Pakistan cricket has completely lost direction

[Rana]

It’s not like it wasn’t on the cards. The 5th T20i between New Zealand and Pakistan may well go down as the worst T20 cricket match in history. An absolutely pathetic game of cricket on display, and Pakistan’s sense or lack of sense of direction has been completely exposed.

It was so bad, so bad that even the most ardent critics like myself are simply no longer shocked. We just don’t have the energy anymore to point out how bad we have become.

Dropping Saim because he hasn’t had a great run in a dead rubber 5th T20i. Questionable, but ok I suppose. But replacing him with Haseebullah to open? What was the sense in this decision? Haseebullah doesn’t open for his domestic side, he doesn’t open for his franchise. What was the thought process behind this decision?

The decision is made to look even worse when Pakistan didn’t pick Azam Khan to bat in the middle considering that’s where he has played all of his games, and they continued with Sahibzada Farhan and batted him at 7….after Nawaz and Iftikhar, and one before a pure tailender Shaheen Afridi. Is this an international match or a park game? Who is making these God Awful decisions?

The persistence with absolutely terrible and useless T20 players in the top 3, with Fakhar Zaman being WASTED at number 4 is baffling too. If Fakhar isn’t a good T20 opener, or isn’t better than what you think is the best, why play him at all?? How does Haseebullah get the chance to open but Fakhar with all his skill, mettle and power cannot ever get a look at in the openers slot?

Iftikhar and Rizwan playing all 5 games in a series where you wanted to try out youngsters makes absolutely NO SENSE whatsoever. It is a clear misuse of power and I would also argue regional favouritism. I have no fear of saying what I truly believe in. Then you also have serial failures of important marches coming out in interviews stating how they are the preferred choice of the nation, and the managements decision to try new things will have consequences. Absolute shambles!

What has happened to this cricket team? Why are they continuously doing things in such a frustrating manner?

 

[Rana]

Mohammad Hafeez is all talk. I don’t blame him, he is also from the same cloth that cut out guys like Misbah, Azhar Ali etc.

 

[mazkhan]

Listen rana saim has had chances he's awful

Any quality bowler will bowl just short of a back length on top of off in sena and he will nick of in no time he comes from yasir hameed school of fishing of the offstump only yasir hamid was a much superior player than this hype.

As for azam khan anyone advocating for someone who isnt even a sportsperson shouldn't be taken serious , quota , parchi ,sifarish that's what azam khan is.

 

[Rana]

Why was Mohammad Harris not given an NOC to play BBL?

He isn’t in Pakistan’s T20 plans, why are they messing him around?

 

[Suleiman]

Mohammad Hafeez is all talk. I don’t blame him, he is also from the same cloth that cut out guys like Misbah, Azhar Ali etc.

Nobody from the final decline of Pak cricket aka 2012 onward should be hired in any capacity.

Hafeez was a mental midget and extremely selfish himself. Holding the number 3 position hostage even when he was well past it.

 

[Kianig89]

Absolute genuine point the mentatility of Director needs to be questioned when an opener Farhan comes at 7 while a middle order player Haseebullah opens on debut, Hafeez should be sacked without wasting any second he has played with careers of two young players

 

[Rana]

Absolute genuine point the mentatility of Director needs to be questioned when an opener Farhan comes at 7 while a middle order player Haseebullah opens on debut, Hafeez should be sacked without wasting any second he has played with careers of two young players

Even if he is sacked, how will they change the basic decline/demise of cricketing sense that has spread as a cancer in this playing set up?

At this moment in time, I wouldn’t even have hoped from the world’s best coach to sort out these basic issues. There is something in this team that is seriously wrong from within. I have my suspicions but I guess I don’t need to make allegations without clear and substantial proof

 

[Kianig89]

Even if he is sacked, how will they change the basic decline/demise of cricketing sense that has spread as a cancer in this playing set up?

At this moment in time, I wouldn’t even have hoped from the world’s best coach to sort out these basic issues. There is something in this team that is seriously wrong from within. I have my suspicions but I guess I don’t need to make allegations without clear and substantial proof

Any sane coach be it from Lancashire or Vehari cricket club will have common sense which is to play batsman at their positions, Hafeez tried to become Pep Guardiola in cricket and was left eggfaced

 

[gazza619]

Its not very often i agree with you, but you are spot on here.

