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[PICTURES/VIDEOS] Pakistan at the ICC World Cup 2023 - tournament updates

Has Pakistan selected the right squad to win the ICC World Cup 2023?

  • Total voters
    91
Xoib said:
Just realised Nawaz is also there now that is a wasted spot and could have been givin to any fantasy selections Saim , Harris, Ihsanullah etc hell we could have carried Naseem in place of him with the hope he plays last couple of games if need arises
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Ihsanullah is still injured.
 
Xoib said:
Abdullah can go in high gear once he’s in.
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Would like to see that. I've seen glimpses in the PSL but if we are only going to go on "glimpses" – Saim Ayub and Haris have shown much more of those against quality lineups.
 
TheSultan said:
Why not? As we’ve seen in many ICC tournaments, a young unknown quantity usually has some impact as no-one really knows much about him.

Inzi 92, Fakhar CT 17, Haris 2022.

Saim Ayub or Abrar could have surprised a few teams.

Instead we’ll get all the steady Eddies. Bowlers will get milked and batsmen will play test matches
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Well said.

Always back a young determined athlete over an old, out of form player.

Pakistan’s culture favors seniority over meritocracy so this is not surprising. Just look at the selections of the previous world cups. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.
 
Rana said:
Pakistan cricket lol

Even the guys on the bench are as untested as all of the players who were not selected
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Precisely. To include Abdullah or Saud, as good as they are, over Saim Ayub and Haris, is criminal. They are equally untested as each other. At least both Ayub and Haris have shown they have the power to go big while also having a solid technique.

I feel like our management thinks Ayub and Haris are just brainless sloggers like Asif Ali or Awais Zia. Ayub and Haris are the real deal and the closest thing to modern-day batsmen Pakistan have ever had.
 
hoshiarpurexpress said:
What an amazing squad with all bases covered. Just may be missing one extra Wicket Keeper as backup, else a potent squad. Can anyone else do keeping also apart from Rizwan?
Hasan Ali could turn out to be an inspiring selection due to his big match temperament.

Kudos to Babar and Inzi, did not panic and did not listen to outside noise. Expected Squad due to Naseem's Injury.
I see this team reaching Semi Finals and then anything can happen. All the best Team Pakistan.
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Yes we all saw Hassan Ali’s recent big match temperament in 2021 T20 World Cup, where his performance with the ball was terrible throughout the tournament and the icing on the cake was his dropping Matthew Wade’s catch in a crunch moment. The Hassan Ali of 2017 is gone.
 
Nado_ said:
If we see Hasan Ali go for 7 runs an over and if he comes out with that cringe celebration I think I’m going to break my tv
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I'm beginning to get sick of these cringe celebrations that our bowlers do, including Shaheen Shah Afridi. It just seems so rehearsed and forced.

The worst is Ihsanullah with his cupid celebration. Grown men doing this EVERY single time they get a wicket, regardless of the match situation, is just pure cringe.

Whatever you say about Haris, he is by far the least cringe bowler in our team.
 
pakfan54588 said:
Simple plan for opposition see off shaheen shah and attack hasan ali from other end .Top team will licking their lips seeing hasan ali in powerplay
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Actually, the strategy of opposition teams is to attack Shaheen straight up, disorient him and post big totals. Pakistani players are notoriously mentally weak, and can’t psychologically adapt when you force them to go off-script.

Anytime teams have tried to restrain themselves against Shaheen, they have regretted. India’s assault on Shaheen & Co. in last year’s T20 WC & the recently concluded Asia Cup provides a perfect template on how teams should/will approach Shaheen & co.
 
ExpressPacer said:
I would back Saim Ayub to get there after a consistent run. He isn't just a slogger – he visibly has a proper technique that he relies on. Haris probably has a slightly lower ceiling but he also has a solid technique and can do much more than Abdullah and Saud.

Have Abdullah or Saud ever even played the type of innings in domestic LOIs that Saim Ayub has played in the CPL or Haris in the PSL for that matter?
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Saim is too raw. I too believe he has a great future but playing in CPL is different to playing on spinning tracks in India.
Saud and Abdullah are your double centurions in test cricket. They have the technique and temperament to fall back on under pressure.
and I don’t even think Haris should be considered for 50 over format. 10-15 balls that he is in it seems there is a rat in his pants. absolutely no method to his batting and body language of an under 15 player
 
ExpressPacer said:
I'm beginning to get sick of these cringe celebrations that our bowlers do, including Shaheen Shah Afridi. It just seems so rehearsed and forced.

