Post Mortem: I want answers for the New Zealand tour!

[Jabo]

Long term investment in the likes of the overrated Azhar/Shafiq and that we still treat one of them as a child (Shafiq)
Bowling is not that good, we already know this though
YK...

 

[Sadevdesai]

Very convenient to blame our performance on NO warm up matches .... but this was the 3rd Test Match and openers had done a great job towards taking it to a Draw .... but then we all know what happened !!!!

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

I have argued for the following "home" venues:

V Australia and New Zealand: UAE
V England: West Indies (TV revenue reasons - English prime time TV)
V Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh: secondary venues in South Africa (E London, P Elizabeth, Benoni)
V West Indies, India: England

Wow. This is not your video game where you can choose a venue and play your home series there according to your strengths and weaknesses.. PCB will have to choose one venue or two countries and stick with it.

 

[FreePalestine]

I am going to withhold judgement until the end of Australia tour. Unlike 95% of PP, I knew we would find it tough in NZ where the ball swings so much. Oz have a weaker batting line up, so we should be able to exploit that. Challenge will be Starc and co. and how we handle them. I want to see more from them there. At least a drawn series! More than just one win. I know we are underdogs even for this achievement, but it is time for many of these players to show what they can do.

Shafiq's form is worrying.

 

[MMHS]

That and at home Pakistan have tended to not dominate, losses against australia, india, England and south africa unlike India and to an extent even Sri Lanka.

PAK is struggling because team is travelling outside Asia after 3 years without much preparation. Any given day, PAK team will do better out side home - even on Indian, SRL & BD wickets than those garbage in UAE (Which is million times better that what PCB's farmers prepare at home - yesterday a FC team in elite round were all-out for 78 to bowlers, who'll struggle to make a decent Minor County side). The team is playing against their core - if Misbah, Arthur & Inzi thinks that picking teams for Cricket, Hockey & Clay Court tennis on UAE "wicket" is the "passion" of PAK team, then I can bet that next Bangladesh tour, they'll lose Test Series by clear margin or 2 or more Tests.

It's the biggest myth in PAK cricket that UAE wickets are best for their game - result is an out come, which people don't understand why. In last 4/5 years, teams have toured UAE & played Tests with very little preparation - got exposed in early part of the series. Once they got acclimatized, actually were better team than PAK - take a random pick - SAF, NZ, WI won last Test of the Series in UAE; ENG missed both times from a dominating position because of 2 outstanding bowlers defending pea size totals - even Aussies would have done better had there been a 3rd Test. Khuda ka Shukar that Misbah won 90% toss in UAE - still lost 3 Tests to non Asian sides after winning toss - alter the result of toss in those series ........... PAK posters 'll try to get under my skin if I tell what's in my mind.

A team can adopt different style of game according to situation; but can't change the philosophy of their cricket - give 4 Stenys to MS Dhoni - he'll allow teams to drift from 150/6 ........ give him 4 batsmen & 2 spinners, he did take IND to No. 1. PAK team is playing cricket within a Jail of own - unless Misbah leaves (& God forbid, Azhar is not made Captain), things won't change, even with Woolmer or Clive Woodward or Sir Alex as Manager.

Amir as Captain & Babar deputy - kick out everyone over 30 from Current team barring Azhar, Shafiq & Yasir by CT 2017; things will improve drastically; BUT, unless Domestic wicket & system changes, it'll never reach to the level of late 70s to late 90s team; because County window is no more an option.

 

[MMHS]

If we persist with classic oldies like SK, Misbah, YK nothing will be changed

Not much option left bro - Sohail, Imran at least know how to hold the seem of a cricket ball ............ The shot Rizwan played in 1st innings & then the single he took in 2nd innings ......... if this is the level of maturity for a 24 years old-star with 9 years FC experience, then I'll pick YK & Misbah even in 2022......

