The minnow-basher trio: Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq!

[light]

Since Jan 1 2017, SL have played 41 ODIs and have won only 10 and have lost 30. They have negative W/L record against all teams they have played except for Bangladesh (which whom they have W/L of 1.0) against which includes, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe. That is a stat of a very poor team in world cricket. No team other than probably Zim, Bangladesh, Afghanistan or West Indies will have such record during that time, which puts them firmly amongst them.

My point wasn't about SL (let's not concentrate too much on that, that's for another debate) but rather let the guy get atleast 50+ games. 40+ avg is still decent (even if vs minnow). With practice, could surely make that into a fruitful talent.

One thing I have witnessed in this new generation of Pakistani players (infact alot of this generation players from every team espacially from DESI teams) - hard work does not coorelate in their brain. They are more interested on Selfies/Instagram/ADS rather than actually putting the hard work at the gym/practice. Majority of the Desi players has a body of a couch potato. As a sportsman, how can you do that to your own body is beyond me.

 

[Wonderwoman]

My point wasn't about SL (let's not concentrate too much on that, that's for another debate) but rather let the guy get atleast 50+ games. 40+ avg is still decent (even if vs minnow). With practice, could surely make that into a fruitful talent.

One thing I have witnessed in this new generation of Pakistani players (infact alot of this generation players from every team espacially from DESI teams) - hard work does not coorelate in their brain. They are more interested on Selfies/Instagram/ADS rather than actually putting the hard work at the gym/practice. Majority of the Desi players has a body of a couch potato. As a sportsman, how can you do that to your own body is beyond me.

40+ avg is surely decent. But in the current LOI almost top orders have players with close to 50 avg and with a pretty decent strike rate too. The trio have built up their resume by bullying the minnows to no end. They are not terrible batsmen but their reality will be visibile in overall stats after some run against decent teams. This Asia Cup is first of the many failures coming in future for them.

 

[Asif321]

Babar needs to improve his SR . At number 3 you can’t consume too many balls

 

[dhonixi]

So guys did we reach on conclusion? Who is minnow basher and who is not?

 

[Ahmed216]

Does anyone remember how poorly Rohit and Yuvraj performed for first 100 ODI's. But Indians with abundant batting talent at home presisted with these two. I see potential in Fakhar and Babar.

 

[Pakhs]

Well lets hope the trio score big today, lets win the game we can first.

 

[saeedhk]

Babar Azam is a really mediocre ODI batsmen. After so much duas, we finally got rid of Misbah only to be replaced by his clone.

Both Babar and Misbah are the worst ODI batsmen. Absolute garbage.

 

[aukhan]

Bhatija ul haq will score today at snails pace.

 

[Swing]

I'm not impressed with Imam's performance in ODIs, he has to go. Fakhar is clearly a hit or miss player and I doubt he'll average higher than 35 against top level teams.

However I think that calling Babar a minnow basher is unfair he's got the ability to play well against all the top teams.

 

[Wonderwoman]

I'm not impressed with Imam's performance in ODIs, he has to go. Fakhar is clearly a hit or miss player and I doubt he'll average higher than 35 against top level teams.

However I think that calling Babar a minnow basher is unfair he's got the ability to play well against all the top teams.

Apart from 1 slow paced century in a losing cause against Australia, against which top team has he really performed?

 

[Sam99]

As indian i was comparing fakhar with dhawan and someone told me he is way better than dhawan. Though fakhar is very early in his carrier but his age is around 28-29 and he can't anyway get near to dhawan i guess.

 

[Rahul1]

Apart from 1 slow paced century in a losing cause against Australia, against which top team has he really performed?

West Indies and Sri Lanka. Don't look at me like that. West Indies won the first two World Cups and Sri Lanka won it in 1996.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Babar is the only one who is a complete batsman out of those, and even then he is easily tied down. The batsmen who follow are even worse. The whole batting line up is a shambles.

 

[Tyler Durden]

As indian i was comparing fakhar with dhawan and someone told me he is way better than dhawan. Though fakhar is very early in his carrier but his age is around 28-29 and he can't anyway get near to dhawan i guess.

This comparision of a minnowbasher with Dhawan is an utter insult. Dhawan is one of the most talented and brilliant openers in the World Cricket in the last 10 years.

 

[Sam99]

This comparision of a minnowbasher with Dhawan is an utter insult. Dhawan is one of the most talented and brilliant openers in the World Cricket in the last 10 years.

I thought fakhar was real deal when he scored that 200 imo. He still has alot time but i won't compare him with anyone.

 

[Tyler Durden]

I thought fakhar was real deal when he scored that 200 imo. He still has alot time but i won't compare him with anyone.

