Six years of bad investment in Asad Shafiq and Azhar Ali?

[Junaids]

Umar Akmal averages 33 in Aus in tests. In odis its a worse story.

And the funny thing is he put these test stats in his golden period

If your top six all average 33 that will be 198 per innings - add 80 from the bottom half and you win the series.

 

[Junaids]

Umar Akmal averages 33 in Aus in tests. In odis its a worse story.

And the funny thing is he put these test stats in his golden period

He has also played two A team Tests in Australia and hit a century in both of them.

 

[MRSN]

Umar Akmal averages 33 in Aus in tests. In odis its a worse story.

And the funny thing is he put these test stats in his golden period

You have no idea about how pitches were back in 2010. Umar Akmal did far better than anyone in the team. Why did you skip to mention how he blasted away an attack lead by Bond under conditions where ball was doing magics.

 

[Slog]

You have no idea about how pitches were back in 2010. Umar Akmal did far better than anyone in the team. Why did you skip to mention how he blasted away an attack lead by Bond under conditions where ball was doing magics.

because we are talking abt Australia tour

or do you think we can go back in time and replay this NZ series?

 

[uberkoen]

I have a bit of a different perspective on this.

It is very rare to find a batsman who can bat on all types of surfaces. Everyone has a weakness.

Azhar and Shafiq may look like sitting ducks on this surface but they've done well in Asia and England. Shafiq did well in South Africa as well. How many tests/year do we play in New Zealand or Australia?

If you take that into consideration then the investment has been pretty good as you'd expect someone like Shafiq to perform well more often than not considering most of our matches will be played in Asia.

Having said that though I'm starting to have issues with Azhar Ali. It seems as though he is only able to score on dead pitches. A hint of swing and he looks confused. I don't know whether it's just a bad patch that he's going through or the fact that he is just unskilled at playing swing. I do agree with the suggestion that he should be pushed down the order to number 3 at least but his recent performances at number 3 have also left much to be desired of.

 

[Slog]

I have a bit of a different perspective on this.

It is very rare to find a batsman who can bat on all types of surfaces. Everyone has a weakness.

Azhar and Shafiq may look like sitting ducks on this surface but they've done well in Asia and England. Shafiq did well in South Africa as well. How many tests/year do we play in New Zealand or Australia?

If you take that into consideration then the investment has been pretty good as you'd expect someone like Shafiq to perform well more often than not considering most of our matches will be played in Asia.

Having said that though I'm starting to have issues with Azhar Ali. It seems as though he is only able to score on dead pitches. A hint of swing and he looks confused. I don't know whether it's just a bad patch that he's going through or the fact that he is just unskilled at playing swing. I do agree with the suggestion that he should be pushed down the order to number 3 at least but his recent performances at number 3 have also left much to be desired of.

it doesnt matter

4 test playing nations are in Asia and the other countries normally have a couple of flat tracks per tour as well (this nz tour is an anomaly)

so more likely if they can do well and be consistent on flat-ish tracks then theyre golden

second qs is whether we have anyone in reserve who can teear it up on tough tracks. Id venture and say No

 

[uberkoen]

it doesnt matter

4 test playing nations are in Asia and the other countries normally have a couple of flat tracks per tour as well (this nz tour is an anomaly)

so more likely if they can do well and be consistent on flat-ish tracks then theyre golden

second qs is whether we have anyone in reserve who can teear it up on tough tracks. Id venture and say No

Exactly the point I was trying to make. I'm not bothered by the fact that the guys can't score runs on such tracks because they will be playing very little cricket on such tracks and they've done well enough on other tracks to prove that the investment was well worth it.

But yes, we really don't have anyone else to replace them. People keep talking about Usman Salahuddin but just because someone scores decently in FC doesn't mean they will set the world alight at international level.

With regards to the Akmals, the less said about them the better.

 

[Mamoon]

Bad investment for those who thought they will become elite players.

We have only produced one or two batsmen in our history who can be considered elite - we are a poor batting nation.

Azhar and Shafiq are good enough for our standards, but we can't compare our batsmen to those of other teams.

Throughout history, batsmen of others teams have wiped the floor with our batsmen.

 

[endymion248]

it doesnt matter

4 test playing nations are in Asia and the other countries normally have a couple of flat tracks per tour as well (this nz tour is an anomaly)

so more likely if they can do well and be consistent on flat-ish tracks then theyre golden

second qs is whether we have anyone in reserve who can teear it up on tough tracks. Id venture and say No

If Pakistan is going to play specialist FTBs then it's time to replace Shafiq with Hafeez at 6, especially if Hafeez can bowl.

 

[Slog]

If Pakistan is going to play specialist FTBs then it's time to replace Shafiq with Hafeez at 6, especially if Hafeez can bowl.

Hafeez is a UAE specialist that's the problem

 

[Syed1]

Time, money and effort down the drain. Need to wipe the slate clean and start over, these nobodies aren't going to win you anything.

