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Pakistan v Sri Lanka | 2nd Test | Dubai | Oct 6-10, 2017 | Pre-Match Thread

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LordJames

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Who should replace who for the second Test? Amir, Asad cannot be in contention for the second test!
 
Get rid of Shan and make azhar open with usman at 3. Give babar 1 last opportunity. And also play wahab and asghar for Amir and Hasan.
 
Babar out... Amir out... enough of this chosen one golden boy treatment
 
Drop Masood, azhar to open with Sami, Haris, Babar, shafiq and salabuddin.

Maybe give Mir Hamza a debut in place of Amir as he has done absolutely nothing to merit selection and hardly puts in much effort.
 
Drop Masood, azhar to open with Sami, Haris, Babar, shafiq and salabuddin.

Maybe give Mir Hamza a debut in place of Amir as he has done absolutely nothing to merit selection and hardly puts in much effort.
Hope he actually tries in the next match. Such a shame to lose to Lanka and hope he realizes it.
 
They really messed up not playing 2 spinners in Abu Dhabi. Now they have the dillemma of whether to go with 3 pacers again because it's a D/N Test or to pick 2 spinners.
 
I think Pakistan should forfeit the match as another defeat (if happens) will be a pretty big scar that will be hard to forget and move on from it.... Better play safe and get defeated against superior opponents so that you can have some consolation.
 
Drop Amir the garbage trundler for good, get in a spinner and Pak should win
 
It's a day-night test match. Dew might be a factor. Hopefully they play this XI:
1) Aslam
2) Azhar
3) Azam
4) Sohail
5) Salahudin
6) Sarfraz
7) Asif
8) Yasir
9) Hasan
10) Asghar
11) Abbas
That covers pace and plenty of spin options as well.
 
Babar Azam should'nt play the next match or selectors will be bashed even more for selecting another Akmal cousin who averages below 20 but still keeps his place in the side.
 
I'd rather have a genuine pacer in these conditions that nothing bowlers like Hasan. Hasan did alright but imo he's not a test bowler. We need some variation in this attack

Huh... he bowled pretty well.

If we go by this match, it's Amir's spot under threat.
 
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We have to play 2 spinners, ball probably isn't gonna swing much even in the DN match, so I'd much rather just play Abbas and Hasan with the spinners being Shah and Asghar.
 
I would add Bilal and Salahudin getting rid of Amir and Shafiq. You need as much spin and batsmen you can to win in the UAE.
 
1) Azhar Ali
2) Sami Aslam
3) Haris Sohail
4) Asad Shafiq
5) Usman Salahuddin
6) Babar Azam
7) Sarfaraz Ahmed
8) Hasan Ali
9) Yasir Shah
10) Mohammad Asghar
11) Mohammad Abbas/Wahab Riaz

We've no alternatives in the squad aside from Shan Masood otherwise Babar needs to be thrown out.
 
Bring in Asif, Salahuddin, Hamza. Drop Masood, Amir, Babar. Or bring in Asghar as well in addition to these three.
 
I don't think there will be any change in batting order after 1 game. Might just see Bilal Asif come in for one of the pacers maybe Hassan Ali given his fitness concerns
 
Amir was disappointing this test. Let's see what happens.
 
Babar looked like a sitting duck in spinning conditions. Expected better from him. I will give him this test.

Azhar
Sami
Babar
Haris
Usman
Shafiq
Sarfaraz
Hasan
Yasir
Wahab
Abbas

Shan and amir dropped because of lack of ability and effort respectively.

Final chances for shafiq, Babar and wahab.
 
All those saying that India bashed this Srilankan side should realize that India won the toss in all the matches and batted first.

No denying that India played well but in subcontinent conditions toss does play a very important role.

Here Srilanka won the toss and Pak was last to bat. Pak played poorly but it happens.
 
All those saying that India bashed this Srilankan side should realize that India won the toss in all the matches and batted first.

No denying that India played well but in subcontinent conditions toss does play a very important role.

