Preparing for the World Cup, Pakistan should begin playing two leggies and two keepers in T20Is

[Thunderbolt14]

Two keepers
I’ll start with the two keepers idea - we have gaping holes at the top and in the lower middle order. Irrespective of of being able to keep, Rizwan is one of the only opening options available. As long as he maintains his form and translates his abilities to his first 20-30 balls, I have no issue giving him an extended run instead of Fakhar and Sharjeel.

In the middle order, Khushdil has been exposed as a legside hack, and is yet to prove his critics wrong - after an extended run for these next two T20Is against SA, I suggest he be dropped if he fails to show any spark.

The other primary options for this position are Iftikhar, Azam, Hussain, Danish, and Imad the batsman. As we are already packing our top 4 with 3 anchors (Babar, Rizwan, and Hafeez) we need to immediately rule out Danish Aziz, who is more of a stay calm style of finisher than an Afridi. He does not have the hitting ability against pace, with the majority of his runs coming against medium pacers and spinners, and has never even performed with the bat in the PSL with his performances coming in the NT20 and Pakistan Cup.

We have the liberty to pick two of these guys, and Imad and Azam are faraway the best followed by Iftikhar and Hussain at roughly equivalent ability but with Iftikhar having more performances to show for it. The fact that Imad is a bowler is a plus, and the fact that he does well in the powerplay while we are struggling to find new ball bowlers to partner Shaheen is excellent.

I suggest the following batting lineup:

1. Babar Azam (c)
2. M Rizwan (wk)
3. Haider Ali
4. M Hafeez
5. Azam Khan
6. Imad Wasim

Two spinners
On the bowling front, purely as bowlers our main spinner options are Shadab, Imad, and Usman Qadir (purely as bowlers, Zahid Mehmood and Zafar Gohar are inferior to Shadab and Qadir in the middle overs and Nawaz is inferior to Imad in the powerplay).

Imad is already playing, making that number 6 slot purely as a batsman. Since modern day requirements encourage having six bowlers, this works out well for us. I then propose having two proper leggies in the middle overs in Shadab and Usman, rounded out by any three pacers.

1. Babar Azam (c)
2. M Rizwan (wk)
3. Haider Ali
4. M Hafeez
5. Azam Khan
6. Imad Wasim
7. Shadab Khan
8. Faheem Ashraf
9. Hassan Ali
10. Usman Qadir
11. Shaheen Afridi

We bat very, very deep in this lineup, and our bowlers are all very good at taking wickets. A two leggie combination of Shadab and Qadir has the potential to be the best in the world. Shadab currently averages 22.6 in T20I at an economy of 7.28, and Qadir has accumulated 10 wickets in just 4 matches he’s played so far at an average of 8.1.

If it doesn’t work out, of course, we have one of the two keepers to fall back on, and one of the two leggies to fall back on. This set of XI players is possibly the best we have in the country, given the mediocrity of the other options on the table. If we want to develop the best possible contingent of players, here’s how I’d begin growing Pakistan’s T20I team.

We’ve always been among the foremost innovators in the sport, from reverse swing to the doosra, and playing two leggies in ODIs. Many BBL teams have begun playing two leggies at once; in the IPL, the Royal Challengers Bangalore have played a few games with Yuzvendra Chahal and Adam Zampa in tandem, while Kings XI Punjab have gone with the duo of Ravi Bishnoi and Murugan Ashwin.

Is it time for Pakistan to pick up on the trend and take it to international cricket? I say yes.

 

[shamaan]

Defonitely agree with the 2 leg spinners also bearing mind in mind the next world cup is in india i would defo go with that.

As for the oppening pair the first 6 overs are crucial before the spinners come in the attack they must attack for the first 6 overs.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

Defonitely agree with the 2 leg spinners also bearing mind in mind the next world cup is in india i would defo go with that.

As for the oppening pair the first 6 overs are crucial before the spinners come in the attack they must attack for the first 6 overs.

I want to see whether Rizwan is able to convert his form to the first part of his innings. He has showed excellent promise, now what’s left is for Rizwan to take a step up. For the next 1-2 series, I think Rizwan should be given the chance to show what he can do while Azam bats in the middle order as well. This way, we have our options open as far as keepers are concerned (right now Rizwan is the only option and everyone else is mediocre).

 

[A.A.Z]

Two keepers
I’ll start with the two keepers idea - we have gaping holes at the top and in the lower middle order. Irrespective of of being able to keep, Rizwan is one of the only opening options available. As long as he maintains his form and translates his abilities to his first 20-30 balls, I have no issue giving him an extended run instead of Fakhar and Sharjeel.

In the middle order, Khushdil has been exposed as a legside hack, and is yet to prove his critics wrong - after an extended run for these next two T20Is against SA, I suggest he be dropped if he fails to show any spark.

The other primary options for this position are Iftikhar, Azam, Hussain, Danish, and Imad the batsman. As we are already packing our top 4 with 3 anchors (Babar, Rizwan, and Hafeez) we need to immediately rule out Danish Aziz, who is more of a stay calm style of finisher than an Afridi. He does not have the hitting ability against pace, with the majority of his runs coming against medium pacers and spinners, and has never even performed with the bat in the PSL with his performances coming in the NT20 and Pakistan Cup.

We have the liberty to pick two of these guys, and Imad and Azam are faraway the best followed by Iftikhar and Hussain at roughly equivalent ability but with Iftikhar having more performances to show for it. The fact that Imad is a bowler is a plus, and the fact that he does well in the powerplay while we are struggling to find new ball bowlers to partner Shaheen is excellent.

I suggest the following batting lineup:

1. Babar Azam (c)
2. M Rizwan (wk)
3. Haider Ali
4. M Hafeez
5. Azam Khan
6. Imad Wasim

Two spinners
On the bowling front, purely as bowlers our main spinner options are Shadab, Imad, and Usman Qadir (purely as bowlers, Zahid Mehmood and Zafar Gohar are inferior to Shadab and Qadir in the middle overs and Nawaz is inferior to Imad in the powerplay).