The worst is Ihsanullah with his cupid celebration. Grown men doing this EVERY single time they get a wicket, regardless of the match situation, is just pure cringe.

Whatever you say about Haris, he is by far the least cringe bowler in our team.
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I love Shaheen’s celebration. In my view, the best in world cricket at the moment.

Haris Rauf used to have that crazy decapitation gesture celebration that shocked Aussie fans in the BBL & forced him to drop the celebration altogether 😂
 
We have to support the squad now whatever it is. No need to cry over spilled milk. The squad is announced now, Until somebody gets injured (we have reserves for them), we will be looking at the same team playing if Fakhar and Shadab do perform. I cannot see any major shuffle in playing 11. Saud or salman might change spots.
 
CerebralPatriot said:
Woeful selections. Shadab as vice captain give me a break. No Sarfraz, Imad, Amir or Azam

Can see us finishing last this time round
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Amir is retired, this is not T10 so Azam kaha se aya ? Imad as bad as Nawaz in ODIs. Only Sarfaraz would have been addition as a spin specialist batter, but dropping Haris would have been unfair.
 
Very much expected this. Despite so much outside noise, I knew there's simply no way any of Sarfaraz, Imad or Aamir would have been allowed an entry. Too much bridges have been burned, not to forget Babar would never allow someone who could potentially threaten his authority or make one of his three friends insecured. This squad has just reinforced the fact that Babar is indeed the most powerful skipper of Pak since Imran & probably the most powerful skipper in the world at the moment. No matter what our opinions are regarding Babar (they tend to vary a lot), we all can agree he is not dumb,yes he may not have the sharpest cricketing brain but he is not outright dumb.He definitely knows the risk he is putting upto himself by taking his preferred squad in the world cup. He is the most revered sportsman & possibly most revered celebrity of entire Pak. So he is also aware that all these reverence will go down the drain if his team flops, within overnight he will become the biggest villain of entire Pak. Despite knowing all this if he is still adamant & confident on certain underperforming players & assuring PCB that he's fully responsible for the outcome then there isn't anything his critics can do. If you are a Pakistani or at least a supporter of the team then the best you can do is pray for the best possible outcome. No amount of crying or shaming Babar is going to change anything. We all need to wait & see what he can deliver with all his alleged friends.
I obviously have no high hope from him both as a player or skipper & certainly not from this mediocre squad.I see them delivering more or less the similar performance they did in last two world cups. Which would be defeating one major side before crashing & ending up at 5th/6th slot at the end of the tournament. However I am prepared for all sorts of shock & if vintage maverick Pak shows up & goes through semis & beyond I will happily admit my mistakes & give Babar & his boys full credit.
 
Good squad

Only change I wanted was Haris Sohail in place of Saud Shakeel. Otherwise very good squad
 
I think this is good call to trust players you have invested for last 4 years. Dropping them at this stage and introducing newbies for the biggest tournament could be dangerous not only for team but for the careers of those youngsters.

But I am sure they have made it very clear to likes of Shadab and Fakhar to either perform or go back to domestic and earn your recall.

With respect to Hasan, I think we didn't have enough resources considering Ihsan being unfit. So let's stop whining and back the team.
 
VForVendetta said:
Very much expected this. Despite so much outside noise, I knew there's simply no way any of Sarfaraz, Imad or Aamir would have been allowed an entry. Too much bridges have been burned, not to forget Babar would never allow someone who could potentially threaten his authority or make one of his three friends insecured. This squad has just reinforced the fact that Babar is indeed the most powerful skipper of Pak since Imran & probably the most powerful skipper in the world at the moment. No matter what our opinions are regarding Babar (they tend to vary a lot), we all can agree he is not dumb,yes he may not have the sharpest cricketing brain but he is not outright dumb.He definitely knows the risk he is putting upto himself by taking his preferred squad in the world cup. He is the most revered sportsman & possibly most revered celebrity of entire Pak. So he is also aware that all these reverence will go down the drain if his team flops, within overnight he will become the biggest villain of entire Pak. Despite knowing all this if he is still adamant & confident on certain underperforming players & assuring PCB that he's fully responsible for the outcome then there isn't anything his critics can do. If you are a Pakistani or at least a supporter of the team then the best you can do is pray for the best possible outcome. No amount of crying or shaming Babar is going to change anything. We all need to wait & see what he can deliver with all his alleged friends.
I obviously have no high hope from him both as a player or skipper & certainly not from this mediocre squad.I see them delivering more or less the similar performance they did in last two world cups. Which would be defeating one major side before crashing & ending up at 5th/6th slot at the end of the tournament. However I am prepared for all sorts of shock & if vintage maverick Pak shows up & goes through semis & beyond I will happily admit my mistakes & give Babar & his boys full credit.
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Most revered celebrity of Pakistan is easily Shahid Afridi.
 
