"This is the best chance for Pakistan to win an ODI series in Australia" : Wasim Akram

[msb314]

Wasim Akram speaking on TV after the 2nd ODI victory at Melbourne:

"One individual can change the course of the game with his brilliance. This was one of the iffy totals where Pakistan didn't know how exactly to go about the chase, you could see that from how Shafiq played. That's where Shoaib Malik really played well, he's one of the top players in Pakistan cricket. He has experience and reads the situation well and is still a superb fielder."

"Hafeez's captaincy must be praised, he kept looking for wickets when they were four or five down and didn't worry about who will bowl the last couple of overs and that helped Pakistan to bowl out Australia for 220."

"Pakistan should feel confident that this is a weak team and if they get two early wickets, then they can catch them. This is the best chance for Pakistan to win a series in Australia."

"I would have put Malik at #4, Umar Akmal after that and Asad Shafiq at #6."

"Mitch Marsh is very dangerous against fast bowlers in the last 10 overs. He isn't a #4 batsman."

"Australia will come back hard so we shouldn't be complacent. Pakistan should think that they can win this series.

"It's very difficult to return after being out of the team but Junaid ran in and had rhythm, he was getting the ball to skid and was disturbing the left-handers due to his length."

"What I learnt from Imran bhai, Javed bhai was that if a player is a bit indisciplined but he wins you games, then you tolerate and humour him."

 

[Abdullah719]

People are selling Australia a bit short. They aren't #1 for nothing. They will plan and it will be tough for Pakistan in the next three matches.

 

[Belawal2014]

Didn't he say the same for the TEST series?

 

[Asim2Good]

looks like he is watching matches now a days and don't know what Aus been doing to teams in their home grounds

 

[Syed1]

Pakistan just caught the Aussies slipping on an off-day.

It won't happen every day and we definitely aren't winning this ODI series. It would be a minor miracle if we do. That being said we did play very well and were all over the Aussies from ball one.

 

[yasir]

Weather will play a part too...Dry pitches in AD and SCG (same as MCG and GABBA) can be exploited better by Pakistan...Perth is tough one, but in all case 2/3 wickets in first spell is key...Its possible but lot of ducks have to be aligned for that to happen... I got a feeling, wickets will be less dry and more grass from now on or at some point, Auses kept wickets dryer to plan for Indian tour, but that has back fired, Question is: Are they continue to prepare for Indian tour or would go for saving series? - By tweaking wickets to favor their seamer more, putting more grass (more bounce will bring back their 6'5" fast seamers lot more dangerous, even Faulkner would be more dangerous), greener wickets will make sure our spinners are less threatening in middle overs...I bet one more loss, the will pull the plug!!

 

[Syed1]

Weather will play a part too...Dry pitches in AD and SCG (same as MCG and GABBA) can be exploited better by Pakistan...Perth is tough one, but in all case 2/3 wickets in first spell is key...Its possible but lot of ducks have to be aligned for that to happen... I got a feeling, wickets will be less dry and more grass from now on or at some point, Auses kept wickets dryer to plan for Indian tour, but that has back fired, Question is: Are they continue to prepare for Indian tour or would go for saving series? - By tweaking wickets to favor their seamer more, putting more grass (more bounce will bring back their 6'5" fast seamers lot more dangerous, even Faulkner would be more dangerous), greener wickets will make sure our spinners are less threatening in middle overs...I bet one more loss, the will pull the plug!!

Sir that's all fine, but they rested Starc for the next ODI.

 

[yasir]

Sir that's all fine, but they rested Starc for the next ODI.

His rest was on the Cards, I was surprise he played yesterday...They have Cummins, HW, in Perth the new 6'10" could be handful, even Bird can give us headache...Real Question is: Are they going to give our spinners that much leverage to control middle overs?? - Which is their weak point and our strength

Spin advantage is rarely in play at Perth, so winning their would be harder for us...

 

[hitthestump]

This might be a weak Australian side but it's also the worst Pakistan ODI side in recent memory. From the next game we'll see Hafeez and Malik fail as per usual and it'll be back to business for the Australians.

 

[zyrus]

Didn't he say the same for the TEST series?

I think it is proved with today's display that Australia was very much beatable in tests. Had it been team of <2007, Australia would have suffered loss @ 2-0

 

[zyrus]

This might be a weak Australian side but it's also the worst Pakistan ODI side in recent memory. From the next game we'll see Hafeez and Malik fail as per usual and it'll be back to business for the Australians.

Even if one of them fails, Sharjeel and Umar Akmal are yet to kick their next gear on.

 

[wasim-fan]

This is weakest Australian team in ages. But then again it's Pakistan.

 

[ali2220]

Aus may or may not be weak, but Pak is definitely a very poor OD side, as such no chance of winning the od series.

 

[aloo paratha]

Didn't he say the same for the TEST series?

Well he wasn't wrong, we just played like idiots.

 

[Drreddymd]

Absolutely.this aus batting is made up of hacks pretending to be batsman other than warner,smith,khawaja.

 

[The intelligent Supporter]

This is weakest Australian team in ages. But then again it's Pakistan.

They fielded a full strength team in 2nd ODI. Bowling was as best as it could be

 

[Asim2Good]

This is weakest Australian team in ages. But then again it's Pakistan.

not much difference from team who just won 3-0 against NZ who is considered very strong team when compared with Pak team.

 

[marlonbrowndo]

They played what was arguably their best ODI team in the 2nd match. Still don't get why people are saying this is our best chance. Yes our ODI team is imporoving but they are the best side in the world. I really hope we win more games but it's gonna be very difficult. India got beaten comfortably by a worse side than this

 

[Justcrazy]

This is Pakistan golden opportunity, they need to raise there game , some batsman has to score nig in top 3

 

[ExplicitAI]

Only change I'd make is to drop Asad for Nawaz. There's no place for Asad in ODI's.

