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Talented left-handed batsmen in Pakistan domestic cricket

TalentSpotterPk

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Till now everybody in pakistan misses the class elegance timing and those wrists of Saeed Anwar. He was the best left hand batsman pakistan has produced in my opinion.
Who now ?
Well majority here will say CLH = Umar Amin
Yes he is classy esp cover drive
Some would say Umar Siddique
But to me if one player is well groomed and well trained by Pcb and the kid also works hard relentlessly be disciplined be down to earth and become a workhorse hardworker then that kid will wear the Pak blazer in tests and Odi and average 40 plus in Limited overs and 45 to 55 in tests InshaAllah . Who is he ?
He is SAUD SHAKEEL .
Even a man who does not get outside the greatness of Asad Shafiq , Mohammad Yousuf although Shafiq too is a good player and rightly playing for pakistan but he is not as great a player as yousuf thinks and says . Even mohammad yousuf commented about saud shakeel that " Iss bachay ki batting mein Saeed bhaee ki jhalak dikhaee di " translation " he could see Saeed Anwers like aura in his batting " it was a televised under 19 quarter or semi final where I think Saud Made 40 odd .
Currently he has just played few list A games and averaging 80
He has sound temperament , even at a young age of immaturity he does not fancy airy fairy hits like akmal or maqsood , has good stance good technique , knows how to rotate strike and how to take singles at which inzamam saeed and yousuf were best at . And he has timing in his batting , placement skills and has got a wide array of strokes .
In my view saud shakeel and Babar azam are the big thing only and only if they are given confidence by PCB and team management and given proper guidance and training at NCA and if the boys have will to work hard and be disciplined and keep their feet on ground . Then Saud and Babar can serve pakistan like yousuf and saeed. But Saud is not an opener unlike Saeed anwar and he should not be drafted in pakistan team until 2017. After he has atleast 2 FC seasons experience .
While Babar deserves a go now in ODI's of pakistan either as opener or in top 4.
 
Can you stop using the word talent? It doesn't mean anything in the real world. Words like hand-eye coordination, temperament, technique, range of shots, construction of an innings are more accurate in defining a player's capabilities.
 
I have no idea. Big Nas looked good until he did not.
 
Saud is definitely one to keep an eye on. Oozes class but lets hope he turns out better than the original CLH.
 
[MENTION=138983]Neferpitou[/MENTION]
Sir I am Desi and my linguistics aren't good .
I agree 100 % with the attributes you have mentioned . You are right.
 
[MENTION=137886]Blue_eyes[/MENTION]
Sajawal not at all we don't have kumi of fawad alam sami aslam chanderpaul esque players. Sorry in advance to chanderpaul fans he has achieved a lot and his method was succesful
Fakhar Zaman ? Yes he is a prospect too as he played irfan well when he was bowling 145 to 150 before his second last injury also played saeed Ajmal well when he was in top form .
Still rate Saud higher than him
 
I havent seen saud play classy shots or having a stylish stance, However Sharjeel Khan plays some stylish shots.
 
Have seen Saud play, he definitely has potential and can bowl too..
 
Haris Sohail does produce some good looking shots as well.

But Amin is sth else

if he could actually stay and score big then he would be the perfect prototype for a technically correct batsman
 
Classy can be many but The most effective left hander that Pakistan has is haris sohail.

Having said that, i had mentioned it here on PP a couple of years back(i think during the u19 world cup) that saud shakeel looks like the real deal. I rated him higher than sami aslam that time on pure potential even though sami was scoring runs for fun. This kid should really be looked after because he can become something special. I must say Pakistan is starting to produce special talent in the batting deptt. And 5-10 years down the line , the batting line up can become a world beating one. The bowling talent is a let down though.
 
Lets wait till these kids get games.. we have hyped up players to no end only to see them falter abysmally in the main stage..
 
There was a batsman Shehreyar Ghani who was very good. I remember him and Umar Akmal both excel in Pakistan A tour of Australia. But only Umar Akmal was selected for Pakistan national team which must have broken heart of Shehreyar Ghani.
 
He was playing so well yaar :(

So elegant and stylish player

A touch player

The shot he played over the head of mid on off sultan reminded me of great Saeed anwar .
 
