[PICTURES] Congratulations to Fawad Alam on his 2nd Test Century!

[hur rizvi]

Fawad innings might not have drawn the test but it has surely proven that huge injustice was done to him.

He should have been given a decent run in the team and he surely would have made truck load of runs in UAE.

It would also have kept shafiq on his toes who was given a free ride for so long.

Fawad today proved that domestic averages and runs matter and they are worth more than naked eye of senior cricketers.

In case of Fawad alam Pakistan were robbed of potentially a 45+ avging test batsman with 6000-7000 runs

 

[ask_analyse_act]

Excellent innings. Why was he kept out of the team these many years?

He should have been playing in tests, but Azhar , Misbah, Younis, Asad occupied the positions 3,4,5,6
and they are undroppable..Also Hafeez as test opener was also undroppable... Either they perform or dont perform they remain in the team...

NO place for anyone until MIS|YOU retired... Even now a promising youngster Usman Salahuddin (who is capable of playing long inns) is wasting his years in domestic...Actually same scenario as Fawad alam because Usman also bats slow, but that shouldnt be a matter in tests..

 

[shortbread]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Fawad Alam 1st Test century - July 2009.<br><br>Fawad Alam 2nd Test century - today.<br><br>Incredible that in over 11 years he has only played 6 Test matches.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1344159852524953602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Fawad did everything by the book. Did the hard yards, years of grind playing domestic, scored thousands of runs, never been in conterversies..... he kept showing respect to to an establishment that only gave him contempt in return.

He was selected only because the selectors ran out of excuses to drop him. They are still egging him to fail in order to justify the years of injustice this guy has suffered.

Fawad is playing for himself because he knows no one else has his back. No uncle, overseas, chacha, damad relations to bat for him!

 

[ask_analyse_act]

I can appreciate his century but won't go beyond that. It neither won Pakistan the game nor drew it. So it doesn't matter if he scored 250 or 0. The end result matters.

Also the fact that he got out right after scoring his century and Rizwan getting out shows that he let his concentration down when it mattered the most. He scored his century when there was literally 0 pressure because everybody knew Pakistan would lose. Fawad had nothing to lose. But just when the finishing line got closer, he succumbed as all non-great players would.

I'm not surprised that many are hailing the "fightback" and "steel" showed by Pakistan batsmen. This is the kind of mediocrity that needs to be erased from Pakistan cricket. Everybody should be angry at losing the match. Not being happy that they showed "fight". This is the kind of attitude that Bangladesh used to show when they would celebrate a fight against the big boys even though they lost.

Exactly well said, it was a good century under pressure anyway but it didnt help the team win or draw..
Both Rizwan and Fawad batted well to see off two sessions and also the second new ball...

Pak were well set to draw this test easily.. They were well placed with in-form batsman at 240/4 to see off the day..

There was 0 pressure actually, seen the second new ball off and only need to see off another 15-20 overs the match is over.. If they had played till 115 overs and if the score was say 270-280/4 then umpires would have closed the day...

Rizwan gave them the sniff, the next to follow was Fawad which opened the door for NZL to win this match... Should have been a easy draw, with all those efforts of batting for two sessions vent in vain...

Anyway Fawad will be retained for his effort and century which im ok with in tests...

 

[Technics 1210]

Fawad Alam deserves a medal for his century.

Anyone who was watching the match will know there were a few overs after tea where Pakistan were in a position to win. Betfair had slashed the odds for a Pak win too.

Then the dreaded message from the changing room was delivered, a few maiden overs, Fawad was out.

It was great to see Pakistan fight back, even the last pair put on a fight. Remember, from 0/2 to within 5 overs of a draw. Remarkable 4th innings and rivieting to watch.

Imagine if Babar wasn't injured. Hmmmm.

More of this from Pakistan please.

 

[Zaz]

Its a tragedy he was kept out of the team all these years An absolute tragedy

Well done to him to keep goin n proving his doubters wrong Well done

 

[MenInG]

Any idea what gesture Fawad made when he got to his hundred?

 

[James Steven]

Fawad Alam deserves a medal for his century.

Anyone who was watching the match will know there were a few overs after tea where Pakistan were in a position to win. Betfair had slashed the odds for a Pak win too.

Then the dreaded message from the changing room was delivered, a few maiden overs, Fawad was out.

It was great to see Pakistan fight back, even the last pair put on a fight. Remember, from 0/2 to within 5 overs of a draw. Remarkable 4th innings and rivieting to watch.

Imagine if Babar wasn't injured. Hmmmm.

More of this from Pakistan please.

Imagine if Wagner wasn't injured? This imagine thing is a characteristic of a weak team.

