Shoaib Malik : The most naturally gifted Pakistani batsman of recent times?

[Bhaijaan]

He's been such a wasted talent really. The thing about him, he grows in confidence with as much time he spends in the middle. When he gets set, he can really take off and hit the big ones with ease just liek today against KKR, arguably the strongest bowling line-up in T20 club cricket.

Phenomenal performance against spin bowling.

 

[Statsman]

Thoda zyada ho gaya aaj FC bhai

 

[pakistanigoneaussie]

I love your trolls, you are the best on this forum in this regard

But ill humor you.

No, Malik isnt the most talented. For me thats a close one between Nazir and Umar Akmal. One was an utter failure (though I think he was harshly done by in tests), the other is a disappointment but still has time on his side

 

[Sandeep]

Malik is an Indian bully.. Always loves our bowlers.. unfortunately goes missing against better attacks.

 

[Pete Rose]

I think he let a lot of people down with his last comeback. But on form he is the best man to lead Pakistan's charge when chasing

 

[Pete Rose]

I love your trolls, you are the best on this forum in this regard

But ill humor you.

No, Malik isnt the most talented. For me thats a close one between Nazir and Umar Akmal. One was an utter failure (though I think he was harshly done by in tests), the other is a disappointment but still has time on his side

I suspect he is mentally stronger than both these guys. But....he blew his come back so will have to wait till after the World Cup or till raza hassan gets called for his action in one of the upcoming matches.

 

[Sandeep]

He is definitely mentally stronger than any of the current Pakistan youngsters, but he doesn't have the technique to survive tough bowlers

 

[Saj]

Naturally gifted?

You've got to be kidding.

There's nothing natural about his 'talent'.

 

[pakistanigoneaussie]

I suspect he is mentally stronger than both these guys. But....he blew his come back so will have to wait till after the World Cup or till raza hassan gets called for his action in one of the upcoming matches.

you have a soft spot for Malik dont you?

 

[Bhaijaan]

Naturally gifted?

You've got to be kidding.

There's nothing natural about his 'talent'.

The way he treated Kullu in 19th over today, was not the stuff of ordinary players. When he is in groove, he is in the Inzamam, Yuvraj mould. Effortless and sublime hitter.

 

[JibranAnsari]

For me saeed anwar was the most talented and naturally gifted batsman from pakistan.

Imran nazir and umar akmal are mere sloggers. Though nazir plays some breathtaking shots.

From the last 15 salman butt was pretty talented

 

[cricketjoshila]

Naturally gifted?

You've got to be kidding.

There's nothing natural about his 'talent'.

Saj bhai he is our damad.He is always talented for us.

 

[TalhaSyed]

Which other batsmen debuted more than 15years ago who has more natural talent that ?!?!

Getting sick off your idiotic trolls man! Malik is clearly the most talented batsmen in the last 60+ years!!

The only batsmen who MIGHT (big MIGHT) be more naturally talented than Malik is Don Bradman.

Oh let me guess - next you are going to say that Ponting, Lara and Tendulkar were more naturally gifted than Malik. Give me a break man! This trolling is getting so annoying! Malik is clearly better than all three of those batsmen! Just stop wasting all of our times which such silly threads. 15 years - yea right....

 

[Aubaid]

Yes malik is my idol

 

[pakistanigoneaussie]

For me saeed anwar was the most talented and naturally gifted batsman from pakistan.

Imran nazir and umar akmal are mere sloggers. Though nazir plays some breathtaking shots.

I suppose the likes of Taylor, Dravid, Slater, Gavaskar, Imran and Crowe are all wrong.

one can be an Idiot and underachiever and still be immensely gifted

Really MoYo is the only one who supports your view and we have seen how speaks of people he has had grievances with

 

[Bhaijaan]

For me saeed anwar was the most talented and naturally gifted batsman from pakistan.

Imran nazir and umar akmal are mere sloggers. Though nazir plays some breathtaking shots.

Anwar is the most naturally gifted Pakistani batsman ever. His era was over though early 2000s, i am only talking about batsman who made debut post 2000. Nazir and Umar are gifted strikers, yes. But Malik can be such a wonderful allround batsman. He is so complete.

 

[Pete Rose]

you have a soft spot for Malik dont you?

I do. Reads match situations better than hafeez, misbah, Afridi and certainly a better captain (basis the heroics with the stallions) but all of that counts for nothing when you don't make the runs on your come backs.
But given the way PCB works you never say never about any player with them. He'll come good, but he has to wait for his turn....which in the Pakistani set up is always around the corner.