He was playing so well yaar :(

So elegant and stylish player

A touch player

The shot he played over the head of mid on off sultan reminded me of great Saeed anwar .

He is the real deal!!! So easy on the eyes and yet can score at such a good rate. Definitely one for the future.
 
He is the real deal!!! So easy on the eyes and yet can score at such a good rate. Definitely one for the future.

I wish and pray that he is not dropped next match in favour of Faisal Iqbal whose ban has ended today.

Who do you think will be dropped from khi squad in favour of Faisal Iqbal for next game ?

I don't rate Faisal at all but it's Pakistan and as "senior" he will be back next game
 
I wish and pray that he is not dropped next match in favour of Faisal Iqbal whose ban has ended today.

Who do you think will be dropped from khi squad in favour of Faisal Iqbal for next game ?

I don't rate Faisal at all but it's Pakistan and as "senior" he will be back next game

I dont care who is dropped for faisal but it should not be saud. It would be a travesty but as he is probably the youngest in the side i also feel that he might get the axe.

He needs to be given as much confidence as possible. I have rated him since i first saw him in u19 wc, the time when people were going crazy about sami aslam. I knew this kid has more potential than any batsman in that u19 team.
 
I dont care who is dropped for faisal but it should not be saud. It would be a travesty but as he is probably the youngest in the side i also feel that he might get the axe.

He needs to be given as much confidence as possible. I have rated him since i first saw him in u19 wc, the time when people were going crazy about sami aslam. I knew this kid has more potential than any batsman in that u19 team.

I rate Saud Shakeel and Hasan Raza more than Imam ul Haq and Sami Aslam. But All four can play for Pakistan someday. Sami has already played for pakistan. Both Sami and Imam are also good.

Talent has not dried in pakistan. We have got many good players coming up.
 
kochal player hai saud. agar sahih nurturing ki, tagra middle order banega, inzy Yusuf younis waali class ka!
 
What is the meaning of kochal ? And it is a word of which language ?

kochal as in smart cricketer, a strong cricketing sense and brain, siyana. Like YK, Inzy, Miandad,Wasim akram, asif, kohli, steve Waugh. They were ridiculously smart thinkers of the game, wouldn't get bogged down. Saud has that ability.

EK innings ko kaise banana hai, kaise leke chalna hai, jis player ne 5 season first class ke khelne ke baad yeh sab cheezon ki samaj aayi hogi, who is mein abhi se hai!

mein performance ki baat nahi kar raha, performance to good day hai to 6th off stump ki khichay huey gaind ko bhi square leg pe 6 karadogay. Bad day hai to full toss circle nahi paar karpaaogay.


Tum buhut naye naye playeron ke naam ley aate ho, kabhi koshish karo ke inke saath match mein bhi ho, tumhe pata lag jaayega, ke kiska dimaag kitna chalta hai match pressure mein

Phir tumhe andaaza hoga selector ki takleef ka :)
 
kochal as in smart cricketer, a strong cricketing sense and brain, siyana. Like YK, Inzy, Miandad,Wasim akram, asif, kohli, steve Waugh. They were ridiculously smart thinkers of the game, wouldn't get bogged down. Saud has that ability.

EK innings ko kaise banana hai, kaise leke chalna hai, jis player ne 5 season first class ke khelne ke baad yeh sab cheezon ki samaj aayi hogi, who is mein abhi se hai!

mein performance ki baat nahi kar raha, performance to good day hai to 6th off stump ki khichay huey gaind ko bhi square leg pe 6 karadogay. Bad day hai to full toss circle nahi paar karpaaogay.


Tum buhut naye naye playeron ke naam ley aate ho, kabhi koshish karo ke inke saath match mein bhi ho, tumhe pata lag jaayega, ke kiska dimaag kitna chalta hai match pressure mein

Phir tumhe andaaza hoga selector ki takleef ka :)

Agar mein uskay saath khel sakta tou idhar betha hota ?

Har banday ki apni apni field hoti hai Masairr !
 
I do not project players because I like them or I biased in their favour .

I project them on the basis of their cricketing skills and intelligent minds as sportsman , considering their performance on field .

