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Will Azhar Ali and Mohammad Hafeez be dropped for the all important Champions Trophy semi-final?

Economic/ miserly bowling is always good as compared to bowlers like Wahab who conceded runs to release pressure on the opposition. Plus he's good against lefties.

A myth. So far Hafeez is the sixth most economical bowler this tour. Last time he bowled against England
in the UAE he couldnt buy a single wicket, LHB or RHB, in 4 matches. His career averag is 36. And in this
form he adds nothing with the bat which means he plays as a de facto specialist bowler. If you want to
contain Imad took 1-33 in 10 overs against England in Cardiff.
 
Here's to my first post on Pakpassion.

Some folks are suggesting:
1. Mohammad hafeez
2. Fakhar Zaman
3. Babar Azam
4. Sarfraz Ahmed
5. Shoaib Malik
6. Imad Wasim
7. Faheem Ashraf
8. Shadab Khan
9. Mohammed Aamer
10. Hasan Ali
11. Junaid Khan

Allow me to just disseminate my two cents worth. Even if Pakistan restrict England to somewhere between 270ish (approx) it would make little to no difference, the lineup above would fetch you around 220-230max (on a good day) the balance is all wrong, thus England will expertly exploit the glaring deficiencies; the match will surely be lost. The difference between winning and losing for Pakistan will NOT lie in the bowling facet, rather the batting.

So here is the remedy...

1) Sarfraz Ahmed (confidence)
2) Fakhar Zaman
3) Haris Sohail (must play)
4) Babar Azam
5) Shoaib Malik
6) Mohammad Hafeez
7) Fahim Ashraf (Finisher role)
8) Shahdab Khan
9) Mohammad Amir
10) Hasan Ali
11) Junaid Khan

Pakistan unequivocally CANNOT afford to play Azhar Ali, Imad Wasim and Mohammad Hafeez in the same squad- as it upsets the balance of the team. Imad is merely a bowler, Hafeez is next to useless up the order, but possesses the ability; more utility down the order and to steer the game home. He will definitely score more runs down the order.

It boiled down to Hafeez vs Imad, fighting for the same spot- since the batting will determine the winner, Hafeez is a no brainer out of the two. Haris is an accumulator of runs, he has to play. Thus far, all of the 'new' lads, have shown promise, with that being said, Haris could turn the whole game around with augmenting to the balance of the team. With the aforementioned team, Pakistan has a much greater chance of pulling off an upset.

Penny for your thoughts folks?

I dont see how Hafeez is superior Imad with the bat. Both look fragile to start with but Hafeez never gets
set. Imad had a tremendous England series last time around, with both bat and ball, batting in the slot
where he is needed, whereas Hafeez has never performed here in recent memory and never bats this low.
Dont see him smashing it to all parts any better than an Amir or Hassan Ali, ie a specialist bowler. Bowling
wise against England Imad also looks much sharper. If Shadab is included which I am course in favor of,
and no one else is available, I would actually rather play Shezzy at 6 rather than Hafeez. Open with Haris
or Babar who are the best players of swing or Sarfraz.
 
And for people backing Hafeez to open, what makes you think he would bat any differently as to how he's doing currently at 4? If anything, he will get out cheaply as he's a total dud against quality pace. Wood will eat him alive. ANYONE at this stage is a better option than Hafeez.

Couldn't agree more. If you need 12 runs off 7 balls let Hasan Ali open; 7 off 12 Junaid.
 
why not drop both? since when did hafeez ever score at SR 200,whether opening or otherwise?
is mohammed amir or hassan ali any less likely to take 23 off the first 12? is hafeez's current
form with the bat better than imads? and you don't think 1-33 of 10 overs, imad's figures against
england in cardiff last time, would be useful?

ENG has 3 lefti & they are their 3 batsmen in form now. The game Imad played last time was in September, when English wickets got lot drier at the end of season, therefore his darters were griping. In mid June, Poms might play him as a medium pacer on a very short straight boundary. Still, would have been in my team had he batted well, but looks like apart for JK, he is the worst batsman right now in the team.