 

[Mamoon]

you have a soft spot for Malik dont you?

I have a big soft spot for him and I believe so do you even if you try to hide it.

 

[Statsman]

Ofcourse Indians won't find him that bad. He's always kicked our backsides when playing against us.

I remember in the start of the Dec 2012 series, when Pak was 10/3 or something with Bhuvi having his tail up, Malik once again took the game away from us. We completely lost the momentum after that. He finds playing against Indian bowlers - pace/med/spin - all very easy.

This game --> http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/589306.html

Somehow I feared and knew Malik will do it!

Dare I say, had he played against us in the WC Semi Final, you guys would have won!

By the way, FC has succeeded.

 

[Bullet Drive]

I've always said that Malik is the best guy in PAK to read a situation.

Much better then the useless Hafeez.

 

[Mamoon]

He probably has the best cricketing brain in Pakistan in the last 15 odd years.

 

[Mamoon]

I've always said that Malik is the best guy in PAK to read a situation.

Much better then the useless Hafeez.

Hafeez is more talented but Malik has the better mentality and understanding. If you could give Malik's brain to Hafeez or Hafeez's ability to Malik, you'd have a top player on your hands.

 

[Pete Rose]

I've always said that Malik is the best guy in PAK to read a situation.

Much better then the useless Hafeez.

I seem to have found some surprising allies on this thread.
Naturally gifted no, mentally tougher, for sure.

 

[Bhaijaan]

I've always said that Malik is the best guy in PAK to read a situation.

Precisely the point.

 

[Sandeep]

I've always said that Malik is the best guy in PAK to read a situation.

Much better then the useless Hafeez.

There you go people. BD confirms it.. I trust BD

 

[steelo green]

Not the most talented but he's not a horrible batsmen. He has himself to blame for not being on the team with a long spell of really bad cricket with Pakistan.

This tourney has been good for him though and I don't mind him getting a shot on the T20 team to rebuild his confidence.

Maybe he should have stayed captain, he averages 40+ as captain

 

[Statsman]

He probably has the best cricketing brain in Pakistan in the last 15 odd years.

And this is something Pakistani batsmen have lacked in the last 5-6 years. Indian fans will be able to appreciate this quality of knowing how to build an innings/chase a target because we have been spoiled thanks to Kohli, Gambhir etc. who know how to do and when to do what. In the 90s, we had a batting line up where players (barring Sachin) didn't knew how to chase/build an innings.

 

[Pete Rose]

Not the most talented but he's not a horrible batsmen. He has himself to blame for not being on the team with a long spell of really bad cricket with Pakistan.

This tourney has been good for him though and I don't mind him getting a shot on the T20 team to rebuild his confidence.

Maybe he should have stayed captain, he averages 40+ as captain

True, he cannot complain about being unfairly dealt with in terms of chances given.
He is on the road to redemption, I suspect a recall is around the corner.

 

[Mamoon]

He's not done with international cricket. I think he still has 5-6 yrs in him and he will get his chance in LOIs again and its up to him to make up for lost time. Has done nothing since 2009.

 

[Sandeep]

Malik looked like the future of Pakistan during 2007.. I don't know where it all went wrong..

 

[Bhaijaan]

From the last 15 salman butt was pretty talented

Yeah, he was the only other guy i thought of while declaring him as my champion. Salman had that majestic touch few players possessed at a young age. Too bad he got caught just during his peak years. By now he would have hit 20 centuries. Such a shame, you have missed out on such gifted lads because of poor handling. Bet you, in a batter system, they would all make a great team.

 

[pakistanigoneaussie]

I have a big soft spot for him and I believe so do you even if you try to hide it.

My grandma does,but first time anyone has said I do.

The mediocre player I have a soft spot for is professor

The crap player I have a soft spot for is Anwar Ali

 

[Mamoon]

Feeling a bit nostalgic at the moment. Malik 2004-2008 was my favorite Pakistani cricketer.

 

[steelo green]

True, he cannot complain about being unfairly dealt with in terms of chances given.
He is on the road to redemption, I suspect a recall is around the corner.

In T20s definitely.

In ODIs where would you put him? Switch Hafeez (although you want him gone in general) to open and add him? Wait for Misbah to retire and add a Harris to the middle order? Obviously I would pick him over Afridi in a second but that clown isn't leaving any time soon.

 

[JibranAnsari]

Scoring in non serious micky mouse cricket means jack.

He has failed for last 5 years at the biggest stage.. thats what matters.

 

[Bhaijaan]

Not the most talented but he's not a horrible batsmen. He has himself to blame for not being on the team with a long spell of really bad cricket with Pakistan.

