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[VIDEOS] Reversal (of sorts) of roles between Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq in ODIs?

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BunnyRabbit

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So till 2021, Imam would be the one who would take time to get settled in and then aggress (a little) once set. And Fakhar would be the one to provide quick starts.

Since last 2 years or so, there has been a change. Imam has been the one to start a little quicker while Fakhar using time to set in and then upping the ante.


Although I'd like Fakhar to do a little better but Imam has actually improved a lot. Seeing him striking around 100 has been some good improvement from him and bodes well for Pakistan future.

If anyone can, please put stats if they exist like that.
 
The biggest myth in Pakistani cricket perpetuated by Fakhar fans over the past 5 years has been that Fakhar is an ultra-aggressive player from the get-go. He is not. Even in T20s the guy starts out slowly and is usually only at 100 SR after 10-15 balls.

Fakhar has a higher ceiling than Imam of upping the ante once set but out of the blocks, Fakhar is not that great.
 
Odi powerplay since 2021:

Imam=
258 runs
346 balls faced
Sr:75
Overall sr in powerplays:68

Fakhar=
342 runs
457 balls faced
Sr:75
Overall sr in powerplays:82

Fakhar has definetly regressed while imam has improved but both aren't taking the initiative in the first 10 overs.
 
Rana said:
What a dumb thread

Fakhar reaches his 50 before Imam
Click to expand...

In the powerplay imam was comfortably ahead. But Fakhar has a greater ability to catch up. Point of the thread still stands
 
Fakhar is 33 years old. His hitting has gone down abit
 
MHN1293 said:
Odi powerplay since 2021:

Imam=
258 runs
346 balls faced
Sr:75
Overall sr in powerplays:68

Fakhar=
342 runs
457 balls faced
Sr:75
Overall sr in powerplays:82

Fakhar has definetly regressed while imam has improved but both aren't taking the initiative in the first 10 overs.
Click to expand...

If I am correct, Imam used to have a SR in powerplay around 60 before 2021 while Fakhar used to strike around 90.

Fakhar has regressed cause he's been analyzed very well by the opposition. Fakhar has also become a little circumscept towards the offside. He used to be a much better player on the off side especially against the pacers earlier on.
 
shariqnoor said:
The biggest myth in Pakistani cricket perpetuated by Fakhar fans over the past 5 years has been that Fakhar is an ultra-aggressive player from the get-go. He is not. Even in T20s the guy starts out slowly and is usually only at 100 SR after 10-15 balls.

Fakhar has a higher ceiling than Imam of upping the ante once set but out of the blocks, Fakhar is not that great.
Click to expand...

Fakhar isn't an ultra aggressive starter but has a good power game. He's been analyzed by the opposition well enough now.

We've had the revolving door of openers for over 20 years now. And Fakhar and Imam easily trump their predecessors. Probs that why.
 
If Fakhar is regressing I hope he carries on . That’s his 3rd hundred in his last 10 games . Lol
 
Whilst I agree that Fakhar does take his time but Fakhar is a clutch player.
 
Imam has improved tremendously over the years. A rare sight these days when it comes to Pakistani batsmen. While we’ve been pinning our hopes on aggressors who fade away after a few series and regress (not all, but quite a few), he’s been quietly working on his game to get the most of out of his potential.
 
I think Fakhar said in an interview last year that he is doing this on purpose to give himself more time at the crease. In the end a set Fakhar will always make it up with his hitting ability against spin.

Good stuff.
 
Nothing wrong with Fakhar taking a bit of time . It’s a 50 over game .
He’s the only batsman Pakistan have had who averages 45 plus and has SR of 90 plus . He is clearly doing something right .

He can score big regardless. One of our best .
 
The 124-run stand between Imam and FZ in the 1st ODI

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Great coupling this between Fakhar and Imam

e7l14Sg.png
 
Prince of Pakistan said:
Had Pakistan played some more ODI's since 2019 they would have already broken Amir and Anwar's record.
Click to expand...

Amir Sohail for some reason is rated highly by Pakistani fans. He was boring to watch. He didn't even have the ability of taking the pressure off his partner like Kaluwitharana did who like Amir was much inferior to his partner (Jayasuria)
 
BunnyRabbit said:
Amir Sohail for some reason is rated highly by Pakistani fans. He was boring to watch. He didn't even have the ability of taking the pressure off his partner like Kaluwitharana did who like Amir was much inferior to his partner (Jayasuria)
Click to expand...

I guess he was lucky that that was the only partnership with Anwar that stuck. Anwar has had many opening partners.
 
Prince of Pakistan said:
I guess he was lucky that that was the only partnership with Anwar that stuck. Anwar has had many opening partners.
Click to expand...

