"With that pace, Naseem Shah could be a surprise package" : Misbah-ul-Haq

[MenInG]

Misbah speaking to media today

Obviously it’s always good to be in Australia because you enjoy cricket here but it’s a challenge for whichever team that comes to Australia, a bigger challenge represents you with a bigger opportunity; This is a young team with youngsters looking forward to a very good series

The conditions here are totally different compared to other parts of the world and you need to adjust to pace and bounce as batting unit and also when you are bowling

In Asian conditions your biggest strength are your spinners but you have to bowl slightly different here, even the lengths and lines are different for the pacers to bowl well here

The kind of talent we have and if we can be disciplined in all departments then we can produce good results

On Naseem Shah:

“He is bowling well in the 4-Day competition – good thing about him is that he is bowling well in all spells; he’s played three games and will be playing 4th one also – in all spells he is bowling quick and with good control

So we are looking forward to him bowling here where conditions will give him assistance in getting pace and bounce from these wickets

Everyone is excited in Pakistan about him and are waiting to see how he bowls in Australia

There is always a surprise package [in selecting someone like Naseem] but you really need to bowl well in Australian conditions – only pace is not going to favour you but the good thing about him is that he can bowl in good areas; In the U19 level he bowled really well with the new ball and the old ball too; He is doing that in FC also

We are looking forward that if he can put the ball in the right areas with that pace then he could be a surprise package

==

Pakistan’s unpredictability can be frightening for both Australia and us as well!

We want to use that unpredictability in a positive manner; We need to be consistent with our good performances

Shadab Khan was out of form and there have been limitations in the area of leg-spin; A few youngsters have come up in the season and UQ is one of them; he played the T20 tournament at home and did well as did a couple of youngsters as well; We chose Usman Qadir out of those as he has bit of experience of bowling in Australia and knows the conditions; With his height he gets bounce as well; bowls a good googly and flipper as well, and leg-spin

We needed to have a backup for Shadab, especially before the World Cup

All you can do for a batsman like Steve Smith who is batting so well is to get him out; Obviously its difficult to stop good players but the only way to stop them is get them out

Azhar Ali has already been captain before and he has experience and has played a lot of Test cricket ; Babar is new and there it will be important for me to pass on advice and the team needs to support him too and execute the plans; The other guys, especially in the bowling department have a lot of experience such as Imad Wasim, Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Irfan can all help Babar in setting the fields

It’s a new experience for Babar but this is how you learn; These challenges always help you

My advice to any captain is that whilst the performance of the team is important, but your role as a player in the side is most important; For both Babar and Azhar its important that they focus and concentrate on batting; You will learn with time and there is pressure on you but I feel that responsibility actually can improve your performances; I am hoping for that, and someone like Babar who is a good T20 batsman if he can perform well then that will help him in his batting too

 

[Flat_Track_Bully]

The only time this tag is used is when we are about to get beaten really badly. Mickey hated this tag, Misbah embraces it. Go figure.

 

[Danyaalr01]

Seems like Naseem will get the nod ahead of Musa, which is a good thing.

Misbah using this tag of unpredictability is the wrong thing to do. It's ok if other do it, but not anyone who is within the team or management. It's basically saying we will lose, if we win it will be a miracle. It's a defetists attitude. Misbah should ignore any questions about unpredictability., and shouldn't mention it himself.

 

[MenInG]

Pakistan coach Misbah-ul-Haq insists Australia's conditions could benefit rookie quick Naseem Shah if he becomes the youngest person to play a Test down under.

Shah has been named in Pakistan's squad for this summer's two-Test series, beginning next month at the Gabba.

If he is to play, he will become the ninth youngest player in Test history, and the first 16-year-old to feature in a Test on Australian soil.

But Misbah insisted throwing him into the challenge of Australia's renowned batter-friendly wickets could work in his favour.

"We are looking forward to him bowling in Australian conditions which will give him some assistance with pace and bounce," Misbah told reporters.

"Everyone is excited to get him in the team also and see how he bowls in Australia.

"It will help that he can bowl in good areas. He can bowl really well with the new and old ball. He is doing that in first-class already.

"We are looking forward to him putting the ball in the right areas at that pace, it could be a surprise packet."

The only player under the age of 18 to have played in Australia this century was Pakistani Mohammad Amir, who went at an average of 40.37 in that 2009/10 series.

Meanwhile Shah has played just five first-class matches since making his debut for Lahore last September, and has taken 17 wickets at 18.70.

