Sarfraz Ahmed must stand up and lead from the front at the Champions Trophy

[lahoriyah1234]

Sarfraz Ahmed need to lead from the front in the upcoming CT. Personally i feel he Should Open the Inning for Pakistan, he is a natural striker of the ball, i feel when the field is up he can find more gapes and can play an aggressive inning. Problem with Sarfraz later on he relies on spinners to get run but against Pace he struggles to get away.

It will also allow pakistan to have fahim ashraf in the line up, which will add more spice to pakistan bowling attack. I don't know about sarfraz ahmed but so far he is showing any authority of being a captain. He needs to stop listening to other ppl and start making his own mind. Start being a Leader...

 

[Rayyman]

Sarfraz is not a natural striker of the ball.

 

[Square Drive]

He is perfect at #4.

 

[sadida97]

He is perfect at #4.

Haris sohail should bat at 4

 

[Square Drive]

Haris sohail should bat at 4

What will the rest of your order be, then?

Haris does not fit in to our line-up at the moment.

 

[Arham_PakFan]

Haris sohail should bat at 4

That spot is reserved for the Professor,unless the Professor chooses to bat at 3.

 

[sadida97]

That spot is reserved for the Professor,unless the Professor chooses to bat at 3.

Professor can play as an opener...

 

[Pete Rose]

The time to stand up was when this awful squad was selected.
I dont fault him for that - bigger players than him have wilted when faced with the prospect of dropping seniors.
In our case the seniors are hafeez and malik: man we are a poor poor poor team.

 

[Arham_PakFan]

Professor can play as an opener...

Maybe.He can replace Shehzad unless Sarfraz and Mickey decide to try Fakhar as an opener.

Anyway everything will be clear after the warmups.

 

[sadida97]

What will the rest of your order be, then?

Haris does not fit in to our line-up at the moment.

1-Hafeez
2-Ahmed Shehzad/Azhar Ali/Fakhar Zaman
3-Babar Azam
4-Haris Sohail
5-Shoaib Malik
6-Sarfaraz Ahmed
7-Imad Wasim
8-Shadab Khan
9-Mohammad Amir
10-Hassan Ali
11-Junaid Khan/Wahab Riaz

Sarfaraz can also bat at 5, and shoaib at 6.

 

[Square Drive]

1-Hafeez
2-Ahmed Shehzad/Azhar Ali/Fakhar Zaman
3-Babar Azam
4-Haris Sohail
5-Shoaib Malik
6-Sarfaraz Ahmed
7-Imad Wasim
8-Shadab Khan
9-Mohammad Amir
10-Hassan Ali
11-Junaid Khan/Wahab Riaz

Sarfaraz can also bat at 5, and shoaib at 6.

Sarfraz at 6? Can you really say Sarfraz smacking pace in the last 15 overs? Because I can't.

Even Shoaib at 6 is not ideal. I don't see him hitting big against pace in England.

With Umar out, and Haris (rather than Yamin) getting selected, the best line-up I can pick from this squad is:

Fakhar Zaman
Mohammad Hafeez
Babar Azam
Sarfraz Ahmed* (WK)
Shoaib Malik
Imad Wasim
Shadab Khan
Fahim Ashraf
Mohammad Amir
Hasan Ali
Junaid Khan

What we'll probably get, though, is:

Azhar
Shehzad
Babar
Hafeez (Umar leaving makes it that much more possible)
Sarfraz
Malik
Imad
Shadab/Wahab
Amir
Hasan
Junaid

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

Massive improvement in his keeping in last few series.
Needs to construct his innings better and shoudnt bat below 5.

 

[Corridor of Uncertainty]

1-Hafeez
2-Ahmed Shehzad/Azhar Ali/Fakhar Zaman
3-Babar Azam
4-Haris Sohail
5-Shoaib Malik
6-Sarfaraz Ahmed
7-Imad Wasim
8-Shadab Khan
9-Mohammad Amir
10-Hassan Ali
11-Junaid Khan/Wahab Riaz

Sarfaraz can also bat at 5, and shoaib at 6.

Aus, Eng, Ind, SA are quaking in their boots looking at our top 5.

100/3 in 26 overs written all over it.

 

[sadida97]

Aus, Eng, Ind, SA are quaking in their boots looking at our top 5.

100/3 in 26 overs written all over it.

Main problem are the openers...

 

[Corridor of Uncertainty]

Main problem are the openers...

Babar, Haris and Shoaib qualify for the team only if there is a bona fide hitter at the other end throughout.

They just can't force the pace consistently and are bound to get bogged down.

Ergo, the top 5 problem.

