Pakistan's bowling attack for the 2018/19 tour of South Africa

[Jazbaa-pak]

With the South Africa tour coming up, I am quite interested to know the bowlers that we will pick for the tour . Below is my analysis

1. Abbas - a given. Will do really well on this tour IA.

2. Mir Hamza - lacks pace but does swing it both ways. Should be given an opportunity is the conditions that suite him most

3. Aamir?? - I doubt he will be picked and in fact would be strange to keep him out of international action for months and suddenly pick him for key series. Although he may get the nod due to expected conditions in SA.

4. Wahab?? - I feel he will be ignored like the England tour and rightly so.

5. Hasan Ali - I am not convinced that he is a test bowler and hasn't done enough to justify his place. He will get selected though as seems to be preferred by team management.

6. Faheem / Shadab - both will tour and imo rightly so. Faheem should play more games on this tour than Shadab but he needs to work on his batting otherwise will be a walking wickets.

7 Shaheen / Junaid - could potentially include either of them for this tour and believe Shaheen will tour.

What are your predictions?

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Abbas
Amir
Hasan Ali
Mir Hamza
Faheem
Shaheen

Yasir
Shadab

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

First choice bowling attack should be:

Abbas
Amir
Shaheen/Hasan
Faheem
Yasir

 

[Salman4.]

Bring back Ehsan Adil.

 

[b.lesner]

1. Mohammad Abbas
2. Mir Hamza
3. Sadaf hussain
4. Fahim Ashraf / Hasan Ali
5. Yasir Shah
6. Bilal Asif / Mohammad Asghar

 

[pakistanigoneaussie]

1. Abbas
2. Amir
3. Shaheen
4. Hasan
5. Mir Hamza if he performs well against NZ

 

[Jazbaa-pak]

Abbas
Amir
Hasan Ali
Mir Hamza
Faheem
Shaheen

Yasir
Shadab

This will be the most likely selection.

Do we have any rookie seamers that could potentially get the nod? It appears that we are lacking an out and out swing bowler these days. We have decent seam bowlers (Abbas, Hasan, Shaheen) but apart from Mir Hamza and Aamir (if he turns up), I cannot think of anyone else. Who knows may be we will see the legend Rahat Ali again?

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

This will be the most likely selection.

Do we have any rookie seamers that could potentially get the nod? It appears that we are lacking an out and out swing bowler these days. We have decent seam bowlers (Abbas, Hasan, Shaheen) but apart from Mir Hamza and Aamir (if he turns up), I cannot think of anyone else. Who knows may be we will see the legend Rahat Ali again?

Rahat Ali has already booked his place in the history books of test cricket as one of the ATG specialist No.11's this game has ever seen. He should do himself a favor and retire while he's on top.

 

[starteam]

Dear Pakistan Crickets lover.

We need good quality bowlers to counter the SA tour coming up,tour
I go for Junaid Khan, Abbas, Shaheen, Muhammad Sami i believe that he is still good speed attack we need the speed and swing bowler to perform.

For Batting Line up.

We need iman,Hazfeez,Azhar, Shafiq,Fawad,baber,to face south africa bowling attack .

I wish Pakistan to continue the great performance a head.

Pakistan Zindabad ...

With the South Africa tour coming up, I am quite interested to know the bowlers that we will pick for the tour . Below is my analysis

1. Abbas - a given. Will do really well on this tour IA.

2. Mir Hamza - lacks pace but does swing it both ways. Should be given an opportunity is the conditions that suite him most

3. Aamir?? - I doubt he will be picked and in fact would be strange to keep him out of international action for months and suddenly pick him for key series. Although he may get the nod due to expected conditions in SA.

4. Wahab?? - I feel he will be ignored like the England tour and rightly so.

5. Hasan Ali - I am not convinced that he is a test bowler and hasn't done enough to justify his place. He will get selected though as seems to be preferred by team management.

6. Faheem / Shadab - both will tour and imo rightly so. Faheem should play more games on this tour than Shadab but he needs to work on his batting otherwise will be a walking wickets.

7 Shaheen / Junaid - could potentially include either of them for this tour and believe Shaheen will tour.

What are your predictions?

 

[PakSarZameen]

Tests: Abbas Amir Hasan Shadab Faheem - Shaheen and Junaid on bench

ODIs: Amir Junaid Hasan Fahim Imad - Shaheen, Shadab and Shinwari on bench

T20s: Amir Hasan Fahim Imad Shadab - Shaheen and Shinwari on bench

 

[Sunny_majoka]

Tests: Abbas Amir Hasan Shadab Faheem - Shaheen and Junaid on bench

ODIs: Amir Junaid Hasan Fahim Imad - Shaheen, Shadab and Shinwari on bench

T20s: Amir Hasan Fahim Imad Shadab - Shaheen and Shinwari on bench

On what bases you have picked amir ahead of shaheen. Amir needs permanent rest from international cricket.

 

[CadPakFan]

On what basis do people believe Yasir will be successful in South Africa?

 

[Bilal7]

Tests: Abbas, Amir, Junaid, Hamza, Riaz, Shah, Shadab.