FC system has to change - I am sure a lot of posters are waiting with knife; but what I wrote 3 years back, is reflecting in ODI ranking now; wait 3 more years for it to reflect in Test as well, in an era when there are 4/5 good Test teams around (& still PAK is one of those

 

[Adil_94]

Pakistan were underprepared didnt play any warm up games. had just come from the UAE into alien conditions. NZ outplayed us in every department and played the conditions better its as simple as that. Maybe in Aus if we have more time to acclimatise we can do better

 

[Napa]

PAK is struggling because team is travelling outside Asia after 3 years without much preparation. Any given day, PAK team will do better out side home - even on Indian, SRL & BD wickets than those garbage in UAE (Which is million times better that what PCB's farmers prepare at home - yesterday a FC team in elite round were all-out for 78 to bowlers, who'll struggle to make a decent Minor County side). The team is playing against their core - if Misbah, Arthur & Inzi thinks that picking teams for Cricket, Hockey & Clay Court tennis on UAE "wicket" is the "passion" of PAK team, then I can bet that next Bangladesh tour, they'll lose Test Series by clear margin or 2 or more Tests.

It's the biggest myth in PAK cricket that UAE wickets are best for their game - result is an out come, which people don't understand why. In last 4/5 years, teams have toured UAE & played Tests with very little preparation - got exposed in early part of the series. Once they got acclimatized, actually were better team than PAK - take a random pick - SAF, NZ, WI won last Test of the Series in UAE; ENG missed both times from a dominating position because of 2 outstanding bowlers defending pea size totals - even Aussies would have done better had there been a 3rd Test. Khuda ka Shukar that Misbah won 90% toss in UAE - still lost 3 Tests to non Asian sides after winning toss - alter the result of toss in those series ........... PAK posters 'll try to get under my skin if I tell what's in my mind.

A team can adopt different style of game according to situation; but can't change the philosophy of their cricket - give 4 Stenys to MS Dhoni - he'll allow teams to drift from 150/6 ........ give him 4 batsmen & 2 spinners, he did take IND to No. 1. PAK team is playing cricket within a Jail of own - unless Misbah leaves (& God forbid, Azhar is not made Captain), things won't change, even with Woolmer or Clive Woodward or Sir Alex as Manager.

<b>Amir as Captain</b> & Babar deputy - kick out everyone over 30 from Current team barring Azhar, Shafiq & Yasir by CT 2017; things will improve drastically; BUT, unless Domestic wicket & system changes, it'll never reach to the level of late 70s to late 90s team; because County window is no more an option.

While he has been accepted back into the team, I think PCB will never make Amir the captain given that he has served a jail term.

 

[MMHS]

While he has been accepted back into the team, I think PCB will never make Amir the captain given that he has served a jail term.

I mentioned Amir because he is quality & young - among very few who does make the team on merit & actually has best part of 10 years left in career. The idea is to have a bowling Captain - could have been Yasir as well - but I don't want someone Captain, as dumb not to recognize wife's pill, being a pro sportsman. Could have been Wahab as well, had he been 29; but he is 35 - at best 1 or 2 years left in him. Even, I do believe, had he not been banned, with all his antics, still Asif could have been a brilliant Test Captain - but this Azzu, Asu, Sarfu model won't work in Test match - even, had he been 35 (genuine, which is 30-32 officially), MoHa was a far better option than any of these lot, because he has a bowler in him.

 

[msb314]

Did you watch the innings?

Each and every ball of it and I can tell you that Azhar and Sami did not plan their innings at all if the intent was to chase NZ's total.

 

[the SHA]

This defeat exposes many frailties. This day 5 chase debacle exposes Azhar's leadership capabilities. He let his insecurities get the better of him.

Sorry to say but its selfish to ensure your own 50, consuming 2 sessions, then expect your teammates to chase a mountain in the final session of a 5 day test. The scorecard may embellish your effort but as captain you're responsible for steering your teams ending.

 

[Prince of Pakistan]

We have been wanting answers for ages, but have we ever got one? It's Pakistan and a few new fresh faces make everyone forget the past.

After the Aus tour we will have forgotten yesterday's humiliation as well.

 

[Abdullah719]

Each and every ball of it and I can tell you that Azhar and Sami did not plan their innings at all if the intent was to chase NZ's total.