 

[Rana]

Any sane coach be it from Lancashire or Vehari cricket club will have common sense which is to play batsman at their positions, Hafeez tried to become Pep Guardiola in cricket and was left eggfaced

My brother

Every sane coach will do it. But there is something in this side that will not allow them to do so. Pakistan cricker isn’t being controlled by its playing management. There is something seriously rotten from within.

I’m tired of being called a hater, how can you hate something when you are constantly pointing out what you feel is wrong and is destroying something? That’s not hate, that’s serious concern.

 

[greatest]

Give it up! We can't expect anything sensible from our cricket. There is no professionalism.

 

[Rana]

Give it up! We can't expect anything sensible from our cricket. There is no professionalism.

The only thing you can do is continue to highlight the issue, hoping for someone to pick up on it a some point and sort it out.

 

[Rana]

You all had a problem when Pakistan picked a completely new side and lost 2-1 to Afghanistan’s full strength team in an away series

What do you guys have to say now that Pakistan lost 4-1 (should have been 5-0 really) when all your so called key players played 90% of the games? Rauf missed one, otherwise Shaheen, Rizwan, Babar, Iftikhar and Fakhar played in all 5 matches. What’s the excuse now?

 

[greatest]

The problem with Pakistani teams of recent times is that they lack mental toughness and game awareness. Despite being professionals they have an unprofessional attitude. It all comes down to the club and domestic level.

You need a pyramid structure where only the top few play domestic cricket. With so many teams and players there is going to be lots of mediocre cricket in the domestic level. Players would take wickets and score runs but they would not develop the hunger and mental toughness to deal with crises situations.

Long ago I had read a book on Aussie cricket. I think it was Rod Marsh who said that in Australia getting selected for a State team to play Sheffield Shield was more tough than getting into the Australian national team.

Just because we have a big population and talent doesn't mean that we let everyone play domestic cricket. Take the example of the armed forces, they only select the ones who have passed the vigorous training and are the best. The survival of the fittest. Same with education, you have to earn and work hard to join a prestigious university. They just don't enroll everyone.

 

[Rana]

The problem with Pakistani teams of recent times is that they lack mental toughness and game awareness. Despite being professionals they have an unprofessional attitude. It all comes down to the club and domestic level.

You need a pyramid structure where only the top few play domestic cricket. With so many teams and players there is going to be lots of mediocre cricket in the domestic level. Players would take wickets and score runs but they would not develop the hunger and mental toughness to deal with crises situations.

Long ago I had read a book on Aussie cricket. I think it was Rod Marsh who said that in Australia getting selected for a State team to play Sheffield Shield was more tough than getting into the Australian national team.

Just because we have a big population and talent doesn't mean that we let everyone play domestic cricket. Take the example of the armed forces, they only select the ones who have passed the vigorous training and are the best. The survival of the fittest. Same with education, you have to earn and work hard to join a prestigious university. They just don't enroll everyone.

Bro the Bizarre selection and team strategies are less down to mental toughness and more down to mental derangement, that’s how any sane person would perceive it from the outside.

Is there any justified explanation of:

1. Picking a guy to represent Pakistan because of excellent performances as an opener

2. Picking the guy in two dead rubbers and batting him at 5 and 7 in those two games

3. At the same time, picking a guy who played all his domestic cricket batting at 4-7 with mediocre numbers even at that level, and then opening with that guy instead of the excellent opener (Sahibzada Farhan)?

How does any of this have anything anything to do with mental toughness?

 

[greatest]

Bro the Bizarre selection and team strategies are less down to mental toughness and more down to mental derangement, that’s how any sane person would perceive it from the outside.

Is there any justified explanation of:

1. Picking a guy to represent Pakistan because of excellent performances as an opener

2. Picking the guy in two dead rubbers and batting him at 5 and 7 in those two games

3. At the same time, picking a guy who played all his domestic cricket batting at 4-7 with mediocre numbers even at that level, and then opening with that guy instead of the excellent opener (Sahibzada Farhan)?

How does any of this have anything anything to do with mental toughness?

Whoever they pick, he never performs when needed. Is it due to pressure or what I can't understand.
Anyways, like the West Indies, now I don't care much about Pakistani cricket.