I mentioned many times - Hafeez has far better ability to strike the ball than 26 (55). He is extremely selfish & every time when he goes to bat, he pretends to play the anchor role - basically he tries to justify numbers - a 75 of 91 balls is what he needs in a 300 par ground to sell his trait. Yesterday, he git out to a hilarious way - main reason for that out was his intention to play out the overs & get a personal score, otherwise you don't play such half-cooked shots.

But, he has God gifted timing, he can hit through the line on either feet & he can step down to loft spinners/medium pacers. Still, at this age, he is one of the better pullers in this team & his placements are decent, which should make him an excellent pinch hitter.

If I were in charge, I would have categorically ordered him to go Afridi from ball one or carry drinks. This guy is the biggest manipulator of the game - won't ever get away with me with his number game.
 
ENG has 3 lefti & they are their 3 batsmen in form now. The game Imad played last time was in September, when English wickets got lot drier at the end of season, therefore his darters were griping. In mid June, Poms might play him as a medium pacer on a very short straight boundary. Still, would have been in my team had he batted well, but looks like apart for JK, he is the worst batsman right now in the team.

I mentioned many times - Hafeez has far better ability to strike the ball than 26 (55). He is extremely selfish & every time when he goes to bat, he pretends to play the anchor role - basically he tries to justify numbers - a 75 of 91 balls is what he needs in a 300 par ground to sell his trait. Yesterday, he git out to a hilarious way - main reason for that out was his intention to play out the overs & get a personal score, otherwise you don't play such half-cooked shots.

But, he has God gifted timing, he can hit through the line on either feet & he can step down to loft spinners/medium pacers. Still, at this age, he is one of the better pullers in this team & his placements are decent, which should make him an excellent pinch hitter.

If I were in charge, I would have categorically ordered him to go Afridi from ball one or carry drinks. This guy is the biggest manipulator of the game - won't ever get away with me with his number game.

See my thread for reply. I am still astounded that you would put any faith in Hafeez, over Wasim, against England, with either bat or ball. I agree with you have Hafeez, at some point, had timing, and could play aggressively. But there is zip zilch evidence that he could do anything with the bat in the form he is now. What timing did you see? And if your goal is to dismiss England batsmen of any ilk LHB or RHB,, why would you go with Hafeez, who has not troubled batsmen from top sides in years, managing at best 1-2 wickets against Windies, over Wasim, who actually took the wickets of said left handed batsmen in their last encounter with him? You'd imagine Morgan would give him respect, at least, and play him cautiously, and containing is what Imad is there to do. Just baffling. South Africa, who were otherwise shellshocked in their game against us, took Hafeez for 5.10 an over. but could only manage 2.50 against Wasim. We gain nothing by keeping England to 5.10 per Hafeez over, with likely no wicket.
 
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Rumours going around that Imad may be dropped for Shadab. Again these rumours and should be taken with a pinch of salt.
 
I don't think Pakistan will drop either Azhar or Hafeez. The only change that seems likely to me is that Malik and Sarfaraz move one position higher to 4 and 5 respectively and Hafeez drops to #6.

I don't think Pakistan will play Shadab either considering the short straight boundaries and the predominantly left-handed England middle order.
 
I really do not understand why people are not ready to believe out the 15 players squad for ct hafeez and azhar are your best from the worst batters it would make pak batting more poorer if they drop them and bring shehzad or Haris sohail or replace them with any other bowler or all rounder sure there might be good players outside this squad but for now this is what Pak has and the only hing one can do is back them to play good which will be difficult
 
See my thread for reply. I am still astounded that you would put any faith in Hafeez, over Wasim, against England, with either bat or ball. I agree with you have Hafeez, at some point, had timing, and could play aggressively. But there is zip zilch evidence that he could do anything with the bat in the form he is now. What timing did you see? And if your goal is to dismiss England batsmen of any ilk LHB or RHB,, why would you go with Hafeez, who has not troubled batsmen from top sides in years, managing at best 1-2 wickets against Windies, over Wasim, who actually took the wickets of said left handed batsmen in their last encounter with him? You'd imagine Morgan would give him respect, at least, and play him cautiously, and containing is what Imad is there to do. Just baffling. South Africa, who were otherwise shellshocked in their game against us, took Hafeez for 5.10 an over. but could only manage 2.50 against Wasim. We gain nothing by keeping England to 5.10 per Hafeez over, with likely no wicket.

