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Pakistan's opening combination for the Tests in South Africa?

A

Asher

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Scenario 1.

Imam and Masood - both mediocre players and I'd be happily surprised if they get runs. If Imam fails , Fakhar replaces him. Next test series is after the world cup and all will be forgotten and Imam once again will be selected by uncle.

Scenario 2.
Imam and Fakhar opening - and same reasoning as above if Imam fails and will get selected again.

Scenario 3.
Shan and Fakhar - Shan and Fakhar will be given full series and with Imam to be benched only to be selected again after the world cup.

Scenario 4.
Azhar and Fakhar - Azhar to be made the sacrificial goat for the 1st 2 tests and anyone of the opening batsmen fail, Imam gets the last game and hence keeps his place for the following series.


So all in all, a win win situation for uncle and nephew..

I actually feel Azhar should be made to open permanently alongside Fakhar. That's our best chance?

What do you guys think?
 
Asher said:
Scenario 1.

Imam and Masood - both mediocre players and I'd be happily surprised if they get runs. If Imam fails , Fakhar replaces him. Next test series is after the world cup and all will be forgotten and Imam once again will be selected by uncle.

Scenario 2.
Imam and Fakhar opening - and same reasoning as above if Imam fails and will get selected again.

Scenario 3.
Shan and Fakhar - Shan and Fakhar will be given full series and with Imam to be benched only to be selected again after the world cup.

Scenario 4.
Azhar and Fakhar - Azhar to be made the sacrificial goat for the 1st 2 tests and anyone of the opening batsmen fail, Imam gets the last game and hence keeps his place for the following series.


So all in all, a win win situation for uncle and nephew..

I actually feel Azhar should be made to open permanently alongside Fakhar. That's our best chance?

What do you guys think?
Click to expand...

Yup. Of the current squad. Azhar and Fakhar is the best option.
 
Azhar and Fakhar should open. But the lack of specialist batsmen in the squad means that Imam is certain to play.
 
[MENTION=148540]Asher[/MENTION]

Well put,

Inzamam has got away with most of his dirty politics over the years.

As captain he ruined and destroyed Asim Kamal's career. Kept this joke Hafeez, Kamran Akmal and Malik in the team despite their averages dipping in the 20s.

He also was part of the revolt against Younis Khan in 2009 where we lost our best captain at that time just to protest these non-performing jokes Akmal, Malik, Afridi.


I feel Abid Ali is set become another Fawad Alam, who became another Asim Kamal. All thanks to Inzamam

High time PCB should be pressured to deal with this guy or he'll devastate our batting culture and merit
 
Azhar and Fakhar should have been the opening combination post CT.

Azhar's record is even better as an opener and has a solid defensive game to blunt the new ball to provide that platform for the middle order.

Fakhar at the other end bats at a good tempo and in domestics has the best record as an opener in recent times averaging 40+ @SR: 60.
 
In ancient days of cricket, single wicket tournaments were quite popular. 10 common fielders and 2 players used to compete each others even for like 2 innings games. Alfred Mann, Fuller Pilch and few others were great single wicket players and they were highly paid by Lords and Barons to play for their team/village/county. Quite interesting game as well - after every odd number run (or change of over), one batsman used to walk back to batting end and one single blower bowling non stop, but from both ends.

PAK should apply to ICC that this old game is revived and Imam should be allowed to play both sides of opening slot................. and he'll be given 2 chances to be out every innings.
 
[MENTION=147314]topspin[/MENTION]

They are just tying to fit in players. If Azhar opens then they have no one to bat at 3 apart from Babar Azam who averages 19 there. Haris is fixed at 2 down, Asad Shafiq can't be dropped or promoted another TTF. Arthur won't take stupid decision to play imam in the middle order.
 
JaanZeb said:
[MENTION=147314]topspin[/MENTION]

They are just tying to fit in players. If Azhar opens then they have no one to bat at 3 apart from Babar Azam who averages 19 there. Haris is fixed at 2 down, Asad Shafiq can't be dropped or promoted another TTF. Arthur won't take stupid decision to play imam in the middle order.
Click to expand...

Haris Sohail is a number 3, on fast wickets I believe he can bat at a good strike rate and has the best technique against pace. He can lift a team out of trouble but the problem with him is his lack of concentration and laziness.

Babar Azam is an ideal number 4.

Number 5 should be Shafiq until the SA series and then I would drop him since he isn't going to improve any further. He scores usless runs

Number 6 should be contested between Saad Ali, Umar Akmal and Saud Shakeel.

Wicket keeper needs to be changed to Rizwan.

Imam unfortunately has been exposed against the shorter ball and isn't international material. Another reason why he can't bat in the middle order is because he bats too sedately since he doesn't have much of a back foot game. He is a slightly better version of Sami Aslam who is also very poor.
 