Your points are valid but it's been years and decades and still we see no improvement. The same cycle continues.

 

[Rana]

Whoever they pick, he never performs when needed. Is it due to pressure or what I can't understand.
Anyways, like the West Indies, now I don't care much about Pakistani cricket.

Your points are valid but it's been years and decades and still we see no improvement. The same cycle continues.

It’s a fair point.

I read somewhere that Tayyab Tahir recently spoke up about now feeling welcomed in the Pakistan dressing room, as if there is actually no encouragement for new players to get in and make a mark for themselves.

 

[Rana]

It’s a fair point.

I read somewhere that Tayyab Tahir recently spoke up about now feeling welcomed in the Pakistan dressing room, as if there is actually no encouragement for new players to get in and make a mark for themselves.

Not feeling welcomed*

 

[greatest]

It’s a fair point.

I read somewhere that Tayyab Tahir recently spoke up about now feeling welcomed in the Pakistan dressing room, as if there is actually no encouragement for new players to get in and make a mark for themselves.

Rightly said!
There is no team culture. I have been following Aussie cricket for a long time and what makes them great is the team culture and camaraderie between seniors and juniors.

 

[greatest]

Despite the talent Pakistan is way, way behind other teams. They never seem to learn from others. It's a pity because we are living in an information age.

 

[PakEngFan]

It’s a fair point.

I read somewhere that Tayyab Tahir recently spoke up about now feeling welcomed in the Pakistan dressing room, as if there is actually no encouragement for new players to get in and make a mark for themselves.

Tayyab tahir is joke of a batsmen. Link to where he said that.

 

[Asif321]

Absolutely , first you select these new players and then play them out of their positions . Pathetic

 

[DeadlyVenom]

I agree with the OP.

There is no strategy or vision. But strategy and vision can only be sought when their is security and stability. It also requires some intelligence.

Pakistan makes either ultra conservative choices or in an attempt to appear bold and visionary they make ultra reckless choices.

For example, Babars ridiculous decision to declare randomly on day 5 of a test when there was no chance to win, the insistence of batting Asif Ali below tail enders in T20s, randomly dropping youngsters and refusing to rotate seniors and giving random coaches and mentors assignments.

I don't mind losing if there is a clear plan or shape. No team can win all the time and some teams won't win much. Thats part of sport.

But we need some sort of structure.

Not this spin the wheel and hope for the best approach.

 

[Kianig89]

Those going gaga over Pakistan Cup performances got the litmus test, Pakistan Cup standard was even below CPL BPL LPL and Fiji Cricket league , its the quality that matters unlike quantity

 

[zaidihusain]

You all had a problem when Pakistan picked a completely new side and lost 2-1 to Afghanistan’s full strength team in an away series

What do you guys have to say now that Pakistan lost 4-1 (should have been 5-0 really) when all your so called key players played 90% of the games? Rauf missed one, otherwise Shaheen, Rizwan, Babar, Iftikhar and Fakhar played in all 5 matches. What’s the excuse now?

Spot on. This is because fans of particular players want their favorite players to play every ball of every game against every opposition and at their desired position forever. The current team management will happily continue losing like this series after series for another 10 years, but it doesn't have audacity to make some bold steps. The new players have to warm the benches for 2-3 series, then they are introduced in away tough series and asked to play at any random position because as per team management it is team's requirement. But someone did a great favor on the nation by demoting himself one down. It is seriously disappointing to see how players like Wasim Jnr, Zaman Khan, Farhan, Haseebullah are treated in this series. The players who are continuously playing since years and have lost countless series / tournaments are allowed to play maximum matches.

 

[Rana]

Tayyab tahir is joke of a batsmen. Link to where he said that.

“I’ve had conversations with players. Some players don’t feel welcome in the dressing room. They receive different treatment and confidence compared to others. There’s an effort to retain specific players while dropping others,” Shehzad said.”

It was widely regarded at the time that it was Tayyab Tahir who expressed this opinion to Shahzad. Tahir was carried on the bench for the Afghanistan ODI series and sent home without playing a single game

 

[PakEngFan]

“I’ve had conversations with players. Some players don’t feel welcome in the dressing room. They receive different treatment and confidence compared to others. There’s an effort to retain specific players while dropping others,” Shehzad said.”

