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Pakistan clearly missing a premier bowler

Rana

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I've been noticing this for quite some time now. It doesn't matter how good this bowling unit is as a whole, it's definetly missing that one bowler known to take big wickets. Batsmen such as Kohli, Smith and Williamson have been too difficult for our bowlers to contain and they practically score big against us at will. Yes Amir has that potential but he may not be the one. A bowler like Shoaib Akhtar who was known to raise his game come the big challange, this is what we are lacking.

Yasir Shah is highly dependent on the tracks and day 3 onwards.
 
Why Pak are not playing sohail khan, he brings in variety and I think is a partnership breaker too...currnet all left seam attack looks one dimensional and why do Pak does not have an off spinner for the top heavy Aus batting line up? Just curious......
 
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Asif will partner Amir again after 7 years.

Memories of Sydney Barnes and Frank Foster will be relived.


Man I had to wait 7 long years.
 
Anybody who actually watched the match and has an unbiased opinion on things will tell you that Amir was easily looking the best pacer out there.

How shameful it is for the likes of Rahat and Wahab to be out bowled by a guy who hasn't played international cricket in 5 years.

Amir himself wasn't looking anywhere close to his best, which just highlights the dearth of talent we have at the moment.

Credit to Misbah for trying out new pacers every series to find some good bowlers.
 
Actually we have two premier bowlers.

The problem is we have two leaky faucets in Rahat and Wahab taking all the pressure off.
 
Why Pak are not playing sohail khan, he brings in variety and I think is a partnership breaker too...currnet all left seam attack looks one dimensional and why do Pak does not have an off spinner for the top heavy Aus batting line up? Just curious......

Sohail isn't fit enough for test cricket so Mickey is naturally reluctant to select him. Regarding your other point there are no off spinners close to selection in FC cricket.
 
I don't see Rahat or Wahab having enough skill to make much of an impact this series, so we need players who are going to give us some control instead. Imran seems like a definite selection for the next test just to bowl some boring line and length stuff to build pressure for Yasir and Amir.

Someone like Babar might not have been a bad idea either just to dry up an end. You never know anyway with Aus frailties with spin - he could be more threatening than Rahat and co.
 
Amir is out for 6month cause of injury, asifs career is over.


Absolutely factless prediction.

I have no doubt at all after following Pakistan Cricket including domestic cricket of last 15 years that Asif is coming back surely and so is Salman.

It is impossible to stop this from happening.
 
Absolutely factless prediction.

I have no doubt at all after following Pakistan Cricket including domestic cricket of last 15 years that Asif is coming back surely and so is Salman.

It is impossible to stop this from happening.

But the question is he coming back for this series?
 
Don't forget Mitchel Johnson (Wahab Riaz) and Shane Warne (Yasir Shah).


Wahab does not swing the new ball at all unlike Johno. Plus in his peak Johno was the fittest fast bowler in WC and used to bowl 92+mph deliveries consistently and had better control than Wahab.

Yasir doesn't turn his leggies sharply. Warnie had a better flipper and googly aswell.


Discussion was about pairs. I don't think Yasir and Wahab have paired together bowling magical stuff.
 
A lot of people are missing the point of the thread. The current bowling attack isnt bad, it can do a decent job against most batting line ups. The issue is that the mainstay batsmen of most teams are usually cashing in and not finding it too difficult against our attack, this has proven crucial in the past.

I really do not know when was the last time Pakistan managed to get Kohli out, or when Smith and Williamson didnt manage to score big against us recently.

When we had a bowler like Shoaib Akhtar, yes he used to get licks here and there, but notice most scorecards will have the biggest batsmen in the team falling prey to him. The guy had the ability to make things happen. We are missing such a guy big time.
 
Someone mentioned Sohail Khan, I believe he has the heart of a premier bowler, but not so sure on the ability. Its the heart that enables him to have taken such big scalps in his career, also to have delivered some valuable performances at a time of need. However, the inconsistency is letting his ability to become a world class player come to a halt.
 