Imad is already playing, making that number 6 slot purely as a batsman. Since modern day requirements encourage having six bowlers, this works out well for us. I then propose having two proper leggies in the middle overs in Shadab and Usman, rounded out by any three pacers.

1. Babar Azam (c)
2. M Rizwan (wk)
3. Haider Ali
4. M Hafeez
5. Azam Khan
6. Imad Wasim
7. Shadab Khan
8. Faheem Ashraf
9. Hassan Ali
10. Usman Qadir
11. Shaheen Afridi

We bat very, very deep in this lineup, and our bowlers are all very good at taking wickets. A two leggie combination of Shadab and Qadir has the potential to be the best in the world. Shadab currently averages 22.6 in T20I at an economy of 7.28, and Qadir has accumulated 10 wickets in just 4 matches he’s played so far at an average of 8.1.

If it doesn’t work out, of course, we have one of the two keepers to fall back on, and one of the two leggies to fall back on. This set of XI players is possibly the best we have in the country, given the mediocrity of the other options on the table. If we want to develop the best possible contingent of players, here’s how I’d begin growing Pakistan’s T20I team.

We’ve always been among the foremost innovators in the sport, from reverse swing to the doosra, and playing two leggies in ODIs. Many BBL teams have begun playing two leggies at once; in the IPL, the Royal Challengers Bangalore have played a few games with Yuzvendra Chahal and Adam Zampa in tandem, while Kings XI Punjab have gone with the duo of Ravi Bishnoi and Murugan Ashwin.

Is it time for Pakistan to pick up on the trend and take it to international cricket? I say yes.

You bring great energy to this forum and constantly look for solutions while keeping a keen eye on domestic cricket which I appreciate.

Your team looks better than the one we're fielding at the moment but there are some areas which need to be addressed.

Azam Khan is not ready for international cricket that may change if he starts putting in consistent performances in the PSL and other franchise cricket but he's only a 20-30 run player at the moment.

Pakistan is not a team which can afford luxury players who if they come off will get us over that 200 mark because if they fail in a crucial game it may cause a collapse. I understand that's a defensive mindset but we must work around our weaknesses and play to our strengths.

The data shows Pakistan lose wickets in clusters and we must play proper batsmen who can play the anchor role to stop a collapse while they also possess the ability to tee off when need be. At the moment Talat is the only player who fits the mould unless we stick with Iftikhar or Khusdhil somehow turns it around.

A left field option may also be Sohaib Maqsood who has always had the ability but may have finally gotten the maturity and work-rate to go with it. Danish Aziz has also shown the rare clutch ability of getting his team over the line but he like Azam needs more time to develop and improve his numbers.

The other point of concern in your team is Faheem. Either we invest in him as a proper all rounder who bats higher up or we discard him as he is not good enough to play purely as a bowler. He has shown time and again he's a proper player who needs time at the crease before he can tee off and plays the ball on merit but he is not a power-hitter and is being wasted at 8 where he's not effective with the bat and not good enough to play as a specialist bowler though the number 8 position suits him much better in tests.

If you really want a seam all-rounder Aamer Yameen is a better bet as he can be played purely as a new ball bowler which is something we're missing though he's cannon fodder at the death. His batting numbers are superior to Faheem at domestic level as well as in his brief international appearances. Amad Butt might actually be a better bowler than both of them but his batting still needs to be developed further.

My last area of concern is Usman Qadir who has really improved with his variations and control but has mostly picked up soft dismissals so far. I really hope the work he put in with Imran Tahir has transformed him into having a late career surge like Tahir himself but he needs to be tested against proper batsmen in the two England series' we play this year and the PSL will give us a better picture as well.

Zahid is a more battle-hardened leggie who offers more control in his variations but not as much zip and could very well be better option. Though the issue with 2 wrist-spinners is sometimes there is too much of the same going on as India had with Kuldeep and Chahal at the 2019 WC.

Finger spinners actually proved to be much more effective during the course of that tournament. Imad, to accompany his batting prowess, is a more effective new ball bowler than he is a spinner so he's not competing for that role. The only finger spinner of note is Zafar but he hasn't been given any chances as of yet and he may take some more time to develop.

The core structure of your team is built on solid grounds but these are areas of concern which I felt need to be addressed. Though I may add the team we end up fielding in the next T20 World Cup we play may have much worse issues that will be obvious to everyone bar the team management and their defenders.

 

[Square Drive]

Great post. I was thinking of a very similar lineup, of not identical.

I wanna give Danish a chance over the next two games though - I think he can challenge Imad for the #6 spot. I also wanna see if Rizwan can sort out the issue of taking a while to get set, but as you say, we don't have too many options.

If Sharjeel opens instead, hiding him and Azam in the field will be a problem.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

[MENTION=142755]A.A.Z[/MENTION] how many anchors do we really need to play? Babar, Rizwan, and Hafeez are all competent anchors, with Haider Ali the only aggressor in the top 4. Most teams play 0 or 1 anchor at most - I've already taken the defensive approach simply by putting Rizwan in as opener to partner Babar. Truth is, we need an aggressor at number 5, someone who can launch against the spinners in the middle order and also hit at the death. Even at 6, we have Imad who is also someone who can anchor the innings at need be, and we can always promote Shadab if early wickets fall. That's the advantage of having such a deep batting lineup.

For the number 5 spot, 20-30 runs is precisely all I'm asking from Azam Khan, I don't want a half century from him, just a boost to our run rate. This is something he's showed he's definitely capable of, and makes the team over options you mentioned like Sohaib Maqsood because he's a keeper, and can provide that utility if Rizwan is injured or hits a patch of bad form (i.e. gets out the next few times that he's on 31(30) instead of converting that to 100(60)). Notice one more thing as well - I'm being defensive in another way which is to pack our bowlers with people who can hold a bat. Usman Qadir at number 10 is capable of a quickfire 20 on a good day - all of this allows folks like Azam Khan the liberty to go out and express themselves surrounded by anchors and a strong tail.

In other words, we do have the luxury to play aggressive players - just as long as we hedge our bets with a long batting lineup and enough anchors thrown in the mix.

Regarding Faheem, I have no issues playing Aamer Yamin over him - I just listed Faheem in the lineup for the sake of continuity.

