[VIDEO] What is Imam-ul-Haq doing in Pakistan's T20I team?

[srh]

Seriously is there no think tank in Pakistan cricket anymore? A guy who has trouble maintaining average strike rate in ODIs is also playing in format where strike rate is even more important.

 

[Ronaldo7]

Don't think he was going to play but hafeez and Shoaib not playing meant they didn't have enough replacements.

 

[Chokli]

He was one of the highest scorers of the PSL

 

[mak36]

It's a one off T20 ahead of an ODI series with a number of players unavailable for various reasons. You want them to fly another batsman out for this match?!

 

[j_kazmi]

He played well in the PSL so some would say it’s deserved.

Plus I don’t think it’s a bad idea regardless because he needs a bit of practise batting quickly so playing him today might be beneficial for him in the World Cup.

 

[coy0607]

Don't think he was going to play but hafeez and Shoaib not playing meant they didn't have enough replacements.

I think that's the case for both Harris and Imam

I would've gone with an extra bowler, or even Abid Ali.. seems like a waste to have 2 batsmen in the middle like those in a T20

 

[Hamad_H]

It was between Imam, Abid Ali, Yasir Shah and Mohammad Amir. 2 are bowlers and Abid did not even play PSL so Imam was obvious pick. They're not specially going to fly in a T20 specialist for one game as Malik and Hafeez are out. This will probably be Imam's first and last IT20 barring an incredible performance.

Funny how you have targeted Imam instead of Haris.

 

[coy0607]

It's a one off T20 ahead of an ODI series with a number of players unavailable for various reasons. You want them to fly another batsman out for this match?!

why not? What's another 10K-15K pounds to fly in and have another player around for a week or so.

this isn't gali moralla cricket, its an international cricket match being watched by tens of millions of people around the world

 

[mak36]

why not? What's another 10K-15K pounds to fly in and have another player around for a week or so.

this isn't gali moralla cricket, its an international cricket match being watched by tens of millions of people around the world

Calm down, it's a one off T20.

Not sure if you've heard but there's a World Cup around the corner. As such it seems sensible to give players selected for the World Cup game time in the conditions they'll be playing in...

 

[srh]

It's a one off T20 ahead of an ODI series with a number of players unavailable for various reasons. You want them to fly another batsman out for this match?!

no need to fly in anybody; Abid Ali was on bench and he is a better batsman than Imam in every way

 

[Saj]

If you want to watch how not to bat in T20Is - watch his innings today.

 

[iPakistani]

Second highest run scorer in PSL for a Pakistani. He warrants his place in the team.

 

[Mamoon]

Both him and Haris are not in the long-term plans as far as T20s are concerned. However, selecting T20 specialists for this one-off T20 was pointless.
.

 

[Hawkeye]

He deserves all the anger of Pak fans.

This automatic selection drama needs to end. Instead, it has now been extend to T20s.

If he plays one more T20, it's a certified nepotistic selection. Makes Farhat and Ahmed Shehzad look bad.

 

[Hasan123]

Pointless selections. Yall keep saying we care about our T20s and the whole world cares about T20 bilaterals but look at the team we have selected today.

 

[Mamoon]

People can be so impractical at times. They simply lack the intelligence and the perception to look at the bigger picture.

We are only playing a solitary T20 before the ODI series against England and the World Cup.

Why on earth would the selectors pick T20 specialists for this one-off T20, process their visas, buy their return tickets, arrange for their accommodation, give them allowance etc. just for one match?

 

[Hawkeye]

People can be so impractical at times. They simply lack the intelligence and the perception to look at the bigger picture.

We are only playing a solitary T20 before the ODI series against England and the World Cup.

Why on earth would the selectors pick T20 specialists for this one-off T20, process their visas, buy their return tickets, arrange for their accommodation, give them allowance etc. just for one match?

It's you who is missing the point and the bigger picture.

A much better T20 bat Abid Ali is already with the team.

 

[Mamoon]

It's you who is missing the point and the bigger picture.

A much better T20 bat Abid Ali is already with the team.

Again, this isn’t fantasy cricket. As much as people hate Imam, he is not going to be benched for Abid Ali, who is our reserve opener to provide cover for him and Fakhar.