 

[sadida97]

Babar, Haris and Shoaib qualify for the team only if there is a bona fide hitter at the other end throughout.

They just can't force the pace consistently and are bound to get bogged down.

Ergo, the top 5 problem.

hum hitter kider se pehda kareyn ? there aren't any good hitters in the domestic, only hope is that sharjeel comes back and opens alongside amin or farhan

 

[muazy1]

1. Azhar/ Shehzad
2. Fakhar Zaman
3. Babar
4. Haris
5. Malik
6. Sarfaraz
7. Hafeez
8. Shadab
9. Amir
10. Junaid
11.Hassan/ Wahab

Best possible team from the current squad

 

[New Yorker]

Sarfraz Ahmed need to lead from the front in the upcoming CT. Personally i feel he Should Open the Inning for Pakistan, he is a natural striker of the ball, i feel when the field is up he can find more gapes and can play an aggressive inning. Problem with Sarfraz later on he relies on spinners to get run but against Pace he struggles to get away.

It will also allow pakistan to have fahim ashraf in the line up, which will add more spice to pakistan bowling attack. I don't know about sarfraz ahmed but so far he is showing any authority of being a captain. He needs to stop listening to other ppl and start making his own mind. Start being a Leader...��

I wouldnt mind him opening, particularly if we can thereby stop both Shezzy and Azhar from doing so

 

[Corridor of Uncertainty]

hum hitter kider se pehda kareyn ? there aren't any good hitters in the domestic, only hope is that sharjeel comes back and opens alongside amin or farhan

I would go back to the 90s and use a pinch hitter to open.

Amir? Shadab? Imad Wasim?

Madness to repeat what has not worked last 5 years.

I do believe the bowling is looking better.

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

One opener has to be Fakhar. Atleast he will not do tuk tuk.

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

Aus, Eng, Ind, SA are quaking in their boots looking at our top 5.

100/3 in 26 overs written all over it.

Babar, Haris and Sarfi are good enough for no 3,4,5/2,3,4 position. We need a Sharjeel type opener (but unfortunately there is none).

 

[Rayyman]

Sarfraz at 6? Can you really say Sarfraz smacking pace in the last 15 overs? Because I can't.

Even Shoaib at 6 is not ideal. I don't see him hitting big against pace in England.

With Umar out, and Haris (rather than Yamin) getting selected, the best line-up I can pick from this squad is:

Fakhar Zaman
Mohammad Hafeez
Babar Azam
Sarfraz Ahmed* (WK)
Shoaib Malik
Imad Wasim
Shadab Khan
Fahim Ashraf
Mohammad Amir
Hasan Ali
Junaid Khan

What we'll probably get, though, is:

Azhar
Shehzad
Babar
Hafeez (Umar leaving makes it that much more possible)
Sarfraz
Malik
Imad
Shadab/Wahab
Amir
Hasan
Junaid

That's the ideal team for me. Well, out of this squad anyway.

 

[Square Drive]

That's the ideal team for me. Well, out of this squad anyway.

Azhar & Shehzad opening is ideal for you?

Sarfraz at 5, Malik at 6 is ideal?

Lost for words.

 

[Hamza_]

Azhar & Shehzad opening is ideal for you?

Sarfraz at 5, Malik at 6 is ideal?

Lost for words.

This might be a better XI in case Umar Amin is selected:

Umar Amin (He was virtually opening in PC)
Hafeez
Babar
Shoaib
Sarfraz
Imad
Shadab
Fahim
Amir
Hassan
Junaid

 

[Hasan123]

Sarfraz isn't the problem and the revolutionary has given him a rubbish team.

 

[Square Drive]

This might be a better XI in case Umar Amin is selected:

Umar Amin (He was virtually opening in PC)
Hafeez
Babar
Shoaib
Sarfraz
Imad
Shadab
Fahim
Amir
Hassan
Junaid

Same as my suggestion, except you replaced Fakhar with Amin and you swapped Shoaib & Sarfraz.

Can't say I mind that XI at all.

 

[Rayyman]

Azhar & Shehzad opening is ideal for you?

Sarfraz at 5, Malik at 6 is ideal?

Lost for words.

Actually, Malik at 5 and Sarfraz at 6.

 

[Hamza_]

Same as my suggestion, except you replaced Fakhar with Amin and you swapped Shoaib & Sarfraz.

Can't say I mind that XI at all.

Only one of Azhar or Shizzy will play at best.

Ideally neither should play, Hafeez Bhai is a sure shot considering he bashed Windies.