Note that this lineup is more about the series before the world cup, not for the world cup itself as we simply have no way of forecasting who our best players around that time period might be. Post-PSL, two keepers and two leggies (in addition to Imad) should be the way to go as we begin to figure out who our best options are.

 

[Nfc120]

Way to get a conversation going! Got 7 +1? (Hafeez) bowlers in the tank, so there is plenty of bowling depth. In order for this line to work, you need an exceptionally sharp captain, who is able to bowl bowlers at the right times and make proactive decisions. Batting order may need to be shuffled as well according to the team's needs. Cannot have a captain that lets the game come to them.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

Great post. I was thinking of a very similar lineup, of not identical.

I wanna give Danish a chance over the next two games though - I think he can challenge Imad for the #6 spot. I also wanna see if Rizwan can sort out the issue of taking a while to get set, but as you say, we don't have too many options.

If Sharjeel opens instead, hiding him and Azam in the field will be a problem.

The difference between Imad and Danish is that Imad has finished games in much higher pressure situations, and is more competent with the bat generally speaking.

That's just with the bat.

With the ball, there's no match - Imad is much better no matter which phase of the game you have him bowl (Danish is a part-timer) but the phase he's best in is the phase we need the most - the powerplay. We've been absolutely atrocious in the powerplay with no real new ball bowlers to partner Shaheen. If we save two of Shaheen's overs for the death, that leaves four overs which we need to cover in the powerplay and Imad's extensive experience in this role must come to the fore before Aamer Yamin and co.

If Imad takes three overs in the powerplay (1st, 3rd, and 5th) and Shaheen takes two (2nd and 4th) that allows us to build fantastic pressure in the powerplay overs without providing any real pace on the bat for three of those overs which can be important given the field restrictions.

This allows the two leggies to bowl with absolute freedom in the middle overs- batsmen will be trying to cover their run rates, which is the most effective point in time for someone like Usman or Shadab to strike.

The two remaining pacers that we go with are irrelevant. One needs to bowl at the death, which means at least one of those two needs to be Hassan Ali or Haris Rauf. If we go with Hassan Ali because he can bat too (and we'll get a better sense of death overs ability in the PSL), that means the remaining middle overs pacer spot is between Faheem, Rauf, Aamer Yamin, and Hasnain. Since we've already covered 19 overs on the average day (3 from Imad, 4 from Shaheen, 4 from Hassan Ali, 8 from Shadab and Qadir) we will really only need this sixth bowler to give us 1 over or max 2 per game. For this reason, I would go with Faheem or Yamin.

Sharjeel is one too many people in the field - Azam's spot in the team is based purely on the fact that we don't have any other middle order aggressive options, but the truth is Sharjeel has fierce competition from Rizwan and Fakhar purely as batsmen, let alone in the field. On the other hand, Iftikhar, Danish, and Khushdil aren't exactly gun fielders who would be more reliable than Azam Khan.

 

[Titan24]

Two leggies is an idea which can definitely be experimented with considering the World T20 is in India and can come in handy if they are bowling well.

Regarding opening combination, I think both Babar and Rizwan are quality batsmen but would like to see more that if this combination can continuously click in the upcoming matches where both batsmen compliment each other or we need to adjust one of them in the middle order to provide some stability there while a dasher can be tried in the first 6 if we have any.

Also with the given combination we would beed atleast one other pace bowling all rounder as backup to Faheem in either Amad or Yamin to maintain the necessary depth needed in this combination incase Faheem is out of form or unfit.

Still quite a few T20s remaining until the World T20 so maybe one of Khushdil, Iftikhar or Danish also turns up for that finisher role. Nice lineup for now but, will have to wait and see how things develop in coming months and with PSL as well in next few days.

 

[gazza619]

Cant even Rizwan & Babar open. One of them needs to drop down in the middle order.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

Way to get a conversation going! Got 7 +1? (Hafeez) bowlers in the tank, so there is plenty of bowling depth. In order for this line to work, you need an exceptionally sharp captain, who is able to bowl bowlers at the right times and make proactive decisions. Batting order may need to be shuffled as well according to the team's needs. Cannot have a captain that lets the game come to them.

I think Babar's growing quickly! Shadab would actually fit the bill in terms of sharpness, but I think Babar can learn quick enough to do justice to the role.

You have an excellent point about shuffling the batting order. Here's a hypothetical scenario using the team I listed above:

Scenario 1: Team is cruising, Babar and Rizwan put on a 40 partnership in 5 overs. Rizwan gets out, Haider comes in at 40-1 and accelerates with Babar for the next three overs, striking at 10 an over. Haider gets out to a slog at 70-2 after 8 overs. Instead of Hafeez, Azam Khan comes in at 4.

1a. Azam gets out for a duck: Send in Hafeez, followed by Imad, then Shadab, then Faheem, then Hassan, then Qadir (4 proper batsmen to share just 11 overs, which is not much at all, plus 2 hard hitting tailenders to share the 20th over). Babar and Hafeez share a 25 run partnership in three overs (8 an over), taking the team to 95-3 after 11 overs. The rest of the score is self explanatory, given how favorable this score is at the halfway stage with still six many in the lineup yet to come - something around the 180 mark should be achievable.

1b. Azam comes off and scores 30(16): Changes the game.


Scenario 2: Babar, Haider, and Rizwan get out early. Stuttering at 30-3 after 4 overs, we promote Shadab to partner Hafeez - both of them help rebuild, take the team to 70-4 after 10 overs, at which point Shadab gets out and Imad comes in. Him and Hafeez rebuild further, and Azam comes in at the 14th over with the score at 110-5 and ready to launch us to 170 (ten an over for the last six is not much at all). With some luck or a blinder by one of the set batsmen such as Hafeez or Imad, or even Azam, we can aim for a 190 score too.

Scenario 3: Everyone gets out for a 10-20 score. Even though this looks like a failure, an average of 15 per batsman over 10 batsmen still takes us to 150 in 20 overs.

Scenario 4: Our top 4 comes off. 150-3 at the 14 overs mark, with Azam (not Danish Aziz) in to propel us to 200.