Here Srilanka won the toss and Pak was last to bat. Pak played poorly but it happens.

but you are forgetting one thing pak was chasing 136 not 536 and secondly Abu Dhabi is not subcontinent
 
but you are forgetting one thing pak was chasing 136 not 536 and secondly Abu Dhabi is not subcontinent

Yes but the wicket was a relayed one i.e this is the first match played on this wicket. We saw turn (which wasnt fast enough) and uneven bounce which in addition to turn did the trick and 4th inning on any wicket is never is easy.
Not saying Pakistan played well but there are other things to consider as well.
 
I remeber people started bashing Sarfaraz after the first match of CT against India but we know what happened afterwards and rest is history.

I was also disappointed like any fan then and I am disappointed now as well.

But, one thing I know is this was first match for Sarfaraz as captain and we were without two senior players for the first time.

Give him sometime you never no what he brings to the plate in the coming matches.
 
1. Sami Aslam
2. Azhar Ali
3. Babar Azam
4. Haris Sohail
5. Usman Salahuddin
6. Asad Shafiq
7. Sarfraz Ahmed
8. Hasan Ali
9. Yasir Shah
10. Mohammad Asghar/Bilal Asif
11. Mohammad Amir/Mir Hamza
 
I think, Dubai is a D/N Test, so equation changes drastically.

I'll go with this XI

1. Shan/Sami (one of them, not sure whom - may be Sami)
2. Azhar
3. Babar
4. Haris
5. Sarfraz
6. Usman/Asad (may be one last chance to Asad - my personal choice is the new guy)
7. Bilal (no other option - ideally, I would have liked Yamin at 7 as 3rd pacer & 2 specialist spinners - but looks like in whole of 213mn, arguably 230mn PAK there is no pace bowling allrounder)
8. Hasan
9. Yasir
10. Abbas
11. Depending on fitness - if he is available to go flat out, I'll take Amir (& put him at 8 in order), otherwise Hamza (Wahab shouldn't play D/N Test with slight dew & pink ball).

3 pacers will be required, at least 2.5, and 2 spinners is a must, at least 1.5.
 
I feel they will go for the same team


Personally though I reckon we have to get Bilal Asif in the team, we saw that Asad was troubling their left handers, Asif should be able to do a better of job that as well as hopefully give us some biff down the order.
 
All those saying that India bashed this Srilankan side should realize that India won the toss in all the matches and batted first.

No denying that India played well but in subcontinent conditions toss does play a very important role.

Here Srilanka won the toss and Pak was last to bat. Pak played poorly but it happens.
India scored more than 600 2 times but sl didn't score more than 200 in their first innings at home?

What does scoring 600 tell u? Atleast for the first innings of both teams uts goid for batting but sl folded meekly and lost by innings

They r playing at u r home and u r giving excuses like anything
 
That was dreadful performance by our batting lineup....

I am sorry but Shafiq is only suitable for #6 spot, he is not #4, if he has to play that is the only spot for him. Harris was the only positive, looking at his performance now I am leaning towards bring Fawad Alam as well to the playing 11...In UAE, you don't need youth, you need experienced players of spin, who can grind and play long innings, Fawad fit the mould very well...Also three left and three righty in top 6 is an ideal combination...

Here are my changes, although its hypotical not practically possible...


1. Sami Aslam
2. Azhar Ali
3. Harris Sohail
4. Fawad Alam
5. Usman
6. Shafiq
7. Sarfraz
8.Shadab Khan
9. Hasan
10. Yasir
11. Abbas/Wahab

Shadab has to play test cricket, he has qualities to be great spinner, they is no better place to learn the art of spin than test, if he does not play test cricket, he will be lost in 2 years, T20 does not teach you anything. Its a quick money nothing long lasting...He did great job in WI, I am not sure why we throw him out so quickly, he is just 18 and spins the bowl more than Yasir. He can be star spinner in 2 years or completely lost...

