What's new

People who wrote off Imam-ul-Haq before even giving him a chance, please show up for some humble pie

Abdul

Abdul

ODI Debutant
Joined
Jul 1, 2015
Runs
9,212
I'm not arguing the fact that he has a very poor record in List A cricket but it was disgusting how some people were waiting anxiously for him to fail miserably!
 
Yes because having a List A average of 36 and having your mamoo as chief selector didn't reek of nepotism.
 
He doesnt have a poor record by any means. He's just started out. There are a lot of fluctuations in stats early on in their careers. One slow inning can change the strike rate massively. In Latham's first 9-10 odis he had an average of 30 and a strike rate of over 100. :p
Plus he was very good in u19 tournaments which dont count as list a games.
 
Both Fakhar and Imam can become really valuable for Pak in the long run
 
You just can't satisfy some people. The lad could have averaged over a hundred in domestics and critics would still call his selection nepotism. He's been one of the top performers in Pakistan over the last couple of years and is one of the brightest, young batting talents in Pakistan along with Sami Aslam and Babar Azam.
 
Syed1 said:
Yes because having a List A average of 36 and having your mamoo as chief selector didn't reek of nepotism.
Click to expand...

He was well thought of WAY before Inzi became the chief selector.

Imam is a quality prospect.
 
Syed1 said:
Yes because having a List A average of 36 and having your mamoo as chief selector didn't reek of nepotism.
Click to expand...

Imam was one of the best openers in last season's Quaid-e-Azam Trophy but Inzamam didn't pick him as he felt he wasn't ready.

He's only 21 so there's room for further improvement in his numbers. People were crying out for youngsters to be selected, especially for a series against a weaker Sri Lanka ODI team in UAE, yet people are still complaining.
 
Markhor said:
Imam was one of the best openers in last season's Quaid-e-Azam Trophy but Inzamam didn't pick him as he felt he wasn't ready.

He's only 21 so there's room for further improvement in his numbers. People were crying out for youngsters to be selected, especially for a series against a weaker Sri Lanka ODI team in UAE, yet people are still complaining.
Click to expand...

Basically this.

Looked high class since his u19 days.

You're looking at our future captain boys and girls
 
Nobody wrote him off. Some just thought there are better options available.
 
His uncle is sitting somewhere with a huge smile on his face....
 
Based on his record he didn't deserve to be selected but he is young and is a solid prospect, SR can be fixed, it's just about intent.

He was selected so I obviously wanted him to do well, didn't have high expectations though.
 
wasimjunior said:
Basically this.

Looked high class since his u19 days.

You're looking at our future captain boys and girls
Click to expand...

What captaincy experience does he have and have you seen him in the battlefield when he was making tactical moves as a leader?
 
Markhor said:
Imam was one of the best openers in last season's Quaid-e-Azam Trophy but Inzamam didn't pick him as he felt he wasn't ready.

He's only 21 so there's room for further improvement in his numbers. People were crying out for youngsters to be selected, especially for a series against a weaker Sri Lanka ODI team in UAE, yet people are still complaining.
Click to expand...

Pretty decent season for Imam also considering the nature of the pitches :facepalm:
 
Seems like an ideal opener to chase down these type of low totals. Will struggle big time to up the ante when the asking rate right from the start is 6+.
 
fawad_wellwisher said:
Seems like an ideal opener to chase down these type of low totals. Will struggle big time to up the ante when the asking rate right from the start is 6+.
Click to expand...

Our bowling isn't allowing teams to cross 250, you are talking about over 300.
 
Haha they are busy eating humble pies. Told all before you gotta see what he has to offer. He did offer a 100. Keep an eye on him for next 3-5 innings. He 'll get better
 
Markhor said:
Imam was one of the best openers in last season's Quaid-e-Azam Trophy but Inzamam didn't pick him as he felt he wasn't ready.

He's only 21 so there's room for further improvement in his numbers. People were crying out for youngsters to be selected, especially for a series against a weaker Sri Lanka ODI team in UAE, yet people are still complaining.
Click to expand...

Absolutely,..lots of posters are not aware and just check averages and make assumptions.
 
I accept the kid showed confidence, but look at the levl of opposition also. He was dropped on 89, given singles with their pathetic field sets.

He averages 36, just think of the players who average 40+ like Fawad Alam, Umar Amin or Farhan would've done.

Our youngsters and our domestic setup however it is, it is way better that the seniors playing in our team rite now.
 
pkwdpassion said:
I accept the kid showed confidence, but look at the levl of opposition also. He was dropped on 89, given singles with their pathetic field sets.

He averages 36, just think of the players who average 40+ like Fawad Alam, Umar Amin or Farhan would've done.

