Should Pakistan gamble with the following team in their remaining games?

[Savak]

Our spinners are just not clicking and they are unlikely to click at all. Maybe its now time to change the strategy and strengthen the pace bowling options and get whatever spin you need from your part timers like Iftikhar, Agha Salman who lets face it will not do any worse than Shadab and Usama.

1) Abdullah Shafiq
2) Fakhar Zaman
3) Babar Azam
4) Mohammad Rizwan
5) Saud Shakeel
6) Agha Salman
7) Iftikhar Ahmed
8) Mohd Wasim Jr
9) Hassan Ali
10) Shaheen Afridi
11) Harris Rauf

 

[SamNJ]

Abrar in place of Wasim Jnr.
Still need a proper spinner.

 

[CerebralPatriot]

Doesn't matter what combination we select, the reality is that the squad selected by Inzamam and Babar is the worst possible fifteen they could have chosen and as such no changes in our lineup will prevent the inevitable. This is what happens when you chose a unfit keeper who can only play on the leg side over a fit and agile keeper and brilliant batsmen, this is what happens when you select pseudo all rounders that can't bat or bowl over an allrounder who is a hot ticket in premier leagues all over the world, this is what happens when you choose tuk tuk openers over a potential world class player, this is the consequences of dosti yaari

 

[160KPH]

Abrar in place of Wasim Jnr.
Still need a proper spinner.

He is in reserves so he cannot be put into the squad unless Pakistan has an injury that's confirmed by the ICC.

But yeah, I agree with the OP, the spin bowling is horrendous - particularly our leg spinners. Iftikhar has done better bowling than they have in recent times. If they really want, they can play Nawaz, he does not take wickets but he at least slows the run rate down a bit.

 

[7sins]

fake injure one of nawaz or usama mir for abrar,replace fakhar with mohammad haris and replace him with gutless parchi

 

[kron]

No matter what combo qe use, it's not going to change. I am not sure even with the inclusion of naseem it make any difference.

 

[Aviator]

Can mohammad haris be included somehow?
Just to throw imam ul haq out.

 

[160KPH]

Can mohammad haris be included somehow?
Just to throw imam ul haq out.

Same situation as Abrar, it would require an injury and the injury would have to be confirmed by the ICC so that the reserve replacement could come in.

 

[sugumarrising]

surprising thing is the world cup is happening in India where spin plays a big role why Pakistan is playing 3 fast bowlers in all the matches, atleast in Turner wickets like chennai they should have played only 2 fast bowlers the obsession with Pakistan team in fast bowling is proving to be costly.

 

[Savak]

surprising thing is the world cup is happening in India where spin plays a big role why Pakistan is playing 3 fast bowlers in all the matches, atleast in Turner wickets like chennai they should have played only 2 fast bowlers the obsession with Pakistan team in fast bowling is proving to be costly.

The pacers are looking better than the spinners. No point playing highly ordinary spinners if they aren't good enough

 

[amvbfm]

Won't matter. It feels they just don't have the self belief or confidence. Play whoever you want, with this attitude it won't matter. Yesterday, they looked scared, scarred and beaten. The captain has never had positive body language but its never been this bad. We have had captains who were not good but who at least reacted to situations, even if their reaction came too late. Babar just doesn't seem to care or understand. He just stands in the field waiting for God knows what. There was not one moment in the chase yesterday where the Afghans were under pressure. This is a team which is known to choke, which has issues rotating strike, yet Babar gave them fields that ensured they were never under any run rate pressure. He insisted on bowling bowlers that were getting hit. He insisted on sticking to the same bowling order he uses every game.

Changing team composition might have worked if this was an issue of a couple of players not performing well but the issue seems to be mental more than that of form or technique. We are mentally shot and defeated and no amount of changes will address that. The only thing that can be done, to regain some dignity if nothing else, but seems improbable if not impossible, is for the captain and the senior players to stand up and rally the team for one final push regardless of results.

 

[Maliq_Mudasir]

I don't think changing squad will make any difference to the performance. The issue seems more of intent. I won't be surprised if players are deliberately under performing, as this has happened in past.

 

[Savak]

Won't matter. It feels they just don't have the self belief or confidence. Play whoever you want, with this attitude it won't matter. Yesterday, they looked scared, scarred and beaten. The captain has never had positive body language but its never been this bad. We have had captains who were not good but who at least reacted to situations, even if their reaction came too late. Babar just doesn't seem to care or understand. He just stands in the field waiting for God knows what. There was not one moment in the chase yesterday where the Afghans were under pressure. This is a team which is known to choke, which has issues rotating strike, yet Babar gave them fields that ensured they were never under any run rate pressure. He insisted on bowling bowlers that were getting hit. He insisted on sticking to the same bowling order he uses every game.

