So many things wrong with the team, coach and overall planning

[Sherlock]

We have fast bowlers that can't bowl fast. The ineptness in not being able to take early wickets has been going on since the CT and continues unabated and looked at. What is Azhar doing exactly? Does he not teach the bowlers the basics of quick bowling?

Not one fast bowler has improved since he's been employed, barring Hasan Ali and he's been inconsistent like the rest.

Inzi and Micky Arthur have a lot to answer for. Why rest players, which I agree on, bit replace them with 3rd rate replacements? Why not give those spots for youngsters that have done well in domestic cricket?

Why do we have to see Yasir Shah again? Why go to Umar Akmal in ODIs again when he's been better in T20s only? This was a massive chance to try out players that we've not seen before. It's a chance missed and something that will come back and bite us in the backside when the WC starts.

We have all-rounders that aren't good enough to be called all-rounders. Namely one specific player that is a club-level cricketer getting to play international cricket and travel worldwide, while doing absolutely nowt.

Then we have spinners that can't spin the ball. Imad, only good for T20 cricket and watching him bowl in ODIs makes me wanna pull my remaining hair out. Shah likewise is an awful, awful choice in ODIs. He's basically a leg-spinner that cannot bowl the googly.

Then the issue with the batting continues, and has continued for years now.

We have openers that aren't very good. Be it Fakhar/Imam etc. We don't have players that can boost the runrate when needed, and when they try to, they give their wickets away.

On a final note, the fielding has deteriorated since Rixon left and has only gotten worse. The players look like they're always on their heels and fumble around as if we're back in the 80's playing on bumpy outfields.

Oh and btw, this isn't a thread after watching the last 2 matches, this is one I've been thinking about since the squad was announced.

 

[Chokli]

doesn't that further push the notion that pakistan just isn't good enough?

they'll surprise you here and there but they'll always be an average team.

we should have PSL all year round, at least there every team that wins is pakistani

 

[MenInG]

Waqar Younis wanted Mohammad Hasnain to bowl with the new ball.

 

[Farhan93]

Mickey isn't good enough to be a Pak coach, it's been proven but just because he's foreigner he is a getting a free ride, no question should be asked from him he should just be kicked out.

Inzi alone needs to answer alot of questions. It's okay to rest few players but then give an opportunity to those who deserve it why selecting Yasir, Amir, UK, Faheem ? Why not Kashif bhatti, leggie Irfan, Sadaf Hussain, Rumman, Aamer Yameen and Saud Shakeel?

 

[Markhor]

We have fast bowlers that can't bowl fast.

We do. The quickest bowlers at the moment in the country are Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Hasnain. One's a spray gun and the other is 18 years old who whilst quick didn't take a wicket today.

The ineptness in not being able to take early wickets has been going on since the CT and continues unabated and looked at. What is Azhar doing exactly? Does he not teach the bowlers the basics of quick bowling?

This is a long-term issue partly due to playing so much cricket in UAE where the best time to bat is actually against the hard new ball which comes onto the bat nicely. So the pacers are just bowling to contain with the new ball. We wait to attack until the ball gets older when we can reverse it (harder to do with two new balls), or during the Misbah era we'd use the spinners to attack. The other problem is wet, grassy domestic pitches where bowlers exploit conditions with no skill.

Inzi and Micky Arthur have a lot to answer for. Why rest players, which I agree on, bit replace them with 3rd rate replacements? Why not give those spots for youngsters that have done well in domestic cricket?

Saad Ali, Shan Masood, Abid Ali and Mohammad Hasnain (PSL) ?

Why do we have to see Yasir Shah again? Why go to Umar Akmal in ODIs again when he's been better in T20s only? This was a massive chance to try out players that we've not seen before. It's a chance missed and something that will come back and bite us in the backside when the WC starts.

We have all-rounders that aren't good enough to be called all-rounders. Namely one specific player that is a club-level cricketer getting to play international cricket and travel worldwide, while doing absolutely nowt.

This I agree with. Pakistan waste so much time and series making the wrong investments and are too stubborn to admit they're wrong - see Asad Shafiq.

We have openers that aren't very good. Be it Fakhar/Imam etc. We don't have players that can boost the runrate when needed, and when they try to, they give their wickets away.

Disagree, if anything the top order is the strongest going into a World Cup since 1996. It's the middle-order of Hafeez, Malik and Sarfraz that's the problem !

On a final note, the fielding has deteriorated since Rixon left and has only gotten worse. The players look like they're always on their heels and fumble around as if we're back in the 80's playing on bumpy outfields.

