"Pakistan is a better team than Australia, even in Test matches" : Shoaib Akhtar

[Abdullah719]

Shoaib Akhtar speaking on TV after the 2nd ODI at Melbourne:

"It's a stroke of luck for Mohammad Hafeez. His career could have been finished after the troubles with his bowling action. He was dropped from the team and was selected by a stroke of luck but he made sure that he performs."

"Australia were over-confident after winning the toss, they shouldn't have batted first. It was a flat pitch. The toss went in Pakistan's favour."

"Australia aren't understanding that these are fifty over matches, not T20s. Mitch Marsh can't bat at #4 and they don't have a good spinner. Hafeez hit Head for two sweeps and he was taken out of the attack."

"A lot of positives for Pakistan. Junaid Khan was really good, he started to complete his action and the ball began to move away from the batsman."

"Warner looked very ordinary. He doesn't have any technique, he just looks to smash the ball. He looked bogged down to me. Australia's batting depth wasn't looking good to me."

"Junaid Khan was getting some nip away from Warner so he was worried about that. This is a very ordinary Australian team. The problem with this team is also that Starc isn't getting wickets with the new ball so they are struggling."

"Shafiq looked nervous and bogged down to me."

"Australia's Big Bash is making a difference to their international team. These are T20 players and they will get stuck against spin. Someone like Maxwell is a good player but you don't go down the pitch like that to Imad."

"Pakistan is a better team than Australia, even in Test matches. If Yasir had done well then Pakistan would've drawn the series."

"Pakistan should have finished the game comprehensively rather than taking the game to the 48th over, they played too many dot balls."

"Babar Azam was getting stuck because he was just blocking the balls and putting himself under pressure. Hafeez had to make runs to take pressure while Malik did the same while batting with Shafiq."

"No one is going to go and tell Shafiq that he's a very good player, he needs to have confidence and go and express himself instead of looking so timid."

"Junaid is here to stay but his pace decreased in the latter overs. He needs to work on his strength and shoulders to maintain his pace as he can reverse the ball."

"I could have played on for another couple of years if I had shortened my run-up but there's a time when you have to leave. With some cricketers, we experience a year or two of depression as we feel something's been taken away from you. But you need to come out of that frame of mind."

"Misbah should plan his future and plan his retirement and leave with dignity."

 

[Syed1]

If you leave out that statement from Akhtar the rest of what he said isn't that bad.

Good comments about Junaid, Babar and Asad.

 

[Pete Rose]

If you leave out that statement from Akhtar the rest of what he said isn't that bad.

Good comments about Junaid, Babar and Asad.

Which statement? I agree with everything he said.

 

[Slog]

Which statement? I agree with everything he said.

In ODIs this is a solid Aussie team and the gulf between them and rest is huge

 

[Slog]

The 90s crew seems to be hell bent on putting forth the image that this Australian team is paidal and not up to any good.

 

[petercat]

One win and these statements.Someone tell Akhtar that Pakistan hasnt even drawn a test match in Australia in 2 decades.

 

[Asim2Good]

our "legends" and their fantasy world

 

[Mamoon]

When Shoaib speaks, you don't listen.

 

[Pete Rose]

In ODIs this is a solid Aussie team and the gulf between them and rest is huge

It's not the same team they are putting out. They have added too many hitters and not enough batsmen. While I agree that Australia's record does not back the assertion being made, but I do think this is the right way to think about Australia by Pakistani players right now. They are lost in the hype of expectations. Healy and Slater and have lost their marbles projecting score of 400 before the game started yesterday. That doesn't mean we won't get smashed in the next three odis.
It just means Pakistan should tap in to Akhtars confidence to instill their self belief. It has to be said they have really ruthlessly worked over Warner in the last two games - not trying to say that will happen in the remaining matches.

It's Akhtars way of thinking encouragement: overrate yourself to win it

 

[shaz619]

When Shoaib speaks, you don't listen.

Pakistan annihilated AUS in the UAE and we competed more then they did away

 

[Pete Rose]

Pakistan annihilated AUS in the UAE and we competed more then they did away

I think you have to look Shoaib Akhtars comments as part exhortations: he is just trying to buck up the boys

 

[Pollack]

Pakistan is better than Australia at present only in tests.In odi's Aussies are better by miles.

 

[Cinnamon_Cookie]

"Pakistan is a better team than Australia, even in Test matches. If Yasir had done well then Pakistan would've drawn the series."

I dont seem to understand this statement.. if Pakistan is a better team than Australia and if Yasir has done well, then you could have only drawn the series (according to Akthar)..

hows then Pakistan is a better team than Australia??