It was widely regarded at the time that it was Tayyab Tahir who expressed this opinion to Shahzad. Tahir was carried on the bench for the Afghanistan ODI series and sent home without playing a single game

Anything coming from shehzad should be taken with a pinch of salt. Having said that if true this is pathetic.

 

[pakistani pride]

The problem with Pakistani teams of recent times is that they lack mental toughness and game awareness. Despite being professionals they have an unprofessional attitude. It all comes down to the club and domestic level.

You need a pyramid structure where only the top few play domestic cricket. With so many teams and players there is going to be lots of mediocre cricket in the domestic level. Players would take wickets and score runs but they would not develop the hunger and mental toughness to deal with crises situations.

Long ago I had read a book on Aussie cricket. I think it was Rod Marsh who said that in Australia getting selected for a State team to play Sheffield Shield was more tough than getting into the Australian national team.

Just because we have a big population and talent doesn't mean that we let everyone play domestic cricket. Take the example of the armed forces, they only select the ones who have passed the vigorous training and are the best. The survival of the fittest. Same with education, you have to earn and work hard to join a prestigious university. They just don't enroll everyone.

Agree, but players like Shadab Khan and Babar just stopped working on their game and this shows in their results.

 

[pakistani pride]

It’s a fair point.

I read somewhere that Tayyab Tahir recently spoke up about now feeling welcomed in the Pakistan dressing room, as if there is actually no encouragement for new players to get in and make a mark for themselves.

Tayyab Tahir the guy who smashed a 100 vs India Emerging or A team in the final?
Got selected didnt get a game and got dropped?

 

[Markhor]

Our cricket has been rudderless since the mid-1990s. The constant turmoil at the top means no player feels secure, no administrator has confidence to take long-term decisions as their priority is keeping their seat, and no coach lasts long enough to implement substantive changes. The cricket team, much like the country, runs on ad-hocism and muddled thinking.

I know the OP is mainly referring to our senior players but they're just products of this toxic environment. When there's no leadership, no structure, no security - your primary objective is saving your own skin first and everything else is second.

Pakistani fans constantly ask why can't our white-ball cricket transform like England's in 2015. The reason is when Eoin Morgan began the rebuild - he wasn't afraid that the Chairman would suddenly resign after a change of government and a new man will overhaul everything, that agenda driven journalists would bay for blood after one series defeat, or that a new coach would come in and impose a different philosophy.

 

[Rana]

Tayyab Tahir the guy who smashed a 100 vs India Emerging or A team in the final?
Got selected didnt get a game and got dropped?

Regardless of whether he should have played or not, the point simply was about the team culture, and how the new players are being made to feel welcome.

I do not doubt that the culture is to only make certain players feel welcome whilst others do not get the same comfort zone.

 

[hafizexpress]

It is becoming increasingly clear that there must be some demons and bullies within the dressing room. The unity and friendliness that we used to see before are also not very evident now. It's going to be an uphill task getting out of this. Even Hafeez talked big and thought he could be the change until he stepped foot in the dressing room and now suddenly makes odd statements and all his talk has gone down the drain. There is something there.

 

[sam_ahm]

Considering Saim was scoring tons of runs in Pakistan domestic circuit and failed miserably on good batting surfaces in New Zealand has to be a cause of concern.

His call up was well deserved no doubt about it, but in this day and age, players have to grab their chance very quickly. He could have been given that 5th game but still Saim hasn't inspired any confidence so far.

 

[Asad T]

Considering Saim was scoring tons of runs in Pakistan domestic circuit and failed miserably on good batting surfaces in New Zealand has to be a cause of concern.

His call up was well deserved no doubt about it, but in this day and age, players have to grab their chance very quickly. He could have been given that 5th game but still Saim hasn't inspired any confidence so far.

He played well in the first T20, got run out in an unfortunate way.
The other games NZ scored 200+ so was never going to be easy. I still think he needs to be persisted with. WI/ US pitches will be similar to Pak ones. He will be an asset there.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Regardless of whether he should have played or not, the point simply was about the team culture, and how the new players are being made to feel welcome.

I do not doubt that the culture is to only make certain players feel welcome whilst others do not get the same comfort zone.

You could put it better this way that others(especially newcomers) don't get extended run and chances.