Babar needs to develop temperament for test cricket, he does not understand it yet, does not have patients and defense, has to be send back to FC...Amir is not taking test cricket either seriously or not putting effort in that heat, either way he is not doing justice to his talent nor the role given to him in the team. He needs to figure it out, what he wants to do for long format, UAE is the only place we play test cricket (at home), he has to accept it or make room for others, who are willing to put sweat...He is the most skillful bowler we have right now, that does not mean anything if he is missing in action most of the time...

Azhar and Sami are best opening combination, we need to use them that way, there are no two ways about it...Harris and Fawad have experience to make UAE our strong hold and they can be successful outside home as well...Usman should be given chance(I don't know how good he is but we have to try him out)...
 
That was dreadful performance by our batting lineup....

I am sorry but Shafiq is only suitable for #6 spot, he is not #4, if he has to play that is the only spot for him. Harris was the only positive, looking at his performance now I am leaning towards bring Fawad Alam as well to the playing 11...In UAE, you don't need youth, you need experienced players of spin, who can grind and play long innings, Fawad fit the mould very well...Also three left and three righty in top 6 is an ideal combination...

Here are my changes, although its hypotical not practically possible...


1. Sami Aslam
2. Azhar Ali
3. Harris Sohail
4. Fawad Alam
5. Usman
6. Shafiq
7. Sarfraz
8.Shadab Khan
9. Hasan
10. Yasir
11. Abbas/Wahab

Shadab has to play test cricket, he has qualities to be great spinner, they is no better place to learn the art of spin than test, if he does not play test cricket, he will be lost in 2 years, T20 does not teach you anything. Its a quick money nothing long lasting...He did great job in WI, I am not sure why we throw him out so quickly, he is just 18 and spins the bowl more than Yasir. He can be star spinner in 2 years or completely lost...

Babar needs to develop temperament for test cricket, he does not understand it yet, does not have patients and defense, has to be send back to FC...Amir is not taking test cricket either seriously or not putting effort in that heat, either way he is not doing justice to his talent nor the role given to him in the team. He needs to figure it out, what he wants to do for long format, UAE is the only place we play test cricket (at home), he has to accept it or make room for others, who are willing to put sweat...He is the most skillful bowler we have right now, that does not mean anything if he is missing in action most of the time...

Azhar and Sami are best opening combination, we need to use them that way, there are no two ways about it...Harris and Fawad have experience to make UAE our strong hold and they can be successful outside home as well...Usman should be given chance(I don't know how good he is but we have to try him out)...

Do you know that Fawad is not in the squad?
 
Mickey is hellbent on playing Azhar at 3. Either he is a complete numpty and actually thinks Shan is worth backing or he's in on the scheme to get Butt in to the side. Ridiculous stuff.
 
Azhar
Shan
Babar
Haris
Usman
Asad
Sarfraz
Bilal or Asghar
Yasir
Wahab
Abbas
 
1. Sami Aslam
2. Azhar Ali
3. Babar Azam
4. Haris Sohail
5. Usman Salahuddin
6. Asad Shafiq
7. Sarfraz Ahmed
8. Yasir Shah
9. Hasan Ali
10. Mohammad Asghar
11. Mohammad Abbas
 
Reshuffling of batting order is needed in the second Test against Sri Lanka!

Azhar should be back to opening slot with sami.

Harris sohail has a pretty solid technique against pacers and can do well at number 3 and also provides us an approach away from the usual tuk tuk.
4 salahuddin
5 babar azam
6 asad shafiq
 
Switch Asad with Shafiq , drop Babar for Usman. 10 test matches are enough to judge the player ,most people don't get to play 10 test all their lives and Pakistan is handing freebies to these youngsters
 
India scored more than 600 2 times but sl didn't score more than 200 in their first innings at home?

What does scoring 600 tell u? Atleast for the first innings of both teams uts goid for batting but sl folded meekly and lost by innings

They r playing at u r home and u r giving excuses like anything

Dude these are not excuses just facts. I am not denying that India played brilliantly but, one cant undermine the imprtance of toss in test matches especially when the wicket is deteriorating.
 