Given the fact that we have so many anchors already in the batting lineup (Babar, Rizwan, Hafeez, Shadab, Imad, and Faheem if played can all take on the anchor role), there is virtually no situation in which we playing Azam Khan or any other capable big-hitting middle order batsman is "too aggressive". That's just my take on T20Is. Lots of bowling options and lots of batting depth (allowing aggressors to bat freely) is the key to success in my opinion.

 

[Square Drive]

The difference between Imad and Danish is that Imad has finished games in much higher pressure situations, and is more competent with the bat generally speaking.

That's just with the bat.

With the ball, there's no match - Imad is much better no matter which phase of the game you have him bowl (Danish is a part-timer) but the phase he's best in is the phase we need the most - the powerplay. We've been absolutely atrocious in the powerplay with no real new ball bowlers to partner Shaheen. If we save two of Shaheen's overs for the death, that leaves four overs which we need to cover in the powerplay and Imad's extensive experience in this role must come to the fore before Aamer Yamin and co.

If Imad takes three overs in the powerplay (1st, 3rd, and 5th) and Shaheen takes two (2nd and 4th) that allows us to build fantastic pressure in the powerplay overs without providing any real pace on the bat for three of those overs which can be important given the field restrictions.

This allows the two leggies to bowl with absolute freedom in the middle overs- batsmen will be trying to cover their run rates, which is the most effective point in time for someone like Usman or Shadab to strike.

The two remaining pacers that we go with are irrelevant. One needs to bowl at the death, which means at least one of those two needs to be Hassan Ali or Haris Rauf. If we go with Hassan Ali because he can bat too (and we'll get a better sense of death overs ability in the PSL), that means the remaining middle overs pacer spot is between Faheem, Rauf, Aamer Yamin, and Hasnain. Since we've already covered 19 overs on the average day (3 from Imad, 4 from Shaheen, 4 from Hassan Ali, 8 from Shadab and Qadir) we will really only need this sixth bowler to give us 1 over or max 2 per game. For this reason, I would go with Faheem or Yamin.

Sharjeel is one too many people in the field - Azam's spot in the team is based purely on the fact that we don't have any other middle order aggressive options, but the truth is Sharjeel has fierce competition from Rizwan and Fakhar purely as batsmen, let alone in the field. On the other hand, Iftikhar, Danish, and Khushdil aren't exactly gun fielders who would be more reliable than Azam Khan.

Another very good post, and agree with all of it.

Regarding Danish vs Imad, I'm leaning towards Imad too but I really wanna give Danish a fair chance at the international level and see what he does. Though yes Imad's powerplay bowling is definitely very valuable.

 

[hitthestump]

Sorry, but let's be clear. Unless Azam Khan scores mountains of runs in PSL we can't pick him. He's an significantly inferior keeper to Rizwan so can't go there and he absolutely cannot be in the outfield. We are Pakistan, not Bermuda, and i don't care what excuses anyone makes about his body type. Azam might even be fatter than the guy Bermuda fielded and he was a part timer.

 

[hitthestump]

Unsure about the role Faheem plays in this team. He's very low at number 8 and likely won't see much action as a 4th pacer in India aside from the odd over here and there. He should either play a floating role, come in the top 6 or we probably don't need him.

His spot can go to a finishing batsman if someone like Asif Ali 2.0 or Aziz comes good, or someone like Nawaz who's spin will be handier than having an extra seamer.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

Two leggies is an idea which can definitely be experimented with considering the World T20 is in India and can come in handy if they are bowling well.

Regarding opening combination, I think both Babar and Rizwan are quality batsmen but would like to see more that if this combination can continuously click in the upcoming matches where both batsmen compliment each other or we need to adjust one of them in the middle order to provide some stability there while a dasher can be tried in the first 6 if we have any.

Also with the given combination we would beed atleast one other pace bowling all rounder as backup to Faheem in either Amad or Yamin to maintain the necessary depth needed in this combination incase Faheem is out of form or unfit.

Still quite a few T20s remaining until the World T20 so maybe one of Khushdil, Iftikhar or Danish also turns up for that finisher role. Nice lineup for now but, will have to wait and see how things develop in coming months and with PSL as well in next few days.

You're right about the opening combination. If it doesn't work out, Fakhar Zaman and co are always on hand. To back Faheem up, Yamin and Amad can both be accommodated in the squad. Don't lump Khushdil, Iftikhar, and Danish together - they all have different styles (Khushdil cannot dig in or bat on the offside, Iftikhar can aggress decently and dig in decently, and Danish cannot aggress but he can dig in).

I don't necessarily think the lineup I mentioned above will be the best one for the World T20. But I do believe it's the one we should persist with for a few months after PSL and see how it works out over 1-2 series. If it works, the it's potentially a brilliant combination that will help us become good contenders for the WT20 - if it doesn't, we can always shuffle around given that we have 20+ T20Is before the cup.

 

[Rayyman]

Current ICC T20I rankings:
1. England
2. Australia
3. India
4. Pakistan
5. South Africa
6. New Zealand
7. Sri Lanka
8. Bangladesh
9. Afghanistan
10. West Indies

These teams have already qualified and these are the rankings at the start of 2021/end of 2020.

So the likely groups will be:

Group A:
England, India, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan

Group B:
Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand, Bangladesh, West Indies

Pakistan should beat Australia, New Zealand and Bangladesh easily.

West Indies will be a difficult match, but Shadab Khan and Usman Qadir can bowl together in the middle overs as attacking optiions.

Azam Khan is not ready yet in terms of fitness. Patience is the best option with him as he recently burst onto the scene and needs to lose weight and gain experience.

Haider Ali has not shown the ability to score big. From a Top 4 bat, you need long innings which he has not been doing.

Iftikhar Ahmed and Asif Ali should be considered for top order positions even though they have been batting as finishers. They are good options to bat at 3/4/5.

Rizwan has cemented himself so Babar Azam needs to change his game from being an accumulator. He has to take more risks and play more aerial shots.