I'm confused..:

 

[street cricketer]

"Australia aren't understanding that these are fifty over matches, not T20s. Mitch Marsh can't bat at #4 and they don't have a good spinner. Hafeez hit Head for two sweeps and he was taken out of the attack."

Agree with this. Australia are playing too many T20 hacks in their ODI team. Mitch Marsh is no way a no.4 batsman.

Is Bailey injured or was he dropped due to poor form?

 

[Salma_T]

Steve Smith blamed the BBL for their poor batting performances yet the only guys fresh from BBL are Maxwell, Faulkner and Marsh rest fron the test side. Smith acts like a spoilt child when thinks don't go his way

 

[Convict]

Agree with this. Australia are playing too many T20 hacks in their ODI team. Mitch Marsh is no way a no.4 batsman.

Is Bailey injured or was he dropped due to poor form?

dropped due to wanting to move on.

 

[sensible-indian-fan]

dropped due to wanting to move on.

Why are you guys playing so many hacks in your team?

How do you expect your batting lineup to click on pitches that aren't super pattas with these hacks?

I am curious.

Explosiveness is needed but maybe stretched it too far?

 

[arehaan]

Our analyst should keep their mouth in check unlike Ian Chappell. One win and Aus team is not good enough.

Next game same team can hurt us big time so better be prepared rather than complacent

 

[ExpressPacer]

And we are in the year 3018. rby

 

[ExplicitAI]

Everything he said here is 100% spot on

 

[Pete Rose]

Why are you guys playing so many hacks in your team?

How do you expect your batting lineup to click on pitches that aren't super pattas with these hacks?

I am curious.

Explosiveness is needed but maybe stretched it too far?

It's a Darren Lehmann thing: his dream selections are about pushing boundaries. For instance his ideal test team selection is cummins, starc, Pattinson, and hazlewood. Idea being to replicate 'the four pacemen of the apocalypse' ala Clive Lloyd. Is probably not the best coach for developing spin options

 

[street cricketer]

dropped due to wanting to move on.

Was he not performing?

I remember him making good scores last year against India. I haven't followed his latest scores admittedly.

 

[Convict]

Why are you guys playing so many hacks in your team?

How do you expect your batting lineup to click on pitches that aren't super pattas with these hacks?

I am curious.

Explosiveness is needed but maybe stretched it too far?

We're trying out a whole bunch of different players with a view to figuring out who will be in the world cup squad.

I do agree that there seems to be some arrogance about the set up so far this series. It will be good for us that Pakistan won

 

[waleed88]

I think you have to look Shoaib Akhtars comments as part exhortations: he is just trying to buck up the boys

I think I agree with what you are saying, in urdu when you say opposition ko 'sar pay sawaar karlia hai' is when you start to doubt yourself..

case in point is Pakistan's victories over Australia in 2011 WC.. or the Test match vs Australia in 2010 England when we won the 2nd test..

You gotta believe in yourself sometimes, Pakistan's team's mercuriality is sometimes associated this sort of demoralization/motivation..

When the team feels good even the fans go like 'wow we didn't expect that from them'

However there needs to be a method to madness, we can't just rely on pure motivation to win this.. there is no method, we rely on the spark 'solely' as a cricket team

 

[Pete Rose]

I think I agree with what you are saying, in urdu when you say opposition ko 'sar pay sawaar karlia hai' is when you start to doubt yourself..

case in point is Pakistan's victories over Australia in 2011 WC.. or the Test match vs Australia in 2010 England when we won the 2nd test..

You gotta believe in yourself sometimes, Pakistan's team's mercuriality is sometimes associated this sort of demoralization/motivation..

When the team feels good even the fans go like 'wow we didn't expect that from them'

However there needs to be a method to madness, we can't just rely on pure motivation to win this.. there is no method, we rely on the spark 'solely' as a cricket team

I made a thread on this about Paksitani players no longer wanting to be superstars like the past.
Pakistan owes immense gratitude to Misbah about the value of hard work and grit and its has translated in to results. But somewhere along the way they lost that spark or the desire to win one-to-one against the best players of the opposition. This is what the past cricketers of Pakistan had, but ironically lacked the grit that Misbah brought in.
The time is right for these two worlds of Paksitan cricket (mercurial and agrressive past + grit and hard working current) to collide. We need to take the best of both worlds post Misbah.