Fielding is fine. Umar Akmal's overthrows tonight was a rare blip, and well, it's Umar Akmal.

 

[Sherlock]

doesn't that further push the notion that pakistan just isn't good enough?

they'll surprise you here and there but they'll always be an average team.

we should have PSL all year round, at least there every team that wins is pakistani

They are an average side, with mediocre planning and tactical nous.

 

[Sherlock]

Saad Ali, Shan Masood, Abid Ali and Mohammad Hasnain (PSL) ?


This I agree with. Pakistan waste so much time and series making the wrong investments and are too stubborn to admit they're wrong - see Asad Shafiq.


Disagree, if anything the top order is the strongest going into a World Cup since 1996. It's the middle-order of Hafeez, Malik and Sarfraz that's the problem !

Fielding is fine. Umar Akmal's overthrows tonight was a rare blip, and well, it's Umar Akmal.

1. More-so players that haven't been in the squad before. Barring Hasnain and maybe Abid, the rest have already been on tours and squads.

2. The openers are night fine, and if you think that then I really don't know what openers have you been watching all this time. Middle order is horrid, I agree on that at least.

3. Fielding isn't good. There's no two-ways about it. Forget Umar Akmal, we've had fumbles and drops often. More-so after Nixon left.

 

[TeamPak95]

Turners of the ball, which we have in our disposal, are not being selected. We also don't have good power hitters down the order.

Unpopular opinion, but I felt Asif Ali should've been picked for this series as at least he could (potentially*) boost the run rate, if only a little. Dean Jones made a point along the lines of Asif Ali's role will always be hit-or-miss as his role is to score boundaries.

 

[Markhor]

1. More-so players that haven't been in the squad before. Barring Hasnain and maybe Abid, the rest have already been on tours and squads.

2. The openers are night fine, and if you think that then I really don't know what openers have you been watching all this time. Middle order is horrid, I agree on that at least.

3. Fielding isn't good. There's no two-ways about it. Forget Umar Akmal, we've had fumbles and drops often. More-so after Nixon left.

1. Saad Ali totally merits selection when you look at his domestic career. It's ridiculous he hasn't even had a single game despite being named in multiple squads.

2. You ought to look at the numbers then. Against the current top 7 ODI sides since the Champions Trophy, our highest averaging specialist batsmen are Haris Sohail, Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq - all top order batsmen.

3. Maybe there's a dip since Rixon's departure, it's hard to say without any numbers to back up what you're saying. But there's far fewer liabilities in the field compared to the last World Cup when we were carrying Rahat Ali, Mohammad Irfan, Sohaib Maqsood, Umar Akmal and Nasir Jamshed.

 

[Markhor]

[MENTION=47000]Sherlock[/MENTION] - these stats are from Sept/Oct but Pakistan has the best runout per match ratio of any team in the last two years in ODIs and T20s.

We can agree the middle-order, powerhitting and wicket-taking is an issue but to bash this current fielding side is just nitpicking given the major progress we've made in that department after years of laziness and ineptitude.

 

[Syed1]

Team will continue floundering till Inzi is chief selector. He has been nothing but pathetic throughout his stint.

 

[Sherlock]

[MENTION=47000]Sherlock[/MENTION] - these stats are from Sept/Oct but Pakistan has the best runout per match ratio of any team in the last two years in ODIs and T20s.

We can agree the middle-order, powerhitting and wicket-taking is an issue but to bash this current fielding side is just nitpicking given the major progress we've made in that department after years of laziness and ineptitude.

Tbh, [MENTION=53290]Markhor[/MENTION] the stats don't backup what I watch whenever we take the field. The players look lethargic, slow and not entirely switched on. To say it's nitpicking is pretty weird considering our showing in the Asia Cup and our showing in the last few months.

 

[Markhor]

Team will continue floundering till Inzi is chief selector. He has been nothing but pathetic throughout his stint.

And we were worldbeaters under Haroon "chop and change" Rasheed, Mohsin Khan, Abdul Qadir, Iqbal Qasim (whose love for Imran Farhat and Faisal Iqbal was greater than even Romeo and Juliet) and Wasim Bari ?

Who should be appointed CS ?

 

[Dr_Bassim]

Shan and Imam are terrible openers.

By the time they depart, Pakistan has wasted 10 or 15 overs for 50 or 60 runs.

In comes Haris and he goes at the same pace, oblivious to everything around him. With him comes the Akmal, who is the extreme polar opposite, having ADHD, trying frenetically to hit everything out of the park.

In comes Malik, who becomes a lion on seeing spinners, and then a cat when the fast bowlers come into play.

