What position should Haider Ali bat in ODIs?

[Saj]

We have seen him bat at the number 4 position on ODI debut but many feel that he should be batting higher.

What position do you feel Haider should bat in ODIs?

 

[shamaan]

If fakhar is playing then 3 if fakhar isnt then oppening t20s
If fakhar is playing then 4 if fakhar isnt then oppening odis

 

[Thunderbolt14]

Very difficult to say. One option is to try Fakhar at 4, with Haider opening alongside Imam.

But whatever it is, he shouldn’t be shuffled around too much. We have ruined many players like that.

 

[Hasan123]

In the top 3.

 

[TeymurBlake]

Me personally..... I'm not sure. He can be an attack opener or middle order batsman at No.5. Personally Rizwan shouldn't bat below No.4. Haider Ali may be good enough for open or No.5.

It also depends on the fact whoever comes in No.5. If its Abdullah Shafique, then maybe Haider Ali goes to open with Imam. If its someone like Haris Sohail then Haider Ali goes straight into No.5 for me ahead of Haris.

You basically need to see who are the other contenders in the opening slot and middle order slots. Fakhar Zaman and Haris Sohail should not be ahead of Haider Ali in the pecking order.

 

[MenInG]

Send him at number 3 - lets get some 'badtameezi' in place and put the fear of the Lord in the opening bowlers.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

Send him at number 3 - lets get some 'badtameezi' in place and put the fear of the Lord in the opening bowlers.

I actually like the number 3 position for Haider but is it wise to have your best bat Babar come in so late at 4?

 

[kingusama92]

Opener.

He can make teams pay during the power play and then you have Babar Azam coming in at 3.

Changing Babar's position isn't worth it cause he's among the best ODI batsmen in that spot. Plus, Babar isn't a big hitter, so putting him at #4 sort of exposes that weakness later in the innings.

Haider
Imam (sadly)
Babar

You can then start grooming someone for #4, perhaps Abdullah Shafique if he does well in List A cricket.

 

[taqi]

Open in ODI and 3 in T20 due to Babar opening in T20s

 

[Ahson8]

Opener.

He can make teams pay during the power play and then you have Babar Azam coming in at 3.

Changing Babar's position isn't worth it cause he's among the best ODI batsmen in that spot. Plus, Babar isn't a big hitter, so putting him at #4 sort of exposes that weakness later in the innings.

Haider
Imam (sadly)
Babar

You can then start grooming someone for #4, perhaps Abdullah Shafique if he does well in List A cricket.

I'm not sure about that, anyone can do well in the Powerplay, but Haider can add a completely new dynamic to the middle order.

 

[Markhor]

Pakistan are behind the times in white ball batting in so many aspects, but arguably none more so than our opening partnership.

Most teams have two attacking openers, i.e. Warner and Finch or Roy and Bairstow. They are encouraged to attack the PowerPlay and get 60-65 from the first ten overs. However Pakistan's mindset is to be 40-1 and save their aggression for the last ten overs !

Misbah epitomises this mindset by pairing Abid and Imam vs Zimbabwe.

So my preference is for Haider to open with Fakhar (or Zeeshan Malik). From the few innings I've seen of Haider, he is a bit airy fairy outside offstump, but that can be fixed. But he has the right attacking mindset.

And if they fail, you always have Babar, Haris (if fit) and Rizwan to rebuild the innings and accumulate. But you can't have a top 5 of similarly striking batsmen.

 

[aloo paratha]

He's an opener. #3 is okay for T20Is, but in ODIs he should open.

 

[MenInG]

Pakistan are behind the times in white ball batting in so many aspects, but arguably none more so than our opening partnership.

Most teams have two attacking openers, i.e. Warner and Finch or Roy and Bairstow. They are encouraged to attack the PowerPlay and get 60-65 from the first ten overs. However Pakistan's mindset is to be 40-1 and save their aggression for the last ten overs !

Misbah epitomises this mindset by pairing Abid and Imam vs Zimbabwe.

So my preference is for Haider to open with Fakhar (or Zeeshan Malik). From the few innings I've seen of Haider, he is a bit airy fairy outside offstump, but that can be fixed. But he has the right attacking mindset.

And if they fail, you always have Babar, Haris (if fit) and Rizwan to rebuild the innings and accumulate. But you can't have a top 5 of similarly striking batsmen.

Fakhar and Haider - not a bad option.

 

[Mirpur express]

Has to be an opener

 

[Titan24]

Ideally he should be opening or no 3 at max. He has come through the junior level playing most his cricket at those positions and even in domestic cricket including PSL he has mostly batted at those numbers.

Though with Babar at 3 and pretty tightly held opening slot by Imam and Fakhar will make it difficult to get regular chances there as of now unless someone isn’t available and he makes the most out of it.

 

[Saj]

Well Babar has the number 3 slot for himself so Haider won't grab that.

I'd like to see him open.

 

[msb314]

Send him at number 3 - lets get some 'badtameezi' in place and put the fear of the Lord in the opening bowlers.

Sorry sir but there is absolutely no justification to move Babar from the no. 3 spot..

