Sohaib Maqsood as an opener for LOI formats?

[pakistanigoneaussie]

Is it time to give Maqsood a go as a limited overs opener, at least as a stop-gap solution

I can understand why people would see this as being a knee-jerk but this is an issue that I have been thinking about for a while.

I feel in the modern game you need clean ball strikers at the top ( or as close that as you can get). Openers really need to on average be striking 100 and 130 in odds and t20s respectively. Given that our middle order is relatively slow, and that we now have a strong tail, we can and should take more risks up top.

Maqsood is a clean striker, who likes hitting in the air, hence he can take advantage of the power play. There are very legitimate issues as to his technique but I think we need to look at the other options with 2019 in mind.


1. Manzoor - an even worse technique and has looked timid every time he has played intl cricket. I won't be crying if he gets picked, but I feel maqsood will do better.

2. Shezhad - do i really have to say anything?

3. Azhar - same as above

4. Umar Amin - while not as slow as others, i think he will struggle to go above sr 85 on a regular basis

5. Umar Akmal - If you don't laugh you will cry

6. Shahzaib - My ideal choice, but even though his ban finishes in a week, I doubt the PCB will want to go near him

7. Farhan - have high hopes, but I don't see him getting selected anytime soon

 

[backfootpunch]

His lack of foot work will cost him dearly in the PP but I do want to see him playing for Pakistan if he can keep this up for the rest of the tournament since the team is lacking a big unit who can hit big.

 

[Sherlock]

Because of one innings, which was today?

Nah, you're alright. He still has the same issues he had when he started. Lack of foot movement, poor balance and looks really slow between wickets.

 

[emranabbas]

After a once a blue moon performance?

 

[Fahdi]

On pitches that offer pace and bounce Maqsood will struggle big time. In T20s he may do well enough though I can't say anything for certain but in ODIs he probably won't work out. To dominate in the powerplay overs you need batsmen who can attack with conventional shots instead of just giving it the heave ho. Haris Sohail I believe is Pakistan's best bet as an opener in ODIs I reckon.

 

[rhony]

He should be groomed into a lower order hitter/finisher instead. He doesn't have the technique to be in top 4. He doesn't have the accumulating game either.

 

[Arham_PakFan]

No.He's too inconsistent.We've seen it in the past and we've seen it in this PSL(heck,in all the seasons) as well.Maybe he can be tried in T20Is in the lower middle order.

 

[ads101]

I'd play him at seven. We don't have a big hitter down the order and playing down the order will hide his weaknesses in technique a bit. Give him license to go for it. We probably should have done the same for umar in the past, we just cared about messing up his chances of becoming a 'proper batsman'. I don't agree with the ethos of playing someone who will average 20 or so at 7, when other teams seem to having guys averaging 35/40 at 7 (even if they hardly bowl, or have bowling averages of 50).

Opening Haris is the best option, or Babar. I'd go with Haris atm. Fakhar's already an aggressive batsmen.

If we need an aggressive opener, I agree with you Shahzaib is probably the best choice, but probably would need him to restart domestic cricket for a while before picking him.

 

[TeymurBlake]

One of my issues with Maqsood was that his lack of foot movement and also running between wickets. He needs to work on both if he wants to come back in the Pakistan team.

 

[Abdul]

Thanks but no thanks.

 

[AAli98]

Thats the problem with this psl rubbish, it gives platform to rubbish players like shehzad wahab maxood akmals (who we just about got rid off) to make a international comeback & fail miserably as usual!!

 

[fluke]

he is once a blue moon player so sorry

 

[Usman Chadda]

On pitches that offer pace and bounce Maqsood will struggle big time. In T20s he may do well enough though I can't say anything for certain but in ODIs he probably won't work out. To dominate in the powerplay overs you need batsmen who can attack with conventional shots instead of just giving it the heave ho. Haris Sohail I believe is Pakistan's best bet as an opener in ODIs I reckon.

Maqsood will actually do well on pitches with pace and bounce. Can cut and pull well. Still has the same tullaybaaz style tbh, but if he comes off there's no batsman as destructive as Maqsood in Pakistan cricket. That shot off Wahab was awe-inspiring. I don't see any Pakistani batsman doing that to a bowler bowling at 140+ kph.

 

[Plumb]

Let the psl concludes he just played 1 innings so far

 

[DeadBall]

To be fair Maqsood has been performing in the domestic circuit and has showcased it in the PSL unlike the Manzoors, Shehzads etc.

Will wait till the end of the tournament though before jumping the gun.