There was no point in benching Imam now when he is going to play throughout the summer.

 

[Amjid Javed]

If you want to watch how not to bat in T20Is - watch his innings today.

Am sure Inzi was proud of his nephews effort today.

 

[Hawkeye]

If you want to watch how not to bat in T20Is - watch his innings today.

Not just today.

All his T20 innings have been a lesson for any young kid how NOT to play LOI cricket today.

 

[hadi123]

He won't be in the team again. This is a one off match and no point picking a specialist t20 squad just for one match when the main goal is to get practice for the ODI World Cup.

 

[pakistani pride]

Easily could have played Amir ahead of him. No need really for him.

 

[MenInG]

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Bit embarrassing.

 

[b.lesner]

he cost Pakistan the match

he scored 7 of 10 SR of 70 just not acceptable in t20 when even slow turtle like haris was striking over 140

what is more criminal is he wasted those 10 balls of power play.

it doesn't matter if he scores runs in odi, he was Preferred over 4-5 openners like Abid ali by chachu inzi

 

[Syed1]

Haven't seen a more shameless cricketer since the days of Imran Farhat. Wouldn't even make Pak A side in any format it it wasn't for chachu dearest. Before you bring his ODI average as an argument, let me remind you that he averages 33 at SR of 71 against Aus, Eng, NZ, Ind and SA. If you add SL to the list his average jumps by 5 runs to a whopping 38. Garbage gully mohallah player hogging a spot because of his corrupt chachu.

 

[Finisher]

Automatic selection

 

[moghul]

He won't be in the team again. This is a one off match and no point picking a specialist t20 squad just for one match when the main goal is to get practice for the ODI World Cup.

There is no better practice than winning a match. Pakistan should play every match on the tour to win, not to "practice". We already have played 5 ODIs in UAE for practice, result was embarrassing.

 

[moghul]

he cost Pakistan the match

he scored 7 of 10 SR of 70 just not acceptable in t20 when even slow turtle like haris was striking over 140

what is more criminal is he wasted those 10 balls of power play.

it doesn't matter if he scores runs in odi, he was Preferred over 4-5 openners like Abid ali by chachu inzi

But he is an " automatic selection".

 

[Hasan123]

Haven't seen a more shameless cricketer since the days of Imran Farhat. Wouldn't even make Pak A side in any format it it wasn't for chachu dearest. Before you bring his ODI average as an argument, let me remind you that he averages 33 at SR of 71 against Aus, Eng, NZ, Ind and SA. If you add SL to the list his average jumps by 5 runs to a whopping 38. Garbage gully mohallah player hogging a spot because of his corrupt chachu.

You support a player who promotes tail enders ahead of himself. At least Imam doesn't hide. )

 

[Abdullah719]

Why are people blaming Inzi for Imam being picked over Abid?

It's the team management's call, i.e. Arthur, Sarfaraz and co. They're both in the squad.

 

[Rana]

Again, this isn’t fantasy cricket. As much as people hate Imam, he is not going to be benched for Abid Ali, who is our reserve opener to provide cover for him and Fakhar.

There was no point in benching Imam now when he is going to play throughout the summer.

It’s quite insulting to say that Abid Ali is reserve opener to Imam ul Haq.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Out to a bouncer again? What a surprise. I remember having a long running debate with Mamoon in the other thread to forget the numbers, any guy who struggles against fast short bowling is going to get found out. I don't care what his average is.

I used Amir Sohail as the example of an opener who wasn't a particularly skilful batsman but no fast bowler would dare to bowl short at him or they'd end up in the stand. Imam ended up flat out on the deck against some NZ fast bowler who doesn't even get in their first side regularly.

 

[shariqnoor]

Big fan of Imam but there is no space for him in T20s. Wrong selection.

 

[mak36]

It's you who is missing the point and the bigger picture.

A much better T20 bat Abid Ali is already with the team.

I take it you haven't watched Abid bat in T20s...

 

[Ronaldo7]

Out to a bouncer again? What a surprise. I remember having a long running debate with Mamoon in the other thread to forget the numbers, any guy who struggles against fast short bowling is going to get found out. I don't care what his average is.