Our youngsters and our domestic setup however it is, it is way better that the seniors playing in our team rite now.
Click to expand...

he was dropped on 89. And that makes him nothing special?
 
ExpressPacer said:
You just can't satisfy some people. The lad could have averaged over a hundred in domestics and critics would still call his selection nepotism. He's been one of the top performers in Pakistan over the last couple of years and is one of the brightest, young batting talents in Pakistan along with Sami Aslam and Babar Azam.
Click to expand...

The question is not whether he has been a performer, he has, albeit in FC more than LA. The question is whether there were others who deserved selection more than him.
 
Markhor said:
Imam was one of the best openers in last season's Quaid-e-Azam Trophy but Inzamam didn't pick him as he felt he wasn't ready.

He's only 21 so there's room for further improvement in his numbers. People were crying out for youngsters to be selected, especially for a series against a weaker Sri Lanka ODI team in UAE, yet people are still complaining.
Click to expand...

Quaid-e-Azam is not LOI cricket. Get your formats straight.
 
zn426 said:
Tell that to the team that hasn't allowed a 300+ score in 7 straight matches.
Click to expand...

You somehow forget the 'Phainty' we got from India before that. Truth is teams like Australia, India, and SA are not going to just roll over and get out cheaply every time. The bowling unit delivering so far but at some point in time, the batsmen will be asked to chase a big total which is why we need batsmen who are able to play the modern version of attacking cricket.
 
Looks technically strong, needs to improve his strike rate but he's only 21 so he has time. Definitely something to work with.
 
pkwdpassion said:
I accept the kid showed confidence, but look at the levl of opposition also. He was dropped on 89, given singles with their pathetic field sets.

He averages 36, just think of the players who average 40+ like Fawad Alam, Umar Amin or Farhan would've done.

Our youngsters and our domestic setup however it is, it is way better that the seniors playing in our team rite now.
Click to expand...

Farhan has only played 9 List A matches. Umar Amin and Fawad Alam aren't openers in List A cricket.

Imam has a robust U19 history on top of his 21 List A matches.
 
I am bit disappointed by Imam. He never looked settled at the crease. Even at 70 80 and nervous 90s. That is what seperates good batsman from great. Also. He wasnt able to handle balls outside the off (or leg in his case) stump. I dont think he can survive even minor accurately bowled cutter let alone pace or swing. He needs to develop a better way to deal that. Even the ones landing around opposite stump were causing him troubles.
 
Last edited:
ManFan said:
No Shadab, no Raees, no Hafeez ( I may be wrong on that one ).
Click to expand...
Raees wouldn't have done much in Australia as there was no swing after 2-3 overs.

Hafeez was there but wasn't chucking as much as he is in the current series.

Shadab may have limited the score to 310-320, but I don't think he would've brought down 350+ scores to 270-290.
 
Ellipsism said:
Raees wouldn't have done much in Australia as there was no swing after 2-3 overs.

Hafeez was there but wasn't chucking as much as he is in the current series.

Shadab may have limited the score to 310-320, but I don't think he would've brought down 350+ scores to 270-290.
Click to expand...
Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda. But in all seriousness, if Amir gets to his 145kph swinging best again, than this attack would make Australia kneel.
 
maxamax said:
I am bit disappointed by Imam. He never looked settled at the crease. Even at 70 80 and nervous 90s. That is what seperates good batsman from great. Also. He wasnt able to handle balls outside the off (or leg in his case) stump. I dont think he can survive even minor accurately bowled cutter let alone pace or swing. He needs to develop a better way to deal that. Even the ones landing around opposite stump were causing him troubles.
Click to expand...

Its his first match. 15 more matches and we would produce another Azhar Ali. Time for his test debut.
 
Armchair experts, moulding words in every possible way tp justify their favourites
 
maxamax said:
I am bit disappointed by Imam. He never looked settled at the crease. Even at 70 80 and nervous 90s. That is what seperates good batsman from great. Also. He wasnt able to handle balls outside the off (or leg in his case) stump. I dont think he can survive even minor accurately bowled cutter let alone pace or swing. He needs to develop a better way to deal that. Even the ones landing around opposite stump were causing him troubles.
Click to expand...

Have to chalk some of that up to being a debutant.
 
Hasan123 said:
Looks technically strong, needs to improve his strike rate but he's only 21 so he has time. Definitely something to work with.
Click to expand...

It was a slow pitch as well though although I agree some more intent could be something he works on moving forward but he ended his innings on that wicket with an S/R off 80 which is not too bad, even moreso for a debutant
 
shaz619 said:
It was a slow pitch as well though although I agree some more intent could be something he works on moving forward but he ended his innings on that wicket with an S/R off 80 which is not too bad, even moreso for a debutant
Click to expand...