In this day and age you do not find many touch players rather they are scarcity these days . Saud picks the length of the delivery very early . He plays the ball on it's merit . He has got elegance and he is a touch player . Today he played a bad shot and got out but international test players praised him and said that since the asking rate was 11 runs per over so he had to manufacture a shot . Everybody rates him .

Even a man like yousuf who only sings songs of Asad shafiq all the time and apart from azhar's temperament and asad's technique nothing impresses him in pakistan team yet after worldcup quaterfinal of U-19 teams Yousuf said that

" mujhay iss bachay mein Saeed bhaee ki jhalak nazar aaee "

Jo k ex cricketers mein sub se zayada kanjoos insaan haen kisi ki tareef kerne mein unkay ye ilfaaz thay about Saud Shakil .

Mansoor Rana NCA coach rates him very highly .

I hope he is nurtured and groomed well and he keeps working hard and keeps piling runs and plays for pakistan after 2,3 years .
 
Agar mein uskay saath khel sakta tou idhar betha hota ?

Har banday ki apni apni field hoti hai Masairr !

bhale khelo nahi, lekin dressing room mein to beth sakte ho na club ke matches mein. bara seekhne ko milega.
 
Very good batsman. PAK have many good lefties right now in batting an bowling:

Shaan, Sharjeel, Jamshed, Sami, Haris, Amin, Fawad, Naveed Yasin, S.Ghani, Hassan Raza, Saud Shakil, Imam ul-Haq, Nawaz, S.Butt, Amir, Wahab, Junaid, Irfan, Raza, Zafar, Mustafa Iqbal.
 
Very good batsman. PAK have many good lefties right now in batting an bowling:

Shaan, Sharjeel, Jamshed, Sami, Haris, Amin, Fawad, Naveed Yasin, S.Ghani, Hassan Raza, Saud Shakil, Imam ul-Haq, Nawaz, S.Butt, Amir, Wahab, Junaid, Irfan, Raza, Zafar, Mustafa Iqbal.

Asghar is better.
Also, you missed Kamran Ghulam.
 
The little I have seen, most impressive had been Saud Shakeel; reminds me of David Gower (No comparison, just the first man flashed in my mind when I saw this boy hitting a squire drive on the rise, albeit at U19 level). If he is genuinely 19, has a great career waiting for him. However, PCB is trying it's best to destroy Saud's career - from 1st look, I can tell that he should never bat below 3 - they are playing him at 5/6, that too in T20.

Haven't seen him, but Saad Ali has got tremendous domestic figures, should be good to watch (his % score from boundary is very high). Umar Amin dissapionted me big time, but this guy Naved Yasin must should be given chance in LOs at least - he is the best player in T20 this year in domestics.
 
First first class century for 20 years old Saud Shakeel.

He was sent in to bat at number 7 by Captain faisal Iqbal. He came to the dressing room not out on 114*

First Fc ton against a departmental team KRL having the highest wicket taker pacer of season mohammad Abbass and Majid Ali in their team.

Fine player. Hope he doesn't go Umar Amin's way and scores lots of runs.
 
First first class century for 20 years old Saud Shakeel.

He was sent in to bat at number 7 by Captain faisal Iqbal. He came to the dressing room not out on 114*

First Fc ton against a departmental team KRL having the highest wicket taker pacer of season mohammad Abbass and Majid Ali in their team.

Fine player. Hope he doesn't go Umar Amin's way and scores lots of runs.

Srsly number 7? :facepalm:

Yeah that's it keep the good batsmen hidden away in the lower order as usual.

Oh wait... captain is Faisal Iqbal :))) :))) nevermind...
 
First first class century for 20 years old Saud Shakeel.

He was sent in to bat at number 7 by Captain faisal Iqbal. He came to the dressing room not out on 114*

First Fc ton against a departmental team KRL having the highest wicket taker pacer of season mohammad Abbass and Majid Ali in their team.

Fine player. Hope he doesn't go Umar Amin's way and scores lots of runs.

I was shocked to see that he was batting at 7, no doubt why our domestic structure is poorest.
 