 

[speedking]

I do agree with shoaib here,these Australian batting is filled with hacks from bbl except smith and maxwell though

 

[waleed88]

Wasim Akram says he knows the mentality of the Pakistan team, he says when we see a total of >250 on the board, Larko kay haath pair phool jatay hain (their hands and feet become swell up), the psychological barrier of chasing a score over 250 is still present in the minds of our boys.. its a psychological barrier that we haven't crossed as a team.. as a team we still rely on the bowlers to give us low scores.. [MENTION=107807]Pete Rose[/MENTION]

 

[Ankit007]

Pakistan annihilated AUS in the UAE and we competed more then they did away

Pak were whitewashed in uae by AUS. 3-0 what are you talking about?

 

[JaDed]

In odi they are pretty good, but with this combination they wont win championships trophy if the pitch has anything init.

 

[JaDed]

Pak were whitewashed in uae by AUS. 3-0 what are you talking about?

He is talking about tests.

 

[R0H1T]

In odi they are pretty good, but with this combination they wont win championships trophy if the pitch has anything init.

Yeah but if we get the roads, like in 2015 WC or even the Eng/pak series last year, every other team would be hoping they don't meet Aus in the semi/final of the CT let alone the next WC.

 

[JaDed]

Yeah but if we get the roads, like in 2015 WC or even the Eng/pak series last year, every other team would be hoping they don't meet Aus in the semi/final of the CT let alone the next WC.

Its not about roads alone,they also need large grounds.

 

[Pollack]

Its not about roads alone,they also need large grounds.

If grounds are flat and small nobody stands chance against mighty hacks of west Indies.

 

[R0H1T]

Its not about roads alone,they also need large grounds.

If anything, the pitches should be drier & slower, Aus still have more batters capable of clearing boundaries than any other team in the world.

Take out, negate their pace battery & you will have Aus in serious trouble, even in the ODI's but I don't see that happening anytime soon. The bigger stadias of Aus cannot be easily replicated anywhere else, except some places in India where the tracks are also slow, like the venue for the first WT20 game against NZ IIRC.

If grounds are flat and small nobody stands chance against mighty hacks of west Indies.

I doubt WI have the ability to hack through 50 overs, at times they struggle with it even in 20 overs game.

 

[Drreddymd]

Spot on comments by shoaib.this aus team batting is hackish to the extreme with 2 proper batsman and no spinner

 

[FlickedOffHips]

Wasim Akram says he knows the mentality of the Pakistan team, he says when we see a total of >250 on the board, Larko kay haath pair phool jatay hain (their hands and feet become swell up), the psychological barrier of chasing a score over 250 is still present in the minds of our boys.. its a psychological barrier that we haven't crossed as a team.. as a team we still rely on the bowlers to give us low scores.. [MENTION=107807]Pete Rose[/MENTION]

they should be made to watch that Virat Kohli masterclass with Nasser Hussain.

 

[The_Odd_One]

Australia is a better team in both tests and ODIs at the moment. In ODIs, it does not even warrant a justification. In tests, Australia will only do worse than Pakistan in Asia.

 

[troodon]

Aus Test team is pretty weak and their ODI team is overrated.

Their batting is solely dependent on Warner and Smith. If they both fail to score over 50, Aus cannot score over 200. There are no match winners for them with the bat outside of Warner and Smith. Maxwell is not the same player he was. Starc is their only awesome bowler in ODI's and Hazlewood is decent ODI bowler. The rest are average.

If Pak can shut Aus for under 250 every match, they will always be in the game and can win. Aus needs one more match winner with the bat to become great again.

 

[moghul]

Last time I checked Pakistan was beaten 0-3 in tests but ours is still a better team, in fantasy cricket, may be.

 

[Barragan]

Maybe in Tests, but definitely not in ODI's.

We are far behind the modern game and haven't really been tested on this tour with modern pitches.

We were steam rolled by Eng on flat decks and did play well in the last game, but need to consistently do that 8/10 times and go beyond 310.

 

[Gilly]

Aus Test team is pretty weak and their ODI team is overrated.

Their batting is solely dependent on Warner and Smith. If they both fail to score over 50, Aus cannot score over 200. There are no match winners for them with the bat outside of Warner and Smith. Maxwell is not the same player he was. Starc is their only awesome bowler in ODI's and Hazlewood is decent ODI bowler. The rest are average.

If Pak can shut Aus for under 250 every match, they will always be in the game and can win. Aus needs one more match winner with the bat to become great again.

Should have read the scorecard of the first match before typing this.

 

[troodon]

Should have read the scorecard of the first match before typing this.

Fluke innings from Wade. He is a dud with the bat.

