1) Undefeated in all 3 series formats, winning 2 of them.
1 down 2 to go
Updated: Not achieved
2) Same top 6 to be played in all 3 tests.
Achieved – continuity and stability in selection has been a feature of MUHs captaincy. It has been backed with consistency in on field performance and off field conduct
3) Graeme Swann to have a SR of above 100 whereas Ajmal has one below 80. Swann to have an average nearing 40 whereas Ajmal to have one below 32.
Ajmal to have 5 more wickets than Swann and out bowl him in terms of average and SR as well as the overall wicket tally.
Ajmal had 24 scalps in 3 tests – 6 innings
Swann had 13 scalps in 3 tests – 5 innings
4) Win at least 5 of the 10 internationals and lose only a maximum of 3.
Already won 3 now just need 2/7 more to achieve that
Not achieved
5) All the Pakistan batsmen from 3-5 to have an average in excess 45 from Pakistan during the course of the test series.
Azhar Ali achieved an average of above 50.
Younis and MUH had averages in the high 30s.
However, none of the opposition even had averages in the 30s!
6) Azhar Ali to face 750 deliveries in the 3 match test series and set the benchmark, preferably even spend more deliveries at the crease than Trott.
727 in 5 innings out of a potential 6 this was the highest BF quantity in the 3 match series
7) Misbah to face 450 deliveries in the 3 match test series in the 1st innings alone.
MUH got in the 300s with 2 dogged first innings half centuries in the first 2 innings he had
8) 3 centuries from Pakistan’s batsmen.
We had 2 centuries in the series and both came from the hosts in Younis Khan and Azhar Ali who made 127 and 157 in the 3rd innings of the 3rd test
9) Azhar Ali averaging higher than Trott
Azhar almost doubled Trott’s average and outperformed him at #3
10) Misbah averaging higher than Strauss and taking more catches than Strauss.
Misbah clearly won the battle of the captains in batting, but he didn’t get any catches coming his way during the series which is somewhat of a surprise
11) Having at least 4 Pakistan batsmen averaging in the best 7 from the 3 match test series.
They had 5 in the top 7 from their top 6 with Taufeeq missing out
12) A Pakistani batsman to play a 300 ball innings.
Azhar Ali’s 442 ball vigil in Dubai for the 3rd test 3rd innings
13) Hafeez going at under 3 and taking 4 wickets during the test series.
Hafeez claimed 5 wickets and went at under 3 RPO
14) Rehman going at under 3 and taking 9 in the tests.
Rehman went at well under 3 with 19 in the series
15) Leading overall tour wicket taker to be a Pakistani.
Saeed Ajmal with 39 wickets
16) 3 Pakistanis in the top 5 test series leading wicket takers.
The top 2 leading wicket takers were Ajmal and Rehman in the series, but Gul was the 6th leading wicket taker in the series and just missed out on the top 6 – nevertheless Ajmal and Rehman were both ahead by a long way and had 5 higher than the next best
17) Gul and Ajmal to have at least 25 wickets combined in the test series at an average of under 33 and an economy of well below 3.
They had 35 between them out of the 60 wickets which fell
18) To post at least 330 in all first innings and ensure the innings duration lasts longer than 130 over mark and even take that to above 155 and overall total of above 450 once in the test series.
338 257 99
19) 2 50s from the Pakistan openers as a bare minimum individually in the series combined and post above 50 for the 1st wicket the same amount of times as a minimum expectation.
We saw 2 50+ stands during the first 3 innings including a century stand
Both Hafeez and Taufeeq registered one half century
20) Misbah to score 4 50s and a valuable 35+ including an unbeaten one in the 10 internationals and average higher than Cook as well in the one day internationals. Not allowing Cook to pass more than 50 twice in the 4 ODIs whereas Misbah gets at least one if not two. Overall Misbah should be targeting above 500 runs aggregate in this tour in all 3 formats combined at an average in the 40s or higher.
7 LOIs to go
21) Avoid any controversies on Pakistan’s side.
Ajmal’s interview and bowling action was a talking point, but nothing major compared to what we have been used to for Pak – Eng series in the past
22) Only lose 1 wicket or less per session on 8 occasions which will be a sign of the batting continuing to click and the team’s hopes to be on track.
We did it 4 times
Azhar and Shafiq - test 2 day 3 3rd session (1 lost)
Azhar and Younis – test 3 day 2 2nd session (none lost)
Azhar and Younis – test 3 Day 2 3rd session (none lost)
Azhar and MUH – test 3 Day 3 1st session (1 lost)
Opposition did it once
Cook and Trott – test 2 day 2 2nd session (none lost)
23) Younis and Misbah to pile on over 100 for the 4th wicket if and when they get together in the tests or if not for the 3rd wicket in ODIs.
ODIs to follow where they will inevitably be at the crease at the same time at some point with time on their hands
24) Highest tour runs scorer and catcher to also be a Pakistani in all 3 formats combined.
On track
25) To bat more overs than England during the first innings in at least 2 tests and also win the first innings as a result 2 times. Overall to bat for at least 35-40 overs more than England in the first innings and show a level of endurance and resilient batting durability.
1st test – Pak had a lead of 146
2nd test – Eng had a lead of 70
3rd test – Eng had a lead of 42
26) Winning an ODI by 60 runs or 6 wickets. A really comprehensive show along the way.