I used Amir Sohail as the example of an opener who wasn't a particularly skilful batsman but no fast bowler would dare to bowl short at him or they'd end up in the stand. Imam ended up flat out on the deck against some NZ fast bowler who doesn't even get in their first side regularly.

Ganguly couldn't play a bouncer for his life but still he had a pretty successful career.

 

[Hawkeye]

I take it you haven't watched Abid bat in T20s...

My 10 year old nephew can do better than Imam in T20s.

Point is, anyone is an upgrade over him, there's also another valid viewpoint that Amir should have been played, no extra batsman.


Playing Imam was not only bad for the team, but also agony, pain, anger for the fans. He doesn't deserve it.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Ganguly couldn't play a bouncer for his life but still he had a pretty successful career.

That's because he knew he couldn't play a bouncer.

 

[Zhasan]

Haven't seen a more shameless cricketer since the days of Imran Farhat. Wouldn't even make Pak A side in any format it it wasn't for chachu dearest. Before you bring his ODI average as an argument, let me remind you that he averages 33 at SR of 71 against Aus, Eng, NZ, Ind and SA. If you add SL to the list his average jumps by 5 runs to a whopping 38. Garbage gully mohallah player hogging a spot because of his corrupt chachu.

Farhat was Lara and Sobers rolled into one compared to this poster child of nepotism.

 

[Zhasan]

Ganguly couldn't play a bouncer for his life but still he had a pretty successful career.

Ganguly was skillful batsman against non-short variety of bowling and was at least able to negotiate the short stuff. Mr. automatic nepotism has no skills beyond club cricket batting.

 

[Zhasan]

And the shameless Inzi had the audacity to say Fawad Alam had no skills. Reason being he took a couple of set openers and moved them down the order thereby shutting the door on Fawad once and for all, but opened a slot for bhateeja at opening.

Bhateeja is by far the worst nepotism selection in Pakistan cricket history.

 

[Chokli]

Bhateeja is by far the worst nepotism selection in Pakistan cricket history.

One helluvan overstatement.

Junaid Zia was the worst nepotism selection after that it was Faisal Iqbal.

 

[giri26]

To be really frank, Pakistan are playing all these games with WC in mind. They will play players who have been selected in the WC squad in any game they will play. Imam will surely not feature in T20 WC next year.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

To be really frank, Pakistan are playing all these games with WC in mind. They will play players who have been selected in the WC squad in any game they will play. Imam will surely not feature in T20 WC next year.

Bouncer Boy will be targeted with short balls in the WC as well. He will need to learn to leave those alone if he wants to keep building his average. He needs to learn from Ganguly that if you don't have the reflexes or bravery to face the short ball, then just avoid it.

 

[Abdullah719]

Comparison of Imam and Abid's T20 records.

[table=class:grid][tr][td]Player[/td][td]Mat[/td][td]Inns[/td][td]Runs[/td][td]HS[/td][td]Ave[/td][td]BF[/td][td]SR[/td][td]50[/td][td]4s[/td][td]6s[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Imam-ul-Haq[/td][td]43[/td][td]40[/td][td]1201[/td][td]67[/td][td]35.32[/td][td]1013[/td][td]118.55[/td][td]12[/td][td]112[/td][td]18[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Abid Ali[/td][td]41[/td][td]37[/td][td]712[/td][td]62*[/td][td]21.57[/td][td]693[/td][td]102.74[/td][td]2[/td][td]69[/td][td]9[/td][/tr][/table]

 

[Ronaldo7]

Bouncer Boy will be targeted with short balls in the WC as well. He will need to learn to leave those alone if he wants to keep building his average. He needs to learn from Ganguly that if you don't have the reflexes or bravery to face the short ball, then just avoid it.

Just hope that he flops in his first 3 matches so Abid can be played in the last 2.

 

[b.lesner]

Comparison of Imam and Abid's T20 records.

