Pakistan vs Afghanistan warm-up game - Key Points to consider

[hisham_ashraf]

•Wahab Riaz's death bowling was really good and as Pakistan has had trouble in bowling the death overs,Wahab has made a strong case of playing the match on the 31st against the Windies.
•Lack of yorkers bowled to Zazai, infact Pakistan didn't even bowl a single yorker to Zazai at the time when he was smashing anything that was being bowled into his arc.
•Terrible batting performance.Fakhar looked woefully out of touch,scored 19 and was dropped twice,had a review overturned and just struggled against spin.
•Collapse during the death overs.Pakistan were on their way to score 300 but they kept on losing wickets in the death overs.
•This reason for this loss are batters although Sarfaraz's decision to give the ball to Shadab to bowl the penultimate over of the match was baffling but 262 was just not good enough.
Positives from this game-Consistency of Babar,Wahab's death bowling and Imad's bowling.
Congratulations to Afghanistan.

 

[PakLFC]

Wahab bowled very well much to my surprise. We didn't bat well enough at all but take nothing from Afghanistan today. Let them enjoy their day and these moments. Another bad decision was to allow Shadab bowl the second last over when better options were available.

 

[mon858]

Congrats to Afghanistan, they beat us high and dry, and I believe they only played with X1 players unlike us trying out 14.

"•Lack of yorkers bowled to Zazai, infact Pakistan didn't even bowl a single yorker to Zazai at the time when he was smashing anything that was being bowled into his arc."
Regarding this point, I really feel our coaching staff is to blame, doesn't look like they did enough homework on Afghanistan to tell bowlers where to bowl. Getting tired of Mickey and Azhar Mahmood each passing day.

 

[Majestic_Inzi]

The bowl was reverse swinging and he puts a spinner on...

 

[The Viper]

Wahab did bowl some excellent yorkers so will probably get the edge.

 

[Technics 1210]

This was a practice match. This performance was more about easing in Shahdab, Amir, and Wahab.

 

[adarsh_bang]

Baffling why Shadab was bowled on over 58, while Amir had 4 overs to go. Why did he bowl only 6 overs.

Didn't look like they wanted to give shadab a workout with this being a warm up game, since they (Sarfraz) looked down and sad in the post match interview. So they certainly wanted to win. And the decision looks all the more stupid.

 

[Salman]

Never read too much into warm up matches but good to see Afghanistan improving anyway.

 

[CleverSir]

Baffling why Shadab was bowled on over 58, while Amir had 4 overs to go. Why did he bowl only 6 overs.

Didn't look like they wanted to give shadab a workout with this being a warm up game, since they (Sarfraz) looked down and sad in the post match interview. So they certainly wanted to win. And the decision looks all the more stupid.

Shadab is coming off of a long time away from the game. Best to give him the maximum exposure possible so he can fine-tune as much as possible. He is clearly our primary spinner.

 

[adarsh_bang]

Shadab is coming off of a long time away from the game. Best to give him the maximum exposure possible so he can fine-tune as much as possible. He is clearly our primary spinner.

Fair enough but That's true with Amir too isn't it?
I guess they just treated it like a practice game and Shadab came out looking worse.

The attempt was good though. A seem up delivery and an attempted Yorker.

 

[barah_admi]

Riaz should not play. It's as if you are all acting like you have not seen the last 10 years of his career, the man is an absolute shambles.

The bigger issue is saffy kaptaan's new tactic of giving his new ball pace bowlers 1 or 2 overs each and then changing...how does anyone get any confidence or rhythm doing that?

If Amir is to play he should open the bowling with Hasan and both should get 4 or 5 overs each. Then Shaheen and a spinner need to come on and then 2nd spinner and Hasan in the middle overs. This was the plan for large parts in the CT and in all honesty, is just common sense.

 

[hisham_ashraf]

Riaz should not play. It's as if you are all acting like you have not seen the last 10 years of his career, the man is an absolute shambles.

The bigger issue is saffy kaptaan's new tactic of giving his new ball pace bowlers 1 or 2 overs each and then changing...how does anyone get any confidence or rhythm doing that?