Ahmed216 said:
Saim is too raw. I too believe he has a great future but playing in CPL is different to playing on spinning tracks in India.
Saud and Abdullah are your double centurions in test cricket. They have the technique and temperament to fall back on under pressure.
and I don’t even think Haris should be considered for 50 over format. 10-15 balls that he is in it seems there is a rat in his pants. absolutely no method to his batting and body language of an under 15 player
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I agree that Saim and Abdullah are great. As I said in one of my previous posts, they are going to go down some of the best test batsmen in Pakistan's history.

Having said that, double centuries in Test cricket are not the benchmark for ODI selection - ESPECIALLY when we already have accumulators of a similar mould in the team (Babar, Imam and Rizwan). We need some firepower to complement these accumulators. Saim Ayub and Haris would have provided that better than anyone else in Pakistan right now.
 
Well this was expected so no issues to be honest. All negativity should be at PCB who can not plan anything in their lives which is really annoying me. World Cup comes after four years one needs to have replacements for all positions. Fakhar apart from under edging the ball hasn't touched the ball for nearly 3 months now yet no one else has been given a chance.. By Sticking with Faheem all along and now dropping him have no so called all rounder.

I guess what players they had for disposal this was expected it was either Amir or Hasan. The question is how does Wasim Junior get into the squad on what merit.

Finally Pak are lucky that the format is to play 9 matches and no other group stages no quarterfinals so we can always say only best 4 will get into semis which is improbable. I think with that squad we are looking at the 8th position which is my honest opinion.
 
Disappointed. I had a forlorn hope that maybe they'd pull a rabbit from the hat but it's a very predictable squad. We don't have a pacer that can control the RR like Naseem could. Shaheen, Hasan and Rauf can be very expensive. I see us conceding 350+ in one match at least.

Favouritism again prevails with Shadab retaining his place.

The batting is as expected. No matter who we pick, our MO is to get a par score. We're not going to transform into ENG overnight selecting one of these young sensations people are hyping. That'll require a wholesale culture change which isn't happening in the 2 weeks until the World Cup.

Our point of difference was our three pacers, but without Naseem it's an ordinary squad. I'll be happy if we get out of the group.
 
chinaman00 said:
I love Shaheen’s celebration. In my view, the best in world cricket at the moment.

Haris Rauf used to have that crazy decapitation gesture celebration that shocked Aussie fans in the BBL & forced him to drop the celebration altogether 😂
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I just don't see the need of bringing it out 99% of the times you get a wicket. That's like a batsmen celebrating every time they score a 6.
 
ExpressPacer said:
I'm beginning to get sick of these cringe celebrations that our bowlers do, including Shaheen Shah Afridi. It just seems so rehearsed and forced.

The worst is Ihsanullah with his cupid celebration. Grown men doing this EVERY single time they get a wicket, regardless of the match situation, is just pure cringe.

Whatever you say about Haris, he is by far the least cringe bowler in our team.
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Agree one hundred percent, i think il go a bit deeper and say it’s a reflection of our current society or youth culture in young Pakistanis, attention seeking tik Tok age we’re living in. Our elders were very dignified and self respect and image was a very big thing. Didn’t see any of this with our cricketers back in the day.
 
Selecting players like Abrar, Amir, Sarfraz, and Imad would potentially be more disastrous, given that they have not played any ODI cricket for Pakistan in the last four years. This could become a point of contention for Babar if the team underperforms.

Babar Azam has chosen the team and stands by his decision, as he has been building this team over the past 2-3 years to align with his vision. That seems reasonable enough.

The inclusion of Agha and Hassan Ali is the subject of debate, as Agha is considered an average player in a crucial position, and Hassan Ali has faced difficulties performing under pressure, similar to Babar.

I believe we can make it to the semifinals, but I'm not optimistic about our prospects beyond that.
 
adi_62941 said:
Selecting players like Abrar, Amir, Sarfraz, and Imad would potentially be more disastrous, given that they have not played any ODI cricket for Pakistan in the last four years. This could become a point of contention for Babar if the team underperforms.

Babar Azam has chosen the team and stands by his decision, as he has been building this team over the past 2-3 years to align with his vision. That seems reasonable enough.

