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The cupboard for openers is bare for Pakistan and there is need for an alternate approach

NoBallZombie said:
Usman Salahuddin and imam should be our new opening pair. They should be given atleast the same number of innings as Abid. There is just no other potential player. Haider is a definite no because the guy lacks temperament.
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Yep, I’ll buy that. Usman is looking to be a make shift opener so might be a good idea.
 
I don’t blame the test openers I blame the coaches, someone like Mohammed Yousaf need to be on tours not in the academy
 
The top order has failed so my immediate attempt to rectify:

1. Imam
2. Fakhar/Salahuddin/Haider Ali/any hack of your choice
3. Saud
 
Looking through the list of current openers in Pakistan domestic cricket makes you realise that they are either tried and tested or simply not good enough.

Some out of the box thinking is needed.
 
Saj said:
Looking through the list of current openers in Pakistan domestic cricket makes you realise that they are either tried and tested or simply not good enough.

Some out of the box thinking is needed.
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Make Rizwan open in Tests too. :P

I believe Usman Salahuddin is going to try opening in domestics and if he could maintain his level as an opener, that could go a long way towards solving the issues.

I do feel like Abdullah Shafique is a proper long-term solution there though but it will take time.
 
Could the Abdullah Shafiq - Abid Ali combo be it?
 
Rana said:
Abid Ali is the best Test opener in Pakistan

We need to come to terms with this fact
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Abid needs play at least one quality knock against a good opposition in SENA to shut everyone’s mouth, including mine. He is just way too edgy at times.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This is the first time ever that Pakistan's openers have made four 50plus scores in a Test match <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BANvPAK?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BANvPAK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/SajSadiqCricket/status/1465313621416808451?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
In asain conditions both should open abid stil needs to perform in SENA conditions.

I think Abdullah will play some very good knocks in SENA as he has a better technique.
 
FFWvpwvX0AIZyPN.jpg

First time together and they have matched Imran Farhat and Taufeeq Umar’s achievement of putting two opening wicket 100 plus runs stands in the same Test.
 
Inzamam on the opening pair:

“Chasing 200 runs on this pitch wasn’t going to be easy which is why I think Abid Ali and Abdullah Shafique played really well. If we had lost wickets inside the first 10-20 runs, chasing this target would not have been an easy task"

“Credit goes to these two for providing Pakistan with a good start in both innings, especially when the batsmen after them weren’t able to perform well"
 
Players should really be assessed in all conditions. Both have shown the ability to play the spin well and if the form continues they will continue to do well in Asian conditions however we saw how Abid Ali fared in Australia. At the end of the day if they can improve their game and the management persists with them I am all for giving them an extended run.
 
So currently, the candidates for Pakistan Test Openers are:

1. Abid Ali
2. Abdullah Shafique
3. Imam Ul-Haq
4. Imran Butt
5. Azhar Ali (to move from 3 to opener)
6. Usman Salahuddin

I'm not a fan of Abid Ali at all and even though Abid Ali is a minnow Basher, end of the day, he is capable of bashing someone, while most of these openers, and even Babar can't do that. Abid Ali is currently one of our best options for opening batsman, even though I myself don't like this. Credit to him for his century and 91 against Bangladesh that helped Pakistan stay and win the game.

As for the other options, Imam Ul-Haq is currently quite Poor in Test Cricket, Needs to play more First Class matches. I believe Imam Ul-Haq is one of the best options for Test opener and has the potential. Azhar Ali should retire, he is finished. Imran Butt, as we all saw wasn't good enough also, however, he still can make a comeback. Some are talking about how he should be on the team simply because of his great slip catching, and yes even though his slip catching is brilliant, his job is to be an opening batsman. but to be honest, I highly doubt he will be good enough to be a permanent option.


Abdullah Shafique should not have even made a debut, since he as played only 3 first class matches. But now that Abdullah Shafique has performed with his two fifties, he will be overhyped a lot, and I expect that he will be favoured now. Problem is he will probably get exposed against better teams, and everyone will start complaining about how he doesn't have enough FC experience... Same situation with Naseem Shah and Muhammad Musa Khan.

As for Usman Salahuddin, I feel for him, as he keeps getting ignored, and I feel like he is going to keep being ignored, otherwise they should definitely try him at opener and 3. Anyone know if he has been performing as an opener in domestic? Regardless, he definitely should be selected for Pakistan Shaheens at least.