 

[Technics 1210]

It doesn’t matter how many hours he batted. He couldn’t help Pakistan win because he failed in the first innings, and he couldn’t help Pakistan draw because he got out to a tame delivery.

It was a zero impact innings like Shafiq.

Please don’t drag me into the Karachi vs Lahore rubbish. I don’t care about either cities or the stereotypes associated with them.

Your boy Tendulkar has about a 3rd of his centuries in losses, failing in first, and sometimes seconds innings too. Zero impact and pointless centuries yes?

 

[Technics 1210]

Imagine if Wagner wasn't injured? This imagine thing is a characteristic of a weak team.

1.2 Billion were imagining the fate of India with Kohli absent in Australia - characteristics of a weak nation.

 

[waleed88]

I am glad it wasn't a sajda, its become all too common. Almost thought he went for that when was putting his bat down.

 

[Mamoon]

Your boy Tendulkar has about a 3rd of his centuries in losses, failing in first, and sometimes seconds innings too. Zero impact and pointless centuries yes?

When you score a hundred in the second innings of a Test match after failing in the first, and your team ends up losing, then you are one of the reasons why your team lost the match even though your second innings performance in isolation was good.

So you don’t have to necessarily name someone like Tendulkar who has given you and other Pakistani fans tummy ache for over 20 years; you can apply this to any batsman.

 

[Technics 1210]

When you score a hundred in the second innings of a Test match after failing in the first, and your team ends up losing, then you are one of the reasons why your team lost the match even though your second innings performance in isolation was good.

So you don’t have to necessarily name someone like Tendulkar who has given you and other Pakistani fans tummy ache for over 20 years; you can apply this to any batsman.

Shifting the goal posts now.

I will take that as a yes.

 

[cricketjoshila]

Fawad Alam was a 5k plus 40 plus avg batsman in test cricket.

 

[hur rizvi]

I am glad it wasn't a sajda, its become all too common. Almost thought he went for that when was putting his bat down.

Also liked the fact that he didnt celebrate his 50 much

 

[cricketjoshila]

He should have been playing in tests, but Azhar , Misbah, Younis, Asad occupied the positions 3,4,5,6
and they are undroppable..Also Hafeez as test opener was also undroppable... Either they perform or dont perform they remain in the team...

NO place for anyone until MIS|YOU retired... Even now a promising youngster Usman Salahuddin (who is capable of playing long inns) is wasting his years in domestic...Actually same scenario as Fawad alam because Usman also bats slow, but that shouldnt be a matter in tests..

Fawad Alam deserved a place ahead of Shafiq and definitely ahead of Misbah once he crossed 40.

Alam deserved 10 years of test cricket.

 

[hur rizvi]

Fawad Alam was a 5k plus 40 plus avg batsman in test cricket.

Definitely, he would have been great in UAE and could possibly have extended PAkistans UAE dominance post MISYOU

 

[Mamoon]

Shifting the goal posts now.

I will take that as a yes.

I don’t need to shift any goalposts to prove the following:

1. Pakistan cricket stinks of mediocrity. It is shameless 7th ranked side with loudmouth, deluded fans.

2. Fawad is 35, has failed miserably in all innings post comeback and his only good innings, i.e. today, was impact-less. He arrived too late to help Pakistan win and left too early to help Pakistan draw.

 

[Bonafide Hustler]

I have more clue than 99% of the people here put together. They are shortsighted and deluded and always fail to look at the bigger picture.

LMAO look at this guy, dude get over yourself, stop sounding like an arrogant child. You don't seem to understand the basics of test cricket.
No one cares about your stats about first or second innings. The fact of the matter is there was an immense amount of pressure on Fawad in the last innings and he delivered despite Kiwis desperately trying for hours to get him out.

His performance in first class cricket speaks to his character, test cricket isn't just about technique. Pakistan has lacked batsmen with character forever. His technique isn't terrible either, he plays the ball late most of the time and leaves well. Fawad should have been given an extended run, by that I mean you play him for an extended time, drop him if hes struggling and bring him back for another decent run to see how he learned and adjusted. You just do not ignore amazing domestic records like that, especially someone who is a great team man and doesn't bring negativity into the dressing room, and fields well.

 

[cricketjoshila]

I wrote on another thread that even though Alam scored 9 runs in the 1st innings, he took 42 balls. He only got out playing a high risk scoring shot. It was only time before he got a big score.

Hopefully he will score runs in the home series as well. He deserves a 3-4 year run at least.

 

[Technics 1210]

I don’t need to shift any goalposts to prove the following:

1. Pakistan cricket stinks of mediocrity. It is shameless 7th ranked side with loudmouth, deluded fans.

2. Fawad is 35, has failed miserably in all innings post comeback and his only good innings, i.e. today, was impact-less. He arrived too late to help Pakistan win and left too early to help Pakistan draw.