Azhar should open with sami with salahuddin coming at 5. haris and babar 3 and 4 respectively. Asad shafiq at 6 or out please .. This guy has disapointed the most
 
Babar should play at 5 and let him play his natural game.

At the moment he's all over the place regarding his technique in this format.

Plus add 1 more spinner for a pacer.
 
Dude these are not excuses just facts. I am not denying that India played brilliantly but, one cant undermine the imprtance of toss in test matches especially when the wicket is deteriorating.

India won two matches by an innings, not 30-40 runs. India losing the toss wouldnt have any bearing on the outcome of the matches.
 
the only easy target to drop at the moment is hasan ali and babar.. but babar will survive..

the team mgmt will be stubborn and will not make any change in batting order is what i think and this can cost them one more game and the series on the whole...

i doubt thy will go with 2 spinners... i can only see wahab coming in for hasan
 
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Amir has to be dropped. He adds nothing in UAE conditions. Have to bring in another spinner. On the batting front, Sami and Shan is possibly the worst opening combination currently going around on the Test circuit. Sami has to perform now or we should look towards someone else (maybe Imam ul Haq). Shan is done irrespective of how he performs in the next Test match.
 
Dude these are not excuses just facts. I am not denying that India played brilliantly but, one cant undermine the imprtance of toss in test matches especially when the wicket is deteriorating.

Which is true if the team losing the toss atleast competes in the first innings. If they are rolled up in the second innings then we can say may be the toss played a role. If the team losing toss is pathetic to concede 350+ leads then the toss doesn't do much
 
Kick out Babar..... he isn't meant for tests... no need to just keep him selecting... 10 test is a good sample time... just give Salahuddin a Chance... the last match showed why pak needs Fawad
 
Considering it is a Day-Night Test with the pink ball, Pakistan will go with 3 pacers and 1 spinners, which means any change to our bowling attack is unlikely.

In the batting I would like to drop Shan Masood and play Azhar as an opener bringing Usman in the middle order, but that too is pretty unlikely with Mickey saying that he would like to try the same batting combo for the next Test aswell.

So, I guess there is high chance that we play the same team for the 2nd Test.
 
Kick out Babar..... he isn't meant for tests... no need to just keep him selecting... 10 test is a good sample time... just give Salahuddin a Chance... the last match showed why pak needs Fawad

Shan Masood has played more Tests than him with a lower batting average, so why should he play? also Babar still has some chance to succeed in Test cricket while Shan Masood is finished.
 
Shan Masood has played more Tests than him with a lower batting average, so why should he play? also Babar still has some chance to succeed in Test cricket while Shan Masood is finished.

Shan shud never ever have been selected.... he is the worst amongst all players in world cricket right now
 
the only easy target to drop at the moment is hasan ali and babar.. but babar will survive..

the team mgmt will be stubborn and will not make any change in batting order is what i think and this can cost them one more game and the series on the whole...

i doubt thy will go with 2 spinners... i can only see wahab coming in for hasan

Bringing in Wahab for Hasan for a D/N Test with a Pink Ball is perhaps even more ridiculous than playing one spinner at Abu Dhabi.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hasan Ali's availability for the 2nd Test will be assessed tomorrow when he is asked to bowl in a net session <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PAKvSL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PAKvSL</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/915265777502183425?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
With Matthews back and with dew to provide less assistance to spinners - Pakistan will lose this series whether it be a whitewash or draw.

We need to look ahead and play this XI in future if Pak are to compete:

Azhar Ali
Salman Butt
Haris Sohail
Usman Salahuddin
Fawad Alam
Fakhar Zaman (in SC) / Babar Azam (outside SC) or Amir Yamin (outside SC)
Sarfraz (wk)
Hasan Ali
Amir (if fit)
Yasir
Abbas (outside SC)/Asghar (in SC)
 
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Players like Shafiq and Sami Aslam are weak characters. Shan Masood not good enough and Babar can't play spin to save his life, so keep him out of SC.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hasan Ali bowled and batted today in practice. There is still a chance he may play in the 2nd Test <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PAKvSL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PAKvSL</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/915633151652847629?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
In last year's day-night Test against West Indies (which was also a snoozefest for 3 days before coming alive in 2 days like the Abu Dhabi Test) there wasn't much assistance for the seamers as predicted.