That doesn't mean they aren't international calibre openers.

Azhar admitted after the match that they fell short in the second session and were looking for around 30 more.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

PAK is struggling because team is travelling outside Asia after 3 years without much preparation. Any given day, PAK team will do better out side home - even on Indian, SRL & BD wickets than those garbage in UAE (Which is million times better that what PCB's farmers prepare at home - yesterday a FC team in elite round were all-out for 78 to bowlers, who'll struggle to make a decent Minor County side). The team is playing against their core - if Misbah, Arthur & Inzi thinks that picking teams for Cricket, Hockey & Clay Court tennis on UAE "wicket" is the "passion" of PAK team, then I can bet that next Bangladesh tour, they'll lose Test Series by clear margin or 2 or more Tests.

It's the biggest myth in PAK cricket that UAE wickets are best for their game - result is an out come, which people don't understand why. In last 4/5 years, teams have toured UAE & played Tests with very little preparation - got exposed in early part of the series. Once they got acclimatized, actually were better team than PAK - take a random pick - SAF, NZ, WI won last Test of the Series in UAE; ENG missed both times from a dominating position because of 2 outstanding bowlers defending pea size totals - even Aussies would have done better had there been a 3rd Test. Khuda ka Shukar that Misbah won 90% toss in UAE - still lost 3 Tests to non Asian sides after winning toss - alter the result of toss in those series ........... PAK posters 'll try to get under my skin if I tell what's in my mind.

A team can adopt different style of game according to situation; but can't change the philosophy of their cricket - give 4 Stenys to MS Dhoni - he'll allow teams to drift from 150/6 ........ give him 4 batsmen & 2 spinners, he did take IND to No. 1. PAK team is playing cricket within a Jail of own - unless Misbah leaves (& God forbid, Azhar is not made Captain), things won't change, even with Woolmer or Clive Woodward or Sir Alex as Manager.

Amir as Captain & Babar deputy - kick out everyone over 30 from Current team barring Azhar, Shafiq & Yasir by CT 2017; things will improve drastically; BUT, unless Domestic wicket & system changes, it'll never reach to the level of late 70s to late 90s team; because County window is no more an option.

Amazing post.

Actually [MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION] the problem is, we think UAE wickets are forte and stronghold and we look at the lossless record generally over there, and we think UAE is best for Pakistan.

The truth is, UAE wickets are actually causing our batsmen to become worse because you can play an offside bowl to onside leaving all 3 wickets exposed. No lateral movement at all on fast bowling.

The ball turns, but it turns so slowly , that our master batsmen who have seen such turn since 3 years of age, just ignore it.

Foreign teams do find it hard to acclimatize to UAE, but once regular tours are scheduled in UAE, that advantage will soon be lost.

Pakistan needs to go back to its legacy of pace bowling.

Is it asking too much?

Perhaps.

But I don't think spin and UAE is the solution for test cricket in Pakistan.

 

[msb314]

That doesn't mean they aren't international calibre openers.

Azhar admitted after the match that they fell short in the second session and were looking for around 30 more.

If they are incapable of playing at a SR of 50 - then it is unacceptable by any standards and clearly shows that they have already hit their ceiling.

If poor planning was at fault - which I believe is more likely - then management and Mickey should be held accountable (although being captain - Azhar would shoulder some blame as well since he should know how to pace the innings being the opener).

 

[Napa]

1. Who failed to schedule enough warm-up time in New Zealand? What are the consequences for him?

2. Who scheduled the Tests v West Indies after the ODIs, and in the time when the team should have been in New Zealand? What are the consequences for him?

3. Who accepted an itinerary for Australia where the only warm-up match is in a Monsoon region in the rainy season?

4. Was it Azhar Ali or Mickey Arthur who sanctioned the crazy run chase after Tea at Hamilton?

5. Why has Inzamam sent the exact same squad to Australia which has just lost 2-0 to New Zealand?

In another thread not long ago, you accused Indians of "weak team spirit", "psychologically brittle" etc. etc. because they lost 3 wickets in 5 balls and then lost the match. Isn't your own answer not good for you anymore?