I love it. You've changed your tune completely now.

Stop talking like you watched his innings. As ever, your laughable arguments lack context.

 

[hur rizvi]

Fawad Alam deserved a place ahead of Shafiq and definitely ahead of Misbah once he crossed 40.

Alam deserved 10 years of test cricket.

What was done to misbah by Inzi regime was done to Fawad by Misbah regime

He supported two inferior players (inferior to misbah and younus) during last decade where as Fawad could have potentially out performed misbah and put Asad sahfiq's place in real danger

 

[James Steven]

Irrelevant. I was using your messiah's warped logic to bring down his Bhagwaan's centuries in losses to being pointless and having zero impact.

Still, at the end of the day, the century was useless and didn't make any difference to the end result which was known even before Pakistan flew to NZ. Unless you are a fan of stats padding.

 

[Mamoon]

LMAO look at this guy, dude get over yourself, stop sounding like an arrogant child. You don't seem to understand the basics of test cricket.
No one cares about your stats about first or second innings. The fact of the matter is there was an immense amount of pressure on Fawad in the last innings and he delivered despite Kiwis desperately trying for hours to get him out.

His performance in first class cricket speaks to his character, test cricket isn't just about technique. Pakistan has lacked batsmen with character forever. His technique isn't terrible either, he plays the ball late most of the time and leaves well. Fawad should have been given an extended run, by that I mean you play him for an extended time, drop him if hes struggling and bring him back for another decent run to see how he learned and adjusted. You just do not ignore amazing domestic records like that, especially someone who is a great team man and doesn't bring negativity into the dressing room, and fields well.

I am not arrogant. I am talking facts here. People don’t like to listen to me because they don’t like to hear what I have to say. They want false hopes, dreams and fantasies; not cold, hard facts that are not always comforting.

I have sufficient clues about Test cricket to educate posters here that first innings performances are far more valuable because they set up the match. You help your team score big in the first innings and more often than not, you will not lose the match.

If Fawad would have shown this temperament in the first innings, Pakistan could have drawn the match. If you want me to go overboard and praise this performance, you will not get that from me. It was just an okay effort, nothing more.

His efforts in this Test came too late to help Pakistan win and ended too early to help Pakistan draw. Apart from boosting his stats, he achieved nothing.

 

[Mamoon]

I love it. You've changed your tune completely now.

Stop talking like you watched his innings. As ever, your laughable arguments lack context.

Any context that makes his innings look good and Pakistan look good in a context that belongs in the garbage.

I do try to avoid watching him bat whenever I can. I don’t want to die of laughter.

 

[Technics 1210]

Still, at the end of the day, the century was useless and didn't make any difference to the end result which was known even before Pakistan flew to NZ. Unless you are a fan of stats padding.

Excellent. So you agree, Tendulkar's centuries in losses were pointless and zero impact.

Just looking for consistency in the Indian troll argument.

 

[waleed88]

That 245 came in the first innings and helped Pakistan draw the game. If he failed, England would have won the match because they scored 598 n their first innings with Cook scoring 263.

That 245 didn't help draw that match against England, bad light did. After we were all out for a miserable 2nd innings total and England needed only 90 runs in 10 overs to defend. And if the umpires hadn't called bad light, your boy Malik's knock would've resulted in a loss. It was as inconsequential as they come. If it comes in the first innings on a dead track made for a draw, it doesn't mean that it always has a meaning.

 

[ahmed16]

Good knock from a batsmen who has been ridiculed for his technique. Happy for him in the sense that he at least has shown the PCB what they could have had it not been all those years in the wilderness.

Not sure I understand all the hype about this knock as expressed by many members here, as Fawad neither won nor drew the match for us (and the draw was a very possible option at tea). As soon as he got to his hundred, his concentration lapsed and that was it, not the mark of a great player or a 'saviour'. It's a sad state of affairs when were hugely celebrating a knock from a batsman in a lost test match, it's similar to the hype that Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and associate member nation players get when they score hundreds against strong teams, is that how far as fans we've regressed?

 

[Square Drive]

Can't wait till we (hopefully) beat SA 2-0 at home so that Mamoon can start saying 5th ranked instead of 7th ranked

 

[Bonafide Hustler]

I am not arrogant. I am talking facts here. People don’t like to listen to me because they don’t like to hear what I have to say. They want false hopes, dreams and fantasies; not cold, hard facts that are not always comforting.

I have sufficient clues about Test cricket to educate posters here that first innings performances are far more valuable because they set up the match. You help your team score big in the first innings and more often than not, you will not lose the match.