This tourney has been good for him though and I don't mind him getting a shot on the T20 team to rebuild his confidence.

Maybe he should have stayed captain, he averages 40+ as captain

What is Tendulkar or Lara's record at #6? You have got to give a top talent, the right position to bloom. He's been pushed too down in the batting order by other jealous and insecure captains who feared his rise. A fact.

 

[Mamoon]

Malik looked like the future of Pakistan during 2007.. I don't know where it all went wrong..

A bit of a crackpot theory, but I think he was exposed to international cricket way too early. Its bizarre to think that he made his debut in 1999 and still only 32 years old. Could have handled things much better had he made his debut in his early twenties but all this is hindsight I guess.

 

[steelo green]

What is Tendulkar or Lara's record at #6? You have got to give a top talent, the right position to bloom. He's been pushed too down in the batting order by other jealous and insecure captains who feared his rise. A fact.

He himself was the captain for quite a while as well and you're over exaggerating this fear of him rising. He just didn't perform for the last 3-4 years.

 

[Markhor]

Shoaib Malik had his best matches against India. I remember a wonderful partnership between him and Mohammad Yousuf in the 2009 Champions Trophy where they both played the perfect ODI innings, kept the scoreboard ticking at a good run-rate. Oh boy do we ever need that type player in our side again.

However against stronger bowling attacks and on wickets with a hint of grass he was all at sea and his career never truly recovered after captaincy.

 

[Mamoon]

My grandma does,but first time anyone has said I do.

The mediocre player I have a soft spot for is professor

The crap player I have a soft spot for is Anwar Ali

I have a soft spot for professor too and I'd consider him a good player, not mediocre.

As far as Anwar Ali is concerned, well I guess you are on your own.

 

[Mamoon]

Shoaib Malik had his best matches against India. I remember a wonderful partnership between him and Mohammad Yousuf in the 2009 Champions Trophy where they both played the perfect ODI innings, kept the scoreboard ticking at a good run-rate. Oh boy do we ever need that type player in our side again.

However against stronger bowling attacks and on wickets with a hint of grass he was all at sea and his career never truly recovered after captaincy.

Remember that match, don't want to exaggerate but that was one of the greatest display of batting in the middle overs in ODIs ever witnessed. They way they milked the spinners was remarkable.

Harbhajan and Dhoni were clueless.

 

[Markhor]

Malik looked like the future of Pakistan during 2007.. I don't know where it all went wrong..

Senior players helped to undermine him but Malik's own place in the side wasn't guaranteed when he was captain. He opened, came in at no.3, came in lower down the order and never nailed down a position. He certainly wasn't a Test regular either and was mainly a limited overs specialist.

Younis Khan rejecting the captaincy after Inzy's departure really was a big setback, the lack of successor planning after Inzy/Woolmer has really cost us.

 

[IAJ]

Had he stayed away from politics he probably would have still been our captain, in LOIs at least.

And when he is leading the side he tend to raise his game. Otherwise he mostly looks short of confidience and very nervous.

 

[Pete Rose]

In T20s definitely.

In ODIs where would you put him? Switch Hafeez (although you want him gone in general) to open and add him? Wait for Misbah to retire and add a Harris to the middle order? Obviously I would pick him over Afridi in a second but that clown isn't leaving any time soon.

Hehe...
My views are a little contrarian and hence controversial: because I see a line up which has Shafiq, Malik, and no Fawad, and hafeez as you say.

 

[Ahson8]

Malik was a good utility player with both bat and ball in LO's till 2008; after that he's just completely failed when playing for PAK.

 

[Mamoon]

Axing him from captaincy was a poor decision. We haven't had a better ODI/T20 captain since.

Younis - MoYo - Afridi - Misbah, he's better than all of them.

 

[Pete Rose]

Axing him from captaincy was a poor decision. We haven't had a better ODI/T20 captain since.

Younis - MoYo - Afridi - Misbah, he's better than all of them.

He was axed because one of the four you mention was incensed that he was overlooked for captaincy while another from the same list played his normal way to ensure Pakistan lost a few key matches. And then came Ijaz butt.

 

[pakistanigoneaussie]

I'll agree his Captiancy is underrated, but his batting is the opposite

 

[Mamoon]

He could have been Pakistan's Dhoni/Mathews, but that ship has sailed and troll threads like these don't help the cause.

 

[Mamoon]

He was axed because one of the four you mention was incensed that he was overlooked for captaincy while another from the same list played his normal way to ensure Pakistan lost a few key matches. And then came Ijaz butt.