Changing team composition might have worked if this was an issue of a couple of players not performing well but the issue seems to be mental more than that of form or technique. We are mentally shot and defeated and no amount of changes will address that. The only thing that can be done, to regain some dignity if nothing else, but seems improbable if not impossible, is for the captain and the senior players to stand up and rally the team for one final push regardless of results.

Change the captain and rest Babar. Play with a new captain for the remaining games. The team can do with a fresh approach

 

[emranabbas]

Our spinners are just not clicking and they are unlikely to click at all. Maybe its now time to change the strategy and strengthen the pace bowling options and get whatever spin you need from your part timers like Iftikhar, Agha Salman who lets face it will not do any worse than Shadab and Usama.

1) Abdullah Shafiq
2) Fakhar Zaman
3) Babar Azam
4) Mohammad Rizwan
5) Saud Shakeel
6) Agha Salman
7) Iftikhar Ahmed
8) Mohd Wasim Jr
9) Hassan Ali
10) Shaheen Afridi
11) Harris Rauf

I have said this before the Afghanistan game minus harris. Unlike us other teams study all batsmens and bowlers and come with a plan not just walk on the field with us

Every single team knows that imam has a weakness against short ball that's why they keep bowling short ball to him and he's been out on short ball 3 times already with the same shot

Teams will target harris rauf because of his pace because its a small ground all they need to do is nudge and its goes off for a four, harris is a brainless bowler unless its line and length he is going to be be tonked all over the park and he is never going to get his line and length right.
So he also needs to rest

Spinners shadab and nawaz are just really poor spin bowlers they will get tonked regardless that's why a full time specialist spinner is needed here as pace isn't going to work

Not many teams know much about iftikhar so alot of teams won't take risk on iftikhar he should be given the ball to keep the run flow down

Waseem jnr is the best bet going forward as he wasn't expected so not many teams have done much study on him as our bowling before the world cup was shaheen-naseem-harris and bet you loads of study has been done on shaheen and batsmen know shaheen doesn't have much armour and just tackle him upfront

Our batsmen are getting out because of their own fault they are just week playing slow and building pressure

I would rest harris for shadab

 

[160KPH]

I don't think changing squad will make any difference to the performance. The issue seems more of intent. I won't be surprised if players are deliberately under performing, as this has happened in past.

Honestly, I wish it was a matter of intent. I think Usama Mir and Shadab are both really just bad leg spinners. Shadab makes it work in T20 because he has some smart variations, but if you try to get him to bowl a solid over to set a batsmen up on a turning pitch? I think he’s truly incapable of doing it.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

You can gamble all 11 players on the pitch.

These 11 players will all score 100s once we are facing Netherlands and Nepal again.

Or maybe Sean Abbotts and Junior Dalas.

 

[Energy]

Babar is not a gambler. He is a softie. So I don't expect anything radical.

Fakhar may come in place of Imam and that'll cause yet another rift in the camp. It's all too political for a clean up.

 

[Sycamore]

Haris, Mir, Shadab need to be removed. Bring in Wasim, Agha, and by some miracle Abrar.

Bowling lineup will be Shaheen, Hasan, Wasim, Abrar, Salman, Ifti,Saud

or if I was a brave captain drop Imam and promote yourself

Babar
Abdullah
Rizwan
Saud
Ifti
Salman
Shadab/Nawaz
Wasim
Shaheen
Hasan
Abrar

 

[amvbfm]

Change the captain and rest Babar. Play with a new captain for the remaining games. The team can do with a fresh approach

Depends on the current dynamics of the dressing room to which we are not privy. Depending on that it can also make matters worse by creating or deepening rifts. Also, we can never expect that with Pakistan. Another team might take such a drastic step but there is no way it will happen in Pakistan cricket especially when the captain is your best player.

I know it is too much to expect from Babar but the best thing would be for him to stand up and for once play without fear. He needs to understand his captaincy is as good as gone and so almost are our chances of qualifying, so might as well go out all guns blazing. But again as I said earlier a lot depends on the internal dynamics of the team.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

Depends on the current dynamics of the dressing room to which we are not privy. Depending on that it can also make matters worse by creating or deepening rifts. Also, we can never expect that with Pakistan. Another team might take such a drastic step but there is no way it will happen in Pakistan cricket especially when the captain is your best player.

