playing well.

I mean in terms of age let's leave this for now as it's irrelevant, if you are performing you are performing just look at the likes of Azhar, Fawad and Hafeez all are still performing

 

[mazkhan]

Yasir exclusion also makes no sense he is our front line spinner and considering he only plays test matches which are far and few for Pakistan , I don't see why he has been robbed off games i really want him to overtake kaneria needs 28 wickets to beat that fixer and hope he also gets to 300 test scalps .

 

[Saj]

Yasir exclusion also makes no sense he is our front line spinner and considering he only plays test matches which are far and few for Pakistan , I don't see why he has been robbed off games i really want him to overtake kaneria needs 28 wickets to beat that fixer and hope he also gets to 300 test scalps .

He's injured.

 

[Hasan123]

I mean yea it would've been ideal to give new guys chances like Saud which yes you can argue probs won't get a chance in the playing XI as the current XI is playing well.

I mean in terms of age let's leave this for now as it's irrelevant, if you are performing you are performing just look at the likes of Azhar, Fawad and Hafeez all are still performing

Yes they are still performing but the issue they could decline at any stage. Our selectors will stick by them, then when they are absolutely finished that's when they will be dropped. And then we have to replace them. We will go with a younger player, they will fail once or twice. We will select and oldie and have the same issue.

This selector doesn't seem to have a clue on how to build a team for the long term if I'm honest. Lots of old players who could decline at any time.

Also we should not need Azhar and Fawad to do well to beat Zimbabwe. Saud should be able to score runs against them.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

For zimbabwe tests they surely could have rested shaheen and hasan ali . Especially with hasan ali coming off a long layoff from injury.

My playing xi

Imran butt
Abid ali
Azhar ali
Babar azam
Fawad
Rizwan
Faheem ashraf
Nauman
Tabish
Dhani
Rauf

Hassan should be playing he's not played much and should be proving himself now.

Replace Rauf with Hassan Ali. Hmmm don't know if an extra spinner is needed as I'm not sure what type of surfaces are supported in Zimbabwe i.e. spin or pace (think it's spin)

 

[Amjid Javed]

Fantastic opportunity to boost those averages boys.

Cash in, because opportunities like this don't come round too often.

Are we talking about zimbabwe here

 

[BakuGM]

Only one of those players belong to Northern (Rauf).

OK my bad but all named have no business to be in the Test team at this point in time.

 

[BakuGM]

Talk about being ignorant.
Only Rauf is part of the Northern squad.

Doing some research will help if you have go on such tirades.

OK my bad about calling them from Northern but still all of the named have no business to be in our test team at this point in time. They have not done anything to justify it.....

 

[shamaan]

For the test vs zimbabwe my playing xi

Imran butt
Abid ali
Azhar
Babar
Saud (part time bowling)
Fawad (part time bowling)
Rizwan
Fahim (nawaz)
Nuaman
Shaheen
Dahani

 

[cricketAXEpert]

Last time we toured Zimbabwe, we underestimated them. And ended up loosing a test which tied the series. Back then we rested Saeed Ajmal for no reason which weakened Pakistan's bowling attack. This time we have dropped Yasir Shah (LIKE Ajmal was dropped) We are taking risks with untried players (Shahnawaz, Abdullah Shafique etc). Zimbabwe is a weak team but in their home conditions they can cause upsets. Why take risks? why cant we learn from the past?

 

[Mamoon]

Last time we toured Zimbabwe, we underestimated them. And ended up loosing a test which tied the series. Back then we rested Saeed Ajmal for no reason which weakened Pakistan's bowling attack. This time we have dropped Yasir Shah (LIKE Ajmal was dropped) We are taking risks with untried players (Shahnawaz, Abdullah Shafique etc). Zimbabwe is a weak team but in their home conditions they can cause upsets. Why take risks? why cant we learn from the past?

Ajmal played all Tests and ODIs on the 2013 tour of Zimbabwe. He took 11 wickets in the first Test which we won, but didn’t make an impact in the second Test which we lost on a seaming wicket.

Yasir played alongside Ajmal in a couple of T20Is and ODIs on the 2011 tour of Zimbabwe where Pakistan won all matches although a couple of them went down to the wire.

 

[ask_analyse_act]

Last time we toured Zimbabwe, we underestimated them. And ended up loosing a test which tied the series. Back then we rested Saeed Ajmal for no reason which weakened Pakistan's bowling attack. This time we have dropped Yasir Shah (LIKE Ajmal was dropped) We are taking risks with untried players (Shahnawaz, Abdullah Shafique etc). Zimbabwe is a weak team but in their home conditions they can cause upsets. Why take risks? why cant we learn from the past?

That team had Azhar ali, Hafeez ( who was then made steyns bunny), Misbah, Younis Khan, shafiq in the batting department yet they lose can’t score enough runs. Ajmal was also part of the team, he helped to win the first test with his spin.

That should have been the end of a few players, Misbah captaincy or at least Hafeez who was a nothing opener in tests back then who can’t even score against Zim. Misbah didn’t score the whole series, but was standing not out in the last inns looking to draw the test such a dull defensive captain, the lower order helped him to bat 40 overs after half the team has gone , he batted at snail pace looking to draw and lost it.