And someone had to bear the brunt of the 2009 home defeat to SL which utterly embarrassing.

 

[Mamoon]

Can the originator of this thread be given award for worst thread of 2014 please!

Malik must be one of the worst batsmen to ever play for pakistan his cardboard cut out technic against fast bowling or decent bowling was there for all to expose!

There are no good or bad threads in the 'troll' category. Don't fall for it.

 

[Amjid Javed]

Malik looked like the future of Pakistan during 2007.. I don't know where it all went wrong..

Thats because we stopped playing zimbos and bangla and started playing proper teams where malik was exposed for the fraud batsmen he always was...

 

[Pete Rose]

And someone had to bear the brunt of the 2009 home defeat to SL which utterly embarrassing.

Yes that was the first time, but since then we have made losing to Sri Lanka an annual affair, so no changes in captaincy since then

 

[IAJ]

Thats because we stopped playing zimbos and bangla and started playing proper teams where malik was exposed for the fraud batsmen he always was...

Lols I remember those 10 or more wins on trot against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh and Malik gave an interview where he was proud achieveing that record.

 

[Statsman]

Yes that was the first time, but since then we have made losing to Sri Lanka an annual affair, so no changes in captaincy since then

Sorry, a bit off topic but I always thought you were Indian.

 

[Pete Rose]

Sorry, a bit off topic but I always thought you were Indian.

Nope, realist.

 

[Mamoon]

Yes that was the first time, but since then we have made losing to Sri Lanka an annual affair, so no changes in captaincy since then

Not at home, we still whack them around for fun in ODIs in the UAE.

 

[nafaiz]

Axing him from captaincy was a poor decision. We haven't had a better ODI/T20 captain since.

Younis - MoYo - Afridi - Misbah, he's better than all of them.

Exactly mamoon.. These days you tend to speak more sense or may be because of the soft spot for malik, but still you are right.... I also feel that removing malik as captain was that worst decision of all time in this last 5 years.. But saying that malik dig his own grave for that decision because of his politics, very young age he was not supported by the senior players especially yousuf (who was so angry for snubbing him in WC T20 2007)... Moreover I believe if malik played the match in mohali against india in the WC who knows may be pak would have won the match..

 

[steelo green]

Hehe...
My views are a little contrarian and hence controversial: because I see a line up which has Shafiq, Malik, and no Fawad, and hafeez as you say.

Well then we differ. I just don't think Shafiq has an affinity to score in ODIs.

 

[pakistanigoneaussie]

Well then we differ. I just don't think Shafiq has an affinity to score in ODIs.

Mentally yes

But technically I think he can

 

[nafaiz]

Lols I remember those 10 or more wins on trot against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh and Malik gave an interview where he was proud achieveing that record.

when his batsmen were not good, and openers were looking completely out of touch, he came in to open the innings with salman butt and scored 125 when he was the captain...that is what u call man up for the job.. he did it himself, how many of the pakistani captains did that..

 

[steelo green]

Mentally yes

But technically I think he can

How many matches as he played? He would have shown it by now.

I was a big fan. In that WC match vs India I supported him, he showed a great deal of grit and I thought that would have been a stepping stone but he's just not.

 

[nafaiz]

Malik is an Indian bully.. Always loves our bowlers.. unfortunately goes missing against better attacks.

We know "Malik is an Indian bully" but to note that he is carrying his form from the Carribean league (CPL) where you dont have indian bowlers and actually indian players dont play any other league other than the IPL.. carribean league u have a good bunch of pace battery and an away ground from the indian SC, we have to acknowledge and congratulate for his efforts he is putting in to win his place back in the national team.....

 

[nafaiz]

How many matches as he played? He would have shown it by now.

I was a big fan. In that WC match vs India I supported him, he showed a great deal of grit and I thought that would have been a stepping stone but he's just not.

Actually it was the pressure applied by younis khan the so called senior batsman, who made shafiq to lose his concenteration and to play a shot which was not there all because of the pressure that was exerted by younis khan where shafiq give away his wicket....

Im extremely happy with yk being dropped from ODIs and that pakistan will not do the same mistake that cost them the WC at mohali..

 

[IMMY69]

A naturally gifted fielder yes..But as a batsman he's technically deficient, to such an extent that he can't even face medium pace bowling in international cricket.

 

[MO]

He's been such a wasted talent really. The thing about him, he grows in confidence with as much time he spends in the middle. When he gets set, he can really take off and hit the big ones with ease just liek today against KKR, arguably the strongest bowling line-up in T20 club cricket.

