There's nothing wrong with trying out openers/top order batsmen in middle/lower order if they can do it. Malik's pretty much always been a middle order bat (he had a few games as opener granted). Hafeez was an opener, but it was clear he had ability to perform down the order.
However you can't play guys who would not succeed down the order. Azhar wouldn't, hell he struggled at 3, can not imagine him lower than that. Shehzad can't another one, just hasn't got the game to.
Let's go down that list. Sharjeel is out for suspected fixing, Aslam quite frankly looks like an opener again, doesn't seem to have the array of shots to suit down the order. Sahibzada extremely young, people are hyping him off one innings, but quite frankly shouldn't be rushed like that, especially if he's been placed in a batting position upon entry which he isn't familiar with. Sure if he debuted at 6 people would be complaining at no end saying it's unfair to him. Azhar shouldn't be in the team and can't work down the order. Babar and Haris suit top order order, should be batting opener,3 or 4 where quite frankly the best batsmen in the team should bat. I see no benefit moving these two down the order. Fakhar is already opener. Shadab is a bowler, who hasn't even cemented his place for that same with Faheem. Sarfraz already in the team. Imad Wasim already in the team, but quite frankly his batting despite stats doesn't look all that impressive, he looks more like a no.8 bat (especially after the CT), but I don't mind him carrying on at 7 he is an asset to the team.
The guys who we have tried middle order (and rightly), Umar akmal, Rizwan, Maqsood these were the brightest middle/late order talents. It didn't work out for them atm. So yes we have few options in the late middle order right now. Fawad Alam is out too, and was dropped unfairly IMO but let's face it isn't coming back.
While in the mean time Malik has been scoring bucketload of runs. Even Hafeez despite him looking on the wane is scoring at an average of 40.
Who specifically would you try down the order instead of those guys? And at what position? People never answer this question yet they complain seniors are burdening the team.
I'm all for trying out new guys especially in preparation for 2019, I'd already said I'd drop Hafeez even though he had a good CT in terms of looking for the future. But whatever age they are, if they're scoring runs they're hardly hurting the team. We aren't exactly accommodating them, it's worse they have little competition for their spots. Just need to accept reality. You can't have a team full of new people especially when you have little idea who exactly is going to replace. Need to replace them slowly especially if said senior is still performing. I'd get rid of Hafeez now, try out someone, see if he succeeds. Then if he does, turn to dropping Malik for someone (if there is someone suitable who can replace him). Keep Imad at 7 I guess for now, but not sure it'll work out, while I'm still a fan as a player the way he batted in the CT final and in general he's what we need at 7 looks more like an 8, but it seems at the moment Faheem is the only one who seems touted as competition atm (Shadab doesn't count as if both Imad and Shadab play, Imad will play at 7, Shadab at 8 most likely) probably stick with him for now.
The only two realistic names I hear to enter middle order right about now are Umar Amin and that other guy (talat or something I've forgotten his whole name), and of course there are reservations on Amin given he wasn't too impressive before (he deserves a second chance though looks like he earned it). Guys who have done well in domestic cricket for a substantial period of time to earn a call up. Hardly an infinite number of options. But that's how cricket is, you need to be patient and wait for cricketers to bang the door down in domestic to earn a call up.
I think you are just validating my argument...you are basically saying "we don't have options because...the options we have are untested." Right. So let's test them. What other way forward is there? Keep these seniors on for another two years, by which time they are not to be any better, and may have fallen to pieces, then scramble desperately for other options, none of which options will be any more tested by then?Because we have refused to give them a chance to play. It simply does not make sense. We have won the CT on the back largely of young talent like Hasan and Fakhar, who to boot was completely untested.
As for the players you commented on. Sahbizada has not had one good innings, His last five LA scores as an opener were 123, 54, 58, 54, 53 at a SR of 99. Whether or not Sahibzada will succeed internationally is neither here nor there; he has been at least as good as Fakhar in domestics and we don't have many attractive opening options; I agree with you on Azhar.
Both Shadab and Faheem look like upgrades on Hafeez and Malik to me, batting wise. People made much how how comfortable and in nick Malik has looked, that he was unlucky to get out etc. But the same can be said for Shadab; he has looked great every time he has picked up the bat but he comes in too low to make a difference.
Faheem meanwhile played the kind of innings in the warm up that only Sharjeel could replicate in the current set up. He may be out for now but as it now looks his ban may not last much longer.
We can build a new line up around these players and have some to spare for the bench. And precisely because we actually have a surplus of openers, it makes all the sense in the world to try some out some of them in the middle orders.
Not least because neither Hafeez nor Malik are that great as middle order batsmen (Malik slightly better I'd say on recent form) Hafeez is as likely to kill an innings as he is to push it along. Malik gets out to pace. The only use of Hafeez is as a late order sloggers, but we have others who can do that job too.
Which is to say Hafeez is properly only a lower order batsman.
I'd take a Fakhar and Sahibzada over Hafeez any day, any position, and a Sharjeel and Faheem over Malik and Hafeez for the slog overs.
If an allrounder is required, both Shadab and Wasim are upgrades on Hafeez; Shadab has more penetration, Wasim is a better container. I won't even talk about Maliks bowling. But if I could keep either Hafeez or Malik I'd keep Malik, who is at least not a liability in the field.
Batting options: Sahibzada, Aslam, Azhar, Fakhar, Babar, Haris, Amin, Sarfraz, Sharjeel, Shadab, Faheem, Wasim