Will happen for sure
27) 2 Pakistani MOMs in the test series and the MOTS to also be a Pakistani.
1st test – Saeed Ajmal DUBAI
2nd test – Abdur Rehman ABU DHBAI
3rd test – Azhar Ali DUBAI
MOTS – Saeed Ajmal
28) Ensure we do not go 1-0 down in either test or ODI or even T20s and overcome series LOI decider choking tag should the series go down to the wire which surely will happen in either the T20s or ODIs with it being a 4 match and 3 match series respectively.
Did not happen in the tests as the Greens went 1-0 up
29) A half century and a 40+ from numbers 7-11 in the test series. Lower order needs to show some depth and all roundedness.
Adnan Akmal notched up a vital half century in his 1st innings of the series so we saw a half century from numbers 7-11
30) A Pakistan bowler to take double figured ODI series wickets and really dominates proceedings and show why they are ranked so highly. Hafeez and Ajmal to take 12 between them in the 4 ODIs or more at an economy of under 4.5 and average of below 25.
10 wickets combined all belonging to Ajmal
31) Most productive tour partnerships to be Pakistanis in the test series. 3 in the top 5 aggregate if not better. Pakistan to continue their success in knitting together long, reliable, frustrating, composed and tiring partnerships even if the tempo is circumspect and old fashioned if you like during the process.
Highest was between Azhar and Younis in Dubai for the 3rd test 3rd innings for a 3rd wicket stand of over 200
32) Ajmal to take at least 15 wickets in the 3 tests.
60% higher than that
33) Overall the batsmen from 3-6 battling it out for overall 2100 deliveries combined or more in the test series and all spending valuable time in the middle.
1900 odd in 5 innings so effectively achieved
34) Remove the last 4 for a maximum of 120 or under consistently during the test series.
35) 3 batsmen from Pakistan to score over 300 in the test series and all batsmen to score at least 150 in the test series. To have 13 scores of 50 or above from Pakistan's batsmen.
No batsmen scored an aggregate of 300 in the series from either side
Barring Taufeeq all batsmen scored 150 or more in the series as an overall aggregate 9 batsmen scored 50 or more
Top Performers Prediction
PAKISTAN
Youngsters in Tests
Azhar + Junaid
Experienced names in Tests
Younis + Ajmal
Overall Key Batsmen: Younis Khan – the 127 was a masterpiece
Overall Key Bowler: Saeed Ajmal
Overall Key Fielder: Azhar Ali
MOTS: Azhar, Younis, Misbah, Ajmal
Azhar got a MOM
Ajmal got MOTS
ENGLAND
Youngsters in Tests
Cook and Bresnan (now Broad)
Experienced names in Tests
Trott and Swann
Overall Key Batsmen: Trott
Overall Key Bowler: Swann
Overall Key Fielder: Cook
MOTS: Trott, Bell, Swann, Prior
PAKISTAN
Youngsters in ODIs
Umar Akmal + 2nd opener depending on who is selected + Wahab Riaz
Experienced names in ODIs
Misbah + Hafeez + Gul
Overall Key Batsmen: Misbah ul Haq
Overall Key All Rounder: Mohammad Hafeez
Overall Key Bowler: Wahab Riaz
Overall Key Fielder: Younis Khan
MOTS: Mohammad Hafeez
ENGLAND
Youngsters in ODIs
Kieswetter and Finn
Experienced names in ODIs
Trott and KP
Overall Key Batsmen: KP
Overall Key Bowler: Swann
Overall Key All Rounder: Patel
Overall Key Fielder:
MOTS: KP
PAKISTAN
Youngsters in T20s
2nd opener (Awais Zia) + Aizaz Cheema
Experienced names in T20s
Misbah and Afridi
Overall Key Batsmen: The 2nd opener depending on who is selected
Overall Key All Rounder: Mohammad Hafeez
Overall Key Bowler: Saeed Ajmal
Overall Key Fielder: Misbah ul Haq
MOTS: Misbah-ul-Haq/Abdul Razzaq if utilised properly and fit
ENGLAND
Youngsters
Bairstow and Dernbach
Experienced Names
Morgan and Swann
Overall key Batter: Morgan
Overall Key All Rounder: Bopara
Overall Key Bowler: Jade Dernbach
MOTS: Morgan
Most catches: Younis and Misbah
Most runs: Misbah
Most wickets: Ajmal
Pakistan’s 5 most valuable players
Misbah
Ajmal
Hafeez
Younis
Gul
England’s 5 most valuable players
Cook
Trott
Swann
Anderson
KP
Outsiders who will shine will be Azhar Ali and Steve Finn:
Azhar Ali – leading run scorer in the test series with 2 vital knocks
Steven Finn – Tremlett was preferred in the 1st test as the 3rd seamer and England went in with 2 finger spinners for the next 2 tests – watch out for him in the ODIs as he was one of the bright spots in England’s ODI tour of India in October
Players who MAY struggle
Cook – 4 out of 6 times failed to get into double figures & apart from that made 94 and 49 when he did get into double figures
Morgan
Broad
Anderson
Taufeeq
Swann - least effective of the spinners on show
Rehman
Pakistan
England
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