I know it is too much to expect from Babar but the best thing would be for him to stand up and for once play without fear. He needs to understand his captaincy is as good as gone and so almost are our chances of qualifying, so might as well go out all guns blazing. But again as I said earlier a lot depends on the internal dynamics of the team.

I have a better question.

Why do you think these rifts only happen before a major tournament?

Is it because many players are eyeing the captains job?

Honestly, in a World Cup players should be united and trying to win the Cup without any political motivations.

 

[amvbfm]

I have a better question.

Why do you think these rifts only happen before a major tournament?

Is it because many players are eyeing the captains job?

Honestly, in a World Cup players should be united and trying to win the Cup without any political motivations.

Ideally yes, but that is rarely the case. And its not just the Pakistan team, its human nature. Only in setups like ours the issue is exacerbated due to lack of formal processes like succession planning, the background of the players and their grooming, and the power wielded by the top players.

Again, the thing about there being rifts is just speculation. Even if there are no rifts, replacing a captain halfway through a tournament will have some implications.

 

[gazza619]

No harm in trying. I think in white ball though you will get the same amount of runs from Shadab as you will from Saud. Might as well play Shadab ahead of Saud

 

[DeadlyVenom]

PCB should sit Mohammed Nawaz in a sauna for a bit and then ask an ICC official to confirm his temperature/illness rules him out of the tournament.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

I have a better question.

Why do you think these rifts only happen before a major tournament?

Is it because many players are eyeing the captains job?

Honestly, in a World Cup players should be united and trying to win the Cup without any political motivations.

Rifts are exaggerated and amplified by fans.

The level of analysis is at the level of teenage girls.

One week ago: OMG they are best friends and stopping others from entering their clique

Today: OMG they are so toxic and nasty to each other.

 

[Inzi_fan_No_1]

Send Nawaz back to Pakistan and replace him with Imad. Better spinner and batter. Disgraceful how he has been treated.

 

[Usman Chadda]

Imad Wasim is a mediocre player with a limited skill-set. He has a bowling average of 40+ in ODIs, how on earth are people clamoring for such an average player? What will he do, besides being another Shadab or Nawaz? It's these bits and pieces rubbish cricketers that have destroyed our cricket.

 

[chinaman00]

The story of Pakistan cricket has always been fans whining about nonperforming players, only to suggest previously discarded mediocre players. The notion that Mohammed Harris is an improvement over Imam or Rizwan is hilarious.

Mohammed Harris couldn’t last 4 overs in T20 and he’s expected to be in the ODI team?

For God sake, please stop selecting ODI team based on T20. This is the reason why this team of T20 mercenaries have been exposed on the global stage.

 

[hur rizvi]

How will it change anything? Wasim Jnr is even worse than Haris Rauf. Fakhar is terribly out of form

The only change worth making could have been Abrar but that doesn't seem likely.

Babar should just ease up and try to enjoy his last days as captain. Nothing will change right now. Even post WC we just don't have the personnel to turn around things.

What Pakistan can do is to go the youngsters route post-WC and trust those youngsters who have some FC cricket under their belt

 

[SpiritOf1903]

These tacky pitches are not suiting express pace; it's coming on to the bat then zipping off.

All Subcontinent teams bar Pakistan have Medium-Medium-Fast bowlers and excellent off spinners who typically thrive on these stodgy pitches in muggy conditions.

Hassan Ali been the best bowler due to his line and length where his lack of pace has been beneficial.

Only Yadav is really thriving as a leggie

 

[castortroy]

Can mohammad haris be included somehow?
Just to throw imam ul haq out.

Harris is probably the worst batsman I have seen technically.

Complete hack who won't last more than a couple of overs

 

[castortroy]

It's criminal to not have a recognised quality off spinner in the ranks

 

[hur rizvi]

It's criminal to not have a recognised quality off spinner in the ranks

Although Abrar is not an offie, he's close to being a finger spinner. I know he might have failed too, but not keeping him in the squad was criminal

 

[Inzi_fan_No_1]

Imad Wasim is a mediocre player with a limited skill-set. He has a bowling average of 40+ in ODIs, how on earth are people clamoring for such an average player? What will he do, besides being another Shadab or Nawaz? It's these bits and pieces rubbish cricketers that have destroyed our cricket.