If Amir is to play he should open the bowling with Hasan and both should get 4 or 5 overs each. Then Shaheen and a spinner need to come on and then 2nd spinner and Hasan in the middle overs. This was the plan for large parts in the CT and in all honesty, is just common sense.

Among the three pacers there is one spot for which Amir,Wahab and Hasnain are fighting.
Amir is still going wicket less but more importantly he doesn't even create any chances.Bowling at 81-82 Mph with no swing is easy even for Afghanistan's batsmen.
Hasnain actually did bowl well today.His average speed was around 90Mph and bowled 5-6 deliveries over 150 KPH and one at 95mph but after this game of you would ask the team management to pick out of Wahab and Hasnain they would pick Wahab.

 

[Tubs]

Bowling was pretty good overall, which was good to see after the disastrous England series we had with the ball (obviously, Afghanistan aren't the batting side that England are). Slightly more hopeful for the world cup. Slightly.

 

[Mean&Green]

Warm ups don’t mean anything so making threads on the basis of practice matches shouldn’t even be allowed if India lose to newzeland tomorrow doesn’t mean India is bad or newzeland is better it doesn’t work like that it’s a practice match

 

[trickyone]

The bowl was reverse swinging and he puts a spinner on...

SMH, do you even know teams are using two balls per inning in ODI now?

 

[barah_admi]

Among the three pacers there is one spot for which Amir,Wahab and Hasnain are fighting.
Amir is still going wicket less but more importantly he doesn't even create any chances.Bowling at 81-82 Mph with no swing is easy even for Afghanistan's batsmen.
Hasnain actually did bowl well today.His average speed was around 90Mph and bowled 5-6 deliveries over 150 KPH and one at 95mph but after this game of you would ask the team management to pick out of Wahab and Hasnain they would pick Wahab.

Hasnain should be the pick and Amir, if he plays, does so off the back of his economy. Riaz hasn o argument.

 

[Artaxerxes]

Afghanistan has nothing to lose so their players have freedom to play their shots.The established teams on the other hand don't want to lose to Afghanistan so they will be under pressure to perform and can make mistake.In world cup football similar situations have happened in football matches.In Euro 2016 Iceland beat England in football.Note Iceland's population is 340,000which is less than population of Sheffield.

 

[moghul]

The bowl was reverse swinging and he puts a spinner on...

That was a master class, only a genius like our Saffi can come out with .

 

[Ronaldo7]

Afghanistan has nothing to lose so their players have freedom to play their shots.The established teams on the other hand don't want to lose to Afghanistan so they will be under pressure to perform and can make mistake.In world cup football similar situations have happened in football matches.In Euro 2016 Iceland beat England in football.Note Iceland's population is 340,000which is less than population of Sheffield.

Germany vs South Korea.

 

[ask_analyse_act]

11th straight loss in ODIs

 

[Third_Umpire]

Some of you haven't watched Pakistan cricket long enough

1. Losing warm matches is good for us. It means we may get the wake up call before the tournament. Usually, we sleep walk our way into a tournament, lose the first two matches before realizing it's make or break. This way, it may happen sooner.

2. You shouldn't worry if Pakistan is losing a lot before a major tournament. You should worry if we are doing well! We have never been a team that can consistently play well for long periods of time. We definitely are one that needs to peak at the right time. Let's get all the bad performances out now, and save the good stuff for when it matters... coz we have a limited supply of the good stuff!

3. We will never pick the most sensible team combination and our captains won't make logical decisions during the game. It's hilarious to see fans plead and implore selectors and captain to do what makes sense Our team and cricket is a product of irrational, illiterate and unprofessional thinking. That said, we are capable of raw brilliance like no other. Just need to tap into that, and usually it gets tapped into when times are desperate.

So sit back, relax, watch us get off too a 1-3 start in the WC and then turn it on to get to the semis. Once we're in the last 4, it's anybody's game!

 

[MMHS]

First key point is that it’s a practice match and Afghans played well in a pressure less match - result hardly matters; few days back Ireland A beat Bangladesh by almost 100 margin in one such game.