Pakistan has a legit chance as the next title.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

Sorry, but let's be clear. Unless Azam Khan scores mountains of runs in PSL we can't pick him. He's an significantly inferior keeper to Rizwan so can't go there and he absolutely cannot be in the outfield. We are Pakistan, not Bermuda, and i don't care what excuses anyone makes about his body type. Azam might even be fatter than the guy Bermuda fielded and he was a part timer.

Here's my thoughts on that:

Azam's spot in the team is based purely on the fact that we don't have any other middle order aggressive options, but the truth is Sharjeel has fierce competition from Rizwan and Fakhar purely as batsmen, let alone in the field. On the other hand, Iftikhar, Danish, and Khushdil aren't exactly gun fielders who would be more reliable than Azam Khan.

Do you have a fielder better than Azam who bats aggressively in the middle order? I'm all ears as I'd love to have someone like this in the team. And please note the number of anchors we already have in the team before you suggest someone who starts slow like Hussain Talat or Danish Aziz.

 

[moghul]

Two keepers
I’ll start with the two keepers idea - we have gaping holes at the top and in the lower middle order. Irrespective of of being able to keep, Rizwan is one of the only opening options available. As long as he maintains his form and translates his abilities to his first 20-30 balls, I have no issue giving him an extended run instead of Fakhar and Sharjeel.

In the middle order, Khushdil has been exposed as a legside hack, and is yet to prove his critics wrong - after an extended run for these next two T20Is against SA, I suggest he be dropped if he fails to show any spark.

The other primary options for this position are Iftikhar, Azam, Hussain, Danish, and Imad the batsman. As we are already packing our top 4 with 3 anchors (Babar, Rizwan, and Hafeez) we need to immediately rule out Danish Aziz, who is more of a stay calm style of finisher than an Afridi. He does not have the hitting ability against pace, with the majority of his runs coming against medium pacers and spinners, and has never even performed with the bat in the PSL with his performances coming in the NT20 and Pakistan Cup.

We have the liberty to pick two of these guys, and Imad and Azam are faraway the best followed by Iftikhar and Hussain at roughly equivalent ability but with Iftikhar having more performances to show for it. The fact that Imad is a bowler is a plus, and the fact that he does well in the powerplay while we are struggling to find new ball bowlers to partner Shaheen is excellent.

I suggest the following batting lineup:

1. Babar Azam (c)
2. M Rizwan (wk)
3. Haider Ali
4. M Hafeez
5. Azam Khan
6. Imad Wasim

Two spinners
On the bowling front, purely as bowlers our main spinner options are Shadab, Imad, and Usman Qadir (purely as bowlers, Zahid Mehmood and Zafar Gohar are inferior to Shadab and Qadir in the middle overs and Nawaz is inferior to Imad in the powerplay).

Imad is already playing, making that number 6 slot purely as a batsman. Since modern day requirements encourage having six bowlers, this works out well for us. I then propose having two proper leggies in the middle overs in Shadab and Usman, rounded out by any three pacers.

1. Babar Azam (c)
2. M Rizwan (wk)
3. Haider Ali
4. M Hafeez
5. Azam Khan
6. Imad Wasim
7. Shadab Khan
8. Faheem Ashraf
9. Hassan Ali
10. Usman Qadir
11. Shaheen Afridi

We bat very, very deep in this lineup, and our bowlers are all very good at taking wickets. A two leggie combination of Shadab and Qadir has the potential to be the best in the world. Shadab currently averages 22.6 in T20I at an economy of 7.28, and Qadir has accumulated 10 wickets in just 4 matches he’s played so far at an average of 8.1.

If it doesn’t work out, of course, we have one of the two keepers to fall back on, and one of the two leggies to fall back on. This set of XI players is possibly the best we have in the country, given the mediocrity of the other options on the table. If we want to develop the best possible contingent of players, here’s how I’d begin growing Pakistan’s T20I team.

We’ve always been among the foremost innovators in the sport, from reverse swing to the doosra, and playing two leggies in ODIs. Many BBL teams have begun playing two leggies at once; in the IPL, the Royal Challengers Bangalore have played a few games with Yuzvendra Chahal and Adam Zampa in tandem, while Kings XI Punjab have gone with the duo of Ravi Bishnoi and Murugan Ashwin.

Is it time for Pakistan to pick up on the trend and take it to international cricket? I say yes.

Who is Azam Khan ?

 

[A.A.Z]

[MENTION=142755]A.A.Z[/MENTION] how many anchors do we really need to play? Babar, Rizwan, and Hafeez are all competent anchors, with Haider Ali the only aggressor in the top 4. Most teams play 0 or 1 anchor at most - I've already taken the defensive approach simply by putting Rizwan in as opener to partner Babar. Truth is, we need an aggressor at number 5, someone who can launch against the spinners in the middle order and also hit at the death. Even at 6, we have Imad who is also someone who can anchor the innings at need be, and we can always promote Shadab if early wickets fall. That's the advantage of having such a deep batting lineup.

For the number 5 spot, 20-30 runs is precisely all I'm asking from Azam Khan, I don't want a half century from him, just a boost to our run rate. This is something he's showed he's definitely capable of, and makes the team over options you mentioned like Sohaib Maqsood because he's a keeper, and can provide that utility if Rizwan is injured or hits a patch of bad form (i.e. gets out the next few times that he's on 31(30) instead of converting that to 100(60)). Notice one more thing as well - I'm being defensive in another way which is to pack our bowlers with people who can hold a bat. Usman Qadir at number 10 is capable of a quickfire 20 on a good day - all of this allows folks like Azam Khan the liberty to go out and express themselves surrounded by anchors and a strong tail.

In other words, we do have the luxury to play aggressive players - just as long as we hedge our bets with a long batting lineup and enough anchors thrown in the mix.

Regarding Faheem, I have no issues playing Aamer Yamin over him - I just listed Faheem in the lineup for the sake of continuity.

Note that this lineup is more about the series before the world cup, not for the world cup itself as we simply have no way of forecasting who our best players around that time period might be. Post-PSL, two keepers and two leggies (in addition to Imad) should be the way to go as we begin to figure out who our best options are.

The best performing middle-order batsmen in the PSL should get a go. If that turns out to be Azam then he deserves to be in the team but we can't prefer him over others just for his keeping skills which may be required in case of Rizwan getting injured.

