Pakistan vs Sri Lanka | 1st Test | Rawalpindi | Dec 11-15, 2019 | Pre-Match Discussion Thread

[cricketjoshila]

How is the pitch?

 

[Slog]

How is the pitch?

Apparently it’s flat but let’s see. 2 more days to go

Either way many overs will be lost due to bad light and it’s also expected to rain for two of the days.

 

[Bewal Express]

The PCB have gone completely mad.

Bandula Warnapura as Guest of Honour?

This man led a Rebel Tour to Apartheid South Africa.

For that he was banned from all cricket for 25 years.

I wouldn’t let a person who has done that into the stadium for anything.

Seriously, I don’t know how any self-respecting human being can meet such a person. Let alone make him the Guest of Honour.

Yet Ehsan Mani calls such a creature “distinguished”!

Gooch, Gatting, Boycott, Alderman etc?

 

[Abdullah719]

Is it available on Willow or Hotstar in the states?
Best of luck to Pakistan.

Willow, I believe.

 

[Abdullah719]

Miandad giving Asad some much needed tips... though Asad is beyond that stage of his career.

<iframe src="https://streamable.com/s/jiu7t/wtrqta" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[angrypathan]

Bad light factor combined with rain forecast and a flat pitch means it'll probably be a draw

 

[Shafi]

Hope Misbah will play his buddy Imran Khan. So he will be exposed badly

 

[Abdullah719]

 

[amvbfm]

Very good post.

I am a hypocrite.

My admiration and affection for Boycott as a child prior to his participation in a Rebel Tour blinds new to how despicable his behaviour was.

You’re right, and I apologise. I should be as harsh on Boycott as I am on Warnapura.

I respect you for that and apologize for the presumption in my last post.

 

[cricketjoshila]

Apparently it’s flat but let’s see. 2 more days to go

Either way many overs will be lost due to bad light and it’s also expected to rain for two of the days.

Wanted a grassy pitch with pakistan unleashing Naseem.

What the hell is wrong with pcb.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Apparently it’s flat but let’s see. 2 more days to go

Either way many overs will be lost due to bad light and it’s also expected to rain for two of the days.

Pakistan should start test matches at 9:30 like we do in India to avoid losing overs.

 

[Abdullah719]

Waqar and Miandad.

Spoiler

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

Wanted a grassy pitch with pakistan unleashing Naseem.

What the hell is wrong with pcb.

PCB want a 5 day game!

Pakistan might lose this on 4th/5th chasing, post YK I don't see us chasing more than 150.

The question should be: Have PCB ever taken a sensible decision?

 

[Shafi]

Wanted a grassy pitch with pakistan unleashing Naseem.

What the hell is wrong with pcb.

It will backfire us. Our batsmen are rubbish. SL will win the match easily.
Safe oftion is make a super flat pitch and let Azhar/Shan to do tuk tuking whole day to draw the test.

 

[Deewana Mastana]

It will backfire us. Our batsmen are rubbish. SL will win the match easily.
Safe oftion is make a super flat pitch and let Azhar/Shan to do tuk tuking whole day to draw the test.

They'll bat 2 out of the 3 days then LOL!

 

[amvbfm]

It will backfire us. Our batsmen are rubbish. SL will win the match easily.
Safe oftion is make a super flat pitch and let Azhar/Shan to do tuk tuking whole day to draw the test.

If we are afraid of preparing green pitches against this SL bowling attack then we will forever languish at the bottom of the standings. Our pace attack if it bowls to its ability is way more potent than theirs and we should play to this strength.

 

[cricketjoshila]

It will backfire us. Our batsmen are rubbish. SL will win the match easily.
Safe oftion is make a super flat pitch and let Azhar/Shan to do tuk tuking whole day to draw the test.

What a great advt for the 1st real test in pakistan in 10 years!!!!

 

[cricketjoshila]

I hope its a good pitch. Hope to see Naseem get a game. Looking forward to this match.

 

[Shafi]

If we are afraid of preparing green pitches against this SL bowling attack then we will forever languish at the bottom of the standings. Our pace attack if it bowls to its ability is way more potent than theirs and we should play to this strength.