If Fawad would have shown this temperament in the first innings, Pakistan could have drawn the match. If you want me to go overboard and praise this performance, you will not get that from me. It was just an okay effort, nothing more.

His efforts in this Test came too late to help Pakistan win and ended too early to help Pakistan draw. Apart from boosting his stats, he achieved nothing.

Stop trying to educate others, you sound arrogant and ignorant. Maybe thats the reason people don't like what you have to say, ever considered that? Who talks like this?

His innings achieved nothing? Are you seriously that full of yourself? Do you understand anything about momentum in test cricket? Anything about self belief?

Seriously stop going on about first innings, anything can happen in test cricket, one mistake from a batsmen and you are out, he got out first innings, big deal, happens to the greatest test batsman.

Naw I don't want you to praise his performance, you are obviously an irrational hater but at least stop trying to demean tons of other Pakistani fans while sounding like you know cricket really well.

 

[cricketfan11]

I have been one of his biggest supporters but even I didn't expect him to score heavily in this innings.

Indeed fate works in mysterious ways.

Yes, he couldn't save or win the match which is what should have happened, but what he has shown is that he should never really have been dropped.

He is a better batsman than many those who came in the team after him. He can be a pretty useful limited overs player too - he knows how to rotate the strike and play the ball in gaps.

So much for "great technique" when great technique players like Ahmed Shahzad, Asad Shafiq etc. have been unsuccessful at the top level. Big players need temperament too - the way Fawad has handled his temperament in the face of obvious injustice for a decade shows he has what it takes.

 

[Bonafide Hustler]

Good knock from a batsmen who has been ridiculed for his technique. Happy for him in the sense that he at least has shown the PCB what they could have had it not been all those years in the wilderness.

Not sure I understand all the hype about this knock as expressed by many members here, as Fawad neither won nor drew the match for us (and the draw was a very possible option at tea). As soon as he got to his hundred, his concentration lapsed and that was it, not the mark of a great player or a 'saviour'. It's a sad state of affairs when were hugely celebrating a knock from a batsman in a lost test match, it's similar to the hype that Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and associate member nation players get when they score hundreds against strong teams, is that how far as fans we've regressed?

It was a great innings, just like Tendulkars hundred in Chennai was a great innings, India didn't win but that innings will be remembered for ever. Its not always 100% about winning or losing. The point is that Fawad and Rizwan put Pakistan in a position to possibly draw or win the test match which was looking totally impossible before. Given the context it was one of the best innings by a Pakistani batsman in recent memory.

It was also fun to watch, with all the crazy plans NZ was trying with their field setting, I haven't enjoyed watching a Pakistan test innings for a while.

 

[Technics 1210]

Any context that makes his innings look good and Pakistan look good in a context that belongs in the garbage.

I do try to avoid watching him bat whenever I can. I don’t want to die of laughter.

I just think you are upset that Pakistan loss means it is more difficult for India to qualify for the WTC finals.

Since you are a Google warrior, search of an article by Mike Atherton on unorthodox batsmen - Smith, Alam, Chanderpaul - to name but a few. You might learn something on the effectiveness of unorthodox styles in cricket, you know, like your boy Jaspreet Bhumra.

 

[King_Kohli]

Scoring 100 in 4th innings definitely great achievement.
Well done Fawad. Best knock in recent times from pak batting.

 

[Mueez]

Can't wait till we (hopefully) beat SA 2-0 at home so that Mamoon can start saying 5th ranked instead of 7th ranked

) ) ) ) ) ) )

 

[MenInG]

Fawad Alam:

"I would like to the Almighty because we were in trouble but we were trying to apply ourselves to the task"

"We were trying to play the game on a session by session basis and the talk between us was of fighting it out, and not to accept defeat, and to keep on trying - that is all what we were trying to do"

"The celebration was based upon a request from Azhar Ali who asked me that if I hit a hundred, I should celebrate like that; So it seems that his prayers for me and his best wishes came in handy and this celebration was for Azhar Ali"

 

[ahmed16]

It was a great innings, just like Tendulkars hundred in Chennai was a great innings, India didn't win but that innings will be remembered for ever. Its not always 100% about winning or losing. The point is that Fawad and Rizwan put Pakistan in a position to possibly draw or win the test match which was looking totally impossible before. Given the context it was one of the best innings by a Pakistani batsman in recent memory.

It was also fun to watch, with all the crazy plans NZ was trying with their field setting, I haven't enjoyed watching a Pakistan test innings for a while.

Well thats your opinion mate and you're welcome to it. I beg to differ with the notion that any innings can be great in a losing cause, Tendulkar or otherwise.

