Pakistan's ODI batting line up needs to be reconstructed!

[NauV]

As always, there is absolutely no wisdom in how we have constructed our batting line up in ODIs . . Problem started when Hafeez and Malik left and Harris Sohail fell through and has been there since! Even worse . . we have tried folks like Danish at #4!

This line up has no batting after number 3 . . Rizwan . . I don't think he is an ODI number 4 . . no evidence he can succeed at that level . . Today is case in point . .he came in with Pakistan cruising . . instead of injecting momentum and guiding to a score, he almost sucked out momentum scoring just 15 in 23 balls

Rizwan isn't an ODI number 4 . . He needs to have complete clarity of role which is either build (which he can at t20 level from the top) or get out or hit out (which he can do at number 6 or something or after the 35 over mark) . .

Coming back to this line up . . There is no evidence, batting line up from #4 onwards can get Pak a score from 80/3 around the 20th over mark which is a very plausible and regular scenario in ODI cricket . .

We need a proper batter at number 4 and perhaps Rizwan can shift down to 5 . . If Harris is done, then we need a like for like replacement . . If Abdullah Shafiq is that guy, get him in NOW! but the likes of Haris, etc. are not top 5 batters in a long game . . not at this stage anyway . .

Time is running out . . world cup is a year away . . and as always there has been no effort to fix the issue . . and it has been ongoing for a while now . .

The team literally hinges on the top 3 getting a score every single time . . as long as that happens and we win, no one bats an eye . . we have a big problem and it will bite us in the backside if it's not addressed now!

 

[ads101]

I’d probably go with
1. Imam
2. Rizwan
3. Babar
4. Fakhar
5. Iftikhar
6. Khushadil
7. Nawaz

I think Fakhar is a very good batsman but as an opener doesn’t consistently get starts. Rizwan I believe will do that and I could see Fakhar strengthening middle order and finding it easier to get starts middle order.

 

[Nasty Naz]

Haris Sohail last 7 scores in ODI's: 71, 56, 40, 6, 27, 68, 89. He got dropped for being poor in T20's & Tests but its not an accurate reflection of what he has been as an ODI batsmen.

Might be too old, too injured and with too many fitness to come back but should warrant serious consideration if he is healthy. Pakistan's biggest problem at the moment is the #4 spot which is occupied by Rizwan but he hasn't been good there at all.

 

[MenInG]

The current line up could benefit with Shan Masood in my view.

 

[Marooned]

This. Haris Sohail needs to come back.

 

[hitthestump]

Did you start watching cricket yesterday? Pakistan haven't had a middle order in ODI since Yousuf and Inzi were around.

 

[Marooned]

Rizwan should not play at 4. He should bat at the last batsman position. His busy style suits that position. He looks a bit like a fish out of water in middle order and struggles to construct his innings, as compared his batting in tests and t20s where he knows his role well.

 

[NauV]

Did you start watching cricket yesterday? Pakistan haven't had a middle order in ODI since Yousuf and Inzi were around.

There is a difference between having a quality middle order vs. just having a middle order in the way its constructed . . my contention is currently we don't have a middle order . . whether you like Malik, Hafeez, Harris, etc. is a different story . . they formed the middle order . . currently, there is no middle order . . they think having a bunch of unproven/gung-ho all rounders is the way to score 350 in ODIs . . and so there is no genuine batter after number 3 . . I think its the wrong approach! We need a proper batter at number 4 at the minimum

 

[NeVerMind]

This. Haris Sohail needs to come back.

Shan Masood over Haris anyday as the former is educated and always trying to improve by working on his weaknesses...

 

[shamaan]

I don't think Pakistan will move Rizwan down the order.

 

[Prince of Pakistan]

I don't think Pakistan will move Rizwan down the order.

The only way Rizzy can be useful in limited overs is by batting in the first 30 overs thus opening the batting.

Fakhar is pretty decent against spin and batting at 4 might get us quick runs from overs 30-40. That's also the period we tuk tuk the most.

 

[shamaan]

The only way Rizzy can be useful in limited overs is by batting in the first 30 overs thus opening the batting.

Fakhar is pretty decent against spin and batting at 4 might get us quick runs from overs 30-40. That's also the period we tuk tuk the most.

I don't think they will even think about Fakhar batting at 4 he will only open in odis.Rizwan should open but that won't happen as they will continue with imaam and fakhar.but we do have an issue at 4/5

 

[Zeshan547]

The only way Rizzy can be useful in limited overs is by batting in the first 30 overs thus opening the batting.

Fakhar is pretty decent against spin and batting at 4 might get us quick runs from overs 30-40. That's also the period we tuk tuk the most.

That's should be very logical step, plus we already have enough sample size in last t20 wc that this combo of having fakhar in middle order can work. You either play Rizwan as opener or just don't play him because he is useless elsewhere.

 

[Shafi]

Need to get rid of Saqlain first. He is as bad as Misbah if not worse. Need a professional coach. Also M Yousuf along with tait need to be replaced by professional coaches. Also we need a good fielding coach.

 

[BunnyRabbit]

Haris is one guy who had improved leaps and bounds in LOIs under Mickey and has since suffered due to the biased nature of powerpoint selector. He was dropped from the ODIs squad after performing poorly in tests in NZ.

 

[hitthestump]

Haris is one guy who had improved leaps and bounds in LOIs under Mickey and has since suffered due to the biased nature of powerpoint selector. He was dropped from the ODIs squad after performing poorly in tests in NZ.

Everyone becomes the saviour when they are out of the team but really it was far from the first time that Haris had fitness issues. The line has to be drawn somewhere. Haris then played domestic but was unable to restake his claim so that was that.

 

[Kroll]

The previous regime is to blame for the lack of structure and balance to the team. Pals, favourites and players well past their peak were preferred over up and coming options which has now left the team in a weak position.

 

[gazza619]

I actually dont agree with you at all.

If there is a spot for Rizwan in the ODI XI, it is number 4.

I also have very high hopes for M Haris doing well at number 5.

This ODI XI is actually the best we have had in the last 15 years or so.

 

[mahmed]

Everyone becomes the saviour when they are out of the team but really it was far from the first time that Haris had fitness issues. The line has to be drawn somewhere. Haris then played domestic but was unable to restake his claim so that was that.

Yes, Agreed. The main reason for dropping him was his fitness. And he couldn't play 3-4 games without a break due to fitness issues.

 

[hitthestump]

The previous regime is to blame for the lack of structure and balance to the team. Pals, favourites and players well past their peak were preferred over up and coming options which has now left the team in a weak position.

Like who?

 

[BunnyRabbit]

Everyone becomes the saviour when they are out of the team but really it was far from the first time that Haris had fitness issues. The line has to be drawn somewhere. Haris then played domestic but was unable to restake his claim so that was that.

You may be correct but the thing is Haris never lost form in ODIs to get dropped. Even in his last series he scored half centuries.
If the fitness rules are to be followed then they should be consistent. Why did Sharjeel and Azam get picked after axing of Haris (if fitness was the reason) in 2021? Pretty sure Haris is a much better runner than either of the two.

 

[Justcrazy]

Pakistan need proper white ball coach , that should be the first thing , Saqlain is good as spin coach , nothing more.

 

[Shafi]

Pakistan need proper white ball coach , that should be the first thing , Saqlain is good as spin coach , nothing more.

Exactly!!!! Saqlain is the cheap option (Money saving) for PCB for time being. Hope they don't hang on to him after 2022 T20 World Cup.

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This is the first instance of Pakistan batters grabbing the top two positions in the ODI rankings - Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/SajSadiqCricket/status/1536997075539329025?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
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