ODIs: Hasan, Amir, Junaid, Shaheen, Fahim, Shadab, Imad.

T20s: Hasan, Shaheen, Amir, Fahim, Yamin, Shadab, Imad, Asghar.

Amir should be brought back for all formats, he's well suited to the pitches in South Africa.

Riaz may have been poor in recent times but he gives Pakistan something different to the rest of the bowlers: pure pace.

 

[Bilal7]

On what basis do people believe Yasir will be successful in South Africa?

Based on his being the best test match spin-bowler in the world.

 

[Sarwar89]

Who will be Pakistan’s 3rd Seamer in South Africa Test Series

After Hasan Ali’s heroics today. It appears Mohammad Abbass and him are definitely going to play as leading seamers role in South Africa (3 match Test Serie) but who will be 3rd Seamer ?

1) Mohammad Aamer
2) Shaheen Shah Afridi
3) Wahab Riaz
4) Muhammad Irfan jr (2)
5) Rahat Ali
6) Hamza
7) Sadaf Hussain.

I would personally go for experience and will opt Aamer for 1st Test. Secondly he can bat as well. Tail enders runs will be vital in South Africa.

 

[Ab Fan]

Take Amir and Shaheen both to SA and then decide one of two.

 

[Kohli The King of Chase]

Pak should play 4 genuine seamers.

07.Sarfraz + *
08.Amir
09.Hassan
10.Shaheen
11.Abbas

Amir, Abbas to share the new ball.

Haris, the lone spinner.

 

[Azeem Zafar]

We should take 6 fast bowlers with squad for SA tests:

1. Abbas
2. Hasan
3. Amir/Shaheen/Hamza
4. Fahim

 

[warcry]

Abbas
Shaheen
Hasan
Faheem

these must be played in every match
no need for spinners. Haris Sohail is enough. If the pitches in south africa are like they were against india, 250 is a winning score, with the match decided in the first 30 overs of first 2 innings. remember that india won at johannesburg with 4 seamers, therefore pakistan does not need to pick a spinner.

Amir should be part of the squad as well, as carrying drinks is an important job.

 

[topspin]

Azhar
Fakhar
Haris
Babar
Shafiq
Sarfraz
Faheem
B.Asif
Amir/Hasan Ali
Shaheen
Abbas

 

[GLORY OF '92]

Azhar
Fakhar
Haris
Babar
Shafiq
Sarfraz
Faheem
B.Asif
Amir/Hasan Ali
Shaheen
Abbas

Lol at Asif

Imam
Fakhar
Azhar
Harris
Shafiq
Babar
Sarf
Faheem/Yasir
Hasan
Abbas
Shaheen.

What a line up

 

[Usman Chadda]

Amir has to earn his place back in the team. Faheem, Abbas and Hasan will form a potent attack, with Shaheen as back-up

 

[TeymurBlake]

5 pacers should be taken. Hasan Ali and Mohammad Abbas have nailed down a spot for themselves. I would suspect Mir Hamza and potentially Shaheen Shah Afridi are the others bowlers to be taken but Mohammad Amir could easily replace them instead. I suspect the final spot will go to Faheem Ashraf who is gives more of an option with the bat.

I personally would want

1. Mohammad Abbas
2. Hasan Ali
3. Shaheen Shah Afridi
4. Mir Hamza
5. Faheem Ashraf

 

[Hasan123]

Hasan Ali
Abbas
Shaheen
Yasir Shah

 

[Faisaltbutt]

What about mohammad asif

 

[barah_admi]

Pakistan need to bring Amir back, he has that extra pace, early swing and reverse. No idea why he has been so thoroughly discarded, although last I heard he had a good game in the domestic circuit.

So, with that in mind:

New ball - Abbas and Amir

First change - Ali

Second change - Ashraf (his batting will be required)

Spinners - Shah and Khan

Essentially 6 bowlers but two of them can bat well, and two or three more can add a few quick runs. Heck, I might as well put out the team I'd love to see play:

1. Imam
2. Zaman
3. Ali
4. Azam
5. Sarfraz
6. Khan
7. Ashraf
8. Amir
9. Shah
10. Ali
11. Abbas

They can always change it up with Sohail, Salahuddin (warrants another go) or Hafeez in the middle order, with one of the bowlers making way. I love the idea of two leggies playing in tandem, they oculd really scupper the saffers.

 

[The Googly]

Fakhar
Azhar
Haris
Babar
Asad
Sarfraz
Shadab
Amir
Hasan
Shaheen
Abbas

 

[iPakistani]

1. Mohammad Abbas.
2. Hasan Ali.
3. Mohammad Amir.
4. Shaheen Shah.
5. Faheem Ashraf.

 

[The Googly]

Please have the courage to play 5 bowlers in South Africa

Shadab can bat. The bouncy pitches will help him.

Shadab and then a four prong pace attack of Abbas, Amir, Shaheen, Hasan.

And Fakhar has to open.

Please don’t go defensive. Attack the Saffers with bat and ball and be positive.

Or it’s a 3-0 drubbing for us.

 

[topspin]

Lol at Asif

Imam
Fakhar
Azhar
Harris
Shafiq
Babar
Sarf
Faheem/Yasir
Hasan
Abbas
Shaheen.