So for the next couple of months at least, the opening combination will probably be Abid Ali and Abdullah Shafique. This is the short-term combination. In the long-term and future, the following have the potential:

1. Abdullah Shafique
2. Imam Ul-Haq
3. Omair Bin Yousuf

Let me know if I missed anyone else
 
Bilal Ahmad15 said:
So currently, the candidates for Pakistan Test Openers are:

1. Abid Ali
2. Abdullah Shafique
3. Imam Ul-Haq
4. Imran Butt
5. Azhar Ali (to move from 3 to opener)
6. Usman Salahuddin

I'm not a fan of Abid Ali at all and even though Abid Ali is a minnow Basher, end of the day, he is capable of bashing someone, while most of these openers, and even Babar can't do that. Abid Ali is currently one of our best options for opening batsman, even though I myself don't like this. Credit to him for his century and 91 against Bangladesh that helped Pakistan stay and win the game.

As for the other options, Imam Ul-Haq is currently quite Poor in Test Cricket, Needs to play more First Class matches. I believe Imam Ul-Haq is one of the best options for Test opener and has the potential. Azhar Ali should retire, he is finished. Imran Butt, as we all saw wasn't good enough also, however, he still can make a comeback. Some are talking about how he should be on the team simply because of his great slip catching, and yes even though his slip catching is brilliant, his job is to be an opening batsman. but to be honest, I highly doubt he will be good enough to be a permanent option.


Abdullah Shafique should not have even made a debut, since he as played only 3 first class matches. But now that Abdullah Shafique has performed with his two fifties, he will be overhyped a lot, and I expect that he will be favoured now. Problem is he will probably get exposed against better teams, and everyone will start complaining about how he doesn't have enough FC experience... Same situation with Naseem Shah and Muhammad Musa Khan.

As for Usman Salahuddin, I feel for him, as he keeps getting ignored, and I feel like he is going to keep being ignored, otherwise they should definitely try him at opener and 3. Anyone know if he has been performing as an opener in domestic? Regardless, he definitely should be selected for Pakistan Shaheens at least.

So for the next couple of months at least, the opening combination will probably be Abid Ali and Abdullah Shafique. This is the short-term combination. In the long-term and future, the following have the potential:

1. Abdullah Shafique
2. Imam Ul-Haq
3. Omair Bin Yousuf

Let me know if I missed anyone else
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Never mind about Usman Salahuddin, I just realised he did recently play for Shaheens against Sri Lanka A and batted at number 5 or 6.
 
Bigger problem is Azhar Ali. This guy is finished still wants to occupy a spot meaning wasting Kamran/Saud.
 
Shafi said:
Bigger problem is Azhar Ali. This guy is finished still wants to occupy a spot meaning wasting Kamran/Saud.
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If FC average of 42 Babar doesn’t get his act together, then he is also undeservingly occupying a spot in the middle order for Saud and Kamran also.
 
Rana said:
If FC average of 42 Babar doesn’t get his act together, then he is also undeservingly occupying a spot in the middle order for Saud and Kamran also.
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I'm thinking same as well. I don't rate Babar as test material.
 
It's still disappointing that Sami Aslam quit Pakistan for USA. He was still a good option, definitely with good potential and even though performed poorly in UAE, he had still performed well in NZ and Eng. only 25 years also
 
Shafi said:
I'm thinking same as well. I don't rate Babar as test material.
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Lol go look at how many players avg better in SA. I think you and [MENTION=2016]Rana[/MENTION] should watch his innings against steyn , also his inns in Aus and NZL...

he is still young in test cricket and the right man to lead.. No.4 is a very important batting position in Test cricket and I believe he is the best man to play there at the moment..

I believe his avg will soon go up and reach 50s in test cricket too.. Pak fans are impatient but this is an overkill, calling the best batsman to be dropped for some domestic nobodies..
 
igJ06k0.jpg
 
252 run partnership when many thought we would crumble.


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MenInG said:
252 run partnership when many thought we would crumble.


<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/e/qssdyy" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="100%" allowfullscreen style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;"></iframe></div>
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You and [MENTION=9]Saj[/MENTION] could have scored 250 on that road wicket. lets not get carried away here. We saw during SA series that our batsmen were tested more on sporting surfaces when they toured. All these wickets are good for are padding stats.

A bit like Antigua in the WI.
 