They even lost a odi back then. 2013 CT early exit losing all three matches.

He should have been stripped off the captaincy and thrown away. Mind you the 1st test was helped to win by Younis Khan scoring double ton.


He is now the coach , let’s see what his team will do.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

For the test vs zimbabwe my playing xi

Imran butt
Abid ali
Azhar
Babar
Saud (part time bowling)
Fawad (part time bowling)
Rizwan
Fahim (nawaz)
Nuaman
Shaheen
Dahani

Not a bad shout really I would like to see us putting the squeeze on Hassan Ali to lead the attack i.e. replace Shaheen with someone like a Dhani or Tabish.

Very dangerous lol, I reckon we need at least 2 proper spinners in Zahid Mehmood and Nuaman Ali supporting each other.

 

[shamaan]

Not a bad shout really I would like to see us putting the squeeze on Hassan Ali to lead the attack i.e. replace Shaheen with someone like a Dhani or Tabish.

Very dangerous lol, I reckon we need at least 2 proper spinners in Zahid Mehmood and Nuaman Ali supporting each other.

I think both will play but if it was to me il play shaheen in first test and then hassan in second test rotate the squad we should be beating zimbwe with a weeker squad. Second test i would go with.but the management will play it face.

Imran butt
Abid
Azhar
Babar
Saud
Rizwan
nawaz/fawad depending if they want extra batter
Hassan ali
Nuaman
Tabish
Dahani/rauf

 

[sweep_shot]

Pakistan should win comfortably.

Great opportunity to try out youngsters.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

I think both will play but if it was to me il play shaheen in first test and then hassan in second test rotate the squad we should be beating zimbwe with a weeker squad. Second test i would go with.but the management will play it face.

Imran butt
Abid
Azhar
Babar
Saud
Rizwan
nawaz/fawad depending if they want extra batter
Hassan ali
Nuaman
Tabish
Dahani/rauf

Abid (nothing against him) on recent performances does not merit another chance in my view. Really needs dropped.

 

[Amjid Javed]

Shame saud got injured as he could have been tried at 3 with Azhar opening.

Opening with butt and abid is waste of time as both will be exposed when we play decent sides again.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Shame saud got injured as he could have been tried at 3 with Azhar opening.

Opening with butt and abid is waste of time as both will be exposed when we play decent sides again.

Abid has had too many chances but Butt deserves a little more before being written off.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Pakistan should win comfortably.

Great opportunity to try out youngsters.

Yep dates announced for the 2 tests:

29th April- 3rd May
7th May- 11 May

Both locations will be Harare and all matches will be in Harare from what i've heard. Games will be behind closed doors.

 

[Firebat]

If Abid and Imran can't score some runs here then they're hopeless I'm afraid. Wish we had some better alternatives.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

If Abid and Imran can't score some runs here then they're hopeless I'm afraid. Wish we had some better alternatives.

You're right, I mean Abid for me doesn't merit a go and i would rather opt for A. Shafique. Imran Butt though deserves a pass for now seeing as the SA tour was his first outing. Let's see all games being played in Harare and batsmen usually have a good time there.

 

[MenInG]

Lahore: The camp for the Zimbabwe-bound players to be held in the second week of April, ARY Sports reported.

According to sources, the players will train under the supervision of the National High-Performance Center’s (NHPC) coaches while they will continue individual training before the camp.

Cricketers will assemble in the bio-secure bubble by following all the COVID-19 protocols. The Test squad is expected to leave for Zimbabwe on April 19.

It must be noted that Pakistan and Zimbabwe will take part in three T20Is and two-Tests, starting from April 21. The T20I squad will fly directly from South Africa on April 17. All matches will be played at Harare Sports Complex.

 

[shamaan]

Abid (nothing against him) on recent performances does not merit another chance in my view. Really needs dropped.

Yes defonitely should have been dropped but hes in the squad and hes most likely going to play however il give imran another test series.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Yes defonitely should have been dropped but hes in the squad and hes most likely going to play however il give imran another test series.

I watched a video recently on YouTube (good little channel about fans from the UK) and a panel of fans gave him 2/10, he didn't really do much and the only thing that was good was a few catches he took at silly point other than that he was below average in the SA series and i feel he will get exposed by better bowling sides if he doesn't do anything.

I would want Babar to enforce the use of A. Shafique with Imran and see what happens.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Lahore: The camp for the Zimbabwe-bound players to be held in the second week of April, ARY Sports reported.

According to sources, the players will train under the supervision of the National High-Performance Center’s (NHPC) coaches while they will continue individual training before the camp.

Cricketers will assemble in the bio-secure bubble by following all the COVID-19 protocols. The Test squad is expected to leave for Zimbabwe on April 19.

It must be noted that Pakistan and Zimbabwe will take part in three T20Is and two-Tests, starting from April 21. The T20I squad will fly directly from South Africa on April 17. All matches will be played at Harare Sports Complex.

Good to hear about this!