Theory: Asif Ali and Khushdil Shah are being set up for failure

[Boiz Played Well]

Here's my theory: What Pakistan limited overs teams lacks most of all right now is not a power-hitting batsman, but a genuine pace-bowling all-rounder who can clear the boundary. First, this makes the team better balanced with an extra bowling option. Second--and more importantly--it eases the mental stress on the player going out in every match knowing his place in the team is dependent solely on the ability to clear the boundary. There is nothing else he can do to make up for a bad day with the bat. Even an excellent day in the field won't save his spot. That sort of mental space can shake even the sturdiest of cricketers.

Every other international team has a so-called finisher (usually batsman no. 6) with a dual role which is crucial to their confidence and place in the team. Here's a non-comprehensive list of current no. 6 options:

England: (amongst the most blessed) Ben Stokes (pace all-rounder) and Jos Buttler (keeper-batsman).
India: Hardik Pandya (pace all-rounder) and until recently Dhoni (keeper-batsman).
South Africa: Dwaine Pretorius (pace all-rounder), Chris Morris (pace all-rounder) and Andilo Phehlukwayo is also getting there.
New Zealand: Colin de Grandhomme (pace all-rounder) and Jimmy Neesham (pace all-rounder).
Australia: Glen Maxwell (spin all-rounder) and Alex Carey (wicket-keeper).
West Indies: Have choices from Carlos Brathwaite (pace all-rounder), Fabian Allen (spin all-rounder), Jason Holder (pace all rounder) and Keemo Paul (pace all-rounder) has potential.

Yet all of Pakistan's recent batting experimentations seem to focus on disturbing a top-4 which should largely be left alone with the occasional new opener tried out. Our front-line keepers, whether it be Rizwan or Sarfraz, are a better fit in the top-5 than any farther down. Imad does a good job at no. 7 and then the rest of the tail with Wahab, Shadab and others does its best. That leaves no. 6 as the one truly uncertain place in the line-up.

To try and fill that with Asif Ali or Khushdil Shah or any other player who is brought in solely for the purposes of power-hitting is setting them up for failure. Even Australia's Ashton Turner isn't always a natural selection despite that Mohali chase because the batting alone isn't enough. No. 6s need to offer one other skill of value to the team.

Faheem Ashraf couldn't bat no matter how much the captain and coaches wanted him to so when his bowling went, he did as well. Hussain Talat's record so far suggests he is more of an occasional option than a genuine bowler. Anwar Ali was once thought of as the natural successor to Razzaq and Azhar Mahmood but he didn't work out either. Sohail Tanvir is also done.

So does Pakistan have a pace-all rounder coming up somewhere in domestic? Or do we keep bringing in batsmen from National T20 and PSL and expect them to hit all the sixes as soon as they come into the team and on the crease?

 

[Danyaalr01]

Here's my theory: What Pakistan limited overs teams lacks most of all right now is not a power-hitting batsman, but a genuine pace-bowling all-rounder who can clear the boundary. First, this makes the team better balanced with an extra bowling option. Second--and more importantly--it eases the mental stress on the player going out in every match knowing his place in the team is dependent solely on the ability to clear the boundary. There is nothing else he can do to make up for a bad day with the bat. Even an excellent day in the field won't save his spot. That sort of mental space can shake even the sturdiest of cricketers.

Every other international team has a so-called finisher (usually batsman no. 6) with a dual role which is crucial to their confidence and place in the team. Here's a non-comprehensive list of current no. 6 options:

England: (amongst the most blessed) Ben Stokes (pace all-rounder) and Jos Buttler (keeper-batsman).
India: Hardik Pandya (pace all-rounder) and until recently Dhoni (keeper-batsman).
South Africa: Dwaine Pretorius (pace all-rounder), Chris Morris (pace all-rounder) and Andilo Phehlukwayo is also getting there.
New Zealand: Colin de Grandhomme (pace all-rounder) and Jimmy Neesham (pace all-rounder).
Australia: Glen Maxwell (spin all-rounder) and Alex Carey (wicket-keeper).
West Indies: Have choices from Carlos Brathwaite (pace all-rounder), Fabian Allen (spin all-rounder), Jason Holder (pace all rounder) and Keemo Paul (pace all-rounder) has potential.