 

[khurram39]

Retain the squad for third and definitely return of Azhar lead to replace Asad. We can do this but a very little hope is there. We had to restrict them under 250 in the remaining matches because we didn't have the batting to chase more.

What will happen when we bat first is another question.What total to put on the board may result in 220 on our side too.

 

[itsme]

Warner won't fail everytime and if he clicks it 300+ guarantee

 

[itsme]

And pak's formers players are underselling aussies' odi team,the tests' team is pretty average but the odis' team is the best.

 

[Arham_PakFan]

We caught Australia on an off day-just have to hope for more of those in this series.Australia are the best ODI team in the world for a reason.

 

[ask_analyse_act]

Only change I'd make is to drop Asad for Nawaz. There's no place for Asad in ODI's.

I would take rahat or wahab in as perth will assist more bounce... if not just open with him and push hafeez to no.3... coz anyway hafeez is gonna give catches to the slip.. Shafiq can come good with his technique little bit better than hafeez, but asad is vulnerable to short pitch bowling and perth is also same as gabba one of he bounciest pitches...

 

[Abdullah]

Weather will play a part too...Dry pitches in AD and SCG (same as MCG and GABBA) can be exploited better by Pakistan...Perth is tough one, but in all case 2/3 wickets in first spell is key...Its possible but lot of ducks have to be aligned for that to happen... I got a feeling, wickets will be less dry and more grass from now on or at some point, Auses kept wickets dryer to plan for Indian tour, but that has back fired, Question is: Are they continue to prepare for Indian tour or would go for saving series? - By tweaking wickets to favor their seamer more, putting more grass (more bounce will bring back their 6'5" fast seamers lot more dangerous, even Faulkner would be more dangerous), greener wickets will make sure our spinners are less threatening in middle overs...I bet one more loss, the will pull the plug!!

if we win at perth we win the series. perth is a batting shoot out, so we need to win the toss and put up a serious score. all lot depends on sharjeel and babar for that

 

[Syed1]

We caught Australia on an off day-just have to hope for more of those in this series.Australia are the best ODI team in the world for a reason.

Exactly how I feel. Everyday is not Sunday. Australia will come back hard we have to be prepared for it.

 

[ExplicitAI]

I would take rahat or wahab in as perth will assist more bounce... if not just open with him and push hafeez to no.3... coz anyway hafeez is gonna give catches to the slip.. Shafiq can come good with his technique little bit better than hafeez, but asad is vulnerable to short pitch bowling and perth is also same as gabba one of he bounciest pitches...

Asad is as terrible as you can get in ODI's, he doesn't have the ability to play the format.

 

[shariqnoor]

I have a feeling that if Australia wins the toss, they would put Pakistan into bat first now. I think by batting first, Australia is putting too much pressure on their top order to score and that's why they have succumbed in the first 2 ODIs. Pakistan have bowled superbly too. If we bat first, then it's really game over. We would try to score 300 and in the process the pressure of scoring 300 would mean us getting bowled out for 210 something. I hope I'm wrong though.

 

[ask_analyse_act]

I have a feeling that if Australia wins the toss, they would put Pakistan into bat first now. I think by batting first, Australia is putting too much pressure on their top order to score and that's why they have succumbed in the first 2 ODIs. Pakistan have bowled superbly too. If we bat first, then it's really game over. We would try to score 300 and in the process the pressure of scoring 300 would mean us getting bowled out for 210 something. I hope I'm wrong though.

I think zampa might come in place of starc. Pak batsman will try to increase the scoring rate against him and will lose wickets. He could be the trump card tmw. If he plays then surely hafeez, sharjeel, shafiq, Rizwan and may be UA could be his wickets.

 

[Syed1]

There was a time when Ajantha Mendis was ripping apart batting lineups and Pakistan was playing him like a school boy and now we are getting scared of 17 year old Zampa

 

[Rayyman]

There was a time when Ajantha Mendis was ripping apart batting lineups and Pakistan was playing him like a school boy and now we are getting scared of 17 year old Zampa

Zampa has been dropped already. He is playing in BBL now.

 

[Syed1]

Zampa has been dropped already. He is playing in BBL now.

Last I heard was they are resting Starc for the 3rd ODI and Zampa is going to play it

 

[Rayyman]

Last I heard was they are resting Starc for the 3rd ODI and Zampa is going to play it

http://live.cricket.com.au/#/1876/40461

 

[Syed1]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/usa/engine/match/1023635.html

Yes so he is being released by his BBL team for the ODI match that is supposed to be held on the 19th. http://zeenews.india.com/cricket/au...tchell-marsh-in-aussie-odi-squad_1967850.html

 

[Adnan_Ilyas]

This might be a weak Australian side but it's also the worst Pakistan ODI side in recent memory. From the next game we'll see Hafeez and Malik fail as per usual and it'll be back to business for the Australians.

Thr weakest team? The ones that beat Australia after 12 years? I dont think so bro. Our ODI team is looking brilliant

 

[KhalidRafi]

His rest was on the Cards, I was surprise he played yesterday...They have Cummins, HW, in Perth the new 6'10" could be handful, even Bird can give us headache...Real Question is: Are they going to give our spinners that much leverage to control middle overs?? - Which is their weak point and our strength

Spin advantage is rarely in play at Perth, so winning their would be harder for us...

They are probably going to play Zampa in place of Starc and Smith could use both Head and Maxwell. So I think it's very possible that it could be another dry wicket