Fakhar Zaman...........................................he is the next Saed Anwar
 
If,after this A Series, FZ doesn't make the National team, I don't think players will take A Tours seriously thereafter. He fits the bill perfectly - attacking left-handed top order batsman in his mid 20s, who can be used as a part-time spinner & he can't be worse than Maqsood in fielding.
 
No he is not. There will be nobody like Saeed Anwar.

Saud Shakeel is slightly comparable to Saeed Anwar. But he bats in the middle order.

This kid will inshaAllah play for Pakistan within next 2 years. Watch out.
 
If,after this A Series, FZ doesn't make the National team, I don't think players will take A Tours seriously thereafter. He fits the bill perfectly - attacking left-handed top order batsman in his mid 20s, who can be used as a part-time spinner & he can't be worse than Maqsood in fielding.

Fakhar is quality.

Only issue is gets down a bit too low, but that also makes him good against spin.
 
Averaged 40 in the Pak A vs Eng Lions ODIs, picked a 5-fer in the last ODI despite being a part-timer, with 6 wickets overall. Not bad, but why did this guy drop to #3 from opener :facepalm: and WHY THE F WAS BILAL ASIF OPENING OVER HIM IN THE LAST GAME :facepalm :facepalm: :facepalm: goddamn this godforsaken cricket board.

I hope he gets selected for the next series and Asia cup in place of Maqsood.
 
It is high time now that Saud Shakeel graduates to next level that is

Pakistan Odi team.


Forget about domestic and A team since there is no possible development there and our Junior level cricket set up is the worst amongst all Test playing nations.


Given the talent he is soon he would play for Pakistan (undoubtedly)
 
after world cup 2019 im seeing him replacing hafeez and malik
 
after world cup 2019 im seeing him replacing hafeez and malik

Too risky for him to rote 2 more seasons on such domestic wickets .... and they are pushing him to #5 to accommodate MoHa at top, giving him every bit of chance to hit one, just one 100 - he'll be there till 2023. Saud could have got a 170+, if not double in this tournament had his team went for Amin as opener (instead of MoHa) & Saud at 3 (pushing MoHa at 4 & Ifti at 5)

It has to be NOW - next few ODI series are against weaker teams & then in UAE - PAK can't take the risk to puff MoHa/Malik/Azhar's stats against IRL, ZIM, may be BD ... then in UAE and finally find that it's too late to change the squad for 2019 after reality checking (10-0 in SAF & ENG - I'll take a 1:100 bet up to $100, for 10-0 if these 3 occupies 3 spots in top 5).
 
It is high time now that Saud Shakeel graduates to next level that is

Pakistan Odi team.


Forget about domestic and A team since there is no possible development there and our Junior level cricket set up is the worst amongst all Test playing nations.


Given the talent he is soon he would play for Pakistan (undoubtedly)

From my blind eyes for tallent i can simply say this guy should be in Odi and tests squad and if inzi does not select him then emaandar aadmi ko apna bistar gool karna chaahay ...and Saud should use media pressure...nothing works here except media and lobby.
 
[MENTION=138980]TalentSpotterPk[/MENTION] by the way the first response to ur thread was sjwal riyaz..why did he not play FC uptill now.
 
It's Saud's time now.


Today we saw what a dynamic batsman can do. What a superb, classical, entertaining knock my Babar Azam today. Pure quality.



Out of Babar, Saud, Haris, Saad, Usman & Fawad only 1st three are dynamic batsman.



It's high time to send SOS to Saud Shakeel. Yes Saad has been with the team but reserve him for UAE atm. In SA we need batsmen who can offset these quality pacers with counter punching knocks like Babar's today. This is not UAE no point blocking deliveries and than giving slip catching practice.
 
Left Handers:

Saad Ali
Saud Shakeel
Rizwan Hussain
Hussain Talat
Khushdil Shah

Right Handers:

Zeeshan Malik
Saif badar
Omair Yousaf
Nabi gul
Imran Rafiq
 
Left Handers:

Saad Ali
Saud Shakeel
Rizwan Hussain
Hussain Talat
Khushdil Shah

Right Handers:

Zeeshan Malik
Saif badar
Omair Yousaf
Nabi gul
Imran Rafiq


Good List.