I would have opened with Azhar and Zam, but inzi the useless has got rid of even Saad and Salhuddin, so you can't play Azhar as an opener.

Basically, its between the two nepotism openers for the 2nd slot now!
 
If Pakistan have to win
Go with fakahar and azhar with Rizwan in middle
 
Can’t believe we have no backup middle order batsmen
Rather they have selected Rizwan .Saad or Usman should be there
 
I think it should be Azhar and Fakhar (assuming he'll be fit on time). Although I get the feeling team management will select Azhar and Imam. I feel at the very least Azhar needs to go back to opening so that he'll blunt the new ball as much as he can and make batting easier for batsmen to come.
 
I've followed cricket only post 2009 T20 triumph so I'm not sure about inzamams previous doings. What I do understand is this guy seems very much a hypocrite. When he came, he was somewhat okay but ever since his nephew got into the team, he's done everything to accommodate him. To the extent of not dropping players without being given chances and also ignoring domestic performers. Most amazing thing of all is none of the media up until now have really questioned Imams lack of performance during the most recent 5 test matches.
 
Imam is out of form. Not expecting much from him in South Africa. Azhar batting at 3 is a disaster waiting to happen . Hopefully he is allowed to open.
 
Imam
Fakhar
Azhar
Haris
Shafiq
Babar
Sarfaraz
Yasir
Amir
Shaheen
Abbas

Expecting this for the first test..I wonder if the would try to bring Faheem as a fourth seamer
 
GLORY OF '92 said:
Playing Yasir is suicidal. Faheem must play. You don't need spin.
Click to expand...

6+4 is not going to work in SA, it’s not working in uae forget about west. You need 5+2 +3...And I would like Rizwan to replace Sarfraz...Rizwan is better place of pace than Sarfraz. No need to Inam:

If we want to give a fight this is my team:

1. Fakir
2. Azhar
3. Harris
4. Babar
5. Shafiq
6. Rizwan
7. Shadab
8. Faheem
9. Amir
10. Afridi
11. Abbas

With Shadab, Faheem and Amir we ensure tail can bat long, current tail is out in 5 overs regardless of condition which is damming, we last 2 test this year alpine in uae because of that.

Also Babar needs to bat higher, he would have Abg of 70/75 this year instead of 60, if he was batting but higher, our weak tail has reduced his potential, plus Shafiq plays better with tail.

Faheem is more than capable fourth seamer, we saw in England he was pretty good. Does not leak runs, have good control and can get top order wickets. He bowls bit of heavy ball, that will be handy in SA, at 138/140.

Four seamers ensure that they will all be fresh and bowling short and aggressive spells at good speeds and length. When you have to bowl 16/18 overs instead of 24 a day, you will be better off.

Shadab is better opinion than Yasir in west, actually we have never played Shadab in uae, he can get fifer here. I mean we were beaten by two debute spinners one of them was 34 years old with 20 FC matches. Looked like you can pick a guy from crowd, he can blow in uae against us :facepalm:

Shadab, Faheem and Amir combined will score more than any batsmen. They can play long innings, 25/30 plus overs and ensure we score 120/150 after 5 down. Don’t forget 40-80 overs is best time to bat in SA. Right now 5 down and 10 down is matter of 20/30 runs and literally 5 overs, that is not test cricket, we cannot make joke of ourselves all the time. Tail culture must change 🤬🤬🤬
 
Last edited:
yasir said:
6+4 is not going to work in SA, it’s not working in uae forget about west. You need 5+2 +3...And I would like Rizwan to replace Sarfraz...Rizwan is better place of pace than Sarfraz. No need to Inam:

If we want to give a fight this is my team:

1. Fakir
2. Azhar
3. Harris
4. Babar
5. Shafiq
6. Rizwan
7. Shadab
8. Faheem
9. Amir
10. Afridi
11. Abbas

With Shadab, Faheem and Amir we ensure tail can bat long, current tail is out in 5 overs regardless of condition which is damming, we last 2 test this year alpine in uae because of that.

Also Babar needs to bat higher, he would have Abg of 70/75 this year instead of 60, if he was batting but higher, our weak tail has reduced his potential, plus Shafiq plays better with tail.

Faheem is more than capable fourth seamer, we saw in England he was pretty good. Does not leak runs, have good control and can get top order wickets. He bowls bit of heavy ball, that will be handy in SA, at 138/140.

Four seamers ensure that they will all be fresh and bowling short and aggressive spells at good speeds and length. When you have to bowl 16/18 overs instead of 24 a day, you will be better off.