I've played with Azam when were both a lot younger and I would love for someone I've dismissed numerous times to represent Pakistan just so I can brag about it but Azam himself doesn't think he's ready for the Pakistan team yet in his phase of development.

He's already faced very harsh criticism for his weight and nepotistic selection in the PSL and he knows the scrutiny will be a lot worse if he represents Pakistan without having a mountain of runs behind him which would make his selection indisputable even if he's not able to shed further weight

 

[shamaan]

I want to see whether Rizwan is able to convert his form to the first part of his innings. He has showed excellent promise, now what’s left is for Rizwan to take a step up. For the next 1-2 series, I think Rizwan should be given the chance to show what he can do while Azam bats in the middle order as well. This way, we have our options open as far as keepers are concerned (right now Rizwan is the only option and everyone else is mediocre).

He defonitely deserves his chance up the order and should be given 2 series .do you think azam will get a chance soonish or do you reakon they will waite for another 1/2 series

 

[Thunderbolt14]

He defonitely deserves his chance up the order and should be given 2 series .do you think azam will get a chance soonish or do you reakon they will waite for another 1/2 series

If he has a good PSL, Azam will get the nod inmediately

 

[Thunderbolt14]

The best performing middle-order batsmen in the PSL should get a go. If that turns out to be Azam then he deserves to be in the team but we can't prefer him over others just for his keeping skills which may be required in case of Rizwan getting injured.

I've played with Azam when were both a lot younger and I would love for someone I've dismissed numerous times to represent Pakistan just so I can brag about it but Azam himself doesn't think he's ready for the Pakistan team yet in his phase of development.

He's already faced very harsh criticism for his weight and nepotistic selection in the PSL and he knows the scrutiny will be a lot worse if he represents Pakistan without having a mountain of runs behind him which would make his selection indisputable even if he's not able to shed further weight

I agree - but be warned that there are different types of performances. 500 runs at 130 SR by Danish Aziz would pale in comparison to 300 runs at 160 by Azam. Based on the needs of the team, I’d be surprised if Danish were to provide the impetus we need.

I agree that Azam needs a mountain of runs behind him. Hopefully, he breaks out this year.

 

[RickyG]

The other primary options for this position are Iftikhar, Azam, Hussain, Danish, and Imad the batsman. As we are already packing our top 4 with 3 anchors (Babar, Rizwan, and Hafeez) we need to immediately rule out Danish Aziz, who is more of a stay calm style of finisher than an Afridi. He does not have the hitting ability against pace, with the majority of his runs coming against medium pacers and spinners, and has never even performed with the bat in the PSL with his performances coming in the NT20 and Pakistan Cup.

We have the liberty to pick two of these guys, and Imad and Azam are faraway the best followed by Iftikhar and Hussain at roughly equivalent ability but with Iftikhar having more performances to show for it. The fact that Imad is a bowler is a plus, and the fact that he does well in the powerplay while we are struggling to find new ball bowlers to partner Shaheen is excellent.


1. Babar Azam (c)
2. M Rizwan (wk)
3. Haider Ali
4. M Hafeez
5. Azam Khan
6. Imad Wasim
7. Shadab Khan
8. Faheem Ashraf
9. Hassan Ali
10. Usman Qadir
11. Shaheen Afridi

I was thinking about this as well. I am in agreement with you that 9 of our 11 starters pick themselves. The only question marks are the second pacer where the candidates seem to be Hassan, Hasnain and Rauf. Although I don't rate Rauf and he is bowling himself out of contention. I think Hassan Ali is probably the favorite. And maybe another candidate or two may appear post PSL in which case I think Faheem will begin feeling the heat.

The second position is in the middle order. Now the batting order can be fluid after Hafeez. I think Shadab has begun to emerge as a batsmen so he could bat at 5 if he does well. But regardless there is a vacancy there that needs filling by a batsman. Iftikhar and Khushdil are Misbah favorites but they're not good enough. Azam Khan is a good suggestion as he will also be the back up keeper (no need to lug Sarfraz around). But I am not sure who the other candidates may be. I thought Hussain Talat may be favorite for that role or Malik might fancy a comeback if he has a good PSL.

Outside of the 9 aforementioned starters, I suppose the following six will come from the following list of players:

1. Fakhar Zaman
2. Imam Ul Haq
3. Khushdil Shah
4. Hussain Talat
5. Iftikhar Ahmed
6. Azam Khan
7. Sarfraz Ahmed
8. Danish Aziz
9. Mohammad Nawaz (I think is almost a certain squad pick)
10. Mohammad Hasnain
11. Haris Rauf
12. Hassan Ali
13. Shoaib Malik
14. Wahab Riaz
15. Amad Butt
16. Naseem Shah

As things stand, Nawaz and Hassan Ali are likely to make the squad. So that still leaves 4 more spots (2 pacers and 2 batsmen/batting all-rounders).

 

[Hasan123]

Most teams have a specialist batter who can keep if needed as well as there regular keeper. Pakistan should try to follow suit. Don’t see Shadab getting dropped, so Usman will need to keep up his performances so we can say him and Shadab can play together.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

I was thinking about this as well. I am in agreement with you that 9 of our 11 starters pick themselves. The only question marks are the second pacer where the candidates seem to be Hassan, Hasnain and Rauf. Although I don't rate Rauf and he is bowling himself out of contention. I think Hassan Ali is probably the favorite. And maybe another candidate or two may appear post PSL in which case I think Faheem will begin feeling the heat.

The second position is in the middle order. Now the batting order can be fluid after Hafeez. I think Shadab has begun to emerge as a batsmen so he could bat at 5 if he does well. But regardless there is a vacancy there that needs filling by a batsman. Iftikhar and Khushdil are Misbah favorites but they're not good enough. Azam Khan is a good suggestion as he will also be the back up keeper (no need to lug Sarfraz around). But I am not sure who the other candidates may be. I thought Hussain Talat may be favorite for that role or Malik might fancy a comeback if he has a good PSL.