My suggestion is to have him open with Imam and drop Fakhar and Abid.

 

[msb314]

Well Babar has the number 3 slot for himself so Haider won't grab that.

I'd like to see him open.

Agree - no reason whatsoever to move Babar from no. 3

 

[Kroll]

A top three of Haider, Fakhar and Babar could be gun and its definitely badtameez but just hope we're not putting all our eggs in one basket and weakening the middle order.

I'm not too convinced by Haris Sohail and Rizwan in the middle order.

 

[Finisher]

It's like asking Hales or Roy to bat at four

1 Imam/Fakhar
2 Haider
3 Babar
4 A.Shafiq
5 Haris/H.Talat
6 Danish Aziz/Khusdil

 

[shamaan]

Ideally he should be opening or no 3 at max. He has come through the junior level playing most his cricket at those positions and even in domestic cricket including PSL he has mostly batted at those numbers.

Though with Babar at 3 and pretty tightly held opening slot by Imam and Fakhar will make it difficult to get regular chances there as of now unless someone isn’t available and he makes the most out of it.

Psl he batted at 4 didnt u and bantom at 3 ?

 

[shamaan]

I dont mind Haider at 4 for a series or 2 it will give Pakistan batting flexibility and to be able to adapt to different situations he is an opener by trade thou

 

[Nasty Naz]

Open.

Enough of this 1990's playstyle Pakistan has stuck with. Use Fakhar and Haider to open the innings and start blasting oppositions from the start. Babar/Haris/Rizwan to make up 3-5 and Khushdil can finish the innings at 6.

Pakistan goal should be to consistently aim for 350 score nowadays. They get that, and I am pretty confident the bowlers will consistently defend it.

 

[cricketerB94]

I'd like to see the following team composition on current form:

Fakhar, Haider (Both are explosive openers and can utilize the powerplay very well. This will finally be a 21st century approach by team management)

Babar, Haris/Hafeez (on current form), Rizwan (All of these batsmen can rebuild at run a ball if the top order fails)

Iftikhar, Khushdil, Shadab (After his 5 wickets today, I think we can utilize Iftikhar as a proper second all rounder instead of Imad. Moreover, Khushdil and Haris/Hafeez can bowl some overs too. So the bowling is covered. In batting, they are the players who can push a 300 score to a 350 or even 400 score. I consider them the most reliable lower order hitters in Pakistan on current form)

3rd bowler, Shaheen, Rauf (I think Shaheen and Ruaf are settling well as the opening bowlers and I believe that they are right bowlers for this job. The third bowler can be Wahab on current form, or Amir if he gets himself sorted, or Musa, or Hasnain, or Naseem. There are a lot o options for that 3rd bowler spot and a lot of competition)

This should be the team composition that should be worked upon for the next 50-over world up in India. There are 8 proper batting options and 7 proper bowling options. 3 fast bowlers, 2 proper spinners (Shadab as leg spinner, Iftikhar as off spinner) and 2 part time spinners (Haris and Khushdil can bowl left arm orthodox). So I think everything is covered in this team composition. There is depth in batting and every type of variation in bowling.

 

[ahmadharis1]

Needs to open... Fakhar/Haider/Babar is the ideal ODI top 3 for Pakistan

 

[Rohan_97]

If 2023 WC is the end goal, Then Haider Ali is the opener in that tournament

 

[Colorblind Genius]

Lately I have felt a little sort of a tulla in his batting style. Doesn’t seem like to have a good solid foundation of a proper conventional batsman.
Perhaps good for T20 in the top order.
And probably should bat at 5 or 6 in ODIs

 

[naseem]

Opener though he can adjust at 3 or 4....but opening is ideal for him....t20s no.3.......tests.....4.....

 

[naseem]

Lately I have felt a little sort of a tulla in his batting style. Doesn’t seem like to have a good solid foundation of a proper conventional batsman.
Perhaps good for T20 in the top order.
And probably should bat at 5 or 6 in ODIs

Oh no no......this will make him another Umar Akmal or Maqsood who are pushed down the order

 

[Titan24]

Psl he batted at 4 didnt u and bantom at 3 ?

He played 1 down in majority of matches (I think around 7-8) while Kamran and Banton were opening the batting. Yes he did shuffle to 4 (When Baton bated at 3 for one innings) as well as no 5 (For one match against LQ where he scored 60 odd) but most of his innings were at no 3.

 

[shamaan]

He played 1 down in majority of matches (I think around 7-8) while Kamran and Banton were opening the batting. Yes he did shuffle to 4 (When Baton bated at 3 for one innings) as well as no 5 (For one match against LQ where he scored 60 odd) but most of his innings were at no 3.

Thankyou for the clarification

 

[Muhammad Saad]

Imam ul Haq
Fakhar Zaman
Babar Azam
Haider Ali
Abdullah Shafiq
Muhammad Rizwan

Just need to replace Fakhar with Zeshan Malik but I dont think it will be much of difference , both are just not good enough , we need to find an aggressive opener who can deal with the swinging new ball as well.

 

[shamaan]

Haider should have batted in the super over.