[table=class:grid][tr][td]Player[/td][td]Mat[/td][td]Inns[/td][td]Runs[/td][td]HS[/td][td]Ave[/td][td]BF[/td][td]SR[/td][td]50[/td][td]4s[/td][td]6s[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Imam-ul-Haq[/td][td]43[/td][td]40[/td][td]1201[/td][td]67[/td][td]35.32[/td][td]1013[/td][td]118.55[/td][td]12[/td][td]112[/td][td]18[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Abid Ali[/td][td]41[/td][td]37[/td][td]712[/td][td]62*[/td][td]21.57[/td][td]693[/td][td]102.74[/td][td]2[/td][td]69[/td][td]9[/td][/tr][/table]

Most of these runs are in 18 team regional cup where he made runs against quetta and larkana type teams while abid played departmental t20 where there will only 8 deparmental teams he was hardly picked by lahore in t20 so moved to Islamabad

 

[Hawkeye]

[MENTION=133760]Abdullah719[/MENTION], not fair comparing a Fawad Alam-level strokemaker with someone who can actually play strokes.

Plus, Amir should've played ahead of both.

 

[MMHS]

One helluvan overstatement.

Junaid Zia was the worst nepotism selection after that it was Faisal Iqbal.

Could be, because he was the son of an active General during Martial Law and his dad happened to be the king maker in PCB.

BUT, not being fan of JZ, this one allegation against him I'll always defend - guy might not deserve a PAK Cap (in those days, can't say it now when your WC hope lies on fast bowling all-rounder Faheem Ashraf), but his domestic stats do suggest that he could have got the call on merit - won't have got the call without dad, but then, someone equally good (or bad), or even worse would have taken his place.

I believe JZ, made it to PAK squad in 2003-04 winter season (played few games against us when PAK was trying everybody, then was part of NZ tour, but not sure if he had played any game). Before/around that call-up, JZ had around 50 List A wickets at around 27 average and around 35 FC wickets averaging <25. And, I can honestly say that he wasn't much worse batsman than fast bowling all-rounder Faheem Ashraf, probably one of the fittest PAK cricketers ever and an honest trier.

Also, that NZ tour for which he was selected, I heard Amir Sohail giving explanation in some live commentary - he was by far the best PAK U19 pacer in 2002 U19 WC in NZ (I checked the data - 13 wickets at <12, better than Umer Gul). He could have kept playing for PAK at least for another 5 years as long as Gen. Mush was in charge, but guy at least had the shame to leave through back-door silently.

Coming to Faisal Iqbal, he is one of the most mercurial batting talents that I have seen from PAK since Anwar (Nazir & Umar comes to mind instantly, Babar as well), and he had every quality to make that Test career at least 4 times longer. In his first Test against Warne, what he did, that could have been a 2 hours extensive training material for almost every Pom batsmen in 1990s & 2000s barring GG & KP. He had every shots on book and he was a rare breed of PAK domestic wickets - a back-foot driver, and a brilliant user of feet against flighted spinners.

His only problem was that guy was extremely unfortunate to have an influential but morally corrupt uncle; who abused his power to avail his nephew several unworthy PAK Caps, instead of using his contacts to avail that nephew couple of years' of County stay, which could have seen another Pakistani batsman with close to 20K international runs (I am not joking - you know that). There could have been a 4th name in that famous PAK middle order of 2000s........ This is why education helps - Imran's cousins Mazid & Burki facilitated him to settle in UK, to admit into Royal Grammar School, Worcester ... then to Oxford ..... Faisal's Uncle availed him an opening position against Robert Mughabe's ZIM ......... both ended where they should deserve, as such.

Good luck to Imam, he is in WC squad and we should hope he performs for his team ...... but, if you could browse some posts from recent past (after famous SAF Test tour), you'll read me writing that before being dropped from Test squad, Imam will play T20I for PAK .......... that's because I have followed Ul Haq better than most here in PP - he is part of a cult that has no ethics, moral or judgement when it comes to own people.

Thanks, Ramadan Mubarraq.

 

[hadi123]

Lol at people saying Abid Ali should be selected over Imam-ul-Haq. None of them should be in the T20I squad but it's obvious why they were, but one of them didn't even play the PSL, and one of them was one of the top run getters. Imagine thinking Abid > Imam would have made a difference

 

[waleed88]

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Bit embarrassing.