Nabi Gul can surprise many if he is developed properly at NCA.
 
It's Saud's time now.


Today we saw what a dynamic batsman can do. What a superb, classical, entertaining knock my Babar Azam today. Pure quality.



Out of Babar, Saud, Haris, Saad, Usman & Fawad only 1st three are dynamic batsman.



It's high time to send SOS to Saud Shakeel. Yes Saad has been with the team but reserve him for UAE atm. In SA we need batsmen who can offset these quality pacers with counter punching knocks like Babar's today. This is not UAE no point blocking deliveries and than giving slip catching practice.
Saud doesn't have any "dynamic innings" for Pakistan A while Saad recently played a very good innings against NZ A. Saad also had a superior NT20 to Saud. Saud will get butchered with short balls.
 
Saud Shakeel stay on the wicket now.


Mickey Arthur tune into PTV Sports ASAP.



#Add to the 23.
 
Fifties will take him nowhere. He got his chance up the order finally, but he should have scored a ton and made his mark. Hopefully next game, he gets another chance at 3 and makes it count.
 
Till now everybody in pakistan misses the class elegance timing and those wrists of Saeed Anwar. He was the best left hand batsman pakistan has produced in my opinion.
Who now ?
Well majority here will say CLH = Umar Amin
Yes he is classy esp cover drive
Some would say Umar Siddique
But to me if one player is well groomed and well trained by Pcb and the kid also works hard relentlessly be disciplined be down to earth and become a workhorse hardworker then that kid will wear the Pak blazer in tests and Odi and average 40 plus in Limited overs and 45 to 55 in tests InshaAllah . Who is he ?
He is SAUD SHAKEEL .
Even a man who does not get outside the greatness of Asad Shafiq , Mohammad Yousuf although Shafiq too is a good player and rightly playing for pakistan but he is not as great a player as yousuf thinks and says . Even mohammad yousuf commented about saud shakeel that " Iss bachay ki batting mein Saeed bhaee ki jhalak dikhaee di " translation " he could see Saeed Anwers like aura in his batting " it was a televised under 19 quarter or semi final where I think Saud Made 40 odd .
Currently he has just played few list A games and averaging 80
He has sound temperament , even at a young age of immaturity he does not fancy airy fairy hits like akmal or maqsood , has good stance good technique , knows how to rotate strike and how to take singles at which inzamam saeed and yousuf were best at . And he has timing in his batting , placement skills and has got a wide array of strokes .
In my view saud shakeel and Babar azam are the big thing only and only if they are given confidence by PCB and team management and given proper guidance and training at NCA and if the boys have will to work hard and be disciplined and keep their feet on ground . Then Saud and Babar can serve pakistan like yousuf and saeed. But Saud is not an opener unlike Saeed anwar and he should not be drafted in pakistan team until 2017. After he has atleast 2 FC seasons experience .
While Babar deserves a go now in ODI's of pakistan either as opener or in top 4.

You should post more. I wish i was on this forum in that time and would have endorsed you.

I really cant believe how the likes of Sami Aslam and Imam got picked over Saud. They all are of same group and Saud is better in literally every aspect of the game.
 
You should post more. I wish i was on this forum in that time and would have endorsed you.

I really cant believe how the likes of Sami Aslam and Imam got picked over Saud. They all are of same group and Saud is better in literally every aspect of the game.


Guys like Imam ul Haq & Sami Aslam are openers and we have a history of changing and chopping openers all the time hence more openers are given opportunities at International Level.



Saud Shakeel was the best batting product of Pakistan Under 19 batch irrespective of Stats. Statswise Sami Aslam was far superior.


Saud hasn’t been treated well in his Pakistan A stints. Either he was benched in few Pakistan A matches for inferior quality seniors or his batting numbers have been needlessly changed all the time. Hence he hasn’t had opportunities like Shan, Abid & Rizwan in Pakistan A setup to break into Pakistan’s International team.


Before this, he was highly mistreated by Karachi teams especially insecure captains.


It was Mohammad Waseem who brought him at PTV, made him Captain and under him he flourished.



The only thing Saud needs to do is to improve his agility which requires more focus on fitness.