 

[Kroll]

We're a mediocre cricket team that get battered everywhere we go. We're getting sucked into a black hole. The heydays and all the star quality are all but a distant memory.

I mean we spend our days on the forum bickering over mediocrity such as Rizwan and Iftikhar hahaha. I'm desensitised to it all as there is no hope.

 

[Flat_Track_Bully]

They should make all the pitches in Pakistan exactly like OZ and let all the batters in domestics sink or swim.

 

[Savak]

Pakistan needs a low profile foreign coach and give him complete ownership of the team.

Pakistani Cricketers lack cricketing intellect and game reading

 

[Savak]

It is becoming increasingly clear that there must be some demons and bullies within the dressing room. The unity and friendliness that we used to see before are also not very evident now. It's going to be an uphill task getting out of this. Even Hafeez talked big and thought he could be the change until he stepped foot in the dressing room and now suddenly makes odd statements and all his talk has gone down the drain. There is something there.

Babar and Rizwans influence needs to be countered. Rizwan aggressively opposed the team managements decision to slot him in the middle order. Babar too made his unhappiness clear at being put in the middle order.

Because of Rizwan, we are being forced to slot in our natural openers in the middle order. Babar did the same thing at Karachi Kings where Sharjeel had to go in the middle order for a few games because Babar refused to play in the middle order.

 

[Savak]

“I’ve had conversations with players. Some players don’t feel welcome in the dressing room. They receive different treatment and confidence compared to others. There’s an effort to retain specific players while dropping others,” Shehzad said.”

It was widely regarded at the time that it was Tayyab Tahir who expressed this opinion to Shahzad. Tahir was carried on the bench for the Afghanistan ODI series and sent home without playing a single game

Babar, Rizwan, Shaheen, Shadab. These players should not be anywhere near leadership roles. Too much familiarity bias in this group

 

[Rana]

They should make all the pitches in Pakistan exactly like OZ and let all the batters in domestics sink or swim.

You still need bowlers to bend your back on those types of tracks. It will even put if the standard of cricket is generally poor in the country

 

[Flat_Track_Bully]

You still need bowlers to bend your back on those types of tracks. It will even put if the standard of cricket is generally poor in the country

I struggle to understand how a population of 240m with cricket as the main sport can't field decent 11 players.

 

[Bewal Express]

I struggle to understand how a population of 240m with cricket as the main sport can't field decent 11 players.

Put the PCB in charge of the Aussies and the Inds and they too would become useless like us.

 

[ahmadharis1]

The PCB is a terribly run organization, run by absolute morons with no credentials and with no sense of professionalism. The second I stopped viewing Pakistan as a genuine team and starting watching them as a band of low-end players capable of the occasional upset, my enjoyment went way up.

 

[Bewal Express]

Babar, Rizwan, Shaheen, Shadab. These players should not be anywhere near leadership roles. Too much familiarity bias in this group

But who are the alternatives. We dont have top players and what we have isnt that good.

 

[daytrader]

The PCB has done more harm than good in recent years. Until we have a professional board, we need to back the captain and players.

Just give the captaincy to Rizwan and let him do his thing for a year or so. He's obviously influential in the dressing room and has good cricketing sense.

 

[ads101]

It’s just the failure of meeting modern standards that’s all. There should be no compromise on fitness and fielding which should be instilled at youth level, so we don’t have loss of talent due to these reasons at higher level. Learning to pick up singles also should be again mandatory, there’s no excuse not to learn how to properly rotate strike.

Strength training also needs to be more incorporated into the team. I know to some degree this is talent/build wise. But there are players like Babar who are probably not maximising this ability because if this.

Lastly pace isn’t everything anymore. Look at Hazlewood. The priority needs to be skills and accuracy. Too many guys are picked on bowling fast, bowl as fast as they can and get injured. Realised this in the ODI World Cup, the lack of skill or accuracy, means in our bad days we get destroyed.

If we did all these things then maybe we have a right to complain about everything else but we don’t. I remember some New Zealand cricket player saying something along the lines years ago that they knew they didn’t have the talent to match the other teams so tried extra hard on fielding and fitness to compensate . I.e. things that can actually be controlled.