The inclusion of Agha and Hassan Ali is the subject of debate, as Agha is considered an average player in a crucial position, and Hassan Ali has faced difficulties performing under pressure, similar to Babar.

I believe we can make it to the semifinals, but I'm not optimistic about our prospects beyond that.
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If we make the Semis i think they should declare National Holiday is my humble opinion no way are they reaching that i am afraid
 
Nado_ said:
Agree one hundred percent, i think il go a bit deeper and say it’s a reflection of our current society or youth culture in young Pakistanis, attention seeking tik Tok age we’re living in. Our elders were very dignified and self respect and image was a very big thing. Didn’t see any of this with our cricketers back in the day.
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I think our common people are just paindu and our cricketers are a mere reflection of this. In the past, there were leaders like Imran Khan who somewhat groomed the team into having some form of dignity. Our current leaders and captains are just as paindu as the next player.

Also, I'm not saying being paindu is a bad thing – just stating it for it is.
 
VForVendetta said:
Very much expected this. Despite so much outside noise, I knew there's simply no way any of Sarfaraz, Imad or Aamir would have been allowed an entry. Too much bridges have been burned, not to forget Babar would never allow someone who could potentially threaten his authority or make one of his three friends insecured. This squad has just reinforced the fact that Babar is indeed the most powerful skipper of Pak since Imran & probably the most powerful skipper in the world at the moment. No matter what our opinions are regarding Babar (they tend to vary a lot), we all can agree he is not dumb,yes he may not have the sharpest cricketing brain but he is not outright dumb.He definitely knows the risk he is putting upto himself by taking his preferred squad in the world cup. He is the most revered sportsman & possibly most revered celebrity of entire Pak. So he is also aware that all these reverence will go down the drain if his team flops, within overnight he will become the biggest villain of entire Pak. Despite knowing all this if he is still adamant & confident on certain underperforming players & assuring PCB that he's fully responsible for the outcome then there isn't anything his critics can do. If you are a Pakistani or at least a supporter of the team then the best you can do is pray for the best possible outcome. No amount of crying or shaming Babar is going to change anything. We all need to wait & see what he can deliver with all his alleged friends.
I obviously have no high hope from him both as a player or skipper & certainly not from this mediocre squad.I see them delivering more or less the similar performance they did in last two world cups. Which would be defeating one major side before crashing & ending up at 5th/6th slot at the end of the tournament. However I am prepared for all sorts of shock & if vintage maverick Pak shows up & goes through semis & beyond I will happily admit my mistakes & give Babar & his boys full credit.
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Pakistan cricket has a history of being unpredictable, with moments of brilliance followed by moments of struggle. It's true that nobody can accurately predict how this team will perform in India. The lack of experience playing on Indian pitches, coupled with the electric atmosphere, is indeed a significant factor to consider.

One thing is certain: Pakistan is not aiming for an average performance. The team is poised for either blockbuster performances or a complete lackluster showing. Only time will tell how they adapt to the conditions and rise to the occasion. Let's wait and see how they perform in this exciting and challenging environment.
 
I am seriously shocked to see how strong of a character babar has proven to be. He has backed his guys who performed well before but could not do well in their last tournament. He has backed the guys he built the team with for the past year or so. Pretty sure the guys like shadab and fakhar would be more eager to perform and mentally strong after their captain has their backing.
 
ExpressPacer said:
I think our common people are just paindu and our cricketers are a mere reflection of this. In the past, there were leaders like Imran Khan who somewhat groomed the team into having some form of dignity. Our current leaders and captains are just as paindu as the next player.

Also, I'm not saying being paindu is a bad thing – just stating it for it is.
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No, they are not 'paindu.' They simply don't have the kind of atmosphere and environment that we used to have in the past. Our society has become extremely conservative in the last 2-3 decades. Even our competitive neighbors have surpassed us in every department and in every possible way.
 
The bowling department is weak.
Trundles like Wasim Jr. and Hasan Ali will get thrashed all over the park.
I have seen a few good pace bowlers in the PSL, they are definitely better than Wasim and Hasan. What happened to them? Why haven't they been picked?

The spin attack is, as usual poor. Pakistan is very lucky to reach the semifinals with this squad.
 
Are people taking into account the significant factor that none of the selected players have ever played cricket on Indian pitches? This will be their first experience in that regard.
 
adi_62941 said:
Selecting players like Abrar, Amir, Sarfraz, and Imad would potentially be more disastrous, given that they have not played any ODI cricket for Pakistan in the last four years. This could become a point of contention for Babar if the team underperforms.

Babar Azam has chosen the team and stands by his decision, as he has been building this team over the past 2-3 years to align with his vision. That seems reasonable enough.