He spoke on his selection about his desire to make use of the conditions at both the Gabba and Adelaide Oval - with the latter to be played as a day-night Test.

"I aim to make an impression with my speed and swing if given a chance in the Tests against Australia," Shah said.

"The conditions in Australia help fast bowlers. My aim is to make maximum use of the conditions and give a tough time to the home side.

"Playing on hard and bouncy pitches will be a great experience and a learning curve for me."

Pakistan begin their tour on Thursday with a Twenty20 match against a Cricket Australia XI, before a three-match T20 series against the hosts starting in Sydney on Sunday.

https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/6462411/pakistan-back-conditions-for-teenage-quick/?cs=4783

 

[Danyaalr01]

Pakistan coach Misbah-ul-Haq insists Australia's conditions could benefit rookie quick Naseem Shah if he becomes the youngest person to play a Test down under.[/url]

Actually Aaqib Javed was the youngest to play a test down under. He debuted a hundred days younger than Naseem in Wellington.

 

[Rinnegan Sasuke]

I absolutley hate this tag! It's a sugarcoated way of calling the team inconsistent. Equally frustrating is our team wearing it as a badge of honor.

 

[Danyaalr01]

I absolutley hate this tag! It's a sugarcoated way of calling the team inconsistent. Equally frustrating is our team wearing it as a badge of honor.

The last people to say this should be the coach and team members. It's the same as having a bad attitude. Your basically saying "we aren't going to win, if we do, it is down to our randomness and not our efforts."

 

[cricketjoshila]

Has this guy been clocked?

 

[Muhammad Saad]

Has this guy been clocked?

Yea 150k

 

[Muhammad Saad]

BTW whats Misbah smoking these days? A coach saying his team is unpredictable?

 

[cricketjoshila]

Yea 150k

Where?

 

[Muhammad Saad]

where?

nca

 

[Danyaalr01]

Has this guy been clocked?

Before his injury, Mudassar Nazar said he was quicker than Hasnain (can bowl 150+). But maybe back then Hasnain wasn't as quick. But he definitely can bowl 145kph, and considering he is only 16/17, that is rapid.

 

[Hawkeye]

I'm loving it.

No coach and selector in the last 1-2 decades in Pakistan has been this out-of-the box and aggressive.

Misbah taking all these youngsters to a tough tour is a good sign for us, and signals the dark Mickey Arthur era of Sarfraz, Malik, Hafeez etc. is over.

And there's no better mentor for all these youngsters than one of our fittest players and strategists Misbah.

All the best, even if you lose, you're taking our cricket forward!

 

[Danyaalr01]

Why doesn't Pakistan take any mentors to overseas tours or even home series. Australia had Ponting in the Ashes and Mike Hussey for this series. Pakistan should have gotten Wasim Akram to go and help out the young quicks. Wasim had a brilliant record in Australia, even better than many Aussie bowlers. He could have really helped, especially with Shaheen.

The other ex-cricketers are too toxic to be mentors. They all cry and complain and insult when they don't have anything to do.

 

[Mercurial]

I'm loving it.

No coach and selector in the last 1-2 decades in Pakistan has been this out-of-the box and aggressive.

Misbah taking all these youngsters to a tough tour is a good sign for us, and signals the dark Mickey Arthur era of Sarfraz, Malik, Hafeez etc. is over.

And there's no better mentor for all these youngsters than one of our fittest players and strategists Misbah.

All the best, even if you lose, you're taking our cricket forward!

You have become another Major, lol.

 

[Mercurial]

There is no official proof of his bowling speed. He looked 140 kph or below in the recently concluded National T20 cup. This hype regarding him is a big gamble. Fingers crossed.

 

[Hawkeye]

You have become another Major, lol.

I'm usually modest. But, these changes are significant, and to overpower the lobbies of Sarfraz, Malik, Hafeez.... is miraculous.

All the ex cricketers and media pundits are also going crazy over selecting a young squad. Debutants.

Deserving praise.

 

[ARK Rafay]

There is no official proof of his bowling speed. He looked 140 kph or below in the recently concluded National T20 cup. This hype regarding him is a big gamble. Fingers crossed.

He is quick for his age but I doubt he can bowl 140-145 kph consistently

 

[ARK Rafay]

Why doesn't Pakistan take any mentors to overseas tours or even home series. Australia had Ponting in the Ashes and Mike Hussey for this series. Pakistan should have gotten Wasim Akram to go and help out the young quicks. Wasim had a brilliant record in Australia, even better than many Aussie bowlers. He could have really helped, especially with Shaheen.