 

[Hawkeye]

Listen to your advice for a change

You have like 4 threads going on about shafiq from your recent threads...

Also if noone expects Misbah to score under swing and seam conditions and its not his age then he should go to a retirement home.

This is insane logic which many PPers use so not just exclusive to you. Somehow its better for players to never perform that much at all and hence have no expectation and therefore no criticism...

Lol calm down. Your blue eyed boy Shafiq is not being "targeted". He's getting valid criticism, along with Azhar Ali (who is a superior Test bat so far than Shafiq, yet being criticized). And you're choosing to look at only Shafiq that why people are criticizing him.

Misbah has done better and under much more pressure than Shafiq everywhere so far, be it UAE, England, Sri Lanka, New Zealand. How are you so blatantly targeting Misbah and not Shafiq?

Misbah isn't even expected to score tons on massive swing/seam turners, yet he's done much better overall.

It's a shame for the "younger" bats who are supposed to be the primary defense line against quality bowling with appreciable movement. Misbah doesn't escape criticism whenever he deserves it.

 

[Hawkeye]

In my opinion it was always going to be impossible for batsmen as old as Hafeez - let alone Younis or Misbah - to cope Down Under this year

They should have been phased out and replaced by Salman Butt, Babar Azam and Umar Akmal some time ago, leaving a batting order of:

1. Salman Butt
2. Sami Aslam
3. Azhar Ali
4. Babar Azam
5. Umar Akmal
6. Asad Shafiq

At least they are all young enough to have the reflexes to survive a Starc 150K barrage.

Absolutely.

Any batsman with a good technique can score in the UAE until he is fifty years old.

But Umar Akmal's performances against Shane Bond and Mitch Johnson prove that he can cope Down Under and it is both pathetic and suicidal that he will be sitting at home watching Starc terrorise Younis and Misbah.

Lol [MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION], Starc or Johnson (past) or pace isn't a problem for the current Pakistan Test team (barring Younis Khan only).

They've made people like Johnson cry when all expected he'd run riots against us.

So, calm down there. Starc will be given a proper treatment in Australian flat highways. It's the lateral movement and seam that does us.

You don't prepare anything but highways because you know that your clueless bats are worse than Afghanistan when it comes to such pitches. We're going to get the same good batting highways where you're going to get a beating.

 

[The_KING]

I didn't expect anything from Asad as I always thought he was overrated and a very timid character. But I had high hopes for Azhar and so far he has been disappointing away from home. As the next captain, he has to start putting in more consistent performances.

 

[Rayyman]

Last time Shafiq played in the second innings at Hamilton he scored 83. Hoping for the same this time around.

 

[yasir_shah_fan]

Azhar avgs 32 in England. I think you wrote it 42 wrongly. He has got a century recently in Edgabaston which was a good knock and has 90 odd in past but clearly the consistency was lacking as his avg suggest. He has failed as of yet in NZ and in SA in past.His outside Asia avg record is below 30 and that is very poor for someone who is expected to lead the team in just a matter of two years after retirement of Misbah/Younis.

Asad is even worse and the lesser said about him is better.Simply a waste of talent and is turning out to be Ian Bell of Pakistan.

Totally agree with Shafiq and no Azhar Ali averaged 42 in England during the 4 test series in the summer which is what I meant to say. I acknowledge he has been poor in SA and in this tour of NZ...

 

[endymion248]

Hafeez is a UAE specialist that's the problem

Yes, that's the point. If we are going to go with people who fail when they are tested, Hafeez is a better choice than Shafiq. Because he really dominates in the UAE, as an all-rounder. Shafiq tends to sometimes score abroad (England, SA) but doesn't dominate and isn't an all-rounde.

 

[Hawkeye]

And they've proven me right once again.

What a poor combo of clueless bats we invested in. Shafiq barely escapes another DUCK.

 

[Mamoon]

But are they better Test batsmen than Virat Kohli?

 

[Hawkeye]

But are they better Test batsmen than Virat Kohli?

It's an important question that was asked by me. Doesn't mean I believe that.

 

[Ellipsism]

And they've proven me right once again.

What a poor combo of clueless bats we invested in. Shafiq barely escapes another DUCK.

Azhar got a peach TBH.

 

[Jabo]

Both are awful

Protected for last 6 years

 

[Slog]

Both are awful

Protected for last 6 years

Haha

 

[Pete Rose]

I would like to believe was feeling emotional when creating the thread. Perhaps frustrated by the players' irregular performance

 

[pakistani pride]

Azhar is proving to be a very good batsmen for pak. He is also an opener and performs way better abroad then the openers we have had.

Asad shafiq on the other hand well yes he scores 100s but how many match winning ones?

Also an average just over 40 is not good enough.

The most annoying thing is his timid attitude.

 

[TalentSpotterPk]

It's an important question that was asked by me. Doesn't mean I believe that.