Apart from that, few things that stuck for me is that

1. Babar & Amir are the most important players for PAK - one should have been deputy & other Captain for PCT in this WC
2. Selection of Wahab might be a master stroke
3. This middle order of PAK won’t work - may be they should reshuffle it for Fakhar to bat at 4, while Imam, Babar, Hari in top 3
4. PAK’s batting, bowling and fielding isn’t complementing each others - collective output is often near about - players’ numbers are not that bad, but they are always behind 8th ball.
5. Sarfraz is really disappointing- I can accept his shortcomings as a player (as he is appointed Captain for WC, can’t help), but not his tactical blunders. Today, why he should bring Shadab on penultimate over when there is a set lefty batting on a short squire ground!!!!

May be there are few other issues, which I overlooked as it’s just a useless practice game.

 

[Captain caveman]

11th straight loss in ODIs

Todays game was not an official odi, so the losing streak is still 10 odis arlt the moment.

 

[Mean&Green]

Some of you haven't watched Pakistan cricket long enough

1. Losing warm matches is good for us. It means we may get the wake up call before the tournament. Usually, we sleep walk our way into a tournament, lose the first two matches before realizing it's make or break. This way, it may happen sooner.

2. You shouldn't worry if Pakistan is losing a lot before a major tournament. You should worry if we are doing well! We have never been a team that can consistently play well for long periods of time. We definitely are one that needs to peak at the right time. Let's get all the bad performances out now, and save the good stuff for when it matters... coz we have a limited supply of the good stuff!

3. We will never pick the most sensible team combination and our captains won't make logical decisions during the game. It's hilarious to see fans plead and implore selectors and captain to do what makes sense Our team and cricket is a product of irrational, illiterate and unprofessional thinking. That said, we are capable of raw brilliance like no other. Just need to tap into that, and usually it gets tapped into when times are desperate.

So sit back, relax, watch us get off too a 1-3 start in the WC and then turn it on to get to the semis. Once we're in the last 4, it's anybody's game!

Say it louder say it louder POTW honestly man how can our fans ever think we can be consistently good even the 1992 World Cup was a fluke that team lost to a Australian university XI team lmao and than went onto win the World Cup this is what our team has always been like and most likely always will be

 

[jnaveen1980]

Warm ups don’t mean anything so making threads on the basis of practice matches shouldn’t even be allowed if India lose to newzeland tomorrow doesn’t mean India is bad or newzeland is better it doesn’t work like that it’s a practice match

India has some players who are "warm up specialists". Mainly Dinesh karthik. He always looks like a millionaire in warm up games. In real games he is inconsistent.

 

[MMHS]

Say it louder say it louder POTW honestly man how can our fans ever think we can be consistently good even the 1992 World Cup was a fluke that team lost to a Australian university XI team lmao and than went onto win the World Cup this is what our team has always been like and most likely always will be

But bro, problem is you are consistently bad this days - still trying to cover up... why? That 3-18 run or that 1-2 against Kiwis, 0-2 against Lankans, 0-3 in SAF, that Asia Cup, NZ tour .... isn’t it enough to scream out loud that it’s not acceptable- we fans deserve better?

 

[coy0607]

The batsmen were clearly going through the motions. They really didn't look like they took this game seriously

 

[PakHammer]

The team I think the selectors will pick for the Windies match:-

1) F. Zaman
2) I. Ul Haq
3) B. Azam
4) H. Sohail
5) S. Ahmed
6) M. Hafeez
7) I. Wasim
8) S. Khan
9) H. Ali
10) M. Amir
11) W. Riaz

I dont think Malik will get a starting place, he has been out of form for a while and Haris has got a few ODI hundreds recently. I dont think it's a bad team on paper but they must win their first game to get momentum.

 

[jnaveen1980]

FIelders were more proactive than against England. They charged at the ball. But still that dive by Hafeez was Danish Kanerisque )

 

[Mean&Green]

India has some players who are "warm up specialists". Mainly Dinesh karthik. He always looks like a millionaire in warm up games. In real games he is inconsistent.