I hope he scores a big hundred in upcoming games and makes entry into 23 probables squad as top performers of Pakistan Cup will be added to that List as per Shakeel Sheikh & Hammad Azam’s words.
 
[MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION]

Do grab the highlights of Saud Shakil’s batting against Sindh.


Would be interesting to read your assessment.
 
Guys like Imam ul Haq & Sami Aslam are openers and we have a history of changing and chopping openers all the time hence more openers are given opportunities at International Level.



Saud Shakeel was the best batting product of Pakistan Under 19 batch irrespective of Stats. Statswise Sami Aslam was far superior.


Saud hasn’t been treated well in his Pakistan A stints. Either he was benched in few Pakistan A matches for inferior quality seniors or his batting numbers have been needlessly changed all the time. Hence he hasn’t had opportunities like Shan, Abid & Rizwan in Pakistan A setup to break into Pakistan’s International team.


Before this, he was highly mistreated by Karachi teams especially insecure captains.


It was Mohammad Waseem who brought him at PTV, made him Captain and under him he flourished.



The only thing Saud needs to do is to improve his agility which requires more focus on fitness.




I hope he scores a big hundred in upcoming games and makes entry into 23 probables squad as top performers of Pakistan Cup will be added to that List as per Shakeel Sheikh & Hammad Azam’s words.

Really really disappointed with him how he threw 2 opportunities in Pakistan cup where inferior players like Nawaz and Ramiz scored more than him.

I don't think there is any more opportunity for World Cup probable. As much as I dislike Inzi but its too risky for both Saud and Pakistan if he selected to the squad with almost zero experience.

What make you think that Shakil Sheikh will put a good word for him?

Saud has to prove himself how to build up a good innings and capitalize to make it bigger instead of Umar Akmal/Shoaib Maqsood like aggression and get out after classy 50-60s.
 
Really really disappointed with him how he threw 2 opportunities in Pakistan cup where inferior players like Nawaz and Ramiz scored more than him.

I don't think there is any more opportunity for World Cup probable. As much as I dislike Inzi but its too risky for both Saud and Pakistan if he selected to the squad with almost zero experience.

What make you think that Shakil Sheikh will put a good word for him?

Saud has to prove himself how to build up a good innings and capitalize to make it bigger instead of Umar Akmal/Shoaib Maqsood like aggression and get out after classy 50-60s.



This is not the point I was making. Shakeel Sheikh in his commentary stint mentioned day before yesterday that players shouldn’t get disheartened as 2-4 Top performers of Pakistan Cup will be added to 23 players camp.


If Guys like Saud & Khushdil make that Camp than they will have great opportunity to Impress those who matter especially Mickey.


Saud cannot be compared to Umar Akmal or Sohaib Maqsood. He is a player like Babar Azam who relies more on fours and finding gaps than muscling the ball out of park.
 
This is not the point I was making. Shakeel Sheikh in his commentary stint mentioned day before yesterday that players shouldn’t get disheartened as 2-4 Top performers of Pakistan Cup will be added to 23 players camp.


If Guys like Saud & Khushdil make that Camp than they will have great opportunity to Impress those who matter especially Mickey.


Saud cannot be compared to Umar Akmal or Sohaib Maqsood. He is a player like Babar Azam who relies more on fours and finding gaps than muscling the ball out of park.

When did they say that? I heard 15 players will be selected from probable 23 which includes Yasir, Abbas..
 
This is not the point I was making. Shakeel Sheikh in his commentary stint mentioned day before yesterday that players shouldn’t get disheartened as 2-4 Top performers of Pakistan Cup will be added to 23 players camp.


If Guys like Saud & Khushdil make that Camp than they will have great opportunity to Impress those who matter especially Mickey.


Saud cannot be compared to Umar Akmal or Sohaib Maqsood. He is a player like Babar Azam who relies more on fours and finding gaps than muscling the ball out of park.

Khushdil is very legside-ish.

Saud and Ahsan are musts.

Ahsan has advantage of being able to bat anywhere in top six.

Hope Mickey has been watching.
 
This is not the point I was making. Shakeel Sheikh in his commentary stint mentioned day before yesterday that players shouldn’t get disheartened as 2-4 Top performers of Pakistan Cup will be added to 23 players camp.