It was a score of 200 so he didn't have to score at a high strike rate but moving forward I hope it's something he's looking to improve.
 
Genuinely Feel bad for shehzad. The look on his face last night was quite pitiful.
 
Let's not get too high on him. He looks very limited in the strokes he has and will flounder against better opposition bowling if he does not improve the number of shots he has in his locker. Looks like a scrappy, 1990s ODI batsman and Pakistan had done well to move away from that type with the likes of Sharjeel, Fakhar and Babar.

Hopefully I am wrong and international cricket changes him.
 
New Yorker said:
Quaid-e-Azam is not LOI cricket. Get your formats straight.
Click to expand...
You completely missed what I was arguing. If Inzamam is guilty of nepotism then why didn't he select his nephew after his QEA season last year ? Funny kind of nepotism when you exclude someone despite performance.

I'm well aware of his LA numbers but he's 21 and has played only two dozen LA matches - he's still developing as a batsman so there's scope for his SR to improve. I know you dislike these "potential selections" and want to pick on hard numbers but there's nothing wrong with them on occasion especially when the opponents are a poor Sri Lanka side in UAE.

Right now we are thin on hard hitting one day openers. Sahibzada Farhan is still raw with not even a dozen LA matches to his name, Sharjeel, Latif and Shahzaib are all suspended from the PSL fixing scandal whilst Awais Zia was awful last time he played international cricket.
 
There is not a single player in Pakistan's team who hasnt been bashed and criticised by some posters here.

Imam has come through a proper system, played under 19, played QE trophy and his list A stats are not as bad as some people are portraying them to be.

Only stats cant tell you how good a player someone can be at international level.
My favourite example is of Joe Root, guy averaged 35 in FC when he made is test debut, every body knew that he has it in him what it takes to become an international player. Virat Kohli had a lot of batsmen above him in terms of runs and averages when he was seleceted.

Just to explain it better to some posters. Did you guys know that Imad had just 1 six in his 24 list A games? And he has already hit two in his ODI debut.

So what does this mean? Some people magnify their performances when the jump into international scene while some even struggle to replicate the stats of first class or list A. That is where the character and attitude comes in, this is what makes the difference between equally talented youngesters.

Even look at Hassan Ali, Shadab Khan they outgrown their domestic stats as they have in them what it takes to be an international star. While there are countless number of examples with ppl having exceptional domestic stats but they failed big time at international level.

I am not saying that Imam is the next bradman but guy has shown that he has the temperament and confidence to play this level of cricket which is the first thing to see in any youngster. How much he will excel will depend upon his hardwork wnd work ethics, he is just 21.
 
Last edited:
Kid reminds me very much of Taufique Umer. Sadly, just like Taufique, playing him in ODI will cost his career😩 He isn't a natural "busy" player, loves to hit boundaries.

But great debut indeed - did exactly what a ruthless opener should do in such cases, when just playing out 50 overs ensures a comfortable win. Didn't deserve the MoM though.
 
MMHS said:
Kid reminds me very much of Taufique Umer. Sadly, just like Taufique, playing him in ODI will cost his career�� He isn't a natural "busy" player, loves to hit boundaries.

But great debut indeed - did exactly what a ruthless opener should do in such cases, when just playing out 50 overs ensures a comfortable win. Didn't deserve the MoM though.
Click to expand...

MMHS don't you think he excelled primarily due to a weak bowling attack? He will struggle to score at a high S/R when facing top bowling units who will have looked at his video and figured him out.
 
Syed1 said:
Our bowling isn't allowing teams to cross 250, you are talking about over 300.
Click to expand...

Feels good, man. Feels good. I was upset we let Sri Lanka score 200.

As for Imam, I told you so. :inzi
 
Hasan123 said:
It was a score of 200 so he didn't have to score at a high strike rate but moving forward I hope it's something he's looking to improve.
Click to expand...

He still finished with a SR of 80. That tells me he can score at 80+ if the need arises.

Players like Imam and Babar are not the problem. The problem is that we don't have anyone who can strike at 120 consistently lower down the order.
 
Titan24 said:
There is not a single player in Pakistan's team who hasnt been bashed and criticised by some posters here.

Imam has come through a proper system, played under 19, played QE trophy and his list A stats are not as bad as some people are portraying them to be.

Only stats cant tell you how good a player someone can be at international level.
My favourite example is of Joe Root, guy averaged 35 in FC when he made is test debut, every body knew that he has it in him what it takes to become an international player. Virat Kohli had a lot of batsmen above him in terms of runs and averages when he was seleceted.