Regardless of the numbers Imam has accumulated in ODIs, the guy still looks like a snowflake against aggressive fast bowling.

 

[The_Odd_One]

Match practice for the ODI series and world cup

 

[Zhasan]

One helluvan overstatement.

Junaid Zia was the worst nepotism selection after that it was Faisal Iqbal.

Junaid Zia played a couple of games and was duly dropped so no harm done.

Faisal Iqbal certainly had the potential according to no less an authority on cricket than Steven Waugh, who thought he could go far after Faisal took on Shane Warne on his debut, also scoring two fifties in the process. Plus he has a match winning century in tests.

Bhateeja has no talent, no game, no skills and pathetic record against top tiered teams. He will be the worst nepotism selection in Pakistan cricket history. The only candidate that could possibly come close to challenging him for the spot is Ramiz Raja.

 

[MMHS]

Junaid Zia played a couple of games and was duly dropped so no harm done.

Faisal Iqbal certainly had the potential according to no less an authority on cricket than Steven Waugh, who thought he could go far after Faisal took on Shane Warne on his debut, also scoring two fifties in the process. Plus he has a match winning century in tests.

Bhateeja has no talent, no game, no skills and pathetic record against top tiered teams. He will be the worst nepotism selection in Pakistan cricket history. The only candidate that could possibly come close to challenging him for the spot is Ramiz Raja.

May be in Test, BUT definitely not in ODI. For Test also, he had an excuse that those days teams used to keep same opening pair for Test & ODI. For example, Kris Srikkanth played close to 50 Tests as Indian opener with an average lower than Rambo Raza......... and Sunny Bhai played ODIs for 12 years and 3 more WCs after scoring 36* of 60 overs.................. Rambo's Tests stats are not inferior to some of the openers PAK is trying for long these days.

Rambo was as deserving an ODI opener as it comes - in fact one of the best in his time. He could prolong his career through contacts and because of the dirty team politics/off-field antics in 1990s, he being the cleanest guy around and highly educated, he was always a safer option for a middle man (read captain) for PCB, which availed him few extra ODIs for sure.

But, on the day of 25th Mar 1992, guy had 125+ ODIs at 35/65 sort of stats, which was comparable with the best for that era. His conversion rate was among best - 9 ODI hundreds, like 1 in every 20 innings - again among best of that era and his WC record is among best of openers, scored 3 hundreds as well (one being among the shittiest ones I had ever seen). And, remember these are from non Globalization days of cricket - not much free lunch to feast.

Guy played some real clutch innings - his MoM performance in Neheru Cup SF (In Final as well, he was instrumental for a brisk start chasing 278 in that era), his innings at WACA (1992), WC SF, his MoM 60 in B&H Mini WC 1985 against that WIN attack ...... he was teams top scorer in his first 2 innings. Imran backed him not because of his contacts (Bro Wasim), rather because Rambo didn't let him down under pressure. Rameez was never a nepotistic selection, but might have prolonged career a bit through back door.

 

[moghul]

Namibia and USA just got ODI status, we need a 7 match series with both countries to improve Bateeja's stats.

 

[Abdullah719]

Most of these runs are in 18 team regional cup where he made runs against quetta and larkana type teams while abid played departmental t20 where there will only 8 deparmental teams he was hardly picked by lahore in t20 so moved to Islamabad

OK but Imam made 350 runs in PSL 4 at an average of 28 and SR of 130. He has more fifties in PSL than Abid has in his whole T20 career.

If we're talking about their records then Imam is miles ahead. Abid has no T20 pedigree.

 

[topspin]

Junaid Zia played a couple of games and was duly dropped so no harm done.

Faisal Iqbal certainly had the potential according to no less an authority on cricket than Steven Waugh, who thought he could go far after Faisal took on Shane Warne on his debut, also scoring two fifties in the process. Plus he has a match winning century in tests.

Bhateeja has no talent, no game, no skills and pathetic record against top tiered teams. He will be the worst nepotism selection in Pakistan cricket history. The only candidate that could possibly come close to challenging him for the spot is Ramiz Raja.

Yeah his stats are poor, what's the story behind him getting fast tracked and cementing a place in the side?

If I had to take a guess it would be via Wasim Raja?