 

[Snatch]

Played very well. Let's hope it continues

 

[Mwani]

This is the first hundred ever by a Pakistan batsman in the 4th innings of a test in New Zealand. The so called technically sound batsman have failed to do so for the last 70 years. Fawad deserves the credit for scoring a masterclass under pressure in alien conditions.
9 Batsmen who have played more than 250 deliveries in the fourth innings after coming in to bat at No. 5 or below. Only five faced have more than the 269 that Alam did. The last player to achieve this feat was Moeen Ali against Sri Lanka in Leeds. Only six players have achieved this in New Zealand and just two since the turn of the century.

380 Balls faced by Alam and Mohammad Rizwan during their 165-run partnership - the second-longest stand for Pakistan in Tests where ball details are available. The highest is still Shan Masood and Younis Khan's 400 deliveries faced against Sri Lanka in 2015.

3 Partnerships that have added more runs than Rizwan and Alam's 165 in the fourth innings for the fifth wicket In Tests. The pair of Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes and AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis added 169 and 205 respectively against India in 2018 and 2013 respectively. This is also the second-highest stand by a Pakistan pair away from home in the fourth innings and the fourth-highest by any pair in New Zealand.

123.3 Overs faced by Pakistan in the fourth innings of this Test. Only four times has a team survived more overs in New Zealand. Pakistan have played more overs only on three other occasions in their Test history. Only once did they manage to draw the game though.

 

[burger_uno]

career destroyed, laurels lost and poetic justice in the end.

pak cricket deserves no better. you can have yaari-doosti, puwwa, jaan-pehchaan, sectarian and ethnic chauvinism, irrational likes and dislikes but you cant have success.

i feel sorry for the new generation of pak cricket fans. those of us who grew up watching likes of miandad and imran and saw them repeatedly snatch success from jaws of failure, we took success for granted. their kaarnama inspired us all. their deeds produced once in a generation talent in the form of wasim, waqar, inzi et al. all the negative factors were present back then but talent and mindset bailed us out even if the team did not always live up to its potential. now, you have mere mortals. plus the world has moved on and we neither have the talent nor the mindset to over come the structural flaws of system.

in fawad alam, we had a player of rare grit and determination - a player who could have realistically scored 15-20 centuries and could have been a difference between success and failure at a time when pak cricket sorely needed a batsman of substance. all those losses against sl and nz in home conditions, they did not have to be. but we deserved no better.

 

[MenInG]

Any idea what gesture Fawad made when he got to his hundred?

View attachment 105724

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Fawad Alam "my celebration when I reached my hundred was from a scene in Ertugrul Ghazi" <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NZvPAK?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NZvPAK</a> <a href="https://t.co/fnoKhlshCy">pic.twitter.com/fnoKhlshCy</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1344235379948445696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[CricketTruth]

What's the benefit to the team? They lost the match.a useless knock and he will not be dropped for many more tests thanks to this useless innings.He is gonna be new Asad useless shafiq.

Terrible post.

Fawad basically batted out a whole day to give Pakistan a chance to save the game. It’s not his fault most of the top order failed.

 

[asifp]

He is on his last legs and has only a few Tests left in him. This innings is like Azhar’s at Southampton - it doesn’t mean anything in the long run.

There is no point in crying about his non-selection now. Besides, it is ironic to see him play a very Shafiq like innings.

Fail in the first innings when his runs could have had an impact, score a useless hundred when the match was already beyond winning, and then get out in a tame fashion before finishing off the job.

It is okay to criticize, but this is insane. You are the person that hates, just to hate. Normally you have good cricketing knowledge, but on this comment alone your logic is so flawed that is is not even worth a discussion.

Hang your head in shame for your stupidity

 

[TurkishCricketFan]

Some of the spıteful comments here tell more about the posters rather than Fawad's innings.
Yes at the end Pakistan could not draw the test, but it is plain shallow to say that his innings was worthless.
Pakistan were in the game 100% of the time Fawad was batting and the fact that they were 20 odd balls away from a draw is thanks to him.

 

[asifp]

To add to your point Mr Mamoon, if SSA and Naseems survived the last 5 overs, would you be calling this Fawad inning useless. He put us in a position to save the game, something that useless hack Asad would never have done.

Cricket is a team game, he did more than expected, so we could have saved the game, the fact that others around him, could not do their part, is not his fault.

 

[Mueez]

I’m so proud of Fawad Alam.

Cheetah. Well played boy!

He’s extremely fit for his age and I can see him easily play for another 3-4 years.

Ah man huge injustice happened to him.