The other ex-cricketers are too toxic to be mentors. They all cry and complain and insult when they don't have anything to do.

Not sure what PCB thinks about this. But I don't think Wasim would've been selected as a mentor even if the system was place. Because there's already Waqar there as bowling coach.

 

[Xoib]

I think Pakistan is deliberately keeping Shaheen under the radar. Naseem might not even get a game .
I believe If Pakistan has to compete Babar and Shaheen needs to have a massive series.

 

[Pete Rose]

Conditions in Australia are flat with predictable pace and bounce. But mentally weak Pakistanis going to mentally weak Pakistani

 

[Theo_14]

Has this guy been clocked?

Nah. Ignore the PP’ers who say he has; they just tend to hype every other youngster.

He is decent prospect - however did not show any consistent level of display during Asia cup to be regarded as a wicket taking bowler.

He is way too raw and has been fast tracked very quickly to the side. Risky move but let’s see.

 

[MMHS]

Misbah shouldn’t put pressure on the kid, who is hyped beyond his level. I have seen him bowling recently and I don’t think he is faster than Amir, may be effort ball can reach 140K max., but 150K......

About a year back he played a U19 game against BD boys and I came to know from one of the boys that he is quick, but that was at U19 level, and even in that low scoring game, he was blasted all around the park. Must have improved from that level in past year, but the gap is still too wide to cover.

I still appreciate Misbah to take the risk and give the boy a break, but he has to do a tougher job in future - keep the boy safe. Almost certainly, if he is selected, Naseem is going to he hammered in Australia - nothing wrong in that, but Misbah must commit himself to protect him as aftermath.

Rest of the briefings are usual business, something I was missing for couple years before Arthur joined the band wagon.

 

[shah_1]

Misbah shouldn’t put pressure on the kid, who is hyped beyond his level. I have seen him bowling recently and I don’t think he is faster than Amir, may be effort ball can reach 140K max., but 150K......

About a year back he played a U19 game against BD boys and I came to know from one of the boys that he is quick, but that was at U19 level, and even in that low scoring game, he was blasted all around the park. Must have improved from that level in past year, but the gap is still too wide to cover.

I still appreciate Misbah to take the risk and give the boy a break, but he has to do a tougher job in future - keep the boy safe. Almost certainly, if he is selected, Naseem is going to he hammered in Australia - nothing wrong in that, but Misbah must commit himself to protect him as aftermath.

Rest of the briefings are usual business, something I was missing for couple years before Arthur joined the band wagon.

If that is his pace then what a letdown that will be. Amir is a trundler now

 

[Bewal Express]

Age is irrelevant when selecting a test team- if he is Good enough pick him, otherwise don't and play him in the A team. I have heard for nearly 40 years, future this, future that and mostly its an excuse because this future never arrives. Let's hope this lad is the real deal.

 

[Titan24]

Misbah shouldn’t put pressure on the kid, who is hyped beyond his level. I have seen him bowling recently and I don’t think he is faster than Amir, may be effort ball can reach 140K max., but 150K......

About a year back he played a U19 game against BD boys and I came to know from one of the boys that he is quick, but that was at U19 level, and even in that low scoring game, he was blasted all around the park. Must have improved from that level in past year, but the gap is still too wide to cover.

I still appreciate Misbah to take the risk and give the boy a break, but he has to do a tougher job in future - keep the boy safe. Almost certainly, if he is selected, Naseem is going to he hammered in Australia - nothing wrong in that, but Misbah must commit himself to protect him as aftermath.

Rest of the briefings are usual business, something I was missing for couple years before Arthur joined the band wagon.

Mudassar Nazar who is head of national cricket academy said that he is faster than Hasnain who himself has gone above 150kph few times. I think we will only know once he will bowl in Australia.

 

[Hawkeye]

Realistically speaking, these guys won't have that express pace. Definitely not going to maintain 142-145k.

So, we are playing some mind games here.

People should not expect miracles. The ultimate aim is to give these folks some exposure and experience.

 

[Danyaalr01]

It would be funny if Misbah hypes up his pace and gets in the Aussies mind he is express, then first ball Naseem bowls a nice slower ball and cleans up the batsman.

Naseem genuinely looks quick and was beating batsmen for pace in domestic. He also beat the SA U19 for pace every ball. He can defintely go beyond 140 kph. Not sure about 150kph though, since he did get injured and slightly changed his action early this year.

 

[MenInG]

The international season started with a couple of damp squib T20s, not because the Australian team haven't lived up to their shortest-form billing but because Sri Lanka came ashore with a rebuilt, youthful squad that failed to be competitive in foreign conditions.