 

[yasir]

I made a thread on this about Paksitani players no longer wanting to be superstars like the past.
Pakistan owes immense gratitude to Misbah about the value of hard work and grit and its has translated in to results. But somewhere along the way they lost that spark or the desire to win one-to-one against the best players of the opposition. This is what the past cricketers of Pakistan had, but ironically lacked the grit that Misbah brought in.
The time is right for these two worlds of Paksitan cricket (mercurial and agrressive past + grit and hard working current) to collide. We need to take the best of both worlds post Misbah.

I doubt you can mix fire and ice, it's hard to nurture two very conflicting cultures. For example Australia always had aggressive culture be batting or bowling, you cannot survive as a batsmen with that kind of approach. They do have gritty players but guys who make headlines were aggressive... Same was true of great WI, it was all about aggression...

Misbah and Azhar are defensive minded players, the way they think about batting that's how they approach cricket in general. They value patient more than flair, that's the only culture they can empower. Look at all the batters, they all start to look like Misbah after a while. And bowlers are thinking about scores and spells, they are going to bowl all day rather then picking up wickets, looks like that is what they plan in dressing room as well... everybody body is so gental on the field, as if they are all going for sportsman ship award. There is no fire, they don't try new things, everything is so predictable about Misbah's 11... Misbah does not like surprises, like my Grand Pa, it is a Grand Pa 11

 

[ShoonyaSifar]

Didn't Australia whitewash Pakistan in the ODI series they played in UAE?

Unless Pakistan win the ongoing ODI series, the claim "Pakistan are better than Australia across formats" will be an exaggeration

 

[samplepiece]

Australia are experimenting a tad too much in the ODIs. Otherwise, they are the best ODI side in the world.

 

[Statsman]

Australia's team composition is very poor. I made a thread on it after the first match.

But any way, its laughable for Shoaib to suggest that rank 7/8 Pakistan is better than ranked 1 Aussies. Laughable.

I remember him saying on game on hay after first odi that Wahab was under bowled. The host retorted by saying Wahab was expensive. Shoaib replied by saying "then drop him". He's a joke of an analyst. Not only jazbaati but useless as well. It surprises me every time I see him on the star sports panel. I think he's there for the comic value.

 

[cricketInsight]

When Shoaib speaks, you don't listen.

Unfortunately true for too many former players! Isn't this one of the reasons that they have no credibility and influence in shaping the future of Pakistan Cricket.

 

[Statsman]

Rashid and Mohammad Wasim are much better analysts. Wasim Akram is clueless and keep repeating the "PCB doesn't take help from seniors" statement. Shoaib will say some generic stuff blaming the system, say how Pakistan lacks leaders and how these bowlers would have excelled under Imran. Then he will praise the fellow panelists eg. PCB ko Rashid bhai ko bulana chahiye, Yahaaṅ Wasim Akram jaise legend baiṭhe hai jinse koi help nahi leta etc. etc. Then he will make faces, pant humph etc. and say more random stuff that adds no value.

 

[sensible-indian-fan]

Rashid and Mohammad Wasim are much better analysts. Wasim Akram is clueless and keep repeating the "PCB doesn't take help from seniors" statement. Shoaib will say some generic stuff blaming the system, say how Pakistan lacks leaders and how these bowlers would have excelled under Imran. Then he will praise the fellow panelists eg. PCB ko Rashid bhai ko bulana chahiye, Yahaaṅ Wasim Akram jaise legend baiṭhe hai jinse koi help nahi leta etc. etc. Then he will make faces, pant humph etc. and say more random stuff that adds no value.

lol dude...you are destroying Akhtar.

 

[Slog]

Rashid and Mohammad Wasim are much better analysts. Wasim Akram is clueless and keep repeating the "PCB doesn't take help from seniors" statement. Shoaib will say some generic stuff blaming the system, say how Pakistan lacks leaders and how these bowlers would have excelled under Imran. Then he will praise the fellow panelists eg. PCB ko Rashid bhai ko bulana chahiye, Yahaaṅ Wasim Akram jaise legend baiṭhe hai jinse koi help nahi leta etc. etc. Then he will make faces, pant humph etc. and say more random stuff that adds no value.

tbh its a fun show to watch

all were part of same dressing room so some of the stories they tell are hilarious.

Analysis wise Rashid prolly leaves everyone else in the shade

 

[Statsman]

lol dude...you are destroying Akhtar.

tbh its a fun show to watch

all were part of same dressing room so some of the stories they tell are hilarious.

Analysis wise Rashid prolly leaves everyone else in the shade

Agree. Rashid is insightful but leaving Akhtar behind is not a great deal. The guy flip flops every time.

