Sarfaraz Ahmed needs to bat up the order at #4 for the 2019 World Cup

[fight_club]

In 2016 ODI Pakistan tour of England the top run scorer between both the teams was Sarfaraz in the ODI series.

He made a total of 300 runs while playing at no.4 though pakistan lost the series to England but he remained the highest scorer.

"Those who don't learn from history are condemned to repeat it" so goes the saying
With so much happening with Pakistan cricket which is down to dumps one moment and shockingly good at other that certain important facts might not attract the scrutiny they demand.

Even When Pakistan was on its non stop losing streak its batting managed to hold on its own and actually came good. While the famed Pakistan bowling went into a spiral downfall the batting started to show huge improments.

It does deserve a "LOL" for irony. Isnt it?

The reason for Pakistan surfootness with bat has to do with settled and much improved top 3. Its no secret that all Strong cricket teams have best batters playing at top 3

This has been Pakistan Achill hills for quite some time but with A watchful Imam, aggressive fakhar and world class Babar Pakistan batting is breathing fresh air like never before.

So problem solved. Hurray !! Now before you order that biryani I would like to draw your attention to the "Now you see me now you not" magical act performed by our Kuptan saheb

Only those data analytics who have penchant for sucide will dig into the amazing juggalry of batting position Pakistan captain has been performing and how it can not go without a challenge anymore.

Sarfaraz is not a hitter of cricket ball by any strech of imagination. If you are ready to overlook those ungainful "Streches" he is the best in the business when it comes to strike rotation and keeping the scoreboard busy.

He is also a very good player of spin and can upset their rythem. At no.4 you need a batsmen around who you can build up the inning while score keep tiking without taking undue risks till you get into 35 over mark.

Thats where the great Professor and likes of Asif can put their foot on the accelerator and allow sarfarz to play his natural game at the other end.

When you check the stats of Pakistan last 20 ODI innings you will observe that sarfaraz has been on a roller coaster ride coming at various batting position but no.4 where he had most success.

Of all the people sarfaraz himself knows his limitations and on many times try to hide himself behind low order hitters like Hasan ali or Imad.

Hafeez will always give you a chance early on in his innings and on english pitches you still would not like him near the batting crease till the shine has actually worn off.

Hafeez and Asif are critical for Pakistan lower order florish and if they bat at their proper position at No.5 and 6 respectively we might be able to add those extra 30 runs on the scoreboard.

It will also be wonderful for the team when captain takes the center stage and lead with example and at no.4 sarfaraz will have chance to stamp his authority

All he need to to do is just look back at his inning against lanka in ICC CT 2017 where on a difficult pitch he single handedly took pakistan over the line

The line may belong to the umpire but history may belong to sarfaraz and his men

Fight_club

 

[Junaid_ahmed]

If # 4 batsman has to come out before 28th over then it should be sarfaraz otherwise it should be Shoaib. I am saying Shoaib bcz he has a habit of consuming balls at early stage of his inning so he can take his time till 33rd or 34th over and then play briskly. Shoiab is useless if he comes out to bat after 40th over.

 

[fight_club]

Correection: In 2016 England ODI series he played at No.5.

I would however like him to come at no.4 instead of Hafeez unless we lose 2nd wicket after 30 over mark

 

[marlonbrowndo]

If we lose early wickets then sure. But if we have a platform then Hafeez should be sent. Why fix something that isn’t broken

 

[fight_club]

Its not that simple. I dont want sarfarz to come at crease in last 10 overs he simply cant get the ball and it robs us from momementum

He is no hitter and exposing Hafeez early also can rob us from the best hitter we have

 

[Arsalan Pro]

If quick wickets fell in the initial overs, Sarfraz should come ahead of Mohammad Hafeez at Number 4 as professor is a walking wicket in this kind of situation especially against the new ball. Otherwise, he should be fixed at 5.

I don't think we will be losing too many wickets upfront against any team unless bowling is seriously good, hence number 5 looks his permanent spot during the middle overs that are bowled mostly by spinners.

 

[ARK Rafay]

If quick wickets fell in the initial overs, Sarfraz should come ahead of Mohammad Hafeez at Number 4 as professor is a walking wicket in this kind of situation especially against the new ball. Otherwise, he should be fixed at 5.

I don't think we will be losing too many wickets upfront against any team unless bowling is seriously good, hence number 5 looks his permanent spot during the middle overs that are bowled mostly by spinners.

Agree. No. 5 spot is better

 

[fight_club]

I guess many Posters are not picking up the simple point I am trying to make.

Sarfaraz can bat at no.5 but who bats at 4?

I have two arguments behind my demand

1. Hafeez must not bat early not before 30 overs mark. We cant afford to lose him early if lets say our team is 125/2 at 24 over I would have Sarfaraz coming at 4 and ensure no further wicket fall at the same time scoreborad keep ticking

If you have watched 5th ODI against England recently he came at no.3 made a quick 57 and got out by 40 over mark
And than we struggled to accelerate in slog overs

Now sarfaraz can come early make a 60 ball 50 will still do but hafeez must be their in the last 10 overs. That role at rhe moment no one else can perform better than him

 

[MenInG]

He should be flexible. If we are going well at that time, then he can come in to give the RR a good kick but if things are bad, then let a better batsman come up and let Sarf then work with the tail a bit.

 

[cricketInsight]

I have argued that number 4 is the best slot for Sarfraz but looks like he has decided number 5 it will be in this tournament. Hopefully he can make the best of it.

I agree that we don't want to lose Babar and Hafeez together - Sarfraz would be a good buffer between them.