Yet all of Pakistan's recent batting experimentations seem to focus on disturbing a top-4 which should largely be left alone with the occasional new opener tried out. Our front-line keepers, whether it be Rizwan or Sarfraz, are a better fit in the top-5 than any farther down. Imad does a good job at no. 7 and then the rest of the tail with Wahab, Shadab and others does its best. That leaves no. 6 as the one truly uncertain place in the line-up.

To try and fill that with Asif Ali or Khushdil Shah or any other player who is brought in solely for the purposes of power-hitting is setting them up for failure. Even Australia's Ashton Turner isn't always a natural selection despite that Mohali chase because the batting alone isn't enough. No. 6s need to offer one other skill of value to the team.

Faheem Ashraf couldn't bat no matter how much the captain and coaches wanted him to so when his bowling went, he did as well. Hussain Talat's record so far suggests he is more of an occasional option than a genuine bowler. Anwar Ali was once thought of as the natural successor to Razzaq and Azhar Mahmood but he didn't work out either. Sohail Tanvir is also done.

So does Pakistan have a pace-all rounder coming up somewhere in domestic? Or do we keep bringing in batsmen from National T20 and PSL and expect them to hit all the sixes as soon as they come into the team and on the crease?

Ammad Butt is a big hitter and bowls decently. Aamer Yamin is another attacking batsman who can swing the ball.

 

[Rayyman]

This is what Misbah said before the SL series and he said that Iftikhar will play the batting all-rounder role.

 

[Boiz Played Well]

Ammad Butt is a big hitter and bowls decently. Aamer Yamin is another attacking batsman who can swing the ball.

Yamin seems like an option for sure. Ammad Butt is young, exciting and has so much potential. I hope he works on raising his List A batting though. Average of 19 from 47 games, he can definitely do better.

 

[Boiz Played Well]

This is what Misbah said before the SL series and he said that Iftikhar will play the batting all-rounder role.

Iftikhar is a great batting option for sure. But he will never leave Malik or Hafeez's shadow as the off-spinning all-rounder. He probably deserves a spot on the batting alone. But expecting him to be the all-rounder is being more wishful than realistic.

 

[CadPakFan]

Here's my theory: What Pakistan limited overs teams lacks most of all right now is not a power-hitting batsman, but a genuine pace-bowling all-rounder who can clear the boundary. First, this makes the team better balanced with an extra bowling option. Second--and more importantly--it eases the mental stress on the player going out in every match knowing his place in the team is dependent solely on the ability to clear the boundary. There is nothing else he can do to make up for a bad day with the bat. Even an excellent day in the field won't save his spot. That sort of mental space can shake even the sturdiest of cricketers.

Every other international team has a so-called finisher (usually batsman no. 6) with a dual role which is crucial to their confidence and place in the team. Here's a non-comprehensive list of current no. 6 options:

England: (amongst the most blessed) Ben Stokes (pace all-rounder) and Jos Buttler (keeper-batsman).
India: Hardik Pandya (pace all-rounder) and until recently Dhoni (keeper-batsman).
South Africa: Dwaine Pretorius (pace all-rounder), Chris Morris (pace all-rounder) and Andilo Phehlukwayo is also getting there.
New Zealand: Colin de Grandhomme (pace all-rounder) and Jimmy Neesham (pace all-rounder).
Australia: Glen Maxwell (spin all-rounder) and Alex Carey (wicket-keeper).
West Indies: Have choices from Carlos Brathwaite (pace all-rounder), Fabian Allen (spin all-rounder), Jason Holder (pace all rounder) and Keemo Paul (pace all-rounder) has potential.

Yet all of Pakistan's recent batting experimentations seem to focus on disturbing a top-4 which should largely be left alone with the occasional new opener tried out. Our front-line keepers, whether it be Rizwan or Sarfraz, are a better fit in the top-5 than any farther down. Imad does a good job at no. 7 and then the rest of the tail with Wahab, Shadab and others does its best. That leaves no. 6 as the one truly uncertain place in the line-up.