There wasn't much swing under lights nor much reverse swing because of dew factor so no point going in with three seamers again. In UAE you need a second spinner so give Asghar his debut.

As for the batting, we clearly saw Haris Sohail was one of the few who emerged from Abu Dhabi with any credit and that his talents would be wasted at 6. Azhar should retake his rightful position as opener and Haris should move to 3 where he'll have more time to build an innings. However Shan Masood will probably get given another Test.

Let's hope we read the pitch properly this time and Dubai curators produce a track that isn't as sluggish.
 
The second test will be interesting but if Hassan doesn't play the second test, Pakistan pace attack will be under pressure. Aamir needs to step up with the new ball.
 
Pak probably going with same team.

Wouldn't surprise me at all.
Openers scored 50s in first innings. Asad and babar will definstely get at least one more game (probably more)
Azhar haris and captain yasir and ali are lock .
That leaves amir who will be selected coz its d/n
And pak will win inshaAllah
 
Drop shan

And change batting order a bit


Azhar
Sami
Haris
Slahuddin
Babar
Shafiq
Sarfraz
Asghar
Yasir
Hasan
Abbas
 
Bringing in Wahab for Hasan for a D/N Test with a Pink Ball is perhaps even more ridiculous than playing one spinner at Abu Dhabi.

yes if it funny for us, then that is what they will do. bunch of comedians. their strategies will be ridiculous to all of us but it is what their out of box thinking is, just like they played three seamers on a spin friendly track.
 
Can't the current lot consult with Misbah/Waqar on how to play in UAE?

It'll go something like this.
Sri Lanka win toss, elect to bat first
Sri Lanka: 256 all out
Mendis ( 76 )
Yasir 4-103
Pakistan: 456 all out
Azhar Ali ( 123 )
Herath 5-126
Sri Lanka: 223 all out
Abbas 4-48
Pakistan: 23-0
Masood ( 14 )
:bhatti
 
It'll go something like this.
Sri Lanka win toss, elect to bat first
Sri Lanka: 256 all out
Mendis ( 76 )
Yasir 4-103
Pakistan: 456 all out
Azhar Ali ( 123 )
Herath 5-126
Sri Lanka: 223 all out
Abbas 4-48
Pakistan: 23-0
Masood ( 14 )
:bhatti

This will be the 2nd Test in history with scores level, and match ends in draw (not tie - that needs 10 wickets down in 4th innings).

Which was the 1st one?
 
I remeber people started bashing Sarfaraz after the first match of CT against India but we know what happened afterwards and rest is history.

I was also disappointed like any fan then and I am disappointed now as well.

But, one thing I know is this was first match for Sarfaraz as captain and we were without two senior players for the first time.

Give him sometime you never no what he brings to the plate in the coming matches.

Sarfraz's leadership is the best thing that happened to Pakistan cricket in almost a decade
 
If Pakistan Wants to Win 2nd Test against Sri Lanka....

They need to do a couple of three things :amir2
1) Debut Asghar and Salahuddin in place of Shafiq and Amir
2) Dropping Masood to make AA open with Aslam thus placing Babar at 3 and Haris at 4
3) Sarfraz needing to play at 5 to ensure a fast scoring rate early on in the innings and pace himself
PAKISTAN ZINDABAD! :amir3
 
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Hasan injured, don't want to risk it, save him for ODIs. That's where we need him more.

No Wahab because it's pink ball and won't reverse. Also, he was trash in the last Test match he played.

Shan/Sami won't get dropped.

So I'll go with this:

Masood
Aslam
Azhar
Shafiq
Haris
Azam
Sarfraz*+
Yasir
Amir
Abbas
Asghar
 
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