 

[topspin]

May be in Test, BUT definitely not in ODI. For Test also, he had an excuse that those days teams used to keep same opening pair for Test & ODI. For example, Kris Srikkanth played close to 50 Tests as Indian opener with an average lower than Rambo Raza......... and Sunny Bhai played ODIs for 12 years and 3 more WCs after scoring 36* of 60 overs.................. Rambo's Tests stats are not inferior to some of the openers PAK is trying for long these days.

Rambo was as deserving an ODI opener as it comes - in fact one of the best in his time. He could prolong his career through contacts and because of the dirty team politics/off-field antics in 1990s, he being the cleanest guy around and highly educated, he was always a safer option for a middle man (read captain) for PCB, which availed him few extra ODIs for sure.

But, on the day of 25th Mar 1992, guy had 125+ ODIs at 35/65 sort of stats, which was comparable with the best for that era. His conversion rate was among best - 9 ODI hundreds, like 1 in every 20 innings - again among best of that era and his WC record is among best of openers, scored 3 hundreds as well (one being among the shittiest ones I had ever seen). And, remember these are from non Globalization days of cricket - not much free lunch to feast.

Guy played some real clutch innings - his MoM performance in Neheru Cup SF (In Final as well, he was instrumental for a brisk start chasing 278 in that era), his innings at WACA (1992), WC SF, his MoM 60 in B&H Mini WC 1985 against that WIN attack ...... he was teams top scorer in his first 2 innings. Imran backed him not because of his contacts (Bro Wasim), rather because Rambo didn't let him down under pressure. Rameez was never a nepotistic selection, but might have prolonged career a bit through back door.

Why is his commentary and cricket insight so bad for someone who was supposedly a decent ODI player?

 

[MMHS]

Why is his commentary and cricket insight so bad for someone who was supposedly a decent ODI player?

Another Pakistani hardly played Cricket, but he could comment a bit, and British press used to publish his articles as well - Omer Quarishi.

The reason is you are comparing 2 different set of skills - playing cricket and presenting cricket. One is hardcore functional skill based job, other one is pure marketing job. As a commentator, you don't play the game, you present the game, just like a brand manager promotes his brand.

Ramiz is a poor as commentator not because he was poor or great cricketer, rather because he doesn't give enough time for developing/preparing himself for the job.

Long back, I went for a job interview to a guy you also know - some Nazmul Hassan Papon, the current BCB Chairman and the then CEO of Beximco Pharma; for a quite high profile position, for an young man starting career. He had quite a long chat with me on and off the job profile including cricket and was impressed enough to invite me at Gulshan MBA Club on his credit (That connection is still there, but I have left my past...) ......

But, he rejected my application politely before signing off that day -"I like you man, but I won't hire you - not because I am not impressed, but being an Electrical Engineer, MBA; Pharmaceuticals isn't your place - there'll be many MPharma, MBA from top institutions and they'll easily out do you as Business Planning Manager, because of their subject matter expertise ....... and I know a guy like you won't be happy with that - result, within a year or two, I'll have to go through this same process again..... find a Multinational Bank or Telecom, there are plenty of places for you...."

Obviously someone with 20+ years of International cricket behind as player can be a brilliant commi, if he can mix his experience & memories as cricketer with his commi career - that was Benaud, Chappelli, Tony, Lawry, Gavaskar.... now days Nasser, Clarke, Athers.... Rambo had the first box ticked, just not hard working enough for the next box.

 

[Zhasan]

Yeah his stats are poor, what's the story behind him getting fast tracked and cementing a place in the side?

If I had to take a guess it would be via Wasim Raja?

Their father was commissioner of Lahore.

 

[Saj]

Imam is going to get a lot of chin music on this tour.

Hope he's ready for it.

 

[FastBowlingAllrounder]

To be really frank, Pakistan are playing all these games with WC in mind. They will play players who have been selected in the WC squad in any game they will play. Imam will surely not feature in T20 WC next year.

Exactly. Got some time out in the middle in Eng against an actual International team with fans in the stands. That's all it was. Don't know what people are thinking, I thought we would be celebrating Haris' strike rate but welcome to Pakistan I guess...