Phenomenal performance against spin bowling.

Really !!! Most naturally gifted...
Thats one of the most absurd things I have ever heard.

He started out as a number 11 batsman who improved to become a "top order bat"...So he was not "naturally gifted"...

The tragedy of Pakistan cricket is that most of our so called "talented and gifted" batsmen, are dumb as a rock i.e Afridi, Imran Nazir, and Akmal..On the other hand, our so called players with an "intelligent mind" have limited skill set i.e Misbah, Shoaib and may be the Professor...

He has a good mind, I would give him that...he has worked hard to become a stable batsman....He will not win you a match with his batting.....He is a leach....he depends on his partners to score at a high strike rate while he will "stick around" to score a composed 20-30....He will just do enough to keep his place in the team...like what he did today...His innings was not match winning, it barely helped the Hurricanes to post a sub par total and in the end they lost...he had many dot balls and he did not construct his innings well...he finished well but if he had not wasted so many balls in the beginning of his innings he would have finished close to 80-85 runs.

Most naturally gifted players to come out of Pakistan in the past 15-20 years are probably Imran Nazir, Yousaf, Afridi, Umar Akmal, Mohammad Sami, Asif, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Zahid and Mohammad Aamir....As you can see most of them under achieved...

 

[KarachiKing]

The way he treated Kullu in 19th over today, was not the stuff of ordinary players. When he is in groove, he is in the Inzamam, Yuvraj mould. Effortless and sublime hitter.

so a bigger match winner than Sachin

in any case atleast his centuries are not in losing causes however rare they maybe

 

[Buffet]

Where do PPers rank Malik among Pakistani talented batsmen. I don't think that he will make it to the top 5

 

[KarachiKing]

Malik looked like the future of Pakistan during 2007.. I don't know where it all went wrong..

Feeling a bit nostalgic at the moment. Malik 2004-2008 was my favorite Pakistani cricketer.

yeah man. it all went wrong when the captaincy was thrust on him out of nowhere...

he was really a very talented player. the 2006-07 odi series' again india were my favorites

 

[KarachiKing]

The way he was stabbed by the seniors (Afridi, Yousuf etc) during his captaincy was shameful to say the least. He never had their support. And ofcourse the antics of aik muskarataa aadmi didn't help in this case either

 

[giri26]

LOL. Is this a serious thread? Pakistan have surely had better batsmen in the last 15 years. Yousuf, Younis etc...There is Umar Akmal from the current squad. If Malik was Pakistan's most gifted Pakistani batsmen in last 15 years then their cricket can be considered almost dead.

 

[Bhaijaan]

The turning point. How many fans remember this knock?

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/DuZqLDv1j74" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/bnpgghjHBfI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[KarachiKing]

The turning point. How many fans remember this knock?

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/DuZqLDv1j74" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/bnpgghjHBfI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

what a match. remember he scored 80 off 40 odd. Out of nowhere. he was seen just as a spinner back then.

great entertainment

 

[Bhaijaan]

what a match. remember he scored 80 off 40 odd. Out of nowhere. he was seen just as a spinner back then.

great entertainment

Yes, back when T20 cricket wasn't there, this was a rare destructive effort against a TOP QUALITY BOWLING ATTACK.

 

[pakistanigoneaussie]

How many matches as he played? He would have shown it by now.

I was a big fan. In that WC match vs India I supported him, he showed a great deal of grit and I thought that would have been a stepping stone but he's just not.

I agree he doesn't merit selection (rather have haris) but I still have some hope for him.

He always looks to caged up

 

[cricketAXEpert]

No, he is not. Plus Malik's international career is over. He is only good for lower level cricket

 

[akamaka]

Was looking like the future back in 07 i remember a middle order of YK, Malik, Moyo, with afridi , razzaq as lower order hitters in their prime. That was a good batting line up. Sort of lost it like Jamshed suddenly when captaincy was taken away from him in 2008. Has never really performed since then.

 

[JibranAnsari]

malik saheb pe kisi ne **** jadu kera rakha he..


international matches men batting nhi hoti inse

 

[DRS]

His expertise have changed somewhat lately, which certainly isn't related to cricket. Haha

Almost everytime; I see him bat, he makes his batting seem pretty average. Thus, going by what I have seen, there isn't anything special about him.

 

[W63L35]

The turning point. How many fans remember this knock?

Turning points....... how many fans rember these knocks.... in his last 70+ international innings?

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/en...an;template=results;type=batting;view=innings

Average of 17.91 in last 73 innings .. even with 11 not outs.

Great entertainment for the opposition... and parosies like you!