And that wasn't because he was great but due to the fact that Pak was a strong team then. The only two openers after Saeed Anwar that actually had the potential to become successful were Saleem Elahi and Salman Butt. Butt turned out to be his worst enemy. Saleem Elahi well they tried hard to make him a successful test opener and he lost out in ODIs as well.
 
InshaAllah 200 by Fakhar now in one of the 3 Karachi ODI’s
 
Imam is vulnerable against the short ball.He should duck under short pitched deliveries.If he needs to take on short deliveries then he should practice in the nets with tennis balls.
 
BunnyRabbit said:
Amir Sohail for some reason is rated highly by Pakistani fans. He was boring to watch. He didn't even have the ability of taking the pressure off his partner like Kaluwitharana did who like Amir was much inferior to his partner (Jayasuria)
Click to expand...

Both Fakhar and Imam are comfortably better than Amir Sohail who was a very mediocre player lucky to be playing alongside Saeed Anwar and other superior players.

As soon as Afridi emerged as a power hitter in 97, he quickly lost his opening position. The only reason he played regularly was because there were no other options.

Fakhar and Imam are Pakistan’s best openers after Saeed Anwar and there is no doubt that the current top 3 is the most prolific top 3 Pakistan has ever had in ODI cricket.

People will downplay them because the pitches and the rules are in their favor and scoring in ODIs has become a lot easier, but in spite of these factors, they are way ahead of their predecessors.
 
Mamoon said:
Both Fakhar and Imam are comfortably better than Amir Sohail who was a very mediocre player lucky to be playing alongside Saeed Anwar and other superior players.

As soon as Afridi emerged as a power hitter in 97, he quickly lost his opening position. The only reason he played regularly was because there were no other options.

Fakhar and Imam are Pakistan’s best openers after Saeed Anwar and there is no doubt that the current top 3 is the most prolific top 3 Pakistan has ever had in ODI cricket.

People will downplay them because the pitches and the rules are in their favor and scoring in ODIs has become a lot easier, but in spite of these factors, they are way ahead of their predecessors.
Click to expand...

Their predecessors didn’t get to play rubbish B teams on a regular basis.

Afridi would’ve averaged 40+ as an opener against the kind of bowling attacks we’ve faced since post CT17.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
YousafTheBeast said:
Their predecessors didn’t get to play rubbish B teams on a regular basis.

Afridi would’ve averaged 40+ as an opener against the kind of bowling attacks we’ve faced since post CT17.
Click to expand...

Afridi was brilliant at number 6 and captain
 
YousafTheBeast said:
Their predecessors didn’t get to play rubbish B teams on a regular basis.

Afridi would’ve averaged 40+ as an opener against the kind of bowling attacks we’ve faced since post CT17.
Click to expand...

He wouldn’t because his batting was totally dependent on luck. He had no plan, no method. Just close your eyes and swing blindly.

This is why his average as an opener was poor against the minnow teams of his era as well like Bangladesh and Scotland.

He wouldn’t average beyond mid 20s as an opener in an era. You need to watch the ball and have a plan to average 40+ regardless of the level of bowling you’re facing.

Nonetheless, prime Afridi would have been an effective opener in T20Is. In between his trademark 0 (1), he would also provide blistering starts and set up big totals for his team.
 
Mamoon said:
He wouldn’t because his batting was totally dependent on luck. He had no plan, no method. Just close your eyes and swing blindly.

This is why his average as an opener was poor against the minnow teams of his era as well like Bangladesh and Scotland.

He wouldn’t average beyond mid 20s as an opener in an era. You need to watch the ball and have a plan to average 40+ regardless of the level of bowling you’re facing.

Nonetheless, prime Afridi would have been an effective opener in T20Is. In between his trademark 0 (1), he would also provide blistering starts and set up big totals for his team.
Click to expand...

I agree these two as a pair are arguably Pakistan’s best ever in ODI’s. Imam is technically sound and while Fakhar has his flaws, he is excellent at maximising his strengths and is strong mentally.

Afridi would have been hit or miss in ODI’s now, but he is the greatest of all time in T20’s, the format made for his play.
 
Mamoon said:
Both Fakhar and Imam are comfortably better than Amir Sohail who was a very mediocre player lucky to be playing alongside Saeed Anwar and other superior players.

As soon as Afridi emerged as a power hitter in 97, he quickly lost his opening position. The only reason he played regularly was because there were no other options.

Fakhar and Imam are Pakistan’s best openers after Saeed Anwar and there is no doubt that the current top 3 is the most prolific top 3 Pakistan has ever had in ODI cricket.