Imad will not bowl a team out but our issue has been the lack of wickets and shocking run rate in the powerplay. Our pace bowlers are getting smoked and to have a wicket to wicket left arm spin bowler will at a minimum reduce the run rate.

Ifty who is a part timer has the lowest run rate which is 5.4 or something. That is simply not good enough from the front end bowlers.

 

[Usman Chadda]

Imad will not bowl a team out but our issue has been the lack of wickets and shocking run rate in the powerplay. Our pace bowlers are getting smoked and to have a wicket to wicket left arm spin bowler will at a minimum reduce the run rate.

Ifty who is a part timer has the lowest run rate which is 5.4 or something. That is simply not good enough from the front end bowlers.

You are confusing Imad the T20 bowler with Imad the ODI bowler. Imad will be a good addition as a batsman, for sure. But once again, we cannot rely on him to bowl ten overs in ODI cricket.

 

[riddu]

1) Abdullah Shafiqe
2) Babar azam
3) Mohammad Haris
4) Mohammad Rizwan
5) Saud Shakeel
6) Agha Salman
7) Iftikhar Ahmed
8) Abrar
9) Hassan Ali
10) Shaheen Afridi
11) Harris Rauf

 

[Cricfan4eva]

I find it amusing that people are questioning the ability of the players that took the team to No. 1 in the ICC rankings less than a month ago. Changing the playing XI isn't going to do anything as you have players who are just looking to further their individual goals.

Watching Shaheen celebrate his 5-fer as Aus finished with 370 was so appalling, Imam/Babar batting their way to 50s in their own speed leaving aside the team's requirement. It is just so sad to see talented individuals play in such timid ways.

It is almost as if players believe they aren't going to win the cup so they want to keep their spot safe so are focusing on individual goals.

 

[Encounter_Specialist]

1.Abdullah Shafiq
2.M.Rizwan
3.Babar Azam
4.Saud Shakeel
5.Fakhar Zaman
6.Salman Ali
7.Cha Cha Ifti
8.Hassan Ali
9.Shaheen Afridi
10.Abrar Ahmed
11.Zaman Khan

 

[DandyFellow]

Pakistan team has mainly struggled in two aspects:-

1) 1st PowerPlay and openers lack of intent.
2) Spinners.

In Kolkata, they can play 4 seamers but then you will need to play the middle order as used by OP.

But to solve the 1st issue, I would play Rizwan as opener with Abdullah. You could easily fit in Shadab as a batsman too in the lower order making it 7-4 formation.

Rizwan
Abdullah
Babar
Saud
Agha
Ifti
Shadab as a batsman
Wasim
Hasan
Shaheen
Haris

 

[Kianig89]

Bangladesh pacers are not the one to be feared off play Muhammad Haris to give a brisk start
Haris
Shafiq
Babar
Rizwan
Saud
Ifti
Agha
Hassan
WasimJr.
SSA
Rauf

Bangladesh are more comfortable against spin than pace also our spin depth is zero, so go with 4 pacers with an attacking mindset

 

[BunnyRabbit]

I'd pick the same team. But would consider opening with Rizwan if Fakhar is injured(don't think he is, if he was, he wouldn't have been fielding in the previous match)

 

[Farabi]

Imad will not bowl a team out but our issue has been the lack of wickets and shocking run rate in the powerplay. Our pace bowlers are getting smoked and to have a wicket to wicket left arm spin bowler will at a minimum reduce the run rate.

Ifty who is a part timer has the lowest run rate which is 5.4 or something. That is simply not good enough from the front end bowlers.

The real value Imad adds over and above Shadab and Nawaz is his batting capability. His batting is Shadab and Nawaz combined into one and he’s a solid no7. If he can give you 5/6 overs, then that’s all you need.

 

[hassan918]

Our spinners are just not clicking and they are unlikely to click at all. Maybe its now time to change the strategy and strengthen the pace bowling options and get whatever spin you need from your part timers like Iftikhar, Agha Salman who lets face it will not do any worse than Shadab and Usama.

1) Abdullah Shafiq
2) Fakhar Zaman
3) Babar Azam
4) Mohammad Rizwan
5) Saud Shakeel
6) Agha Salman
7) Iftikhar Ahmed
8) Mohd Wasim Jr
9) Hassan Ali
10) Shaheen Afridi
11) Harris Rauf

Yes, it won't be a bad XI. Pakistan should've opted for this XI today against Bangladesh as Usama Mir once again looked like a weak link in the bowling. Hasan Ali would be a better option than him.