 

[spade]

In test matches, i agree to a certain extent aus are a no 5 team while pak are a no 7 team, not much at the moment between the two sides. However, in ODI's the gulf could not have been more starker.

 

[Pete Rose]

I doubt you can mix fire and ice, it's hard to nurture two very conflicting cultures. For example Australia always had aggressive culture be batting or bowling, you cannot survive as a batsmen with that kind of approach. They do have gritty players but guys who make headlines were aggressive... Same was true of great WI, it was all about aggression...

Misbah and Azhar are defensive minded players, the way they think about batting that's how they approach cricket in general. They value patient more than flair, that's the only culture they can empower. Look at all the batters, they all start to look like Misbah after a while. And bowlers are thinking about scores and spells, they are going to bowl all day rather then picking up wickets, looks like that is what they plan in dressing room as well... everybody body is so gental on the field, as if they are all going for sportsman ship award. There is no fire, they don't try new things, everything is so predictable about Misbah's 11... Misbah does not like surprises, like my Grand Pa, it is a Grand Pa 11 ������

Well I think this a generalisation. The one thing we definitely do not want is to go back to the bad days of 90's an early 2000's with very aggressive but mentally weak players.

 

[Pete Rose]

Rashid and Mohammad Wasim are much better analysts. Wasim Akram is clueless and keep repeating the "PCB doesn't take help from seniors" statement. Shoaib will say some generic stuff blaming the system, say how Pakistan lacks leaders and how these bowlers would have excelled under Imran. Then he will praise the fellow panelists eg. PCB ko Rashid bhai ko bulana chahiye, Yahaaṅ Wasim Akram jaise legend baiṭhe hai jinse koi help nahi leta etc. etc. Then he will make faces, pant humph etc. and say more random stuff that adds no value.

In a show with at least five cricketers, it makes sense to have all kinds. They dont all have to make sense I suppose.

 

[Major]

Yes we are better then all other teams. Who needs to win series or world cup? Those are just tamasha games.

You prove yourself to be better then others by having these khayali pulaos. Series and matches are practise.

 

[yasir]

tbh its a fun show to watch

all were part of same dressing room so some of the stories they tell are hilarious.

Analysis wise Rashid prolly leaves everyone else in the shade

Rashid has more deeper view...I like his line this time around "Kabalia Ka Sardar Hafeez he hai"

 

[from_da_lost_dim3nsion]

The 90s crew seems to be hell bent on putting forth the image that this Australian team is paidal and not up to any good.

Thats because they got their behinds handed to them in the 90's by Aussies. For this pak team to do better than them must be embarrassing .

 

[Syed1]

The 90s crew seems to be hell bent on putting forth the image that this Australian team is paidal and not up to any good.

Compare the names in the Aussie sides of late 90s/early 2000s to the names in this Aussie side and then you will realize why the 90s crew is underrating them.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Quite a misleading title. I didn't bother clicking on this thread for three days because I thought it will be Shoaib shooting his mouth off again, but if you read the interview it's mostly decent observations.

 

[KhalidRafi]

In ODIs this is a solid Aussie team and the gulf between them and rest is huge

South Africa are far better. Even with Starc, Hazelwood in the Australian attack South Africa would have beaten them in a series.

And I'm pretty sure India and England could beat this Australian team in an ODI series in their respective backyards.

 

[KhalidRafi]

In test matches, i agree to a certain extent aus are a no 5 team while pak are a no 7 team, not much at the moment between the two sides. However, in ODI's the gulf could not have been more starker.

How is Pak a No.7 team?

 

[Abdullah719]

Quite a misleading title. I didn't bother clicking on this thread for three days because I thought it will be Shoaib shooting his mouth off again, but if you read the interview it's mostly decent observations.

How so? That's exactly what he said...

 

[yasir]

Well I think this a generalisation. The one thing we definitely do not want is to go back to the bad days of 90's an early 2000's with very aggressive but mentally weak players.

Right now we are more like India of 90s, Pakistan is loosing its cricketing identity... Playing in UAE is huge problem, which itself in 50X50 mile area, very one dimensional environment, produces one dimensional cricketers...

After 2010 debacle, PCB don't want to take risk with characters or personalities in team, it is run like Army rather than sports institution...I don't think it is working, we have no world class players, too much sameness...

I don't think batting Captains really works for Pakistan, they don't really understand bowling that much, Misbah has a typical style which he never changed regardless of conditions, this has failed horribly in southern hemisphere, he has lost 8-0 their in last 6 years, out of which 3 are innings defeat...This is very bad for so called best Pakistani Captain.