People will downplay them because the pitches and the rules are in their favor and scoring in ODIs has become a lot easier, but in spite of these factors, they are way ahead of their predecessors.
Click to expand...

I would agree. The current top 3 is the strongest Pakistan have ever had in ODIs.

The strongest middle order for Pak was Yousaf, Inzi, Ijaz/Younis, Razzaq, Malik, Moin.
 
shaz619 said:
I agree these two as a pair are arguably Pakistan’s best ever in ODI’s. Imam is technically sound and while Fakhar has his flaws, he is excellent at maximising his strengths and is strong mentally.

Afridi would have been hit or miss in ODI’s now, but he is the greatest of all time in T20’s, the format made for his play.
Click to expand...

Afridi wasn't molded well due to absence of proper guidance and the culture Pak cricket used to have. They probably just told him to either go from ball 1 or be totally slow for first 20 deliveries and then start slogging blindly. Won't say Afridi himself wasn't to blame either. He could have done much better as a batter at no.3 or 5.

Afridi was very underrated in test cricket as well. His 141 in Chennai is one of the best knocks by a Pakistani batter. He showed enough orthodox strokes and drives in tests during 2004-06.
 
Mamoon said:
Both Fakhar and Imam are comfortably better than Amir Sohail who was a very mediocre player lucky to be playing alongside Saeed Anwar and other superior players.

As soon as Afridi emerged as a power hitter in 97, he quickly lost his opening position. The only reason he played regularly was because there were no other options.

Fakhar and Imam are Pakistan’s best openers after Saeed Anwar and there is no doubt that the current top 3 is the most prolific top 3 Pakistan has ever had in ODI cricket.

People will downplay them because the pitches and the rules are in their favor and scoring in ODIs has become a lot easier, but in spite of these factors, they are way ahead of their predecessors.
Click to expand...

Not sure I am following here..

Amir Sohail was a decent player but Afridi did NOT emerge as an opening pinch hitter during Saeed Anwar days. He only started doing that during the Woolmer era from 2004-05 but reportedly hated opening..

After Aamir Sohail - we mainly used Saleem Elahi, Imran Nazir and Wajahatullah Wasti a openers until Imran Farhat and Salman Butt emerged in 2003/04.
 
shaz619 said:
I agree these two as a pair are arguably Pakistan’s best ever in ODI’s. Imam is technically sound and while Fakhar has his flaws, he is excellent at maximising his strengths and is strong mentally.

Afridi would have been hit or miss in ODI’s now, but he is the greatest of all time in T20’s, the format made for his play.
Click to expand...

BunnyRabbit said:
I would agree. The current top 3 is the strongest Pakistan have ever had in ODIs.

The strongest middle order for Pak was Yousaf, Inzi, Ijaz/Younis, Razzaq, Malik, Moin.
Click to expand...

See my post above - Afridi reportedly hated opening and was content to be a lower order hitter at 6, 7 or 8 for most of his career..
 
Not much news from Fakhar in recent times but has been in T20 leagues

uyz73ug.png
 
What your take on Imam's recent form?

He has been getting some good deliveries (Bumrah and Cummins) but he looked positive today for a change. Fakhar kept him off strike for a while and straight after that he got out. He has been the stability factor but due to his lack of form we have been suffering lately.
 
msb314 said:
See my post above - Afridi reportedly hated opening and was content to be a lower order hitter at 6, 7 or 8 for most of his career..
Click to expand...
And Younis Khan was correct in handing him more responsibility at no.3 in t20is in 2009. Afridi showed enough composure and resolve to show he could actually bat differently. Afridi's own hesitancy to not hone his batting played a big role in him never taking his batting to the next level.
 
Moiza said:
What your take on Imam's recent form?

He has been getting some good deliveries (Bumrah and Cummins) but he looked positive today for a change. Fakhar kept him off strike for a while and straight after that he got out. He has been the stability factor but due to his lack of form we have been suffering lately.
Click to expand...
Imam's been scratchy off late ever since he was "rested" for Shan. Had a poor Asia Cup. But hopefully he will play well in the wc and I would keep Fakhar his opening partner rather than Abdullah (in the first few matches atleast).
 
Imam's form is also a bit of a worry now for the team. Fakhar is nowhere near looking comfortable and Abdullah is not the one we can simply trust from day 1, he is still raw TBH. If imam couldn't find his feet soon then wait for the disaster to happen.
 
Despite getting out early again. Fakhar looked better today, those cuts and punches square point of the wicket were very well timed, he also did left a few good balls outside off stump well.

I wouldn't mind if he look to rotate the strike against spinners early on. Get an idea for the turn on the surface.

If he plays the first match, I think he will perform.
 
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