What a great advt for the 1st real test in pakistan in 10 years!!!!

We have lots of dead woods in the team with coward captain and head coach cum selector and bowling coach.

 

[Theo_14]

Apparently Fawad Alam will not start the 1st test. I hope I am wrong.

 

[Waleed93]

Wanted a grassy pitch with pakistan unleashing Naseem.

What the hell is wrong with pcb.

A green pitch will most probably expose our mediocre batsmen. It will be a similar situation to the recent Test against Australia when we were 90-6 before Babar and Yasir saved us from disgrace.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Apparently Fawad Alam will not start the 1st test. I hope I am wrong.

Hope he does but I heard that rumour as well, probably better cause he’ll get a full game in Karachi, he’s really good in Karachi as well.

 

[JibranAnsari]

it would be a miracle to get 80 plus overs in rawalpindi in this season , the test match will be short and sweet.

 

[AFM]

I hope Azhar fails badly but Pakistan still win

 

[Abdullah719]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Dimuth Karunaratne and Azhar Ali, the team captains with the series trophy (Pic via PCB) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PAKvSL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PAKvSL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a> <a href="https://t.co/0uMeVNGx7b">pic.twitter.com/0uMeVNGx7b</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1204342363063234562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2019</a></blockquote>
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[WhenSultansBowled]

I hope Azhar fails badly but Pakistan still win

He ain't going anywhere, doesn't matter his score.

Both Azhar/Shafiq are untouchables.

They are the Hafeez/Malik of this generation.

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Dimuth Karunaratne and Azhar Ali, the team captains with the series trophy (Pic via PCB) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PAKvSL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PAKvSL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a> <a href="https://t.co/0uMeVNGx7b">pic.twitter.com/0uMeVNGx7b</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1204342363063234562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The guy in middle was forced to be in this photo )

 

[Omer2002]

is that musa bowling in nets

 

[Junaids]

I respect you for that and apologize for the presumption in my last post.

My friend, I’m the one who was out of line. I deserved everything you wrote, to be honest.

Back to the match.

I don’t understand the concept of taking guys in their thirties around only to leave them on the bench. And that applies to Imran, Kashif and Fawad.

If they aren’t going to play, surely it’s better to have younger guys like Sami Aslam, Sameen Gul and Zafar Gohar who might benefit from netting with the country’s best players.

I fear a draw here. I remember Pakistan hosting India in November 1989: you could hardly get 70 overs in per day. That equates to less than four days of Test cricket, so a result would require either a green pitch or a crumbling one.

 

[Abdullah719]

is that musa bowling in nets

Yes.

 

[AAli98]

Baba & Yasir Shah should be batting at 3&4 you put your best batsman in those positions.

 

[Shafi]

If they aren’t going to play, surely it’s better to have younger guys like Sami Aslam, Sameen Gul and Zafar Gohar who might benefit from netting with the country’s best players.

Sami Aslam is a timid batsman shouldn't be no where near any Pakistan team

 

[Sean143]

Got the tickets for day 1
Can't wait for the return of test cricket to Pak.
After being in long queues for getting the tickets,I can safely say that Pindi stadium is going to be jam-packed for HBL PSL 5.
Not a pindi boy but gonna say it
'Masair jee duaa wheel vi chuksoo'

 

[Shoaibbtt]

My friend, I’m the one who was out of line. I deserved everything you wrote, to be honest.

Back to the match.

I don’t understand the concept of taking guys in their thirties around only to leave them on the bench. And that applies to Imran, Kashif and Fawad.

If they aren’t going to play, surely it’s better to have younger guys like Sami Aslam, Sameen Gul and Zafar Gohar who might benefit from netting with the country’s best players.

I fear a draw here. I remember Pakistan hosting India in November 1989: you could hardly get 70 overs in per day. That equates to less than four days of Test cricket, so a result would require either a green pitch or a crumbling one.