The past generation of 2000s honestly were no better. I think we have a bit of nostalgia when it comes to them unfortunately. It’s just now the game is evolving to be more and more professional, and hence our current methods get more and more highlighted.

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Babar, Rizwan, Shaheen, Shadab. These players should not be anywhere near leadership roles. Too much familiarity bias in this group

So who else would you prefer?

You need someone with experience. We can't make Saim Ayub captain with his no-look shots and no-look toss.

 

[topspin]

You all had a problem when Pakistan picked a completely new side and lost 2-1 to Afghanistan’s full strength team in an away series

What do you guys have to say now that Pakistan lost 4-1 (should have been 5-0 really) when all your so called key players played 90% of the games? Rauf missed one, otherwise Shaheen, Rizwan, Babar, Iftikhar and Fakhar played in all 5 matches. What’s the excuse now?

When I reviewed the Afghanistan series, I made it very clear that Pakistan needs to continue with the same combination in bilateral T20s because you can’t merely judge those players merely on slow wickets against the best white ball spin attack.

But in response, we had the Rizbar cheerleaders, with hitthestump being the most prominent, claiming that Pakistan can’t win without those two. It’s this mentality that’s holding Pakistan back. Recently, I read a post from the same loyalist claiming Pakistan wouldn’t have been able to go past 120/130 runs without this pair.

However, we were exposed to this same nonsense when Misbah was playing ODIs. “Pakistan would’ve been bowled out for less than 100 without Misbah”. Then 2 years after his retirement Pakistan won the CT after turning their backs on Misbah’s philosophy.

Same old nonsense, same mentality among fans and management but now aligned with the new mental midget members of the team.

 

[topspin]

We're a mediocre cricket team that get battered everywhere we go. We're getting sucked into a black hole. The heydays and all the star quality are all but a distant memory.

I mean we spend our days on the forum bickering over mediocrity such as Rizwan and Iftikhar hahaha. I'm desensitised to it all as there is no hope.

Same here man. Desensitised is the word that is in line with how I feel with Pakistan cricket these days.

From day one, you and I knew Iftikhar was hopeless yet look at the fan club he’s got here. You could see from a mile away that his reflexes are so bad and it was just a matter of time before he was going to get exposed. A Misbah clone was always going to choke and fail.

 

[topspin]

So who else would you prefer?

You need someone with experience. We can't make Saim Ayub captain with his no-look shots and no-look toss.

Convince Imad to come out of retirement by offering him captaincy if he has a good PSL.

He will keep the clique in check.

None of this taking out players for meals, shopping and scandal type of nonsense that Babar and co were indulged in.

 

[Wasim Ghulam]

I'm

It’s not like it wasn’t on the cards. The 5th T20i between New Zealand and Pakistan may well go down as the worst T20 cricket match in history. An absolutely pathetic game of cricket on display, and Pakistan’s sense or lack of sense of direction has been completely exposed.

It was so bad, so bad that even the most ardent critics like myself are simply no longer shocked. We just don’t have the energy anymore to point out how bad we have become.

Dropping Saim because he hasn’t had a great run in a dead rubber 5th T20i. Questionable, but ok I suppose. But replacing him with Haseebullah to open? What was the sense in this decision? Haseebullah doesn’t open for his domestic side, he doesn’t open for his franchise. What was the thought process behind this decision?

The decision is made to look even worse when Pakistan didn’t pick Azam Khan to bat in the middle considering that’s where he has played all of his games, and they continued with Sahibzada Farhan and batted him at 7….after Nawaz and Iftikhar, and one before a pure tailender Shaheen Afridi. Is this an international match or a park game? Who is making these God Awful decisions?

The persistence with absolutely terrible and useless T20 players in the top 3, with Fakhar Zaman being WASTED at number 4 is baffling too. If Fakhar isn’t a good T20 opener, or isn’t better than what you think is the best, why play him at all?? How does Haseebullah get the chance to open but Fakhar with all his skill, mettle and power cannot ever get a look at in the openers slot?

Iftikhar and Rizwan playing all 5 games in a series where you wanted to try out youngsters makes absolutely NO SENSE whatsoever. It is a clear misuse of power and I would also argue regional favouritism. I have no fear of saying what I truly believe in. Then you also have serial failures of important marches coming out in interviews stating how they are the preferred choice of the nation, and the managements decision to try new things will have consequences. Absolute shambles!