I've been noticing this for quite some time now. It doesn't matter how good this bowling unit is as a whole, it's definetly missing that one bowler known to take big wickets. Batsmen such as Kohli, Smith and Williamson have been too difficult for our bowlers to contain and they practically score big against us at will. Yes Amir has that potential but he may not be the one. A bowler like Shoaib Akhtar who was known to raise his game come the big challange, this is what we are lacking.

Yasir Shah is highly dependent on the tracks and day 3 onwards.


8-9 years actually
 
Anybody who actually watched the match and has an unbiased opinion on things will tell you that Amir was easily looking the best pacer out there.

How shameful it is for the likes of Rahat and Wahab to be out bowled by a guy who hasn't played international cricket in 5 years.

Amir himself wasn't looking anywhere close to his best, which just highlights the dearth of talent we have at the moment.

Credit to Misbah for trying out new pacers every series to find some good bowlers.

Rahat and Wahab just go through the motions they have shown no improvement despite playing so many Tests. They won't learn and selectors have done pathetic job by re-selecting them.
 
The point OP is trying to make is that you need a strike bowler to win tests in places like Australia.

Akhtar was a wayward bowler who leaked runs but could and did take wickets at a very good strike rate.


Amir, despite all the claims, is not that and won't be.
 
Wahab Riaz should retire, he got his free trip to Australia. Should do his shopping, take a selfie with Watto and fly back to Pakistan. Most overrated fast bowler ever.
 
Wicket is back to being super roads in Aus. It's not easy for bowlers and Pakistani batsmen should score runs here. NZ wickets had movement.
 
Like it not, Amir is the best bowler in Pakistan. Hopefully in a couple of years he can finally turn out to be that "premier" guy we were missing. :amir3
 
You will see new bowlers in the WI series.

This is last for this mediocre bunch.

Nothing is going to happen, the same Sohail, Imran, Rahat and Wahab will be selected.


Inzi was always averse to experiments when he was captain and same is happening when he is selector. Be ready to see these useless bowlers for the next few years.
 
Desperate to see some new fast bowling talent. Can't take another series of Wahab,Rahat,and Imran.
 
The point OP is trying to make is that you need a strike bowler to win tests in places like Australia.

Akhtar was a wayward bowler who leaked runs but could and did take wickets at a very good strike rate.


Amir, despite all the claims, is not that and won't be.

[MENTION=2016]Rana[/MENTION] is also forgetting that if akhtar was playing in this series then he would have only played 1 match out of 3. He was such a good bowler but he didn't play many tests. Pakistan need a bowler like asif or someone who can hold the other end.
 
Bowling is done in partnerships with a clear plan from your captain. Y'all are too obsessed with hero figures who will blow everyone away. We're lacking a third seamer to compliment Amir and Wahab.
 
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Bowling is done in partnerships with a clear plan from your captain. Y'all are too obsessed with hero figures who will blow everyone away. We're lacking a third seamer to compliment Amir and Wahab.

Wahab is one of the reasons we are in this predicament.

We have only half a pacer in Amir. The rest are all duds. Desperately need injection of new talent or old performers (Asif)
 
A lot of people are missing the point of the thread. The current bowling attack isnt bad, it can do a decent job against most batting line ups. The issue is that the mainstay batsmen of most teams are usually cashing in and not finding it too difficult against our attack, this has proven crucial in the past.

I really do not know when was the last time Pakistan managed to get Kohli out, or when Smith and Williamson didnt manage to score big against us recently.

When we had a bowler like Shoaib Akhtar, yes he used to get licks here and there, but notice most scorecards will have the biggest batsmen in the team falling prey to him. The guy had the ability to make things happen. We are missing such a guy big time.

I don't know Shoiab was so successful in SA/AUS, he won one test, when Asif was on the other end and they got SA out at 125 in first innings to set the match... Same is true in Sydney test, Asif(with the help of Sami and Conditions) got AUSes out at 125...