In comes Faheem, who is neither a batsmen or a bowler but is called an all-rounder.

Add a few tidbits here and there, and our team is expected to be called a good batting team.

 

[Sherlock]

1. Saad Ali totally merits selection when you look at his domestic career. It's ridiculous he hasn't even had a single game despite being named in multiple squads.

2. You ought to look at the numbers then. Against the current top 7 ODI sides since the Champions Trophy, our highest averaging specialist batsmen are Haris Sohail, Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq - all top order batsmen.

3. Maybe there's a dip since Rixon's departure, it's hard to say without any numbers to back up what you're saying. But there's far fewer liabilities in the field compared to the last World Cup when we were carrying Rahat Ali, Mohammad Irfan, Sohaib Maqsood, Umar Akmal and Nasir Jamshed.

2. Haris Sohail aside Fakhar hasn't delivered in ODIs for so long and has mental fragility that he's shown time and time again. Imam less so but his deficiencies have been shown up when he scores well in one game, he falters in another. As stated before, stats shouldn't be looked at as the be-all and end-all.

3. I agree there's fewer liabilities in the field with the atrocious fielders we had in the past, but we still have some pretty average fielders on ODIs. Haris Sohail, Asif Ali and Amir being three at the top of my head.

 

[Sherlock]

And we were worldbeaters under Haroon "chop and change" Rasheed, Mohsin Khan, Abdul Qadir, Iqbal Qasim (whose love for Imran Farhat and Faisal Iqbal was greater than even Romeo and Juliet) and Wasim Bari ?

Who should be appointed CS ?

Maybe the problem is with those that pick the selectors. Inzi has been nothing short of a disappointment, tbh. He's not justified his position.

 

[Markhor]

Tbh, [MENTION=53290]Markhor[/MENTION] the stats don't backup what I watch whenever we take the field. The players look lethargic, slow and not entirely switched on. To say it's nitpicking is pretty weird considering our showing in the Asia Cup and our showing in the last few months.

What is our catching percentage compared to other teams ?

I'm watching the same matches and the only examples I can think of are the Bangladesh game, a few fumbles in the Zimbabwe tri-series (mainly from Asif Ali) and Umar Akmal's overthrows today. Even today, Haris delivered a run out.

Even the commentators said Pakistan fielded better than South Africa in the recent tour. We outfielded New Zealand in the limited overs series. SAF and NZL have been the gold standard for fielding for some time.

As for being disinterested - I'd be disinterested too when Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Abbas, Fahim Ashraf, Imad Wasim and Yasir Shah are stinking the joint out.

 

[Sherlock]

Shan and Imam are terrible openers.

By the time they depart, Pakistan has wasted 10 or 15 overs for 50 or 60 runs.

In comes Haris and he goes at the same pace, oblivious to everything around him. With him comes the Akmal, who is the extreme polar opposite, having ADHD, trying frenetically to hit everything out of the park.

In comes Malik, who becomes a lion on seeing spinners, and then a cat when the fast bowlers come into play.

In comes Faheem, who is neither a batsmen or a bowler but is called an all-rounder.

Add a few tidbits here and there, and our team is expected to be called a good batting team.

That's all to do with shocking planning for the future from our coach, selectors etc. We should've picked more players from the domestic/PSL when we had the chance, and not continue to pick failures time after time. Just look at India, they pick players in their squads and rest others when needed. They now have a pretty good back-up bowlers and decent and talented batsmen.

 

[Sherlock]

What is our catching percentage compared to other teams ?

I'm watching the same matches and the only examples I can think of are the Bangladesh game, a few fumbles in the Zimbabwe tri-series (mainly from Asif Ali) and Umar Akmal's overthrows today. Even today, Haris delivered a run out.

Even the commentators said Pakistan fielded better than South Africa in the recent tour. We outfielded New Zealand in the limited overs series. SAF and NZL have been the gold standard for fielding for some time.

As for being disinterested - I'd be disinterested too when Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Abbas, Fahim Ashraf, Imad Wasim and Yasir Shah are stinking the joint out.

Did you miss the India matches? The Afghanistan match? Zimbabwe series?
Regarding the SA tour that was our best fielding performance for a long time.

Today and the previous ODI though Haris Sohail fumbled a couple of straight forward situations when it was easier to stop the ball than to misfield.

The last part just proves the point then

 

[Markhor]

Did you miss the India matches? Regarding the SA tour that was our best fielding performance for a long time. Haris Sohail fumbled a couple of straight forward situations when it was easier to stop the ball than to misfield.

The last part just proves the point then

Australia also had some misfields.