Outside of the 9 aforementioned starters, I suppose the following six will come from the following list of players:

1. Fakhar Zaman
2. Imam Ul Haq
3. Khushdil Shah
4. Hussain Talat
5. Iftikhar Ahmed
6. Azam Khan
7. Sarfraz Ahmed
8. Danish Aziz
9. Mohammad Nawaz (I think is almost a certain squad pick)
10. Mohammad Hasnain
11. Haris Rauf
12. Hassan Ali
13. Shoaib Malik
14. Wahab Riaz
15. Amad Butt
16. Naseem Shah

As things stand, Nawaz and Hassan Ali are likely to make the squad. So that still leaves 4 more spots (2 pacers and 2 batsmen/batting all-rounders).

The squad looks roundabout right, except maybe Naseem Shah, and question marks on Shoaib Malik unless he has a good PSL. Same goes for Imam - I actually think he has potential in T20Is but he’s not done much to show for that as of yet.

Most teams have a specialist batter who can keep if needed as well as there regular keeper. Pakistan should try to follow suit. Don’t see Shadab getting dropped, so Usman will need to keep up his performances so we can say him and Shadab can play together.

Fully agreed - how do you rate Usman?

 

[Hasan123]

The squad looks roundabout right, except maybe Naseem Shah, and question marks on Shoaib Malik unless he has a good PSL. Same goes for Imam - I actually think he has potential in T20Is but he’s not done much to show for that as of yet.


Fully agreed - how do you rate Usman?

Usman looks good so far. It would be nice to see how he does against some better players of spin.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

God help us if we have Azam Khan batting in the middle-order in the World Cup.

Also, without Shoaib Malik, Pakistan would essentially be shooting themselves in the foot. To have one of the best players of spin still active (who also happens to be one of the most experienced campaigners in T20 cricket) and not select him would be beyond ludicrous.

 

[Barragan]

God help us if we have Azam Khan batting in the middle-order in the World Cup.

Also, without Shoaib Malik, Pakistan would essentially be shooting themselves in the foot. To have one of the best players of spin still active (who also happens to be one of the most experienced campaigners in T20 cricket) and not select him would be beyond ludicrous.

+1

If Malik performs in the PSL, then it would be an absolute crime to leave him out.

Not only is he magnificent at playing spin, he is also great in the field and can bowl handy offspin, which will be very useful in india.

 

[Rellu_Katta]

Two keepers
I’ll start with the two keepers idea - we have gaping holes at the top and in the lower middle order. Irrespective of of being able to keep, Rizwan is one of the only opening options available. As long as he maintains his form and translates his abilities to his first 20-30 balls, I have no issue giving him an extended run instead of Fakhar and Sharjeel.

In the middle order, Khushdil has been exposed as a legside hack, and is yet to prove his critics wrong - after an extended run for these next two T20Is against SA, I suggest he be dropped if he fails to show any spark.

The other primary options for this position are Iftikhar, Azam, Hussain, Danish, and Imad the batsman. As we are already packing our top 4 with 3 anchors (Babar, Rizwan, and Hafeez) we need to immediately rule out Danish Aziz, who is more of a stay calm style of finisher than an Afridi. He does not have the hitting ability against pace, with the majority of his runs coming against medium pacers and spinners, and has never even performed with the bat in the PSL with his performances coming in the NT20 and Pakistan Cup.

We have the liberty to pick two of these guys, and Imad and Azam are faraway the best followed by Iftikhar and Hussain at roughly equivalent ability but with Iftikhar having more performances to show for it. The fact that Imad is a bowler is a plus, and the fact that he does well in the powerplay while we are struggling to find new ball bowlers to partner Shaheen is excellent.

I suggest the following batting lineup:

1. Babar Azam (c)
2. M Rizwan (wk)
3. Haider Ali
4. M Hafeez
5. Azam Khan
6. Imad Wasim

Two spinners
On the bowling front, purely as bowlers our main spinner options are Shadab, Imad, and Usman Qadir (purely as bowlers, Zahid Mehmood and Zafar Gohar are inferior to Shadab and Qadir in the middle overs and Nawaz is inferior to Imad in the powerplay).

Imad is already playing, making that number 6 slot purely as a batsman. Since modern day requirements encourage having six bowlers, this works out well for us. I then propose having two proper leggies in the middle overs in Shadab and Usman, rounded out by any three pacers.

1. Babar Azam (c)
2. M Rizwan (wk)
3. Haider Ali
4. M Hafeez
5. Azam Khan
6. Imad Wasim
7. Shadab Khan
8. Faheem Ashraf
9. Hassan Ali
10. Usman Qadir
11. Shaheen Afridi

We bat very, very deep in this lineup, and our bowlers are all very good at taking wickets. A two leggie combination of Shadab and Qadir has the potential to be the best in the world. Shadab currently averages 22.6 in T20I at an economy of 7.28, and Qadir has accumulated 10 wickets in just 4 matches he’s played so far at an average of 8.1.

If it doesn’t work out, of course, we have one of the two keepers to fall back on, and one of the two leggies to fall back on. This set of XI players is possibly the best we have in the country, given the mediocrity of the other options on the table. If we want to develop the best possible contingent of players, here’s how I’d begin growing Pakistan’s T20I team.

We’ve always been among the foremost innovators in the sport, from reverse swing to the doosra, and playing two leggies in ODIs. Many BBL teams have begun playing two leggies at once; in the IPL, the Royal Challengers Bangalore have played a few games with Yuzvendra Chahal and Adam Zampa in tandem, while Kings XI Punjab have gone with the duo of Ravi Bishnoi and Murugan Ashwin.

Is it time for Pakistan to pick up on the trend and take it to international cricket? I say yes.

Abs agree with this team and this is the XI i would play but I don't think Faheem at no8 is any useful. might push Hassan Ali at 8 and play some1 like Hussnain/Harris Rauf / Zafar Gohar...

I think Faheem and Shadab should bat at 5 & 6 ... that gives even more free hand for likes of Azam Khan, Imad Wasim and Hassan Ali to go La La Limbo on bowlers .. and ofcourse if top4 take you to 150/3 in 15, then Azam and Imad can be promoted

for backups, I would have Hussnain, Ammir Yamin, Zafar Gohar, Zahid Mehmood, Hussain Talat, Iffti Chacha and Danish Aziz

 

[Thunderbolt14]

God help us if we have Azam Khan batting in the middle-order in the World Cup.