 

[Asher]

The best 11 I can make from the current squad:
Babar
Fakhar
Haris
Hafeez
Sarfaraz
Malik
Asif
Shadab
Wahab
Hasan
Amir
Ideally I'd like Shaheen over Hasan but we need the variety in our bowling.
The reason I've got babar to open is because he's done it before and will out away bad deliveries as per norm in the pp. Imam is not good at that. With haris at 3, almost guarantees that Hafeez doesnt come in before the shine is off and that's great because he is out best batsman after Babar and only one who can hit and play long innings at the same time. Malik can hang around and Asif to hit out quick fire 30s or 40s.

 

[usmanraheel]

The best 11 I can make from the current squad:
Babar
Fakhar
Haris
Hafeez
Sarfaraz
Malik
Asif
Shadab
Wahab
Hasan
Amir
Ideally I'd like Shaheen over Hasan but we need the variety in our bowling.
The reason I've got babar to open is because he's done it before and will out away bad deliveries as per norm in the pp. Imam is not good at that. With haris at 3, almost guarantees that Hafeez doesnt come in before the shine is off and that's great because he is out best batsman after Babar and only one who can hit and play long innings at the same time. Malik can hang around and Asif to hit out quick fire 30s or 40s.

I hands down agree that this is the best squad we can put out. They really need to rethink having Imam in the team. I understand he plays out the new ball , but he puts more pressure on Fakhar and robs the team of any momentum.

Also, Sarfraz should be flexible to bat according to the condition. But he is of better use at either the 4th or 5th batting position. Anything below that isn't really his game. I would prefer they send out Hasan in front of him if we are in need of quick runs or even Wahab.

 

[Hawkeye]

Ideally, we wouldn't even need to play a batsman like him.

Very limited, stroke-less, timing-less, dud against anything above 125kph.

 

[Asher]

I hands down agree that this is the best squad we can put out. They really need to rethink having Imam in the team. I understand he plays out the new ball , but he puts more pressure on Fakhar and robs the team of any momentum.

Also, Sarfraz should be flexible to bat according to the condition. But he is of better use at either the 4th or 5th batting position. Anything below that isn't really his game. I would prefer they send out Hasan in front of him if we are in need of quick runs or even Wahab.

Apologies regarding late response.
Hafeez, Asif and sarfaraz should come according to situation.
Safraz before hafeez if the ball is doing a little. Ideally, hafeez shouldn't get to bat before the 20th over. Check his record when he enters after 20 overs, it's very good.
If a wicket falls around 35th over then Asif Ali should come in with a free license!

 

[Sunny_majoka]

Saying this for ages, but saifi himself isn't ready fo no 4 spot

 

[nam]

Good post by OP and I agree with the point he is trying to make but What’s wrong with a flexible batting order? Didn’t Dhoni switch batting order and didn’t Imran do the same? I would have no problem promoting Hafeez or Asif if asking rate goes above 8. However if we loose early wickets then yes Sarfraz needs to stabilize the innings and under normal circumstances Sarfraz can come it at 4.

 

[usmanraheel]

Apologies regarding late response.
Hafeez, Asif and sarfaraz should come according to situation.
Safraz before hafeez if the ball is doing a little. Ideally, hafeez shouldn't get to bat before the 20th over. Check his record when he enters after 20 overs, it's very good.
If a wicket falls around 35th over then Asif Ali should come in with a free license!

Very good points, I agree !

 

[barah_admi]

Hafeez batted at 4 last time didn't here? He did a pretty good job too so no need to change that (if my memory serves me right).

Sarfraz todat is not the Sarfraz of 2016.

 

[fight_club]

Their is a reason I made this post so many days ago. Had he batted at that #4
and not exposed Hafeez early the match outcome might have been different

We just needed someone to anchor the inning

 

[Pete Rose]

Their is a reason I made this post so many days ago. Had he batted at that #4
and not exposed Hafeez early the match outcome might have been different

We just needed someone to anchor the inning

Agree. Hafeez is not reliable or responsible enough to bat at 4. The captain should come at 4 all times.

 

[JellyBro]

Hafeez is doing well at number 4 though. Fact is, we have 2 number 4 players in the team. In normal circumstances, sarfaraz wont even be in the team. But here we are.
What Pakistan needs to do is be flexible with their batting lineup. If the big three fall early send sarfaraz up the order. If they bat good then stick with the original lineup.

 

[IMMY69]

I think that horse has bolted.

Maybe for the next World Cup ��

 

[fight_club]

He has to start batting at 4 thats it.

Pitches wilp help spinners and he can play them well while keeping the strike rotated

Hafeez cant handle pressure in middle innings

 

[ManFan]

Not good enough.

Decent keeper, poor batsman and an average captain.

 

[fight_club]

Not good enough.

Decent keeper, poor batsman and an average captain.

He can bat specially spinners. Hafeez certainly cant be coming at 4 and on spinning pitches sarfaraz is better choice

Cant have him out of the team

 

[fight_club]

Not good enough.

Decent keeper, poor batsman and an average captain.

Hafeez surely needs to go. He is good against spinners and since cant be dropped better comr early and absorb pressuere

 

[shaaik]

I think we will be better off to have Hafeez swap his palce with Fakhar..

 

[Arsal_AK]

No.

Haris should bat at 4.

 

[MRSN]

He has to start batting at 4 thats it.

Pitches wilp help spinners and he can play them well while keeping the strike rotated

Hafeez cant handle pressure in middle innings

He was dropped at 2 against a part time spinner.

And he got out due to poor fitness. At 4 you need a fit batsman as a lot of strike rotation is required. He is huffing and puffing after facing 10 balls. Even Harris has better fitness.

 

[zee-za-man]

He is the captain, he should be batting at #4. Hafeez like Malik is now worthless and should'nt have played the World Cup. Sarfaraz almost lost this match he comes too low down, it shows lack of responsiblity from his part.