I feel bro that Fawad in particular get a full chance. He's paid his dues by playing in domestic for so long and is still very fit (old saying "you're only as old as you feel"). Fawad is one man i have to say i feel sorry for, he's made excellent strides and has only been ignored due to what can be best called dirty politics and assumptions to fool fans. For years you've had the very average Asad Shafiq and Azhar Ali steal those spots from hard working domestic performers like Fawad Alam, Saad Ali and Usman Salhuddin. Age is negligible if you are performing then who cares and Fawad has done that for years which people keep forgetting, even in his worst year he averaged 41 and that's saying something.

 

[The cricket enthusiast]

hoping for a green pitch.
not another bore fest please..

 

[Shoaibbtt]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Dimuth Karunaratne and Azhar Ali, the team captains with the series trophy (Pic via PCB) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PAKvSL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PAKvSL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a> <a href="https://t.co/0uMeVNGx7b">pic.twitter.com/0uMeVNGx7b</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1204342363063234562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Guy in the middle- "I was told there would kulfi at this thing, all i got left with was half a gulab jamman".

 

[Flat_Track_Bully]

Got the tickets for day 1
Can't wait for the return of test cricket to Pak.
After being in long queues for getting the tickets,I can safely say that Pindi stadium is going to be jam-packed for HBL PSL 5.
Not a pindi boy but gonna say it
'Masair jee duaa wheel vi chuksoo'

Pindi morning 1st day of a test match. Cricket is coming home boys.

 

[tyron_woodley]

please for God sake beat Sri Lanka atleast 1-0.

 

[HappyWarsFan]

Come On!!! Just play fawad. Tired of this joker Haris

 

[FreePalestine]

Is there a UK broadcast on sky? Or where can I find a high quality stream?

 

[Abdullah719]

Is there a UK broadcast on sky? Or where can I find a high quality stream?

Will be shown on Sony MAX UK.

 

[Kroll]

problem is pak batsmen cant play against decent spin.
so misbah ask for pitch favoring pacers

They cant play against spin, they cant play against pace, they cant play swing, cant play bounce, what can they play against?

 

[The cricket enthusiast]

They cant play against spin, they cant play against pace, they cant play swing, cant play bounce, what can they play against?

well .. ye tho bohot naazuk surat e haal hai

 

[The cricket enthusiast]

[MENTION=145143]Sean143[/MENTION]

whats that means.. well.. i translated that through google...
"Check out the Maser G medicine wheel " & im pretty sure they messed up

 

[prisha]

All the best to Pakistan. I hope they play well in the home grounds. I am always amazed when people say bitter things about home teams. Pakistan has inherent advantage of playing home grounds.

 

[Sean143]

[MENTION=145143]Sean143[/MENTION]

whats that means.. well.. i translated that through google...
"Check out the Maser G medicine wheel " & im pretty sure they messed up

Masair is basically the son of your mothers sister. Pindi boys usually call each other masair, pretty much like ***** is used by some people while talking in english.

Pindi boys are also quite mad and like to do one wheeling to look K3WL. So there was a meme a few years back
'raja jee dua wheel vi chukso'
The meaning of this jargon would be
"Bro lift both tyres while dooing one-wheeling".

 

[Manager101]

Any news of probable playing XI ?

 

[ask_analyse_act]

Several key questions here for the Impeachment of Misbah-ul-Haq.

Charge 1: That Kashif Bhatti is not the second best spinner in the country. Or even the spinner who bats the best. And at 33, most of his peers overseas have already retired.

Charge 2: Does Misbah know whom his best pace bowlers are? What are the numbers to justify selecting Imran Khan (domestic bowling average 49) or Usman Shinwari (15 wickets in 6 matches)?

Charge 3: The Chief Selector has recalled a 34 year old batsman with 781 domestic runs at an average of 71 instead of a 24 year old who scored 864 runs at an average of 79.

Who is that 24 year old batsman?

 

[Abdullah719]

Who is that 24 year old batsman?

Sami Aslam.

 

[Canistani Hero]

Is it a fast-bowling pitch? Why is everyone picking 3 fast bowlers and 1 spinner and 1-2 part time spinners?

Pindi has a tinge of green

 

[jnaveen1980]

Hope SL gives some fight.

 

[Realromeo]

they beat SA in SA

SL won 1 Test vs SA.

 

[HappyWarsFan]

SL won 1 Test vs SA.