What has happened to this cricket team? Why are they continuously doing things in such a frustrating manner?

we have been wrong choices for important positions. So to expect better result is being very optimistic. Lack of cricketing wisdom and skills also play the part. It really goes back to appointment of Misbah and Waqar as coaches in 2019 and our decline became more apparent every year. There was never any need to change anything after 2019 WC in terms of captaincy and coaching setup. Im sure if we had been consistent in that aspect of game , we would have done better. But whoever comes in setup , makes plethora of unnecessary changes just to justify their appointments and end up damaging cricket of Pakistan

 

[Savak]

So who else would you prefer?

You need someone with experience. We can't make Saim Ayub captain with his no-look shots and no-look toss.

These 4 players are too close for comfort with each other, this Dosti Yaari cabal destroys merit in the team. Someone like Shan Masood captaining the side will provide a relief from control from these 4 players

 

[sam_ahm]

We're a mediocre cricket team that get battered everywhere we go. We're getting sucked into a black hole. The heydays and all the star quality are all but a distant memory.

I mean we spend our days on the forum bickering over mediocrity such as Rizwan and Iftikhar hahaha. I'm desensitised to it all as there is no hope.

Yeah, that's right. Some fans talk about Shadab or Imad as if they are the second coming of Mushtaq Ahmed or Saqlain Mushtaq. Babar is not even 10% of a match winner that Inzamam Or Anwar or Yousuf were, yet he is spoken of as an ATG.

The levels of Pak cricket have fallen by epic proportions.

 

[AzamKhanKFC]

Yeah, that's right. Some fans talk about Shadab or Imad as if they are the second coming of Mushtaq Ahmed or Saqlain Mushtaq. Babar is not even 10% of a match winner that Inzamam Or Anwar or Yousuf were, yet he is spoken of as an ATG.

The levels of Pak cricket have fallen by epic proportions.

Different time, different play style. A lot of you suffering from selective memory. We lost plenty of matches with inzi, yousuf and anwar.

 

[Sadozai]

Upon witnessing Haseeb at the opening slot and Sahibzada occupying the No. 7 position, my conviction solidified that the current management lacks a coherent strategy. Haseeb seems ill-suited for the opening role, and one might argue that T20 is not his forte either. It would be more judicious to provide him opportunities in the ODIs if necessary, where his skills could find a more fitting platform.

 

[sam_ahm]

Different time, different play style. A lot of you suffering from selective memory. We lost plenty of matches with inzi, yousuf and anwar.

The vibe was different. I know they had many ups and downs but the bottom line is Pakistan were a dangerous side. No team in the world would take them lightly. That was the time they got this 'Mercurial' tag. The side would implode but was also intimidating.

There is nothing intimidating about the current Pakistan side, they come across as a very timid, predictable team that would often lose easily.

 

[Rana]

No team in the world would take them lightly

Why make these pointless, delusional claims?

Australia, England and India take them lightly, and they still thrash them merrily

 

[Savak]

Saim Ayub got a lot of hype yet the team management dropped him from the dead rubber 5th T-20 yet Babar and Rizwan played every game. The team management of Shaheen and Hafeez have no idea what they are doing. They are operating on whims and fancies.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Javed Miandad talking to media during a ceremony held in Karachi to launch the Sindh Premier League:

“I have not seen cricket governance anywhere in the world like we see in Pakistan and these state of affairs are really sad,"

"I don't think anywhere such frequent appointments and changes in cricket are made and it only means that we don't have continuity in our cricket structure and more importantly the players don't gain confidence,"

"Since last year we have had a really bad time in terms of our team's performances and people who have no knowledge of cricket sit and take decisions which affect the entire structure in the country,"​

 

[sam_ahm]

Why make these pointless, delusional claims?

Australia, England and India take them lightly, and they still thrash them merrily

Brother I was talking about the Pakistan side of the past.

 

[pakdude]

Those going gaga over Pakistan Cup performances got the litmus test, Pakistan Cup standard was even below CPL BPL LPL and Fiji Cricket league , its the quality that matters unlike quantity

The Pakistan Cup should not be compared to any T20 franchise league.