Suddenly Pakistan have plentyof openers, the title should change from openers to pace bowlers, with only Shaheen established himself so far and Hasan Ali injury prone and notvery fast .
 
Suddenly - we have a few good candidates for openers!
 
Shan, Imam and Abdullah Shafique - seems a few options now?

FXSWN2YWAAA4mpu.jpg
 
Marooned said:
Both poor. Would be very surprised if Imam turns out to be anything other than a flat track bully (at best) in tests.
Shafique makes Azhar look like Viv at times, that's an extraordinary talent in itself.
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Really? You have made this judgement on a young player (Shafique) who has played 5 tests and could not have done anything more and experts suggest he has shown real talent ? Pak fans are hard to please.
 
Abdullah Shafique needs to break out of the shackles. If he does that, he has enough ability to be a very promising opener.

But this 30 Strike rate nonsense needs to go. Azhar is leading the charge in that respect and he must get lost for good.
 
Pakistan openers should try and put the bad ball away and rotate strike otherwise it will be hard to survive.
 
Marooned said:
Both poor. Would be very surprised if Imam turns out to be anything other than a flat track bully (at best) in tests.
Shafique makes Azhar look like Viv at times, that's an extraordinary talent in itself.
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Whats wrong with Shafique? He has done well in his limited career so far
 
I will say this about Abdullah Shafique and maybe other Pakistan batsman, they have a tendancy to stay a little legside in there stance. What I mean is, the usually expose the off stump which then exposes the batsman to bowling around the corridor of uncertainty and the 4th stump line.

Babar Azam also had this problem but he worked on it around 2018-19 and moved more towards the offside and covering his off stump and negating the 4th stump line.

Looking at how Abdullah Shafique got out on 96, he had exposed his off stump and reached out to drive a delivery which was pitched in the corridor of uncertainty. He works on his stance and moves over, he will be a lot more effective.
 
Abdullah Shafique has solved one aspect of the puzzle
 
Huraira and Bin yousuf have the potential to get into the test team in one year.
 
Openers is solved now.

Tests:
Abdullah, Imam, Shan

ODI's:
Imam, Fakhar Rizwan, Abdullah

T20's:
Babar, Rizwan, Fakhar, Abdullah

Plenty of options and quality depth for each format.
 
MenInG said:
Abdullah Shafique has solved one aspect of the puzzle
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For now If he wants to have a long career he will have to continue working hard and be successful in most conditions

Hes done well so far but hes only a few failures away from being out So cant sit on his laurels

Weve seen too many players not continue to improve and being found out
 
Zaz said:
For now If he wants to have a long career he will have to continue working hard and be successful in most conditions

Hes done well so far but hes only a few failures away from being out So cant sit on his laurels

Weve seen too many players not continue to improve and being found out
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Exactly he will have to keep working hard because Pakistan had a lot of players over the years who started their career brilliantly but then faded away because they were either not simply good enough or they didn't wanted to work on their deficiencies.

Since I started watching cricket back in 2004 I have seen Yasir Hameed, Salman Butt, Ahmad Shehzad, Umar Akmal who started their careers as world beater but after few years or so they looked like tail enders.
 
shamaan said:
Huraira and Bin yousuf have the potential to get into the test team in one year.
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Huraira looks like a potential star in making. His potential certainly I think is lower than that of Abdullah & Haider but nonetheless he can be a great player for Pakistan in future(Hopefully he gets his chance in next 2 years).


Don't know much about Bin Yousuf & I think it will be hard for him to get a chance in the team especially if Abdullah keeps up the good work & one of Huraira/Haider cements their place in the test team in the years to come.

But it's really good to see that after a long time Pakistan are unearthing decent batting prospect.
 
ChTab said:
Huraira looks like a potential star in making. His potential certainly I think is lower than that of Abdullah & Haider but nonetheless he can be a great player for Pakistan in future(Hopefully he gets his chance in next 2 years).


Don't know much about Bin Yousuf & I think it will be hard for him to get a chance in the team especially if Abdullah keeps up the good work & one of Huraira/Haider cements their place in the test team in the years to come.

But it's really good to see that after a long time Pakistan are unearthing decent batting prospect.
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I agree he has potential but not as much as Abdullah and haider in limited overs however he's an excellent player of spin and very young.

Omair Hasn't performed at his absolute best yet in domestic but that's also fine aslong as he's learning.

Haseebullah from u19s looks like a good wicket keeper batesman in the longer format azwell.
 
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