No, they won 2-0. Check it for yourself.

 

[Slog]

SL won 1 Test vs SA.

Go check.

Also winning test series is test series

 

[Major]

Going to the match tommarow.

First time i will watch an itnernational match, first time i wil be watching a Test match.

Its going to be boring but i wil be there for only till lunch session.

its going to be a boring affair. They only sold tickets of shoaib akhtar enclousure to public. I dont understand why they didnt sold any other tickets to the public and whether there will be a crowd or not

 

[Major]

Got the tickets for day 1
Can't wait for the return of test cricket to Pak.
After being in long queues for getting the tickets,I can safely say that Pindi stadium is going to be jam-packed for HBL PSL 5.
Not a pindi boy but gonna say it
'Masair jee duaa wheel vi chuksoo'

highly doubt it, the tickets that were being sold in lines were for shoaib akthar enclorusrue. No one is selling tickets for other encloursures

 

[aloo paratha]

Azhar
Shan
Haris
Babar
Fawad
Shafiq
Rizwan
Yasir
Shaheen
Naseem
Abbas

This better be the XI or I'll be pisssed.

 

[Titan24]

Going to the match tommarow.

First time i will watch an itnernational match, first time i wil be watching a Test match.

Its going to be boring but i wil be there for only till lunch session.

its going to be a boring affair. They only sold tickets of shoaib akhtar enclousure to public. I dont understand why they didnt sold any other tickets to the public and whether there will be a crowd or not

Thats great. Enjoy the match and I hope Pak puts a good show.

 

[Titan24]

Azhar
Shan
Haris
Babar
Fawad
Shafiq
Rizwan
Yasir
Shaheen
Naseem
Abbas

This better be the XI or I'll be pisssed.

Azhar is playing one down I guess as it has been confirmed by team management too. So I guess only one of Haris or Fawad will play probably and there is a chance for Abid's debut as well.

 

[Major]

i went to Pindi TCS scheme 3. went there at 12 and stood for 2 hours, they only had 4 tickets left, and as i got to the counter i got thsoe 4 ticketts, i was the last guy. PHEWWW. Thank God got them

 

[HGhazanfar]

The only decent players to watch in this Pakistan team are Babar Azam, Fawad Alam and Naseem Shah, I hope they all play.

Shaheen and Rizwan are decent players but won't excite u too much.

 

[HGhazanfar]

After this series is the Bangladesh series, some how we need to manage to draw series and survive until the team changes. We should play the best in Pakistan leading into tours of England and New Zealand.

Ideally we should work towards a team consisting of:

Ahmed Shehzad
Sami Aslam
Abid Ali
Babar Azam C
Fawad Alam
M Rizwan WK
Ammad Butt
Zafar Gohar
Usman Shinwari
Shaheen Afridi
Naseem Shah

Bench
Imran Butt (Opener)
Haris Sohail (Middle Order)
M Abbas
Yasir Shah (Only for Asia as secondary spinner)

Imam and Shaan are no good as test openers, have not produced a single match winning or substantial innings with the large number of opportunities they got. Ahmed Shehzad and Sami Aslam are better options and have the game to score 100's top of the order. Zafar Gohar is the best young spinner and a decent bat as well. In foreign conditions better to play an offspinner rather than Yasir.

 

[H_shah]

Is it available on Willow or Hotstar in the states?
Best of luck to Pakistan.

Not sure about states but in india
I think hotstar has bought all the rights for indian home series aprt from that SONY shows all matches related to other countries and indian away series

 

[sharmaji]

Any idea about SL playing XI?

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Come On!!! Just play fawad. Tired of this joker Haris

News is he probably won’t play the 1st test. However, with all the patience Fawad has done, might as well endure this. Remember the saying subr kha pul meta hota hai (the fruits of patience are sweet)

 

[usmanraheel]

Is it available on Willow or Hotstar in the states?
Best of luck to Pakistan.

I believe Willow

 

[Khan12]

The only decent players to watch in this Pakistan team are Babar Azam, Fawad Alam and Naseem Shah, I hope they all play.

Shaheen and Rizwan are decent players but won't excite u too much.