The inclusion of Agha and Hassan Ali is the subject of debate, as Agha is considered an average player in a crucial position, and Hassan Ali has faced difficulties performing under pressure, similar to Babar.

I believe we can make it to the semifinals, but I'm not optimistic about our prospects beyond that.
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Hasan Ali will be targeted, if management have any sense (which they don’t) they will make tactics based on this.
But then again when has it ever looked they have planned and made tactics targeting batsmen. Always seems like Yh just go with the flow oh and there’s never a plan B.
If Shadab continues with his tripe then I expect someone to pick up an “injury” and then maybe Abrar comes into the mix. I hope they give Abrar game time in the warm ups. Batting wise if the opposition is spin heavy or has a world class spinner then Saud has to come in to negotiate that in the middle order.
Miracles that can possibly save us a place in Semi final:
Fakhar comes back in form
Hassan Ali counters the batsman targeting him and gain respect
Babar not getting out to the in dipping ball
Middle over batsman not getting bamboozled by spin
Shaheen having a plan B if he gets hit in his opening spell
 
alishahid said:
I am seriously shocked to see how strong of a character babar has proven to be. He has backed his guys who performed well before but could not do well in their last tournament. He has backed the guys he built the team with for the past year or so. Pretty sure the guys like shadab and fakhar would be more eager to perform and mentally strong after their captain has their backing.
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No

Fakhar will retire and play leagues for the rest of his playing days.

Shadab will refuse a central contract and become a freelancer like the West Indian cricketers.

It’s not as simple as you think it is.
 
Always knew hasan ali will make come back to squad, babar can't sleep without his friends. Hasan ali slection over arshad, dhani, abrar, ihsanullah is not justified. Same old rotten system since 1950. Zero merit. I hope we will not reach semi's and somehow all frauds will get a cool life in UK.

Frustrating and weird selections as always.
 
TheSultan said:
Why not? As we’ve seen in many ICC tournaments, a young unknown quantity usually has some impact as no-one really knows much about him.

Inzi 92, Fakhar CT 17, Haris 2022.

Saim Ayub or Abrar could have surprised a few teams.

Instead we’ll get all the steady Eddies. Bowlers will get milked and batsmen will play test matches
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Historically in all the successful icc assignments of Pak history, these kinds of unexpected shocking maverick injections have always given them the extra edge & spoiled strategies of strong opposition teams.
You already mentioned 3, I would like to add another 3
92 : Mushtaq, I think he was as instrumental as Wasim & Inzi were in the triumph. He too much like Inzi was an unexpected inclusion.
99 : Razzak, basically a nobody before the world cup. Was probably Akram's biggest mastersroke at how he used him at no 3 instead of aging veterans like Izaz, Malik & as the fourth seam option instead of a struggling Waqar.
09 : Aamir ;World cricket wasn't simply prepared enough for a teenage 140+ sensation. He really rattled them & inturn it helped Gul to plunder wickets after wickets.
So keeping that in mind a last minute inclusion of Abrar or Ayub wouldn't have been a terrible idea. But the problem is Babar simply isn't as brave enough as Imran,Akram,Younus or Sarfaraz were. For him safety first has always been priority.
 
Visaal-E-Yaar said:
Always knew hasan ali will make come back to squad, babar can't sleep without his friends. Hasan ali slection over arshad, dhani, abrar, ihsanullah is not justified. Same old rotten system since 1950. Zero merit. I hope we will not reach semi's and somehow all frauds will get a cool life in UK.

Frustrating and weird selections as always.
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Why do you agenda driven people never educate yourself before commenting on something? Or you think criticizing Babar for no reason makes you look cool?

Arshad and Ihsanullah are injured. Abrar is in the squad as a reserve.

Hasan is a better option than Dahani.
 
Omer2002 said:
Well this was expected so no issues to be honest. All negativity should be at PCB who can not plan anything in their lives which is really annoying me. World Cup comes after four years one needs to have replacements for all positions. Fakhar apart from under edging the ball hasn't touched the ball for nearly 3 months now yet no one else has been given a chance.. By Sticking with Faheem all along and now dropping him have no so called all rounder.

I guess what players they had for disposal this was expected it was either Amir or Hasan. The question is how does Wasim Junior get into the squad on what merit.

Finally Pak are lucky that the format is to play 9 matches and no other group stages no quarterfinals so we can always say only best 4 will get into semis which is improbable. I think with that squad we are looking at the 8th position which is my honest opinion.
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Rana said:
No

Fakhar will retire and play leagues for the rest of his playing days.