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">4188 days gap between Test hundreds for Fawad Alam (13th July 2009 to 30th December 2020).<br><br>This is the 3rd longest in the history of cricket.<br><br>Absolutely ridiculous that he has only played 6 Test matches.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NZvPAK?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NZvPAK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a> <a href="https://t.co/2FD7exAZLa">pic.twitter.com/2FD7exAZLa</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1344248853822922754?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[cricketfan11]

career destroyed, laurels lost and poetic justice in the end.

pak cricket deserves no better. you can have yaari-doosti, puwwa, jaan-pehchaan, sectarian and ethnic chauvinism, irrational likes and dislikes but you cant have success.

i feel sorry for the new generation of pak cricket fans. those of us who grew up watching likes of miandad and imran and saw them repeatedly snatch success from jaws of failure, we took success for granted. their kaarnama inspired us all. their deeds produced once in a generation talent in the form of wasim, waqar, inzi et al. all the negative factors were present back then but talent and mindset bailed us out even if the team did not always live up to its potential. now, you have mere mortals. plus the world has moved on and we neither have the talent nor the mindset to over come the structural flaws of system.

in fawad alam, we had a player of rare grit and determination - a player who could have realistically scored 15-20 centuries and could have been a difference between success and failure at a time when pak cricket sorely needed a batsman of substance. all those losses against sl and nz in home conditions, they did not have to be. but we deserved no better.

Well written.

He is indeed a player of rare grit. The debut century was as opener which is not his normal position.
He played the moving ball better than any other batsman in that match.

 

[Saj]

And yet the PCB invested in players such as Asad Shafiq all this time.

If Fawad had been given the chances that the likes of Shafiq have been given, I'm sure his record would be right up there

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Fawad Alam is one of those batsmen who I always wondered about for the simple reason that he never got an extended run to prove his potential. I remember him as one of those rising stars of the U-21 team which won the world cup if I recall correctly, and along with Hamad Azam he always seemed to get overlooked despite some promising appearances for the senior side.

Real shame for Fawad because I got the feeling his open stance put selectors off. He wasn't a flash stroke player, but he knows how to accumulate runs, and negotiate tough situations. Ideal qualities for a test batsman really.

Congratulations son, you earned it the hard way.

 

[Mamoon]

Stop trying to educate others, you sound arrogant and ignorant. Maybe thats the reason people don't like what you have to say, ever considered that? Who talks like this?

His innings achieved nothing? Are you seriously that full of yourself? Do you understand anything about momentum in test cricket? Anything about self belief?

Seriously stop going on about first innings, anything can happen in test cricket, one mistake from a batsmen and you are out, he got out first innings, big deal, happens to the greatest test batsman.

Naw I don't want you to praise his performance, you are obviously an irrational hater but at least stop trying to demean tons of other Pakistani fans while sounding like you know cricket really well.

Fancy stuff like “momentum” doesn’t apply to a hot garbage team like Pakistan. The momentum is still with NZ.

Asad Shafiq gave us similar “momentum” in Brisbane in 2016 with a similarly useless innings, and then Australia proceeded to thrash us in the next two Tests to complete the whitewash and made mincemeat of our “momentum”.

Also, self-belief is useless when you don’t have the ability. This Pakistan team has no talent to beat the big teams unless they are playing on turning tracks and our villain Yasir Shah is bowling them to victories.

They can have all the self-belief that they want, but that self-belief will not give them the skill to compete with NZ in these conditions.

 

[Mamoon]

It is okay to criticize, but this is insane. You are the person that hates, just to hate. Normally you have good cricketing knowledge, but on this comment alone your logic is so flawed that is is not even worth a discussion.

Hang your head in shame for your stupidity

Why should I hang my head in shame? I am sorry if I am not doing bhangra over this useless innings that achieved nothing for the team.

I am not criticizing the innings, I am just saying it is not a big deal at all. There is nothing to celebrate here.

 

[Mamoon]

I just think you are upset that Pakistan loss means it is more difficult for India to qualify for the WTC finals.

Since you are a Google warrior, search of an article by Mike Atherton on unorthodox batsmen - Smith, Alam, Chanderpaul - to name but a few. You might learn something on the effectiveness of unorthodox styles in cricket, you know, like your boy Jaspreet Bhumra.

You just exposed your lack of cricket knowledge (and not the first time) by comparing Smith and Chanderpaul to Fawad. Unorthodox is a broad term that doesn’t mean anything. Both Smith and Chanderpaul had much tighter technique than Fawad.

Besides, it is not even about his technique. As I said in the other thread before his hundred today, Fawad would have probably outperformed Shafiq in Tests in Asia and Caribbean because he has better temperament.

Outside Asia excluding Caribbean, Fawad is likely to be inconsistent like Shafiq, and he has shown that already with his failures in England and the first innings here. This is his only notable innings since comeback.