Shadab is better opinion than Yasir in west, actually we have never played Shadab in uae, he can get fifer here. I mean we were beaten by two debute spinners one of them was 34 years old with 20 FC matches. Looked like you can pick a guy from crowd, he can blow in uae against us :facepalm:

Shadab, Faheem and Amir combined will score more than any batsmen. They can play long innings, 25/30 plus overs and ensure we score 120/150 after 5 down. Don’t forget 40-80 overs is best time to bat in SA. Right now 5 down and 10 down is matter of 20/30 runs and literally 5 overs, that is not test cricket, we cannot make joke of ourselves all the time. Tail culture must change 🤬🤬🤬
Click to expand...

You have forgotten the captain. Even if he doesn't perform he will still be in the team.
 
Keeping in mind the squad and realities the best team we can put in is :
Azhar
Fakhar
Haris
Asad
Babar
Sarfraz
Shadab
Faheem
Amir/Hasan
Abbas
Shaheen
 
Not sue how Ahmed Shazad's domestic form has been maybe look at him and Fawad Alam in the test team, they both can also turn theyre arms over
 
Azhar and Fakhar should open in first two Tests.

If Azhar or Fakhar have terrible performances than if it's Azhar move him to number 3 again and if it's Fakhar than bring in Shan Masood as opener replacing Fakhar.

Bouncers would be very very dangerous for Imam ul Haq. After that blow from Ferguson he is really scary and all over the place. Life is more imp atm than Cricket.


Shan scored 352 vs NZ A in four innings with 2 hundreds at a SR of 72. He also did very well against Steyn & Philander once hence Shan needs a go ahead of Imam ul Haq if required.
 
Ali_Pakistan said:
Keeping in mind the squad and realities the best team we can put in is :
Azhar
Fakhar
Haris
Asad
Babar
Sarfraz
Shadab
Faheem
Amir/Hasan
Abbas
Shaheen
Click to expand...

yup this team will compete if not win but this combo is too much to expect from legendary coach and captain, and than we wonder whats wrong with this team,,,
 
Azhar has decent record and experience as opener in Test Cricket at opposition's home.

With Azhar opening we can slot Faheem and Rizwan both in playing eleven.

Personally I would have liked Saud Shakeel in playing eleven. I hope and pray that Rizwan proves me wrong.
 

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I think this series its Imam and Fakhar...followed by Azhar and I so want Asad the dimwitted mouse to show up his hand and bat at 4 but he wont.

Azhar and Fakhar wont work because Inzy has taken care of that by dropping Saad Ali.
 
Ideally Azhar and Fahkar

I don’t expect to do well but they have a chance

Shan and imam will probably be like playing with 9 men
 
I think it should be Fakhar and Masood,
Imam is out of form i think and Azhar needs to be in the middle. Shan is in good form so hopefully we will play good.
 
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a_tahir said:
You have forgotten the captain. Even if he doesn't perform he will still be in the team.
Click to expand...

I have not forgot, he needs to be dropped, we need to move on from Sarfraz...Maybe rest of the Pakistan will follow suite year from now, after WC debacle, standard operating procedure for PCB...
 
Providing everyone is fit, this should be the XI for the 1st Test:

Azhar
Fakhar
Haris
Asad
Babar
Sarfraz
Shadab
Faheem
Amir
Abbas
Afridi
 
Is there anything we can do to get rid of Inzimam? Like can the whole nation vote him out? Peaceful demonstrations outside PCB requesting him to step down?
 
considering the fact that we have so many openers on tour and Azhar Ali is starting to get back his form a bit, I would keep Azhar Ali at 3.

My top 6:

Fakhar Zaman
Shan Masood
Azhar Ali
Haris Sohail
Babar Azam
Asad Shafiq
 
Fakhar Zaman will definitely be first choice and I would take Shan Masood over Imam-ul-Haq.
 
gazza619 said:
considering the fact that we have so many openers on tour and Azhar Ali is starting to get back his form a bit, I would keep Azhar Ali at 3.

My top 6:

Fakhar Zaman
Shan Masood
Azhar Ali
Haris Sohail
Babar Azam
Asad Shafiq
Click to expand...

This is a good choice in my opinion too. but management will go with Imam.
 
Looks like it will be Fakhar and Imam, unless the team management wants to play two all-rounders, in which case, Azhar may be promoted with possibly Imam sitting out.
 
Abdullah719 said:
Looks like it will be Fakhar and Imam, unless the team management wants to play two all-rounders, in which case, Azhar may be promoted with possibly Imam sitting out.
Click to expand...

No way Imam will sit out after his innings today
 
Azhar and Fakhar would be my preference but of course we have to shoehorn one of Shan or Imam.

We'll be 20-2 no matter what.
 
Azhar and Fakhar would be the ideal choice. But Imams second Innings score has cemented his place.
 
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