Shadab will refuse a central contract and become a freelancer like the West Indian cricketers.

It’s not as simple as you think it is.
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If Shadab wants to become a mercenary after the World Cup, that’s good for Pakistan cricket.

There are so many exciting young players in the system that Pakistan can use to build a team around Babar till the next World Cup. If Pakistan can get a strategically minded captain to take the reins after the World Cup, Pakistan cricket can become exciting and will help restore their maverick credentials.
 
Visaal-E-Yaar said:
Always knew hasan ali will make come back to squad, babar can't sleep without his friends. Hasan ali slection over arshad, dhani, abrar, ihsanullah is not justified. Same old rotten system since 1950. Zero merit. I hope we will not reach semi's and somehow all frauds will get a cool life in UK.

Frustrating and weird selections as always.
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Do some research before posting your agenda backed comments. Ihsan, Arshad are injured and Dhani got smashed recently by college graduates of India, Abrar is already in reserve. Even Hasnain is injured otherwise he would have been first choice after Naseem.

So just for the sake of proving rhetorical arguments, doesn't mean you come up with the facts without research.
 
HOW CAN ANYONE HAVE À PROBLEM WITH THE SQUAD SELECTED???

If I was in charge, I would have selected 14/15 that have been selected and the same 3 traveling reserves.

Haris Sohail should have been there in place of Saud Shakeel otherwise it's a PERFECT SQUAD. much better than 2019 that had questionable selections like Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Hasnain
 
So same squad I predicted yesterday based on news stories that were going on. Decent squad except for Hasan A and Usama, I would had Arshad I and Abrar in the 15. Haris also was waste of spot in the 15, Saud is much better long inning player, and with our fragile batting you do need a proper bat, especially with Fakhar badly in form and walking wicket atm. Hitting power can be provided by Iftikhar, Agha, Shadab, Nawaz when needed, but key is to play 50 overs with main batsmen to maximise chance of getting to 300+.
Surprisingly our bowling is the weakest part this time due to injury to Naseem, and hope Mushtaq Ahmed will be able to improve Pakistani spinners in the little time he will be with them, that is if he is hired in first place. Otherwise will be very difficult viewing.
 
Devadwal said:
What if rizwan is having fever or niggle just before the match ? Who take wicketkeeper responsibility? If Harish is come in 15 members team it's mean world cup is over for rizwan.
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Ah, we’re going to see Imam ul Haq as WK aren’t we😭😭😭
 
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The melodrama here is like an episode of Eastenders LOL

Calm down! This is e squad filled with players who have been the part of PCBs plans for the last 4 years. The core group is Fakahr, Imam, Babar, Rizwan, Ifty, Shadab, Shaheen and Haris, that was never going to change. Naseem would have been a massive bonus but on form, Hasan is a good replacement and just as I predicted.

Pakistan's spin is worrying and Abrar may have been a good inclusion but he hasn't even played any domestic LO games in recent times so I can understand the hesitancy there. However no denying Salman and Mir are kind of the same...maybe Haris in and one of the others as reserve because rizwan has no back up as keeper for now.

There's a solid XI that can be picked here but based on performances it is likely to be the last hurrah for Fakhar and maybe Nawaz and Hasan Ali. But this is a squad which is a top 4 finish at least.
 
chinaman00 said:
Actually, the strategy of opposition teams is to attack Shaheen straight up, disorient him and post big totals. Pakistani players are notoriously mentally weak, and can’t psychologically adapt when you force them to go off-script.

Anytime teams have tried to restrain themselves against Shaheen, they have regretted. India’s assault on Shaheen & Co. in last year’s T20 WC & the recently concluded Asia Cup provides a perfect template on how teams should/will approach Shaheen & co.
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shaheen record with the new ball speak for itself .Just because it work for india it's not necessary it will work every time .He is certainly very good with the new ball and team should give him respect and try to attack hasan ali from other end who will be in immense pressure
 
So Hassan Ali was the surprise

Yeah it really is a surprise. Would be amazing to see how many games he survives before Wasim JR becomes the 3rd seamer
 
The Rona Dhona is as expected.

In the end I’m glad Babar didn’t throw his toys out of the pram.

He had his plans and has stuck to them.

Like a true leader he is backing his boys on the eve of the World Cup without panicking.

The thought of bringing raw blood into the dressing room now or guys who haven’t played an ODI in years doesn’t make any sense. This is the World Cup and not some gully league. Experience matters.
 