Bowlers work in pair, they also grow in pairs...Right now we only have one potential top bowler (Amir), but he is not finding it easy without help from other end. I have said it many times, only one bowler is very hard to develop... Without HW, Strac's effectiveness would be half...Johnson worked well with Harris, when Harris was injured, he would be far less effective...

Wasim was very lucky to bowl first along side Imran (who was main bowler when Wasim started), than Waqar and than Akthar, he never had to bowl alone... If you look deeply, in test Wasim was almost second best seamer almost all his career...

Separation of Asif and Amir was huge loss for Pakistan, after that we derailed (partly thanks to UAE), we are finding it hard to have high quality seamers... Pakistan need to change their mentality and focus on fast bowling as main product, at home, Misbah has always used fast bowlers as side kick, if we continue those policies, this will only go down more from here...
 
Desperate to see some new fast bowling talent. Can't take another series of Wahab,Rahat,and Imran.
Wahab bowled decently yesterday. Rahat on the other hand...

We need a young right arm quick who can bowl 135-140 KPH and can swing the ball.
 
Wahab bowled decently yesterday. Rahat on the other hand...

We need a young right arm quick who can bowl 135-140 KPH and can swing the ball.


True Wahab did bowl well.


Yep were desperate for a bowler like that.
 
There isn't much support for Yasir and Amir. Wahab bowls well now and then. Rahat is all over the place.

There is a lot of pressure on Amir and Yasir.
 
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We are missing Sohail Khan, with 4 bowlers we are already missing out, with Rahat... The less said the better.
 
Wahab is one of the reasons we are in this predicament.

We have only half a pacer in Amir. The rest are all duds. Desperately need injection of new talent or old performers (Asif)
Wahab bowled very well. He was the most threatening, took the biggest wicket and had a couple of close calls.

We are in this situation because of our timid captain and that dolly dropped by Sarfaraz. Also some filth with no intent bowled by Rahat.

One of the biggest mistakes Misbah made was not bowling Wahab and Amir in tandem after dinner.
 
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Asif will partner Amir again after 7 years.

Memories of Sydney Barnes and Frank Foster will be relived.


Man I had to wait 7 long years.

1 sydney and then 3 failures in the other 3 matches he played in Australia. But of course he is going to come back after 6 years and take wicket for fun on these really flat wickets
 
There isn't much support for Yasir and Amir. Wahab bowls well now and then. Rahat is all over the place.

There is a lot of pressure on Amir and Yasir.

For Amir, coming straight back and then being the leader of the attack must be stressful. If there was a senior bowler he could pair with, he would do better
 
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1 sydney and then 3 failures in the other 3 matches he played in Australia. But of course he is going to come back after 6 years and take wicket for fun on these really flat wickets


Comparison of Asif & McGrath after their first 23 test matches :


Glenn McGrath :

Matches : 23 Innings 45 Wickets 101
Ave 24.69 SR 55.3 Five fivefers 0 Tenfer

Wickets % of Top 5 Batsman :

55/101 = 54.5 %



Mohammad Asif :

Matches : 23 Innings 44 Wickets 106
Ave 24.36 SR 48.7 Seven fivefers 1 Tenfer

Wickets % of Top 5 Batsman :

67/106 = 63.2 %
 
Comparison of Asif & McGrath after their first 23 test matches :


Glenn McGrath :

Matches : 23 Innings 45 Wickets 101
Ave 24.69 SR 55.3 Five fivefers 0 Tenfer

Wickets % of Top 5 Batsman :

55/101 = 54.5 %



Mohammad Asif :

Matches : 23 Innings 44 Wickets 106
Ave 24.36 SR 48.7 Seven fivefers 1 Tenfer

Wickets % of Top 5 Batsman :

67/106 = 63.2 %

Could you also check their respective records in Australia ?

Also the fact that the year is now 2016, not July 2010.
 
Could you please start following Pakistan domestic cricket ?

