The No. 4 and No. 5 Position in ODI Cricket

[unemployedgm]

After observing the Pakistan Squad recommended by Wasim Akram, Rameez Raja, Rashid Latif, Bazid Khan, and Mohammad Wasim I can't help but think that former players do not understand the profile of a No. 4 and No.5 Batsman in One Day Cricket. Despite facts to the contrary, these individuals apart from maybe Mohammad Wasim believe that Mohammad Hafeez should be a guarantee at the No. 4 Position. Mohammad Hafeez at this stage in his career is nothing more than a Bits and Pieces All Rounder. In the best case scenario he's a No. 6 Batsman.

Why is Mohammad Hafeez such an obvious selection at No. 4? Lets remember, this is a position once held by Javed Miandad, Inzamam ul Haq, Mohammad Yousuf, and Misbah ul Haq.

 

[iPakistani]

Because there is no Miandad, Inzamam or Yousuf currently in the Pakistani team. The best player we have for that 4 position is Haris and Rizwan. Hafeez should strictly be used as a number 6 batsman who contributes with the ball.

 

[unemployedgm]

There are many options that could have been developed for that No. 4 and No. 5 positions than those two.

More importantly I raise this problem because we are not profiling positions in the team correctly. There is a certain profile required for each position in a batting, bowling, and fielding lineup. That's approximately 30 Positions that require significant analysis.

 

[Chokli]

It also depends on how many overs are left when the 4 and 5 batsmen come in.

Hafeez did extremely well in winning us a match versus South Africa at 4.

But with Haris, I think Hafeez should be at 5/6 along with Sarfraz

 

[Justcrazy]

Its lack of options .

Pakistani management do not have skills to develop new players for different positions.

 

[unemployedgm]

I don't think its a lack of options. Mohammad Hafeez is a bits and pieces cricketer masquerading as a True All Rounder and a Middle Order Batsman. To be clear it isn't his fault. He's being asked to do something that quite frankly he is incapable of doing.

The fact that the Selection Committee hasn't selected and subsequently developed players for these two positions is criminal. Why? Because after Babar Azam at 3 there are essentially no genuine batsman in the rest of the lineup. Hafeez is a Bits and Pieces Cricketer. Malik is not a leading middle order batsman on a good team. Sarfraz doesn't view himself as a leading batsman(HIS WORDS). The rest are either batting or bowling all rounders. It is seemingly impossible to put up consistent scores with a lineup devoid of batsman.

 

[gazza619]

Well why not pick someone at no.4 who has recently scored 2 centuries against a decent Aussie attack?

I guess common sense is not really common.

 

[Ronaldo7]

Well why not pick someone at no.4 who has recently scored 2 centuries against a decent Aussie attack?

I guess common sense is not really common.

He doesn't fit their narrative of being a player who's been ridiculed and not been allowed to play I.e. Abid ali.

 

[unemployedgm]

Harris Sohail deserves the opportunity to make that position his own. He's a lot more steady than Hafeez. But who is after Haris? Next Guy? Next Guy After That?

It should be easy to make a pipeline of talent with so many meaningless international matches.

 

[Bilal7]

Haris should bat at #4 if Mickey doesn't want to demote Babar. Hafeez is a good fit at #5 where his experience and ability to up the ante will be quite useful.

 

[Abdullah]

Haris is not good enough for number 4, he takes his time which u can't do , as Babar has that role.
The number 4 and 5 need to be able to go run a ball from the get go and am important part of that is using a sweep against the spinners, a shot haris doesn't really have.
Haris running between the wickets also leaves a lot to be desired, at least Malik/hafeez can hit spinners for 6 at will, and sarfaraz even can remain busy with his sweeps , nurdles at this position

 

[QuickCrick]

4 and 5 need to be comfortable against both pace and spin and unfortunately our batsmen are one dimensional, haris babar both struggle against spin while Malik and Hafeez(to a lesser extent) struggle against pace...

Out of the options we have I think Sarfraz is best suited but he doesn’t seem keen and looks to have stopped working on his batting.