Lol fawad will excite you but not shaheen.

 

[Titan24]

Any idea about SL playing XI?

Probably something like this depending upon the conditions:

Karunaratne
Thirimanne/ Fernando
Mendis
Chandimal
Mathews
Kusal Parera
Dickwella
Dilruwan Parera/ Lasith Embuldeniya
Rajitha
Vishwa Fernando
Lahiru Kumara/ Asitha Fernando

Dhananjaya de Silva can also play either as one of the openers or instead of Dickwella if Parera keeps.

 

[HGhazanfar]

Lol fawad will excite you but not shaheen.

With Fawads trigger movement, you always think the next ball is his last but he always seems to survive and play a big innings. A bit exciting compared to the other batters we have to forcefully watch like Shaan and Imam, Shafique and Azhar.

Shaheen is a great bowler but doesn't have the aggression and excitement that thrills you.

 

[Theo_14]

Is anyone putting their alarm on to watch the first ball of the innings? I certainly am! Lol.

What time does the match begin in UK time?

 

[KingT]

Is anyone putting their alarm on to watch the first ball of the innings? I certainly am! Lol.

What time does the match begin in UK time?

At 4:45AM

 

[Hawkeye]

Going to the match tommarow.

First time i will watch an itnernational match, first time i wil be watching a Test match.

Its going to be boring but i wil be there for only till lunch session.

its going to be a boring affair. They only sold tickets of shoaib akhtar enclousure to public. I dont understand why they didnt sold any other tickets to the public and whether there will be a crowd or not

That is pathetic if other enclosures are not open to the public.

let us know how it turns out

 

[Slog]

Fawad Alam will not be playing the first Tesr match.

 

[Slog]

Shafiq, Harris, Fawad and Iftikhar - Pick 2 for first Test v SL

So these 4 players are essentially playing for 2 spots in the middle order.

According to sources team management is going with Shafiq and Harris.

I would go with Shafiq and Fawad. Heck if Azhar wasn’t Captain I might have dropped him instead

Who do you pick?

 

[Slog]

Or even pick Azhar back to open and bring in Fawad Harris and Shafiq

 

[Junaids]

I won’t pick players over 30 - and I’ve shared a lift with Iftikhar and I know he is - unless they are consistently performing to a level which demonstrates no age-related decline.

And as soon as they have repeated overseas failures, they need to be permanently expelled from the squad.

So I consider Azhar and Shafiq and Haris to all be permanently ineligible for national selection.

If they have gone to the trouble of calling up Fawad, I’d pick him.

Because Azhar, Shafiq and Haris have no right to even be in the squad.

 

[Bullet Drive]

I won’t pick players over 30 - and I’ve shared a lift with Iftikhar and I know he is - unless they are consistently performing to a level which demonstrates no age-related decline.

And as soon as they have repeated overseas failures, they need to be permanently expelled from the squad.

So I consider Azhar and Shafiq and Haris to all be permanently ineligible for national selection.

If they have gone to the trouble of calling up Fawad, I’d pick him.

Because Azhar, Shafiq and Haris have no right to even be in the squad.

Agreed.

Azhar, Shafiq and Ifti OUT

Only Haris, Fawad should remain.

Openers should be Abdullah Shafique, and Shan Masood

 

[PAF]

So these 4 players are essentially playing for 2 spots in the middle order.

According to sources team management is going with Shafiq and Harris.

I would go with Shafiq and Fawad. Heck if Azhar wasn’t Captain I might have dropped him instead

Who do you pick?

Iftikhar is not even in the SQUAD. I would play the following top 6 batsman for the 1st Test.

Shan Masood
Azhar Ali
Haris Sohail
Babar Azam
Asad Shafiq
Fawad Alam

 

[KingT]

Agreed.

Azhar, Shafiq and Ifti OUT

Only Haris, Fawad should remain.

Openers should be Abdullah Shafique, and Shan Masood

Abdullah shafique? )
The guy made his first class debut last week and you want him in the team??
You're over hyping him

 

[KingT]

All Imam needs is one hundred to get his career going and I hope he does it in tomorrow's match if given the chance