If we go by statistics, then Asif does not belong anywhere near the national team.

By all accounts, his fitness is poor and his pace is even slower than what he was generating when he last played internationally.

Doesn't sound like I'm the one that needs to follow the FC matches in Pakistan.
 
Comparison of Asif & McGrath after their first 23 test matches :


Glenn McGrath :

Matches : 23 Innings 45 Wickets 101
Ave 24.69 SR 55.3 Five fivefers 0 Tenfer

Wickets % of Top 5 Batsman :

55/101 = 54.5 %



Mohammad Asif :

Matches : 23 Innings 44 Wickets 106
Ave 24.36 SR 48.7 Seven fivefers 1 Tenfer

Wickets % of Top 5 Batsman :

67/106 = 63.2 %

We are talking about Australia, aren't we? And did McGrath go for a 6 year break after those 23 matches. Here's another interesting comparison. After 16 matches bhuvneswar Kumar avg - 28.8. McGrath average 29.8
 
If we go by statistics, then Asif does not belong anywhere near the national team.

By all accounts, his fitness is poor and his pace is even slower than what he was generating when he last played internationally.

Doesn't sound like I'm the one that needs to follow the FC matches in Pakistan.


Haroon it is not so.


Asif is bowling at exactly same pace as 6 years ago. Compare the current visuals with old ones.


He is not injury free and is match fit. Just had food poisoning so Post food poisoning Asif was down but we all saw his magic in the same match pre food poisoning.


Out of 4 best spells of Qea this year 3 have been bowled by Asif. All in match defining momemts.

There was a footage we saw on 24th October on twitter where on a flat brown surface he pitched a delivery on 5th stump and it knocked out leg stump. No other Fc bowler is capable of doing it.


When Bob picked Asif He was at number 21 in top wicket takers List of Season and averaged 25 with a SR of 48 while Shahid Nazir was at number 1 with Average of 12 and SR of 28 while Waqar Ahmed, Fazl e Akbar, Riaz Afridi, Rajesh Ramesh all averaged under 20 with 2 under 15 and all having SR under 35.


You need an Eye to judge players otherwise every Tom Dick & Hary could see Stats of season and pick those with top numbers. Stats have to be seen in context not in isolation.


I don't blame you. You haven't seen Asif from Start to now as you were too young. When Shahid Nazir topped the season with Ave of 12 & SR of 28 you were what ? Probably 9 years old but Trust me Bob Woolmer wasn't wrong and he wasn't injust and Asif proved it.


He will be back very soon.


Kind Regards.
 
We are talking about Australia, aren't we? And did McGrath go for a 6 year break after those 23 matches. Here's another interesting comparison. After 16 matches bhuvneswar Kumar avg - 28.8. McGrath average 29.8


It's like me putting up Hafeez vs Tendulkar. I would look Silly.


This was written 1 year ago by Pakistan's best Sports Writer :

" Meanwhile in nets in the heart of Lahore, Mohammad Asif was busy breaking abdominal guards and making fools out of the best batsmen in the country. "


1 year later Asif bowled 3 out of the 4 best Spells of Qea 2016 (2 on Youtube already) and proved the writer factually correct yet again.


Anyways I won't argue further. You are entitled to think the way you deem right/appropriate.

Stay blessed.
 
Haroon it is not so.


Asif is bowling at exactly same pace as 6 years ago. Compare the current visuals with old ones.


He is not injury free and is match fit. Just had food poisoning so Post food poisoning Asif was down but we all saw his magic in the same match pre food poisoning.


Out of 4 best spells of Qea this year 3 have been bowled by Asif. All in match defining momemts.

There was a footage we saw on 24th October on twitter where on a flat brown surface he pitched a delivery on 5th stump and it knocked out leg stump. No other Fc bowler is capable of doing it.