Like most sub-continental teams, they struggled with the hard pitches and extra bounce. Similarly, Australia have difficulties adjusting to slow, low and turning surfaces when they head to Galle or Chennai. Those contrasts are a part of the beauty of the game but can lead to lopsided contests when touring teams don't get enough time to adjust.

Maybe a pointer to future Australian summers is an entree featuring a T20 series with three or four visiting teams. A two-week tournament with back-to-back games and a stirring finale that may galvanise the fans as well as the players. The fans have grown accustomed to the first Test, generally in mid-to-late November, being the time to turn serious attention to the big arenas and get their spending focused on tickets and merchandise. The crowds have been middling to poor at the T20s so far. Maybe fans are saving their hard earned for Pakistan.

Like Sri Lanka, Pakistan have opted for three T20s to start their tour. Perhaps that is a financial imperative as CA want to fill the airwaves with cricket as fully as possible and there is nothing wrong with that if the cricket is of high standard. Pakistan play on November 3, 5 and 8, then have some longer warm-up fixtures as they work toward the first Test on November 21 at The Gabba. They have slightly different squads for T20 and Tests, as you would expect, but the move of major note is the ruthlessness of new coach and selector Misbah Ul-Haq.

Long-term captain and wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed has been dropped for youngster Mohammed Rizwan. Likewise stalwart left-arm quick Wahab Riaz and opening batsmen Mohammed Hafeez haven't made the plane. Both of those players made their debuts back in 2008 when Misbah was just regaining his place in the team after the ill-fated 2007 World Cup when Pakistan didn't get out of the group stage. Immediately following that Caribbean campaign, when coach Bob Woolmer died, a new Pakistan Cricket Board made changes to selectors, players, leadership and coaching staff. I coached the team for 18 months from late 2007 to mid 2009.

Shoaib Malik was given the captaincy and Misbah, who had been spectacularly successful in all forms of the game in Pakistan domestic cricket, was brought back into the international fold. Soon thereafter Misbah was captain and rarely in Pakistan cricket history has the national team been so disciplined or consistent than under his baton.

Misbah's elevation in September to replace South African Mickey Arthur as head coach after another poor World Cup surprised many, coming as it did so soon after retirement as a player – not so much that his experience and knowledge wasn't of a superior level but that his coaching experience was next to zero.

One of the greatest traps for ex-players is that they think they can coach at first-class level, let alone international level, when they have no experience. Playing is a totally different kettle of fish to coaching, although those who have captained tend to be better, sooner. Misbah then took out the daily double by convincing the PCB that he should be chief selector as well, a feat comparable to convincing the federal government that they need a comprehensible Murray-Darling water plan.

Misbah brings a group with a mixture of youth and experience. His squad contains some competitive seam bowlers, from veteran Mohammed Abbas, who destroyed Australia on the grassless UAE pitches, to left-arm teen Shaheen Afridi, who will be key to challenging Australia's top order.

His T20 squad has Usman Qadir, the son of Pakistan leg-spinning legend Abdul, who died suddenly in September of a heart attack. Usman used to come to the National Cricket Academy in Lahore at age 14 and bowl to Misbah, Younus Khan, Mohammed Yousef, Hafeez and Malik over a decade ago. His father's wrist spin academy was a mere long hop away on the other side of the NCA boundary fence. He was something special even at that age.

Usman played club cricket in Sydney and then with Perth Scorchers and had expressed a desire to play for Australia, but perhaps his father's dying wish was for him to follow in his footsteps. Who could blame him for changing course? At this point the Test line-up has Yasir Shah as the main spin weapon, so Usman may have to wait. Maybe if he spins a web around Warner, Smith and co during the T20s he could get a call-up.

It will not be straightforward for Pakistan to acclimatise given the T20 introduction and then a couple of outings on the quicker Perth Stadium in the three-day match with Australia A (a virtual selection trial for some Australian batsmen) and two days on the WACA against a WA XI. Misbah's challenges will be many and varied on foreign soil.

As the tourists adapt to change, perhaps too the Australian fans will acclimatise to the new prelude to summer. After all, the Sheffield Shield has been swinging along nicely, the WBBL is nearly a month old and the domestic one-day Marsh Cup heads towards finals, but still the main course awaits.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricke...new-challenge-down-under-20191101-p536pm.html

 

[Xoib]

I hope Naseem is consistently 140-145 in test matches I believe that pace with movement and control is your ultimate test match pacer.