To try and fill that with Asif Ali or Khushdil Shah or any other player who is brought in solely for the purposes of power-hitting is setting them up for failure. Even Australia's Ashton Turner isn't always a natural selection despite that Mohali chase because the batting alone isn't enough. No. 6s need to offer one other skill of value to the team.

Faheem Ashraf couldn't bat no matter how much the captain and coaches wanted him to so when his bowling went, he did as well. Hussain Talat's record so far suggests he is more of an occasional option than a genuine bowler. Anwar Ali was once thought of as the natural successor to Razzaq and Azhar Mahmood but he didn't work out either. Sohail Tanvir is also done.

So does Pakistan have a pace-all rounder coming up somewhere in domestic? Or do we keep bringing in batsmen from National T20 and PSL and expect them to hit all the sixes as soon as they come into the team and on the crease?

Aamer Yamin is one to look into. I remember him saving Pakistan from 76/6 to like 200 odd with Shoaib Malik on his debut.

 

[Bewal Express]

Asif Ali offers nothing- a very average slogger.

 

[Slim]

How can Asif Ali fail when hes already a pathetic player?

 

[MenInG]

Nothing succeeds like success - Asif Ali get a good match winning total in Australia and I can promise you all will be singing songs in his favour.

Clearly he has some talent so selected.

 

[Boiz Played Well]

Nothing succeeds like success - Asif Ali get a good match winning total in Australia and I can promise you all will be singing songs in his favour.

Clearly he has some talent so selected.

Don't doubt his talent or his ability to hit. Just think we have the wrong expectations attached with him. His role naturally makes it so that he will have more bad batting days than good ones and when his place is questioned he has nothing else to fall back on.

 

[Boiz Played Well]

It's like if Afridi wasn't bowling, he would have been out of the side much earlier. Nobody questioned his ability to clear the boundary and he won Pakistan many a games with the bat, but most selectors would've been chewed alive if picked him just for the batting. Asif Ali may play that great Australia match-winning inning, but it still won't make his place any safer when he gets out under 15 in the next 5 games. Especially since no. 6 could be an all-rounder's position if Pakistan is struggling to take wickets too.

 

[Bewal Express]

Nothing succeeds like success - Asif Ali get a good match winning total in Australia and I can promise you all will be singing songs in his favour.

Clearly he has some talent so selected.

I am always prepared to wait when making judgements, I have seen enough of him to tell that he is awful.

 

[Danyaalr01]

Khushdil Shah can bowl some slow left arm. If they can refine his bowling, like they did with Haris Sohail, he could be a very useful number 6.

 

[Mercurial]

Khushdil can bowl, unlike Asif. But he is a part timer, not an all rounder. Asif should be given another go. Khushdil deserves a go in the ODI side as well. Let's give them this series. If Asif fails in this series then he should be dropped, but Khushdil should be persisted with as he is new.

 

[Mamoon]

Asif Ali is a failure. You don’t have to set him up.

 

[Danyaalr01]

Khushdil can bowl, unlike Asif. But he is a part timer, not an all rounder. Asif should be given another go. Khushdil deserves a go in the ODI side as well. Let's give them this series. If Asif fails in this series then he should be dropped, but Khushdil should be persisted with as he is new.

They should work on his bowling like they did with Haris. He can be a very useful number 6 if his batting really is good.

 

[Boiz Played Well]

Khushdil can bowl, unlike Asif. But he is a part timer, not an all rounder. Asif should be given another go. Khushdil deserves a go in the ODI side as well. Let's give them this series. If Asif fails in this series then he should be dropped, but Khushdil should be persisted with as he is new.

What will success be for Asif? A 25-ball 50 in one of the T20s? A crucial role in a run-chase in one of the games? It's not about his talent or ability, it's the fact that his position demands too much and being just a batsman is too much undue pressure. Either send him up the order or find someone else for no. 6. You have to either be keeping or contribute with the bowl to justify your place there after a string of poor scores. Selectors and people alike will forget that one good inning if he fails in the next three. And the same will happen with Khushdil if he isn't utilized as a bowler as well.