You're not going to eliminate those mistakes entirely. These sand based UAE outfields also don't make diving around straightforward.

Look the point I'm making is fielding is #48 on the list of concerns right now. Let's sort the middle-order and toothless bowling first.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

That's all to do with shocking planning for the future from our coach, selectors etc. We should've picked more players from the domestic/PSL when we had the chance, and not continue to pick failures time after time. Just look at India, they pick players in their squads and rest others when needed. They now have a pretty good back-up bowlers and decent and talented batsmen.

I think World Cup is enough of a litmus test for the entire think tank.

Mickey, Grant, Azhar, Inzi and all non-performers like Malik and Hafeez should get the sack after the World Cup.

We need to start afresh.

 

[Abdullah]

Waqar Younis wanted Mohammad Hasnain to bowl with the new ball.

I think the whole world did. I was screaming at the TV. We are crying for early wickets amd he should have unleashed him when the field was in. It becomes easier to manage when the field is pushed back

 

[Sherlock]

[MENTION=53290]Markhor[/MENTION] Australia weren't in the Asia Cup... And are a top fielding side, despite whichever player plays. Also fielding was at the bottom of my concern too but you've made it into a bigger issue that it should be

 

[Hawkeye]

Shan and Imam are terrible openers.

By the time they depart, Pakistan has wasted 10 or 15 overs for 50 or 60 runs.

In comes Haris and he goes at the same pace, oblivious to everything around him. With him comes the Akmal, who is the extreme polar opposite, having ADHD, trying frenetically to hit everything out of the park.

In comes Malik, who becomes a lion on seeing spinners, and then a cat when the fast bowlers come into play.

In comes Faheem, who is neither a batsmen or a bowler but is called an all-rounder.

Add a few tidbits here and there, and our team is expected to be called a good batting team.

Good one.

Imam and Shan are 1980s/1990s players. At the top you need quick scoring openers. Not this kind of accumulators.

 

[iPakistani]

The team has regressed since CT17. Needs a complete overhaul.

Mickey should be replaced with Dean Jones.
Inzi should be replaced with someone who actually watches domestic cricket.
Batting and bowling coaches should also be replaced.

 

[Chokli]

The team has regressed since CT17. Needs a complete overhaul.

Mickey should be replaced with Dean Jones.
Inzi should be replaced with someone who actually watches domestic cricket.
Batting and bowling coaches should also be replaced.

How many times do we have to go through this.

It's been happening since 2007

 

[iPakistani]

How many times do we have to go through this.

It's been happening since 2007

Sadly until it works.

Ehsan Mani and Wasim Khan are now working at the board and inshallah this should make a difference.

 

[Farhan93]

Sadly until it works.

Ehsan Mani and Wasim Khan are now working at the board and inshallah this should make a difference.

Nothing gonna happen, Wasim Khan came here only to fulfill Imran khan's years long wish to convert departmental cricket into regional cricket and that's all .Hes not here to bring improvement in Pakistan cricket or bring merit , he and mani are just puppets . PCB will still be run by the same leeches who have been sitting there for the last 20-30 years.

 

[The_Odd_One]

No amount of changes will help this team. It is just a mediocre team which does not have the capability to compete with non-minnow teams consistently.

 

[Sherlock]

If Pakistan is supposed to be testing the waters with the WC around the corner then surely it was/is the time to implement innovation and different tactics, and yet we go with the same tactical nous of team captains from the 90s.

I remember we did this during the 99 WC and had Razzaq come in at no.3 and change our batting around and try out different positions for our bowlers.

This side and coach remind me of Mourinho and how as times have moved on he hasn't.

 

[Sherlock]

Nothing new, but the same old batting with tactics from the middle-ages, the captain being poor and the batsmen being unable to rotate the damn strike.

What an awful bunch of cowardly players we have.

 

[iRfaN_LA]

Mickeys face says it all. He starts cursing on camera

 

[Kroll]

We're not far off minnow level.

 

[Sherlock]

We ARE a minnow. Reality should be hitting some fans soon enough.

 

[unemployedgm]

The scowl, the cursing, and the aggressive press conferences are tried and trusted acts of self preservation.

 

[HGhazanfar]

It is just selection nothing else. Can not rely on trst players in one days. Imam can't rotate the strike or hit boundaries at will has to shimmy down the track every time, Shaan is also one dimesional but too early to say anything, Rizwan can't strike it, Haris Sohail can't strike it, Malik is always caugh in the deep.

Selection could gamble and try to find 1-2 players who can clear the boundaries at will and at the same time be able to rotate the strike. If you were still going to loose why not give guys like Khushdil Shah a chance.