When Bob picked Asif He was at number 21 in top wicket takers List of Season and averaged 25 with a SR of 48 while Shahid Nazir was at number 1 with Average of 12 and SR of 28 while Waqar Ahmed, Fazl e Akbar, Riaz Afridi, Rajesh Ramesh all averaged under 20 with 2 under 15 and all having SR under 35.


You need an Eye to judge players otherwise every Tom Dick & Hary could see Stats of season and pick those with top numbers. Stats have to be seen in context not in isolation.


I don't blame you. You haven't seen Asif from Start to now as you were too young. When Shahid Nazir topped the season with Ave of 12 & SR of 28 you were what ? Probably 9 years old but Trust me Bob Woolmer wasn't wrong and he wasn't injust and Asif proved it.


He will be back very soon.


Kind Regards.

You can argue about pace as much as you want but Asif even 6 years back where he was not as fit as the 2006 version if himself was still bowling without a WK standing up to the stumps. Now forward 6 years later. the WK is standing up to the stumps, surely that is an indication of a decrease in pace.

11 years is a long time in a sport. Entire careers can cover 11 years and that should be remembered. Asif was at his prime then physically as well as having the ability to run through a team which he displayed several times in that period in his career. He was different after coming back in 2009, he took wickets but never enough to win a match individually like he could prior to his come back. Even back then, Asif was losing form so why should we trust that he will perform at 2006 levels when he couldn't even do that in 2010 ?

Also, if he is at his previous level then why can't he run through domestic teams who have batsmen with school level techniques ?

Like most PPers, I was old enough to watch the 2010 England series and Asif lagged far behind the likes of Finn, Anderson and Amir. He was great a very long time ago, but hoping that he will be the same 10 years on is simply a fantasy and a delusion waiting to be burst.
 
Why are we all of a sudden talking about lack of quality fast bowlers ? Even during the Inzy era this was an issue. I remember that England tour of 2006 when we had Mohammad Sami, Shahid Nazir and Umar Gul forming our pace attack. Yes we had Amir and Asif for a brief period, but our fast bowling stocks have been worrying for some time.

Pakistani pitches aren't doing anyone any favours. Many players have commented that with the Grays ball you get extravagant swing, and with the damp green tops that the so-called PCB "curators" (read farmers) - a bowler can just land the ball on a length and let the pitch do the work.

Then as the sun bakes the pitch, the surface turns brown and becomes a low bounce phatta giving the seamers nothing. The QEA Trophy final perfectly encapsulates this problem.

Then there's the issue of coaching at junior level. What does it say of our domestic coaches when we are criticising technical fundamentals like actions or wrist positions in seasoned pros like Rahat and Wahab ?
 
Nothing is going to happen, the same Sohail, Imran, Rahat and Wahab will be selected.


Inzi was always averse to experiments when he was captain and same is happening when he is selector. Be ready to see these useless bowlers for the next few years.

After this series there will be change , just wait and watch.
 
Actually we have two premier bowlers.

The problem is we have two leaky faucets in Rahat and Wahab taking all the pressure off.

Bingo. Sohail & Imran should've been picked in the current match instead of these two. I had opened a thread some weeks back stating that it's time to move on from Riaz & Rahat. They simply aren't good enough.

Ideally you'd have Asif, Amir, Sohail, Imran Jr., and Sadaf making up the pace bowling core that can be rotated in tests with keen eyes on Hasan Ali, Mir Hamza etc. for back ups.

Still holding out hope that Asif is sent to Australia for 2nd test onwards.
 
Wicket is back to being super roads in Aus. It's not easy for bowlers and Pakistani batsmen should score runs here. NZ wickets had movement.

Even when the pitch wasn't playing tricks Azhar & Sami were putting on a clinic in blockathon which led to eventual defeats. :))
 
Even when the pitch wasn't playing tricks Azhar & Sami were putting on a clinic in blockathon which led to eventual defeats. :))

Hopefully, they look to score runs here. Blocking even hit me balls is a crazy way to play and I never understood why some PPers appreciate that kind of cricket.
 
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