Just to explain it better to some posters. Did you guys know that Imad had just 1 six in his 24 list A games? And he has already hit two in his ODI debut.

So what does this mean? Some people magnify their performances when the jump into international scene while some even struggle to replicate the stats of first class or list A. That is where the character and attitude comes in, this is what makes the difference between equally talented youngesters.

Even look at Hassan Ali, Shadab Khan they outgrown their domestic stats as they have in them what it takes to be an international star. While there are countless number of examples with ppl having exceptional domestic stats but they failed big time at international level.

I am not saying that Imam is the next bradman but guy has shown that he has the temperament and confidence to play this level of cricket which is the first thing to see in any youngster. How much he will excel will depend upon his hardwork wnd work ethics, he is just 21.
Click to expand...

Good post. But jury is still out on him. He has two more games to cement his position. But his real test is going to come against quality attacks that are much smarter than the SL lot who practically gave up in the last ODI.
 
fawad_wellwisher said:
MMHS don't you think he excelled primarily due to a weak bowling attack? He will struggle to score at a high S/R when facing top bowling units who will have looked at his video and figured him out.
Click to expand...

Shouldn't discredit that way because it was his 1st match for PAK - apart from pressure he was facing bowlers whom he never faced. Lankan spinners are good actually. Also, the shots he played were quality shots on merit.

He might struggle to maintain more demanding asking SR, because he isn't that type - in domestics also he bats at 75 sort of SR. But, young player, can improve his game for LOs, which I am not sure if is the best way for him. A player should focus to build career on his strengths rather than trying to fix his game to fit into another format like Taufique Umer. I can say that he looked far better than Sami or Shan.
 
One thing is for sure, Inzamam should select the next Prime Minister of Pakistan.
 
if people here believe he is better suited for tests that shows he has good technique..
IMO, if he is good for test he is certainly capable in other forms of cricket
 
ManFan said:
He goes missing at times and has not swung it consistently.
Click to expand...

I'm not saying he's back to his best or anything about his performance. Just wanted to address the pace part, even though he's still not at his fastest, he cranks it up when he wants to.

You can't swing the ball when the conditions don't allow. He did consistently swing the new ball in Australia, more effectively in ODIs than tests. Watch his spell at Perth, he was curving the ball.
 
Chief Destroyer said:
I'm not saying he's back to his best or anything about his performance. Just wanted to address the pace part, even though he's still not at his fastest, he cranks it up when he wants to.

You can't swing the ball when the conditions don't allow. He did consistently swing the new ball in Australia, more effectively in ODIs than tests. Watch his spell at Perth, he was curving the ball.
Click to expand...
Why do you think he's not motivated at times to perform besides the " big stage syndrome "?
 
I think he is a slow player....and i have the same criticism...as I did before.
Plus anytime hafeez/malik (and afridi before) perform against a team, the value of the performance of other pakistani players should get discounted by at least 50%
 
New Yorker said:
The question is not whether he has been a performer, he has, albeit in FC more than LA. The question is whether there were others who deserved selection more than him.
Click to expand...

You need to see ability. Wait for him for another 5 years to have amazing LA stats and THEN give him a chance?
 
Bilal7 said:
He still finished with a SR of 80. That tells me he can score at 80+ if the need arises.

Players like Imam and Babar are not the problem. The problem is that we don't have anyone who can strike at 120 consistently lower down the order.
Click to expand...


He has time anyway. There Is something to work with.
 
He looked good against a very weak Sri Lankan side.

I hate to say this, with his current technique, he will get found out by stronger teams very soon.

He is weak against extra bounce and the short ball and he pokes a lot outside the offstump.

Obviously there will be many posters on here that will disagree with me but only time will tell who is right.
 
These threads, man. They always come back...

At least wait and see where he goes from here and not make a "I told you so..." thread.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

mominsaigol
What now for Shan Masood?
2
Replies
113
Views
45K
Cricket Warrior
Cricket Warrior
A
"If I get one more chance, you will see a different Imam-ul-Haq in Tests"
Replies
15
Views
6K
Prince of Pakistan
Prince of Pakistan
MenInG
"My job is not to please others or just give in to what people want" : Mohammad Wasim
2
Replies
155
Views
39K
MenInG
MenInG
MenInG
Member Interview: Extra_Cover
Replies
13
Views
2K
Extra_Cover
E
A
"Mitchell Starc isn't a threat, in fact I am excited over the prospect of facing him" : Imam-ul-Haq
2
Replies
157
Views
9K
BouncerGuy
BouncerGuy
Back
Top