Also, without Shoaib Malik, Pakistan would essentially be shooting themselves in the foot. To have one of the best players of spin still active (who also happens to be one of the most experienced campaigners in T20 cricket) and not select him would be beyond ludicrous.

I would rather invest in a youngster than Shoaib Malik since we are unlikely to win the T20 world cup. I would have said the same for Hafeez if he wasn’t already in the team and in the middle of a purple patch.

 

[CricLegend]

I don't think Azam is ready yet, plus he is has never played for Pakistan so it is unfair to expect him to perform in the WC. I don't think Misbah will pick him either.

My first XI would be

Babar
Rizwan
Hafeez
Haidar
Fakhar ( play him in the middle order)
Faheem
Shadab
Imad
Qadir
Hasnain
Shaheen

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

+1

If Malik performs in the PSL, then it would be an absolute crime to leave him out.

Not only is he magnificent at playing spin, he is also great in the field and can bowl handy offspin, which will be very useful in india.

The idea of Malik not playing the T20 World Cup in India is too ludicrous a thought to even contemplate for me.

If the World Cup was not in Asia I would have understood.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

I would rather invest in a youngster than Shoaib Malik since we are unlikely to win the T20 world cup. I would have said the same for Hafeez if he wasn’t already in the team and in the middle of a purple patch.

I'm kinda taken aback by your comment, and also a tad disappointed. I think we have a very good T20 side that has the potential to win the T20 World Cup and this is a defeatist mentality you are exhibiting. I don't think you can predict any side to win the T20 WC because of the unpredictability of the format. And the WC is the absolute last place to be experimenting with youngsters.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

I'm kinda taken aback by your comment, and also a tad disappointed. I think we have a very good T20 side that has the potential to win the T20 World Cup and this is a defeatist mentality you are exhibiting. I don't think you can predict any side to win the T20 WC because of the unpredictability of the format. And the WC is the absolute last place to be experimenting with youngsters.

I don’t think it’s defeatist at all. I simply don’t think Shoaib Malik’s output will be particularly better than that of any other individual given Malik’s tendency to go missing when we need him (have you forgotten the 2019 WC?)

We have about a 15% chance of winning the tournament right now (which is pretty big, I’d break it down as England 25% India 20% Australia 20% Pakistan 15% South Africa 5% West Indies 5% and everyone else at 2% to add up to a 100%).

Between this lineup:

1. Babar Azam (c)
2. Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
3. Haider Ali
4. Mohammad Hafeez
5. Shadab Khan
6. Azam Khan / Hussain Talat
7. Faheem Ashraf
8. Imad Wasim
9. Hassan Ali
10. Usman Qadir
11. Shaheen Afridi

And this lineup:

1. Babar Azam (c)
2. Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
3. Haider Ali
4. Mohammad Hafeez
5. Shoaib Malik
6. Shadab Khan
7. Faheem Ashraf
8. Imad Wasim
9. Hassan Ali
10. Usman Qadir
11. Shaheen Afridi

There is not an iota of difference as Shoaib Malik is not only a slow starter to partner a hundred anchors already present in the lineup, but his output in big tournaments over a 20 something year career except one game in the Champions Trophy, is absolutely shameful.

If we have a 15% chance right now, I’m telling you that a youngster at 5 or 6 will not do any more damage to the probability distribution than Malik will. Even if Malik was performing to his best abilities, he simply doesn’t encapsulate the kind of role we need from a batsman in the middle order.

 

[Barragan]

The idea of Malik not playing the T20 World Cup in India is too ludicrous a thought to even contemplate for me.

If the World Cup was not in Asia I would have understood.

Absolutely.

The jokers on show tonight against spin were absolutely embarrassing.

Malik wouldn't have allowed shamsi to settle and would have used his feet multiple times.

If Malik performs in the PSL and isn't selected, then questions should be asked.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Absolutely.

The jokers on show tonight against spin were absolutely embarrassing.

Malik wouldn't have allowed shamsi to settle and would have used his feet multiple times.

If Malik performs in the PSL and isn't selected, then questions should be asked.

...or basically play out a maiden over by him

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

I don’t think it’s defeatist at all. I simply don’t think Shoaib Malik’s output will be particularly better than that of any other individual given Malik’s tendency to go missing when we need him (have you forgotten the 2019 WC?)

We have about a 15% chance of winning the tournament right now (which is pretty big, I’d break it down as England 25% India 20% Australia 20% Pakistan 15% South Africa 5% West Indies 5% and everyone else at 2% to add up to a 100%).

Between this lineup:

1. Babar Azam (c)
2. Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
3. Haider Ali
4. Mohammad Hafeez
5. Shadab Khan
6. Azam Khan / Hussain Talat
7. Faheem Ashraf
8. Imad Wasim
9. Hassan Ali
10. Usman Qadir
11. Shaheen Afridi

And this lineup:

1. Babar Azam (c)
2. Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
3. Haider Ali
4. Mohammad Hafeez
5. Shoaib Malik
6. Shadab Khan
7. Faheem Ashraf
8. Imad Wasim
9. Hassan Ali
10. Usman Qadir
11. Shaheen Afridi

There is not an iota of difference as Shoaib Malik is not only a slow starter to partner a hundred anchors already present in the lineup, but his output in big tournaments over a 20 something year career except one game in the Champions Trophy, is absolutely shameful.

If we have a 15% chance right now, I’m telling you that a youngster at 5 or 6 will not do any more damage to the probability distribution than Malik will. Even if Malik was performing to his best abilities, he simply doesn’t encapsulate the kind of role we need from a batsman in the middle order.

I think you have to take into account the fact that the WC is in India. Malik, statistically, has very good numbers in India based on the games he played in the 2016 WC and the 2012 series. He is unquestionably one of the best players of spin along with Hafeez and he can most definitely play that role at No.5 or at No.6 to finish the innings off.

It's patently obvious that none of these guys: Khushdil, Talat etc. can play the role that Malik was playing. And there was absolutely no reason to drop him since he was doing fairly good.