If a squad was to be selected based on people's comments then Babar, Shaheen, Shadab, Imam, and Fakhar would not have made it. Guys keep calm and support whatever we have right now. Arshad Iqbal is injured so he would not have been selected in any case. Hassan is a good choice considering faheem is also done and dusted now.
 
adi_62941 said:
Pakistan cricket has a history of being unpredictable, with moments of brilliance followed by moments of struggle. It's true that nobody can accurately predict how this team will perform in India. The lack of experience playing on Indian pitches, coupled with the electric atmosphere, is indeed a significant factor to consider.

One thing is certain: Pakistan is not aiming for an average performance. The team is poised for either blockbuster performances or a complete lackluster showing. Only time will tell how they adapt to the conditions and rise to the occasion. Let's wait and see how they perform in this exciting and challenging environment.
Click to expand...
I just don't see how you can expect a blockbuster outcome from a lackluster average unit. The way I see it with this squad you are either going to get an average outing(15,19) or a complete disaster (03,07). I just don't see anything close to 92/99 or even 87/11 happening with this unit. As I already mentioned along with Sultan at post #123 you need some unexpected unknown commodity to expect that sort of performance. Just to unsettle opposition's strategy. Pak could've gone on that route but as it's obvious Babar doesn't want to take risk. He is content with safety & familiarity.
 
BouncerGuy said:
If a squad was to be selected based on people's comments then Babar, Shaheen, Shadab, Imam, and Fakhar would not have made it. Guys keep calm and support whatever we have right now. Arshad Iqbal is injured so he would not have been selected in any case. Hassan is a good choice considering faheem is also done and dusted now.
Click to expand...
Edit
 
Too much negativity here.

Good on Babar to go out on a limb for his players and to back them despite so much pressure.

Regardless of the merits, utility of the players selected. Let's back the team and pray for the best.
 
pakfan54588 said:
shaheen record with the new ball speak for itself .Just because it work for india it's not necessary it will work every time .He is certainly very good with the new ball and team should give him respect and try to attack hasan ali from other end who will be in immense pressure
Click to expand...

Ok, thanks. I will tell the teams to respect Shaheen & attack Hassan Ali.
 
Over reaction as always.

First of all i am glad that no spot fixers are back.

Pacer bowling is good. Remember we have three pacers injured thus in that case hasan ali was best choice. Brining in a new bowler is too much of a risk as its a world cup.

Only weak thing is our spin attack
 
Usman Chadda said:
Why do you agenda driven people never educate yourself before commenting on something? Or you think criticizing Babar for no reason makes you look cool?

Arshad and Ihsanullah are injured. Abrar is in the squad as a reserve.

Hasan is a better option than Dahani.
Click to expand...
Oh, so we can't even criticize babar now.
Let me clear you i like babar as a player but not as a leader. He don't have qualities of leader.
Yes, i want pakistan to win WC23 that my agenda but reality is opposite.
Hasan ali's spot in squad cannot be justified at all. What has happened to Zaman khan? That's the point where big teams give confidence to a shattered players and we just throw them away based on couple of games. Even someone with 5% knowledge of cricket knows hasan ali's selection is purely based on favoritism.

Shadab khan is an another example of favoritism he cannot spin the ball, i.e, in his last 10 matches i saw him bowl only one wrong'un delivery in his last match on other hand spinners around the world taking wickets on wrong'uns regularly. After so many failures as an all rounder he didn't miss a single match so far.

No 6 spot is an issue for us for long time now and we didn't work on that. We need solid all rounder on this spot who can bat with 110+ SR but in all that year's we can't make one. Failure

We don't have backup for pace bowling.
Injuries in fast bowlers are common despite we know that we didn't work on any other option seriously we take this as a joke even all our main pace attack was playing against Afghanistan ( no disrespect though). While other big teams resting their main pace attack. Unprofessional stuff.

It will be miracle if this team reach in semi's.
 
I think Babar is brave and he is trusting all these players.. well it can go on both sides but we hope all the players are going to deliver now specially Hasan Ali, Agha Salman, Fakhar Zaman and Shadab Khan
 
Savak said:
Too much negativity here.

Good on Babar to go out on a limb for his players and to back them despite so much pressure.

Regardless of the merits, utility of the players selected. Let's back the team and pray for the best.
Click to expand...
Bro you were crying the most when Pakistan lost to India

Now what happened?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Rana said:
Bhai you were crying the most when Pakistan lost to India

Ab kya ho gaya?
Click to expand...

No point crying over that match now. Babar has sensibly backed the players he has been selecting for the last 3-4 years. You cannot take rookies out of the blue to a high profile tournament in India.
 