I don’t see the point of crying over his non-selection. People have lamented over his non-selection for years. We cannot go back in time, so why moan about it now?

And no matter how much mental gymnastics people do, they cannot change the fact that his hundred was a useless innings that did nothing for the team.

 

[Mamoon]

That 245 didn't help draw that match against England, bad light did. After we were all out for a miserable 2nd innings total and England needed only 90 runs in 10 overs to defend. And if the umpires hadn't called bad light, your boy Malik's knock would've resulted in a loss. It was as inconsequential as they come. If it comes in the first innings on a dead track made for a draw, it doesn't mean that it always has a meaning.

Without Malik’s 245, Pakistan wouldn’t have posted 523, which means that Pakistan would have suffered an innings defeat.

England’s 75 runs first innings lead would have been 200+ instead.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Why should I hang my head in shame? I am sorry if I am not doing bhangra over this useless innings that achieved nothing for the team.

I am not criticizing the innings, I am just saying it is not a big deal at all. There is nothing to celebrate here.

So you don't want to celebrate a hundred by someone who has been overlooked for so long, but you are happy to rattle out four posts in a row to criticise the centurion. I'm not saying your mean spirited barbs are totally unjustified, but perhaps you could pick a better time to express them?

 

[Mamoon]

So you don't want to celebrate a hundred by someone who has been overlooked for so long, but you are happy to rattle out four posts in a row to criticise the centurion. I'm not saying your mean spirited barbs are totally unjustified, but perhaps you could pick a better time to express them?

Better time like? These days, whenever a Pakistani player achieves a milestone, our fans lose their heads. You would think Fawad is the first Pakistani batsman in history to score a hundred in NZ.

I suppose such overreaction is understandable when the team has become the poster boy of mediocrity.

Nothing is easier than getting Pakistani fans excited these days.

 

[sabre1486]

So you don't want to celebrate a hundred by someone who has been overlooked for so long, but you are happy to rattle out four posts in a row to criticise the centurion. I'm not saying your mean spirited barbs are totally unjustified, but perhaps you could pick a better time to express them?

he cannot. its an algorithm for him - any time there is a post about pakistan cricket he has to come in be super negative and critical about everything , call fans delusional and watch the mayhem. thats the pattern honestly.

There might literally be only two ppl in the world begrudging fawad his century. shakeel sheikh and this guy lol

 

[sindhiboy]

The fact that Pakistan had the chance of victory after the position they were in makes the partnership between fawad Alam and rizwan remarkable

 

[jeeteshssaxena]

Happy for him.
Even if he doesn't do much after that this, he can relish this moment for his life.
Best thing will be if he gets another hundred in the next match and shuts up those who thinks this is a fluke.

Also, all this talk about useless innings is trash.
Scoring an away hundred in win is a rare achievement.
Sachin has 2 centuries in away wins, same goes for rahul dravid, gavaskar and younis.
Now don't tell me that all other away centuries scored by them were useless.

 

[KyoOne]

Excellent innings. Why was he kept out of the team these many years?

Politics, inept selectors, Misbah disliked him (even articles mentioned that several times), Mickey+Inzi both did not like him either.

Fawad finally made into the squad after 6 years in 2015 in UAE, but never got a game and Shoaib Malik was preferred. He was later dropped from the squad even for the 2016 England tour (first tour under Mickey+Inzi) despite Fawad getting best scores in the army-organised training camp prior to that tour (push-up celebrations credited that training).

 

[KyoOne]

Well done lad. A big slap to Misbah, Waqar, Mickey and countless selectors who ignored him despite his staggering performances

 

[KyoOne]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Fawad Alam "my celebration when I reached my hundred was from a scene in Ertugrul Ghazi" <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NZvPAK?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NZvPAK</a> <a href="https://t.co/fnoKhlshCy">pic.twitter.com/fnoKhlshCy</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1344235379948445696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Interesting. From those who've seen the series, what's the context?

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Terrible post.

Fawad basically batted out a whole day to give Pakistan a chance to save the game. It’s not his fault most of the top order failed.

The guy is a bit of a complainer, nothing else. I rather be upset than be angry and upset on losing/getting bundled within the first session.

 

[Kroll]

Fantastic innings from a personal point of view. He learned quickly from his mistakes in the 1st innings and was able to control his play allowing him to accumulate runs.

 

[Rohan]

Massive hundred for Faadi!

The only thing I could think of was what injustice has been done to this guy! What a tragedy. At 35 he is finally going to get a fair run at this level.

All the people involved should be ashamed.

Ashamed? They should be punished.