Hawkeye. My friend Sadqa dey yaar hehehehe

Your 10 odd threads have backfired

Nazar utaar.


# kidding

 

[LordJames]

Azhar is proving to be a very good batsmen for pak. He is also an opener and performs way better abroad then the openers we have had.

Asad shafiq on the other hand well yes he scores 100s but how many match winning ones?

Also an average just over 40 is not good enough.

The most annoying thing is his timid attitude.

Asad Shafiq bats at Number 6! Let me ask you a question, "Who has scored most hundreds at Number 6 in the History of Test Cricket"?

Surely not Asad Shafiq :

 

[in_cutter]

Thank Misbah I guess.

Thank Misbah indeed..?

 

[Chief Destroyer]

Thank Misbah indeed..?

Sarcasm detector broken? OP has a habit of overreacting and making these threads, this post was in accordance to that and he's a big fan of Misbah. It was not meant to be taken literally. Can't believe I had to explain that.

Misbah does deserve credit for investing in these two.

 

[in_cutter]

Sarcasm detector broken? OP has a habit of overreacting and making these threads, this post was in accordance to that and he's a big fan of Misbah. It was not meant to be taken literally. Can't believe I had to explain that.

Misbah does deserve credit for investing in these two.

Yes indeed. I was agreeing with you

Poor [MENTION=134608]Hawkeye[/MENTION] another thread backfired.

 

[MRSN]

sad but very true.

 

[Syed1]

sad but very true.

Glad we dumped the even worse investment in Akmal and didn't waste anymore time and money

 

[Abdul]

sad but very true.

Despite being mediocre, Asad is much better than all of the Akmal family combined.

 

[Slog]

Azhar Ali is world clas

 

[MRSN]

Glad we dumped the even worse investment in Akmal and didn't waste anymore time and money

lol why are you obsessed with Umar Akmal? He is out of the team is not he? let's focus on princes that's been riding their luck for long time don't you think?

 

[Slog]

Despite being mediocre, Asad is much better than all of the Akmal family combined.

This.

Criticising Shafiq is warranted and frankly he should be dropped

But when the people criticising are the biggest Umar Akmal fans and vouch for that clown then you really can't take the criticism seriously

 

[LordJames]

I would still keep Asad but drop Babar.

 

[RehanG]

lol Azhar is your best batsman and next great for Pak,

Shafique on the other hand yes he is pretty mediocre and should be replaced asap.

 

[Abdul]

This.

Criticising Shafiq is warranted and frankly he should be dropped

But when the people criticising are the biggest Umar Akmal fans and vouch for that clown then you really can't take the criticism seriously

Yeah, that's what baffles me. This guy is bumping threads like no tomorrow. )

 

[cricketjoshila]

Azhar Ali is good.

 

[Arham_PakFan]

Love some of the comments on this thread.

 

[Syed1]

Yeah, that's what baffles me. This guy is bumping threads like no tomorrow. )

He thinks by doing so suspended Umar Akmal might find a place in the side

 

[Arham_PakFan]

lol why are you obsessed with Umar Akmal? He is out of the team is not he? let's focus on princes that's been riding their luck for long time don't you think?

Let me ask you,are you talking about Azhar?

 

[The_Odd_One]

on what basis umar akmal though?

just cuz you like his green lipstick?

certainly no cricketing reason for a recall

Calm down. I do not want Umar Akmal even in the T20s.

Both Asad and Babar should be dropped for Usman and Fawad.

 

[Rana]

At times I feel Asad Shafiw is a much bigger waste of Talent than Umar Akmal ever was. He really cannot step up when he should be the one carrying the team forward. Really poor from him!

 

[Abdul]

He thinks by doing so suspended Umar Akmal might find a place in the side

 

[j_kazmi]

What did Azhar to wrong a year ago that made people doubt him?

I’m sure he had a great year last year.

 

[MRSN]

Let me ask you,are you talking about Azhar?

no I'm not saying both are equal. Azhar has performed but he has not developed into a player that you can rely upon. Also the pace he bats at never helps.

 

[dauntless]

Azhar is doing a fine job but asad shafiq should be kicked as soon as possible

 

[Hasan123]

Azhar is developing into a fine batsmen just like I thought he would and that's why I insisted on persisting with him even before I was on this forum.

Asad seems to be regressing and shown he is mentally weak. I would drop him for the next test if he doesn't score in the 2nd innings.

 

[Ab Fan]

Azhar doesn't have superhuman skills. Considering that, he has done pretty excellent.

Asad had a pretty disappointing career till now.

 

[Hawkeye]

Azhar is good, Shafiq has always been poor.

 

[msb314]

Shafiq needs to be dropped asap.

If he wins us the match in the 2nd innings - I will have a soft corner for him lol

 

[Chief Destroyer]

Azhar is not good, he's great. Shafiq is trash.

 

[babajee]

Azhar is a future Pakistani ATG.