Mickey Arthur needs to understand that we are not playing the modern game he talks about by playing Shizzy and Azhar in ODIs. Shizzy is even too slow in tests

 

[Bilal7]

Unless Haris Sohail is brought in, Sarfaraz should bat at #4 and hopefully, put up three or four 100 runs partnerships with Babar Azam. If Haris does play, the captain will have to suck it up and play the finisher's role at #6 himself.

 

[FreakCricket]

As a captain he has more responsibility so i don't see him opening the batting, would prefer him to come early than his #6 position

 

[Hayreddin]

1. Safraz Ahmed (2015 WC showed his potential)
2. Fakhar Zaman
3. Babar Azam
4. Haris Sohail
5. Mohammad Hafeez (maybe Fahim provided he is a better batting all-rounder)
6. Shoaib Malik
7. Imad Wasim
8. Mohammad Amir
9. Wahab Riaz
10. Hasan Ali
11. Junaid Khan (Muhammad Abbas if condition are right)

I'm really not comfortable with Shehzad opening in any instance. Azhar is a possibility if he gets his strike-rate up. Either way, I still advocate for Sarfraz opening irrespective of who his other opening partner is. The only other hope is somehow Sharjeel is acquitted in the next 3 days and is shipped to England (which I'm not optimistic of that possibility).

 

[Speedster777]

Hafeez is a flop in England. He should not be part of the team. Playing him is like playing with 10 players.

 

[coy0607]

1. Safraz Ahmed (2015 WC showed his potential)
2. Fakhar Zaman
3. Babar Azam
4. Haris Sohail
5. Mohammad Hafeez (maybe Fahim provided he is a better batting all-rounder)
6. Shoaib Malik
7. Imad Wasim
8. Mohammad Amir
9. Wahab Riaz
10. Hasan Ali
11. Junaid Khan (Muhammad Abbas if condition are right)

I'm really not comfortable with Shehzad opening in any instance. Azhar is a possibility if he gets his strike-rate up. Either way, I still advocate for Sarfraz opening irrespective of who his other opening partner is. The only other hope is somehow Sharjeel is acquitted in the next 3 days and is shipped to England (which I'm not optimistic of that possibility).

Sarfraz opening will be a total experiment. Other than a few rare occasions he's never opened. And to have him open in England out of the blue is just asking for trouble

 

[Da_Future_Knick]

Azhar
Hafeez
Babar
Malik
Sarfraz
Fakhar
Imad
Shadab
Wahab
Amir
Hassan

Fakhar can play pace well and hack a few boundaries at the end along with Shadab and Imad. Plenty of bowling options as well.

 

[Square Drive]

Actually, Malik at 5 and Sarfraz at 6.

Aaand it just got worse.

Only one of Azhar or Shizzy will play at best.

Ideally neither should play, Hafeez Bhai is a sure shot considering he bashed Windies.

Mickey Arthur needs to understand that we are not playing the modern game he talks about by playing Shizzy and Azhar in ODIs. Shizzy is even too slow in tests

Hafeez bhai will probably play at #4, allowing Azhar & Shehzad to open.

 

[JibranAnsari]

First 10 overs 25/0
Next 10 overs 45/2
Next 10 overs 50/1
Next 10 overs 60/3
Next 10 overs 75/4

255 all out.

 

[Hayreddin]

He did make a century against Ireland along with having a good score against a potent South African bowling attack during the 2015 WC. Honestly, I feel he can open and he can provide some stability for the opening batting, which is what is sorely lacking. He can at least keep it a run a ball.

 

[Rayyman]

Happy Birthday to "The Green General."

30 years young today.

 

[Greenstorm]

This might be a better XI in case Umar Amin is selected:

Umar Amin (He was virtually opening in PC)
Hafeez
Babar
Shoaib
Sarfraz
Imad
Shadab
Fahim
Amir
Hassan
Junaid

Looks good. I will bring Wahab in place of Fahim . We need pace against India and Srilanka.

 

[Flat_Track_Bully]

Not having Misbah in a ICC tourney will mean no selfish innnings and slowing down RR to 4.

Sarfraz will do a good job provided others contribute.

 

[Commander]

Not having Misbah in a ICC tourney will mean no selfish innnings and slowing down RR to 4.

Sarfraz will do a good job provided others contribute.

Yes, and that will also mean if we are 20/3, we will end up being bowled out for 100.

 

[Flat_Track_Bully]

Yes, and that will also mean if we are 20/3, we will end up being bowled out for 100.

Rather have that happen than reaching 250 with a Misbah special 4RPO innings of 65.

Now we will either go big or nothing.

 

[Eagle_Eye]

Captain foghorn should be putting himself up the order and take the bull by the horns.

It's really frustrating to see selfish players sucking the life out of the innings up the order. If captain foghorn hails, so what, atleast he tried to inject some life up the order.