Mate, that 200 is against a depleted Zim D side. Our Debutant Pant would score a 300 against such attacks.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

I thought fakhar was real deal when he scored that 200 imo. He still has alot time but i won't compare him with anyone.

He's an extremely dangerous hitter, probably wrong to compare his average with the more technically orthodox batsmen as he takes far more risks in order to maintain that high run rate.

 

[Suleiman]

Babar is incredibly overrated. Saddening to see the defense mechanisms against these damning stats.

 

[Savak]

Lol, people who saw Nasir Jamshed against India and Australia in 2012-2013 were struggling to see the batsman he turned out to be in late 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Blame it on the players losing the incentive to work hard after initial success, oppositions working the players out.

 

[Cric_lover4487]

Lol, people who saw Nasir Jamshed against India and Australia in 2012-2013 were struggling to see the batsman he turned out to be in late 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Blame it on the players losing the incentive to work hard after initial success, oppositions working the players out.

Agree. Sitting duck on a short ball sealed his fate.

 

[light]

40+ avg is surely decent. But in the current LOI almost top orders have players with close to 50 avg and with a pretty decent strike rate too. The trio have built up their resume by bullying the minnows to no end. They are not terrible batsmen but their reality will be visibile in overall stats after some run against decent teams. This Asia Cup is first of the many failures coming in future for them.

I hope they get a longer run. Playing against stronger teams will surely test their skills. Only way to improve on them. Can't be looking at akmal brothers or Mr wannabe kholi.

 

[Swing]

I know he hasn't done much yet but he definitely CAN.

 

[Wonderwoman]

Imam continues his trend of minnow scoring by 80+ against Bangladesh. Though we might have to remove Bangladesh from minnow group soon.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

Imam continues his trend of minnow scoring by 80+ against Bangladesh. Though we might have to remove Bangladesh from minnow group soon.

Bangladesh is hardly a minnow.

You might have to eat your words if they somehow win the Asia Cup.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

I thought fakhar was real deal when he scored that 200 imo. He still has alot time but i won't compare him with anyone.

Against Zimbabwe C ?

You could have put Muhammad Shehzad of Afghanistan there and he would score a double hundred against that attack.

 

[Dingolfy]

Does anyone remember how poorly Rohit and Yuvraj performed for first 100 ODI's. But Indians with abundant batting talent at home presisted with these two. I see potential in Fakhar and Babar.

Lol.Yuvraj debuted through a blistering knock against the mighty Aussies in 2000.Babar would not be able to play an innings like that in his entire life!He is accumulator at his best.

 

[docteurmanish]

https://youtu.be/HCl45xXoFV0
rohit in t20 world cup and in australia has played awesome knocks

yuvi is once a generation player . best after kapil all rounder . bat bowl field

 

[MeanAndGreen]

Apart from 1 slow paced century in a losing cause against Australia, against which top team has he really performed?

Depends on what your definition of 'performed' is.

If it's the definition that 90% of this forum goes by then no PAK batsman has 'performed' in almost 2 decades.

We are finished as a serious cricketing nation that can produce consistently brilliant cricketers.

Blaming the likes of Fakhar and Babar is futile since they are the reason we win the odd game once in a while. The real knives should be out for jokes like Sarfraz who hide behind the performances of others.

 

[MeanAndGreen]

Babar Azam is a really mediocre ODI batsmen. After so much duas, we finally got rid of Misbah only to be replaced by his clone.

Both Babar and Misbah are the worst ODI batsmen. Absolute garbage.

I'd take Misbah over the trash that's currently batting in our middle order. We need consistent, reliable players rather than the 1 trick ponies that we currently have.

I love how the selection of fans who were clamouring for Asif Ali's selection because he is 'impactful' and has a high SR have now gone suddenly quiet. That's the problem with players like Fakhar, Asif. Their games are built on boundaries and as soon as you take that away, they look like deers caught in headlights.

 

[Majid Khan]

I don't blame Pakistani fans to be so confused about which player is the real deal -- because it's one thing when you have mediocre players like say Hafeez who you never expect anything special from and neither has he ever shown any brilliance to that level in his career (correct me if I'm wrong) that made you think this guy is truly special and has potential to be world class. But then you have likes of Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam who have given some glimpses of being batsmen with high levels of skill, very talented and capable of playing top quality innings - and yet on other occasions they have looked so ordinary that you question your earlier opinions of these players.

All players go through good and bad form, but when the bad form of a player always seems to come when the expectations are most high, against stronger opposition and in difficult situations for the team - then you wonder if it is bad form or lack of ability to deliver when it matters.

 

[saeedhk]

Not a single batter in Pakistan who can play modern cricket. Either they play slog mindlessly or tuk tuk and score 50 (81).
Need Sharjeel