Every country has their own domestic tournament with small pots of $$. They need those to assess the level of local talent. The most successful player of the Pakistan Cup, Sahibzada Farhan, was treated like rubbish in the recently-concluded Pak-NZ T20I series.

 

[pakdude]

Listen rana saim has had chances he's awful

Any quality bowler will bowl just short of a back length on top of off in sena and he will nick of in no time he comes from yasir hameed school of fishing of the offstump only yasir hamid was a much superior player than this hype.

As for azam khan anyone advocating for someone who isnt even a sportsperson shouldn't be taken serious , quota , parchi ,sifarish that's what azam khan is.

Saim is one of brightest stars. How many Pakistani openers have played 300+ SR T20I innings in the past 10 years the way he did in the first game? One thing you cannot expect from him immediately at the international level is consistency. Batting this style with extra risks will bring about the occasional failure. Avoiding risks is what Babar/Rizwan do and that is what leads to stat-padding.

Nevertheless, the fact that he topped the CPL batting charts is clear evidence that he is needed for the WC, which as we all know is on the same grounds.

But he needs more opportunities. He should not have been dropped for the final game.

 

[pakdude]

Bro the Bizarre selection and team strategies are less down to mental toughness and more down to mental derangement, that’s how any sane person would perceive it from the outside.

Is there any justified explanation of:

1. Picking a guy to represent Pakistan because of excellent performances as an opener

2. Picking the guy in two dead rubbers and batting him at 5 and 7 in those two games

3. At the same time, picking a guy who played all his domestic cricket batting at 4-7 with mediocre numbers even at that level, and then opening with that guy instead of the excellent opener (Sahibzada Farhan)?

How does any of this have anything anything to do with mental toughness?

100% agree with you on the atrocious squad selection and match selection. Haseebullah should not have even been in the squad, let alone picked for 1 game only, let alone that too as an opener.

However, regarding the more established players, they should have demonstrated mental toughness. I have evolved my opinions on Rizwan. It was selfish of him to not want to play out of order the way Babar did. That, to me, is lack of mental toughness.

Look at Steve Smith who raises his hand to play as Test opener with zero experience. Look at Rachin Ravindra, whose first ever international innings batting at number 3 was the ODI WC opener in which he blasted 123* (96) against England. These are prime examples of mental toughness displayed by an established senior and an emerging junior.

Mental toughness is NOT SSA giving himself a batting promotion..

 

[pakdude]

Spot on. This is because fans of particular players want their favorite players to play every ball of every game against every opposition and at their desired position forever. The current team management will happily continue losing like this series after series for another 10 years, but it doesn't have audacity to make some bold steps. The new players have to warm the benches for 2-3 series, then they are introduced in away tough series and asked to play at any random position because as per team management it is team's requirement. But someone did a great favor on the nation by demoting himself one down. It is seriously disappointing to see how players like Wasim Jnr, Zaman Khan, Farhan, Haseebullah are treated in this series. The players who are continuously playing since years and have lost countless series / tournaments are allowed to play maximum matches.

100% agreed: With so few games to try things out, how could these experts mess up so badly with squad and match selection?

SSA says that starting with this series there were 17 games before the WC to try things out (actually there were 9). But then if you want to try things out and you include so many openers in the squad (not Haseebullah), then why persist with Rizwan as opener? What more is there to experiment with Rizwan as opener? On the one hand, you say results don't matter as much because you're trying things out. On the other you persist with a known known. There was no clarity/vision in the leadership.

 

[Savak]

Javed Miandad talking to media during a ceremony held in Karachi to launch the Sindh Premier League:

“I have not seen cricket governance anywhere in the world like we see in Pakistan and these state of affairs are really sad,"

"I don't think anywhere such frequent appointments and changes in cricket are made and it only means that we don't have continuity in our cricket structure and more importantly the players don't gain confidence,"

"Since last year we have had a really bad time in terms of our team's performances and people who have no knowledge of cricket sit and take decisions which affect the entire structure in the country,"​

Miandad should be the last person to talk about PCB and their affairs, the guy took a salary of Rs 10 million a month from the PCB from 2008 to 2014 and did nothing in return. Please keep this leech and parasite away from Pakistan Cricket.

 

[Kianig89]

So all the focus turns to PSL and majority of our A listers are warming up in BPL, desperate times