I didn't deny Imad's bowling potentials, but Fakhar can also roll arm,just in case, Haris as well. For Hafeez's replacements, I haven't seen Malik to be interested much. Imad is totally out of touch with bat is major concern.

It's not about what's the past record, rather I see it as a combination & MoHa as pinch hitter with his off-spin gives me better value for the risk.
 
ENG has 3 lefti & they are their 3 batsmen in form now. The game Imad played last time was in September, when English wickets got lot drier at the end of season, therefore his darters were griping. In mid June, Poms might play him as a medium pacer on a very short straight boundary. Still, would have been in my team had he batted well, but looks like apart for JK, he is the worst batsman right now in the team.

I mentioned many times - Hafeez has far better ability to strike the ball than 26 (55). He is extremely selfish & every time when he goes to bat, he pretends to play the anchor role - basically he tries to justify numbers - a 75 of 91 balls is what he needs in a 300 par ground to sell his trait. Yesterday, he git out to a hilarious way - main reason for that out was his intention to play out the overs & get a personal score, otherwise you don't play such half-cooked shots.

But, he has God gifted timing, he can hit through the line on either feet & he can step down to loft spinners/medium pacers. Still, at this age, he is one of the better pullers in this team & his placements are decent, which should make him an excellent pinch hitter.

If I were in charge, I would have categorically ordered him to go Afridi from ball one or carry drinks. This guy is the biggest manipulator of the game - won't ever get away with me with his number game.

I love when you talk about Hafeez. it's like you can see into his mind and motives. :)
 
I didn't deny Imad's bowling potentials, but Fakhar can also roll arm,just in case, Haris as well. For Hafeez's replacements, I haven't seen Malik to be interested much. Imad is totally out of touch with bat is major concern.

It's not about what's the past record, rather I see it as a combination & MoHa as pinch hitter with his off-spin gives me better value for the risk.

I certainly agree you are more interested in potentials than I am :). I am talking about what Imad has actually done, against the opposition we are playing, in the same grounds where he last played them, based on his current form with the ball. However Fakhar knows to turn his arm, it aint 2-20 in 8 overs against SA. You are projecting what Hafeez could do if he were not in the form that he is now, though he has never done it against England, with the ball, since 2006, if he were dropped down the order, and if could be convinced, against all historical precedent, that if he did not perform as desired he would be dropped. Why would Shehzad at 6 would not be a better inch hitting option than Hafeez?
 
Hafeez has been decent with the ball even after ban. However, he is still a chucker so that explains why.

Did I miss the news about Hafeez being reported for illegal bowling action again? (No hafeez fan but this seems unfair to him)
 
As per reports, neither of these two are getting dropped. Shadab would be playing in place of Fahim, most likely. Which is a wrong, wrong move. I'm okay with Azhar but Hafeez needed to go.
 
I'm not a fan of Hafeez and would take Azhar over him 99% of the time. However considering its England we need to maximize our spin options and for this reason Azhar should sit out for Shadab. 25 overs of quality spin can dent this solid English lineup
 
Unfortunately, neither have been dropped and will most definitely will be instrumental in the cause of Pakistan's defeat. I hope they perform because nothing comes over Pakistan winning but this is extremely disappointing from Mickey and Sarfraz.
 
I hope those who questioned why I wanted Hafeez to bowl plenty of overs today got their answer. As long as he's in the team, he needs to bowl. He is not as good as he was before remodeling his action, but he's still more than decent.
 
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