 

[letme alone]

Ashamed? They should be punished.

yes,"Dunda Prade"

 

[ahmadharis1]

A Pakistani batsman could score a 300 in a loss and some people would still be like "bUt wE diDnT WiN sO it'S noT a bIIIGgg deAL"

 

[shamaan]

I’m so proud of Fawad Alam.

Cheetah. Well played boy!

He’s extremely fit for his age and I can see him easily play for another 3-4 years.

Ah man huge injustice happened to him.

Top top performance slap on the face to all his haters

 

[shamaan]

Excellent performance by fawad showed alot of grit and determination unlike some of our players

 

[waleed88]

Without Malik’s 245, Pakistan wouldn’t have posted 523, which means that Pakistan would have suffered an innings defeat.

England’s 75 runs first innings lead would have been 200+ instead.

Drawing a test match that was anything but a draw is as inconsequential as they come. Specially on flat dubai track.

 

[waleed88]

The English team batted until the end of day 4 so there was no chances of result being anything but a draw. And crediting Malik for a knock on a flat track that he has been playing for 20 years and calling it better than Fawad's knock in a 4th innings on a SENA track shows what your bias entails [MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION]

 

[waleed88]

Would like to see Malik score a 50 let alone a century in any SENA conditions. The guy you so highly rated

 

[Mueez]

Top top performance slap on the face to all his haters

Absolutely!

 

[Mainul]

Congratulations Fawad Alam. What an innings. It shall remain en epitome of perfect reply to all the injustice suffered by cricketers across decades due to nepotism.

 

[zacattakk]

Congratulations on an excellent innings. Took us to the brink along with Rizwan. I only wish they could have batted a bit longer to save the game. Anyway, a big slap in the face to all those before who wouldn't give him a chance when he was in his prime (Inzi, Misbah, Mohsin, Ilyas, etc).

 

[BunnyRabbit]

Exactly well said, it was a good century under pressure anyway but it didnt help the team win or draw..
Both Rizwan and Fawad batted well to see off two sessions and also the second new ball...

Pak were well set to draw this test easily.. They were well placed with in-form batsman at 240/4 to see off the day..

There was 0 pressure actually, seen the second new ball off and only need to see off another 15-20 overs the match is over.. If they had played till 115 overs and if the score was say 270-280/4 then umpires would have closed the day...

Rizwan gave them the sniff, the next to follow was Fawad which opened the door for NZL to win this match... Should have been a easy draw, with all those efforts of batting for two sessions vent in vain...

Anyway Fawad will be retained for his effort and century which im ok with in tests...

Post tea is the most dangerous time for any team that is either draw, a win or even setting up a target.
Countless matches have been won or lost at that time. Start of the new days is the closest that comes to post tea session when it comes to chase.

 

[BunnyRabbit]

I am extremely happy for Fawad even if that's selfish. There is nothing like deserve in life and cricket but yet he earned the century. Even if he fades away quickly now(shouldn't happen though), it will be okay cause he just slapped them all who did him wrong for a decade. It was a story every hardworking common man wants to end with after suffering from the injustices of the cruel world and ** like fate.

I don't necessarily think he will fade away quickly, he is still fit enough(far better and quicker than Azhar who is visibly on his last legs). He is still quick, his temperament is still as good so is his concentration. Technique never had anything to do with him.

I hope he can cultivate a late test blooming career like Misbah did and the longevity that Chanderpaul ended his test career with.

 

[Mamoon]

Drawing a test match that was anything but a draw is as inconsequential as they come. Specially on flat dubai track.

It wasn’t. Pakistan’s batting was shaky in the first innings as well but Malik held it together. Without his 245, we would have had a very below par total on a very flat pitch.

 

[Mamoon]

The English team batted until the end of day 4 so there was no chances of result being anything but a draw. And crediting Malik for a knock on a flat track that he has been playing for 20 years and calling it better than Fawad's knock in a 4th innings on a SENA track shows what your bias entails [MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION]

Pakistan was bundled out in the second innings on day 5 but England didn’t have enough time left to chase the small total.

Without Malik’s 245, Pakistan would have scored a below par total which means that England would have declared a little earlier and either won by an innings or by 7-8 wickets.

In the context of the game, Malik’s contribution was more valuable than Fawad’s useless haul that came too late to help Pakistan win and ended too early to help Pakistan draw.

 

[waleed88]

It wasn’t. Pakistan’s batting was shaky in the first innings as well but Malik held it together. Without his 245, we would have had a very below par total on a very flat pitch.

There were 2 notable performances that you missed out on. One was Hafeez smashing a 98. Second was Asad Shafiq, another player who has played countless 'selfish' knocks like Malik did.