If Guys like Saud & Khushdil make that Camp than they will have great opportunity to Impress those who matter especially Mickey.


Saud cannot be compared to Umar Akmal or Sohaib Maqsood. He is a player like Babar Azam who relies more on fours and finding gaps than muscling the ball out of park.

Saud and Ahsan are musts.

Ahsan has advantage of being able to bat anywhere in top six.

Hope Mickey has been watching.

(Khushdil is very legside-ish.)
 
[MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION]

Do grab the highlights of Saud Shakil’s batting against Sindh.


Would be interesting to read your assessment.

Just watched the highlights. He seems very similar to Haris who has not fulfilled his potential largely because of his lazy attitude.

He will certainly get a chance in a year or two, and he has all the ability to play for Pakistan for 10-15 years. Only Babar and Haris are capable of some of the shots that he played.

However, from this point, it is all about his dedication and hunger. I am personally a bit skeptical about his fitness.
 
Guys like Imam ul Haq & Sami Aslam are openers and we have a history of changing and chopping openers all the time hence more openers are given opportunities at International Level.



Saud Shakeel was the best batting product of Pakistan Under 19 batch irrespective of Stats. Statswise Sami Aslam was far superior.


Saud hasn’t been treated well in his Pakistan A stints. Either he was benched in few Pakistan A matches for inferior quality seniors or his batting numbers have been needlessly changed all the time. Hence he hasn’t had opportunities like Shan, Abid & Rizwan in Pakistan A setup to break into Pakistan’s International team.


Before this, he was highly mistreated by Karachi teams especially insecure captains.


It was Mohammad Waseem who brought him at PTV, made him Captain and under him he flourished.



The only thing Saud needs to do is to improve his agility which requires more focus on fitness.




I hope he scores a big hundred in upcoming games and makes entry into 23 probables squad as top performers of Pakistan Cup will be added to that List as per Shakeel Sheikh & Hammad Azam’s words.

Pakistan have a problem with middle order odi batsmen too and apart from Haris and Babar there is no clear cut high class talent and Saud fills that boot. Even in the recent odi series Saad Ali was slected over Saud while Saud has a higher overall average and a better last domestic season.

Saud has been hard done by by every management he has played under. He should thank his stars that Mohammad Wasim picked him for PTV. I see a future captain in him too and he did pretty well in a televised u-10 match too (as a captain).
 
Saud and Ahsan are musts.

Ahsan has advantage of being able to bat anywhere in top six.

Hope Mickey has been watching.

(Khushdil is very legside-ish.)



Although I have been huge fan of Ahsan since last 4 years but he needs to improve his fitness massively and score heavily in next season. Stats do not do justice to his ability. He can play shots all round the wicket both against pace and spin and has that extra time against fast medium/ fast pace.


Khushdil is not in same category. His future is restricted mainly to Odi’s and T20’s. Mainly batting position of 6 in Odi’s. He is mainly a power hitter but isn’t a slogger or Sohail tanveer esque midwicket hitter. His range mainly is from long off to long leg. He plays good cut shots aswell. Yes he doesn’t have many shots between point and mid off against pace but he compensates well with singles.



For Me the competitors for number 6 slot are :


1. Umar Akmal

2. Asif Ali

3. Khushdil Shah &

4. Iftikhar Ahmed.



Out of these 4 Khushdil & Iftikhar have best List A numbers as batsmen and both can bowl few overs aswell.


Khushdil scores century after every 7 matches while Iftikhar after every 11 innings. Khushdil’s strike rate of 97 is better than Iftikhar’s strike rate of 89.



While Asif Ali is most likely to be part of World Cup squad. He is power house no doubt but amongst these 4 Akmal & Asif have poorest shot selection and temperament compared to other 2. Also you won’t see Asif Ali play many shots against 140+ pacers through the offside either just like Khushdil.



Iftikhar is Misbah clone and his strike rotation is poor. Yes he can clear the boundary but you will see high % of dot balls whenever he faces good pacers.



If 7 players are added to the 23 players camp than I want Khusdil & Iftikhar to be two of them. Competition for Asif will be good for his progress.
 
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