Should Shadab Khan play against India?

[Saj]

What do you reckon folks?

The Indians are proven brilliant players of spin and usually have no problems reading leg-spinners.

Do you think Shadab should be in the Pakistan starting XI for Sunday's clash in Birmingham?

 

[Manager101]

Yes.

 

[badsha001]

No...

 

[Syed1]

Will be our trump card. Even if he is unable to pick up crucial wickets his googly is mighty hard to pick and the Indian batsmen will be wary of which ball to attack and which to defend.

 

[mmkextreme_1]

I don't think he should play, considering the Indians ability to play leg spin, I don't think it is the best of ideas to through a 18-year-old youngster in. Should go for a pace bowling allrounder.

 

[ahmadharis1]

He shouldn't play against India. Sure the kid has talent, but throwing him in the deep end in the biggest match of the year without much experience would be a costly mistake. Have him play against Sri Lanka

 

[Lynx]

He should play, but not at the expense of Faheem Ashraf. Our numbers 6, 7 and 8 should be Imad, Faheem and Shadab, in that order. Which would mean no Hafeez in the top 5 if we are to play our best players in their respective positions, but that's a pipe dream. Welp.

 

[Corridor of Uncertainty]

Go with youngsters I say. You know what you will get with the oldies.

Don't die wondering.

 

[Arham_PakFan]

Yes he should play.He will gain valuable experience.

 

[MenInG]

I say yes - let him be the surprise weapon as not much is known about him

 

[Hasan123]

Yes he should play.

 

[NauV]

I actually would challenge the statement that "indians are proven brilliant players of spin" . . . a few years ago, yes they were . . but currently, I genuinely believe there is NO team in the world that can play quality spin well . . . which is justified by Imran Tahir leading the ODI rankings (who I don't think is THAT good) . . which is justified by Yasir Shah and Ashwin taking loads and loads and loads of wickets . . which is justified by the fact that Jadeja of all people is taking loads of wickets and averages 23 in the modern game . .
Case in point would be that India was beaten purely by spin in the first game against NZ in the World T20 . . and again . . NZ did not have great spinners . .

So coming back to your question . . I think Shadab should play (given the conditions are not overcast or seam friendly), because:
1.) he has shown promise and done everything right thus far . .
2.) He spins the ball and there is something about his googly that makes it a really good one . .
3.) He is a gun fielder!!
4.) and biggest one for me would be that such experiences make cricketers!!!! he is defintiely one for the future, and he will be better off with this experience (regardless of how well he does) . .

 

[Bilal7]

Absolutely not. Save him for the game against South Africa. Playing him against India will be a very desperate move and he isn't likely to do much damage against a subcontinent side on English pitches. We need to play four pacers against India and Imad, Malik and Hafeez can bowl ten overs of economical spin between them.

 

[last_knight]

Absolutely not. Save him for the game against South Africa. Playing him against India will be a very desperate move and he isn't likely to do much damage against a subcontinent side on English pitches. We need to play four pacers against India and Imad, Malik and Hafeez can bowl ten overs of economical spin between them.

Only problem is that we don't have Four Good-Enough pacers in squad.

Imad is good enough (and best utilised) with new ball.

Shadab should play.

 

[Square Drive]

Should he play? Yes.

Will he play? Most probably not.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Would be a bad move IMO. Pitches here are flat unlike the Caribbean and I don't think he will trouble our bats much.

 

[Ultimate]

He should picked over Imad, as the current generation of Indian batsmen don't play leg spinners well.

 

[Ultimate]

Selecting Imad will be a disaster, as he is not a good ODI bowler at all, and can't play him as a batting all rounder even.

 

[Ahson8]

Yes, ahead of Imad.

MICKEY, I HOPE YOU'RE READING THIS

 

[ExpressPacer]

I'm reluctant to drop Imad because of his performances in England but I want Shadab to play. One hard decision.

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

I wouldn't want Imad to sit this one out and Fahim after his Bangladesh knock isn't going anywhere.

If shady plays we have to essentially drop both Azhar and Shehzad and open with Professor and Sarfraz. Would be an absolute masterstroke of a move but we all know it ain't happening.....

This type of a decision requires pure guts which our management sadly hasn't displayed as of yet !!

 

[Rayyman]

I hope he does well if picked, but I personally want a
lower order of:
7. Imad
8. Fahim
9. Amir
10. Junaid/Wahab

 

[Muhammad10]

Not sure. Yasir got carted around in our last World Cup encounter. Think we should just go with Imad, as I've got a hunch that he can surprise some of the Indian batsmen with his canny darts, in shaa Allah.

 

[Speedster777]

Shadab will be our trump card. He must play. I would drop Azhar and add an extra bowler.

 

[Dr_Green]

No we should go with 4 seamers, will be overcast so no spin , shadab naturally looks to attack and will leak too many runs as india top players of leg spin,

imad/hafeez/fahim will share 20 overs aim to be economical, junaid, amir & hasan attack with new ball and maybe reverse if available at the end of innings

 

[Speedster777]

The approach of being economical bowler and containment is so outdated and defeatist. This approach can only work on dead wickets of UAE not anywhere else in the world. We need wicket takers not "railu katta" bowlers like hafeez and malik.

 

[Dr_Green]

The approach of being economical bowler and containment is so outdated and defeatist. This approach can only work on dead wickets of UAE not anywhere else in the world. We need wicket takers not "railu katta" bowlers like hafeez and malik.

You need to understand cricket

If u bowl tight lines with defensive field blocking off the boundaries , restricting team to 4 an over , it will create pressure = wickets , my point is imad , hafeez & fahim can do this job in middle overs

I still fully expect Amir, Hassan and junaid to attack , with slips and close catching positions (e.g gully, point, mid off etc)

Alot depends on match condition/situation but containment tactics is not defeatist or outdates still can be a good tactic

 

[Dr_Green]

Btw Hafeez and Malik would wicket takers in UAE as usually it's dry and offers turn

 

[Saj]

I have to admit I was in 2 minds whether Shadab should play in the final but this guy was superb.

Cool as a cucumber, nerves of steel.

Looked like he was playing a game of tape-ball cricket in the local park with his mates.