The good news is if this squad loses Babar will be fired from captaincy.

The bad news is we still need to back these average players and hope for flukes and miracles to somehow get to semis.

I dont think ANYONE in Pakistan was expecting Babar to change the entire team.

A bit of tinkering (inclusion of Imad, Amir, sacking of Shadab and Nawaz) would have helped elevate the mood of many Pakistani fans.

Babar has a made a choice here.

My team and I am going to stick to the players.

If this team doesnt perform well, he will have nowhere to hide
 
Savak said:
No point crying over that match now. Babar has sensibly backed the players he has been selecting for the last 3-4 years. You cannot take rookies out of the blue to a high profile tournament in India.
Click to expand...
But they are all equally rookie

Which one of them is experienced enough to play in India on a grand stage?
 
Dr_Bassim said:
The good news is if this squad loses Babar will be fired from captaincy.

The bad news is we still need to back these average players and hope for flukes and miracles to somehow get to semis.

I dont think ANYONE in Pakistan was expecting Babar to change the entire team.

A bit of tinkering (inclusion of Imad, Amir, sacking of Shadab and Nawaz) would have helped elevate the mood of many Pakistani fans.

Babar has a made a choice here.

My team and I am going to stick to the players.

If this team doesnt perform well, he will have nowhere to hide
Click to expand...
He will always have somewhere to hide

He’s been doing it for long enough now.

Nothing will change!
 
Dr_Bassim said:
The good news is if this squad loses Babar will be fired from captaincy.

The bad news is we still need to back these average players and hope for flukes and miracles to somehow get to semis.

I dont think ANYONE in Pakistan was expecting Babar to change the entire team.

A bit of tinkering (inclusion of Imad, Amir, sacking of Shadab and Nawaz) would have helped elevate the mood of many Pakistani fans.

Babar has a made a choice here.

My team and I am going to stick to the players.

If this team doesnt perform well, he will have nowhere to hide
Click to expand...
Surely, after this tournament, if the players backed by Babar have not performed then Babar will be taking the blame. He trusted his squad playing for 2-3 years now so he backed them now. Let's hope for the best.
 
Visaal-E-Yaar said:
Oh, so we can't even criticize babar now.
Let me clear you i like babar as a player but not as a leader. He don't have qualities of leader.
Yes, i want pakistan to win WC23 that my agenda but reality is opposite.
Hasan ali's spot in squad cannot be justified at all. What has happened to Zaman khan? That's the point where big teams give confidence to a shattered players and we just throw them away based on couple of games. Even someone with 5% knowledge of cricket knows hasan ali's selection is purely based on favoritism.

Shadab khan is an another example of favoritism he cannot spin the ball, i.e, in his last 10 matches i saw him bowl only one wrong'un delivery in his last match on other hand spinners around the world taking wickets on wrong'uns regularly. After so many failures as an all rounder he didn't miss a single match so far.

No 6 spot is an issue for us for long time now and we didn't work on that. We need solid all rounder on this spot who can bat with 110+ SR but in all that year's we can't make one. Failure

We don't have backup for pace bowling.
Injuries in fast bowlers are common despite we know that we didn't work on any other option seriously we take this as a joke even all our main pace attack was playing against Afghanistan ( no disrespect though). While other big teams resting their main pace attack. Unprofessional stuff.

It will be miracle if this team reach in semi's.
Click to expand...
No, it is not. Hasan is maybe our 4th or 5th choice pacer and I am quite sure he himself knows that. Zaman Khan is very limited in skillset and cannot bowl with the new ball in 50-over cricket unfortunately. Hasan at least has that outswing going for him, and he can seam the ball aswell if he is in rhythm. Unfortunately he is mediocre, and it is basically a forced selection based on the replacements available.

The rest of the issues were not discussed in your initial post, it was a rant against Babar selecting his favorites. Stop being so emotional and get behind the team now, no matter how flawed it is.
 
Savak said:
No point crying over that match now. Babar has sensibly backed the players he has been selecting for the last 3-4 years. You cannot take rookies out of the blue to a high profile tournament in India.
Click to expand...
Why do I get the impression you are Kanye West in the guise of a Pakistan cricket fan?
 
Usman Chadda said:
Saim has played no meaningful international cricket to speak of, and you want him to play a World Cup?

This is not cricket on Playstation, there is a lot at stake here.
Click to expand...
Yes, alot of cricket at stake when you're taking fakhar and shadab, you're basically shooting yourself in the foot, but go on.
 
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