What a line up

I think Imam will get exposed on faster wickets if he tries to bat at his usual tempo, so I'm not so keen on playing him in SA and certainly not in ODIs.

Bilal Asif funnily enough could be Pakistan's trump card because he thrives on bouncy surfaces and SA are vulnerable against right arm finger spin evident by the mauling they got from Moeen Ali in the most recent home and away series against England.

Primarily the role of a spinner on days 1 -3 is defensive however but Yasir Shah is not great at holding up an end on non-turning wickets, as we witnessed during the last tour of Aus! It was a blessing in disguise for the team that he got injured just prior to the England series earlier in the year. This was also a view held by numerous posters on here once it was announced on a thread and I would smugly say we were probably right going by the lack of turn on offer in the England Spring/early Summer period.

 

[Hawkeye]

Amir
Abbas
Hasan
Shaheen
Yasir/Shadab

Can't get any better than this.

Keep the hopping gun barrel straight trundler Junaid out.

 

[MMHS]

There are at least 2 more threads on this, should be merged.

Coming to the topic, two of the 3 Tests are scheduled on high lands (over 2000mt altitude), at Centurion & J’burg - and these two are least spin friendly wickets in SAF. Don’t think there is any point to play a spinner there, when Haris can bowl 10-12 overs/innings (that’ll be maximum requirement in 100 overs). If they carry Hafeez also in playing XI as specialist batsman, then there is absolutely no use of a specialist spinner in those 2 venues. I belive PAK played one Test in 1994 at J’burg with 4 pacers & Sohail as spinner, this time also another Sohail should be the only spinner. Amir, Abbas, Hasan & Shaheen will be my 4 bowlers for 1st & 3rd Test. Abbas can bowl long spells (may be 25 overs in a 90 overs day), Hasan & Amir 19 each while Shaheen to bowl absolute flat out 17 - that’s 80 overs, and Haris to bowl 10 overs quickly (to manage the over rate). Next morning, before lunch 4 pacers can bowl 25 over between them - that’s 115 overs with Haris bowling maximum 12 overs. I don’t think this SAF will survive beyond 4 sessions unless fielders drop half a dozen.

For the Newlands Test, 1 spinner is must - added Haris with that, it makes 1.5 spinners. The way Yasir is bowling in latest Test, I don’t think there should be much debate on who should be the spinner. Bilal isn't an option, I would like to pick a leggi as 1st spinner - and that’s for the squad, provided that Yasir’s fitness is full proofed. For the 3 pacers, depending on the amount of grass, I’ll pick 2 of Amir, Hasan & Afridi. Before today, it was AAA for sure, but Hasan bowled exceptionally well, therefore it’s a sweet selection headache. Hasan is my MoM if PAK wins this Test easily, or unless Babar/Haris doesn’t need to play a 75* to win it. If it’s a greenish wicket, Amir should still play, but if it’s typical dry Newlands wicket (one like previous SAF-IND Test before the latest one last year), I think Hasan has a good case for his selection. In any case Afridi is a must for all Tests, for a bowling lineup vertically challenged big time.

6 batsmen are must & I would suggest Sarfaraz to bat at 5 (or 9 ) - the reason is at no. 7, most likely he’ll face the 2nd new ball immediately after coming to bat - it won’t work in SAF against their pacers.

For the squad, along with those 4 pacers, they should pick couple of “hit the deck” tall pacers for net practice, preferably right armer, otherwise PAK’s batting against Steyn, Philander, Rabada & N’gidi won’t be pleasant viewing. May be, they should pick couple from Arshad, Irfan Jr, Sameen Gul, Asif (the other one) in the squad for net purpose. Hamza can be in squad, but don’t think Wahab, Shiwari or Rahat deserves a squad call.

 

[giri26]

Pakistan's bowling is not going to be an issue, the batting will be the main problem. Hasan, Yasir, Abbas and whoever the 4th bowler is will do well in SA but how Pakistan's batting play against Steyn, Philander, Rabada, Maharaj and Ngidi will determine the course of the series. It is not going to be easy. Remember Pakistan was bowled out under 50 with a batting line up of Misbah, Younis, Shafiq, Azhar.

 

[Ab Fan]

Pakistan batting will eventually decide the course of the series. It is tough out there to stood up against Rabada, Philander, Ngidi(or Steyn), Maharaj in SA. Philander himself is so devastating in SA, don't need to say.

 

[Chief Destroyer]

The pacers pick themselves. Yasir or Shadab depending on the pitch.

 

[coy0607]

Yasir, Abbas are locks. Hassan earned his place to start the SA series after the 5er

That leaves 1 spot, probably for another pacer since at least Haris will be in the team, and possibly Hafeez as well.

Amir is probably the appropriate answer for the third pacer, he's taking wickets and I don't think selectors will leave him out of a big tour. Shaheen, Faheem and Shadab on the bench

 

[Justcrazy]

If the pitches are like that was against India , Pakistan should go in with Abbas , Hassan , Shaheen , faheem . No need of specialist spinner. harris Sohail and Azhar Ali can bowl few overs of spin required.