Yeah exactly warm ups prove absolutely nothing kohli can get out for 0 in both warm ups and will most like end up scoring big runs when the real tournament begins nevertheless it’s practice matches and it shouldn’t be looked at as anything more than a practice match.

 

[Mean&Green]

But bro, problem is you are consistently bad this days - still trying to cover up... why? That 3-18 run or that 1-2 against Kiwis, 0-2 against Lankans, 0-3 in SAF, that Asia Cup, NZ tour .... isn’t it enough to scream out loud that it’s not acceptable- we fans deserve better?

Nah I’m not covering up of course we are bad, very bad that even we if we lose Bangladesh now it isn’t even a shock anymore when a few years back it would have been a shock because after 1999 we had never last to them until that Azhar Ali tour so yeah now we’re at our worst to be honest

 

[moghul]

If I have to chose one between Shadab and Imad, I will go for later, was pick of the bowlers today.

 

[hisham_ashraf]

FIelders were more proactive than against England. They charged at the ball. But still that dive by Hafeez was Danish Kanerisque )

That dive was funny and embarrassing at the same time

 

[daytrader]

The team I think the selectors will pick for the Windies match:-

1) F. Zaman
2) I. Ul Haq
3) B. Azam
4) H. Sohail
5) S. Ahmed
6) M. Hafeez
7) I. Wasim
8) S. Khan
9) H. Ali
10) M. Amir
11) W. Riaz

I dont think Malik will get a starting place, he has been out of form for a while and Haris has got a few ODI hundreds recently. I dont think it's a bad team on paper but they must win their first game to get momentum.

Gotta fit in Asif Ali somehow. Preferably Imam should sit out but most likely Haris will be making way

 

[Loralai]

Congratulations to our Afghan brothers they played really well and have some good young talent at their disposal.

Unfortunately we need to back to the drawing board. Shaheen is looking out of sorts and has not had a good summer so far. Sarfraz captaincy has been poor but that isn't surprising.

Lets hope Asif can give the batting some impact otherwise we will struggle against better sides.

 

[MMHS]

First key point is that it’s a practice match and Afghans played well in a pressure less match - result hardly matters; few days back Ireland A beat Bangladesh by almost 100 margin in one such game.

Apart from that, few things that stuck for me is that

1. Babar & Amir are the most important players for PAK - one should have been deputy & other Captain for PCT in this WC
2. Selection of Wahab might be a master stroke
3. This middle order of PAK won’t work - may be they should reshuffle it for Fakhar to bat at 4, while Imam, Babar, Hari in top 3
4. PAK’s batting, bowling and fielding isn’t complementing each others - collective output is often near about - players’ numbers are not that bad, but they are always behind 8th ball.
5. Sarfraz is really disappointing- I can accept his shortcomings as a player (as he is appointed Captain for WC, can’t help), but not his tactical blunders. Today, why he should bring Shadab on penultimate over when there is a set lefty batting on a short squire ground!!!!

May be there are few other issues, which I overlooked as it’s just a useless practice game.

If PAK is to win today, at least 3 of these 4s has to happen. I think, reshuffling middle order is out of question now.

 

[Chokli]

If PAK is to win today, at least 3 of these 4s has to happen. I think, reshuffling middle order is out of question now.

Babar needs to open with Imam with Fakhar dropping to 6 with Haris at 3, Hafeez at 4 and Sarfaraz at 5

 

[MMHS]

Babar needs to open with Imam with Fakhar dropping to 6 with Haris at 3, Hafeez at 4 and Sarfaraz at 5

Won’t happen - hope for the other 3 to come true, along with a bad day for key Indian bowlers.

 

[Chokli]

Won’t happen - hope for the other 3 to come true, along with a bad day for key Indian bowlers.

See that is the thing, too many stars need to align for a Pakistan victory.

India will thrash Pakistan tomorrow if the match goes ahead.

Bumrah, Kohli, Bhuvneshwar, Kuldeep, Chahal, Sharma, KL, Dhoni, Pandya.

All of these guys can single handedly destroy Pakistan.