Performance Predictions of Batsmen Review Written In December

Pakistan

Mohammad Hafeez = 1 ton and 1 50

1 50

Taufeeq Umar = 0 50s

1 50

Azhar Ali = 3 50s and a 30 odd

2 50s

Younis Khan = 2 100s and 2 50s including 150+ score

1 100

Misbah ul Haq = 2 50s and 1 ton with no score of below 25 and an unbeaten stay along the way

2 50s

Asad Shafiq = 2 50s

1 50

Rest = 0 50s

1 50 Adnan Akmal


England

Andrew Strauss = 2 50s

1 50

Alastair Cook = 3 50s

1 50

Jonathan Trott = 1 100 and 3 50s

1 50

KP = 1 100 and 1 50

0 50s

Morgan = 0 50s

0 50s

Bell = 3 50s

0 50s

Prior = 1 100 and 2 50s

1 50

Rest = 2 50s

1 50 Broad

YK and Misbah Ideally Suited For 3 & 4

I much prefer to see YK and skipper batting at 3 and 4 in ODIs as opposed to #4 and #5.

Gives them greater time to build the innings and greater responsibility which they deserve and are capable of fulfilling consistently.

They are the most “complete” and “accomplished” batsmen in the side. They are the senior figures. They are dependable. They can carry the innings, bat for long periods of time, play a big knock & hold an end up. They are technically and temperamentally solid to cope with higher quality of bowling, deal with better conditions & handle stronger intensity with their well renowned successful reputations in the 5 day game. They are the workhorses and backbone of the team.

As they are both in the ODI set up they should be utilised to their maximum advantage and where they mean business. I am in the view, that they have been under utilised to some extent. YK had an alright World Cup in all fairness. He failed in Mohali and in some preliminary group fixtures against Canada and New Zealand; however he did start the campaign with an 80 odd against England in the warm up fixture follow by back to back 50s against Kenya and Sri Lanka as well as valuable hand in a low scoring win against Australia. Misbah on the other hand had a superb campaign in his first WC scoring 3 50s and a valuable 37 in 6 innings at an average of 50 which helped Pakistan reach the WC semis for the first time in the 21st century with his batting and vice captaincy presence playing a key underappreciated part to the team success. There were a lot of people calling for their departures in a bit of a knee jerk fashion following Mohali, nonetheless I was always in the view that Misbah should carry on until retirement in all formats with his hunger, proven credentials, captaincy, stabilising presence and stupendous run of form whereas I would not mind Younis if he is used properly to carry on, although I feel we could have coped without him. I firmly believe had Misbah been batting in the top 4 in the WC and others batted better around him his innings in Mohali would have been a match winning effort. His role and style is more suited for this role as opposed to having to do a rescue or re-establishing job continuously in the middle order.

If a proper genuine test class winner is brought into the shorter formats and is given a defined role and utilised in a favoured position there is little reason why they should not perform. The principles of cricket remain.

Let these old timers set a platform properly, set up a chase by seeing off the bowlers, coming to terms with the pitch and conditions, preserve wickets the good old Pakistan formula way by being solid, steady & watchful to start with & give themselves a chance to get set and really go hard & give them maximum opportunity to play the anchor sheet.

For example in a chase of 265. If these two get together at 50-2 after 12. They can at least take the game to 38 overs and be 170/2 after 38 and with both of them set and the BPP still available they will be on track rather than having to come to the wicket at 70/3 after 19 overs and get stuck. Your best players in top 4 are key. Alternatively batting first these two can take the innings up to 35 over mark at 160/2 & then challenge 270/280 scenario. Or when chasing under 200/220 they will be able to close the game down in no time by simply staying at the wicket & playing solid sensible cricket. There will inevitably be more gaps in the field due to the oppo being more attacking and therefore they can finish the job off with clinical purpose and efficiency.

Since Misbah has batted at 4 after the WC he had made scores of: 76*, 43*, 62* and 54. He is usually a productive player at the crease when it comes to the batting powerplay as well. A mixture of brutal force and intelligence.

Pakistan undefeated for 4 consecutive test series

Drastic progress and stability especially in the batting department and captaincy

In the last 11 test innings we have posted scores in excess of 340 on 6 occasions

We have a solid, dependable, settled, gritty, in form and determined batting line up. Really looks like a “proper” test line up who can spend extended periods of time at the wicket, make the bowlers toil and take the innings to at least 125 overs+. There is discipline and responsibility

Have vast depth in the batting: Rehman, Tanvir Ahmed, Wahab Riaz

Got a good slip cordon with YK, Misbah and Taufiq. How they were missed in England 2010.

Have not been bowled out looking to save a match on a day 5 pitch on 3 occasions

Have had victory margins of 180+ runs or at least 5 wickets on 3 occasions

Have had some quality spin bowling performances from the likes of Ajmal, Rehman, Hafeez

Posted Pakistan’s highest ever 4th innings total against South Africa

Pakistan’s test side are looking significantly stronger in comparison to a year or so ago

If we don’t lose against Sri Lanka and England that will be superb.

I am confident we won’t.

Continuity with openers. 7 tests without changing the opening combination. 4 series that is. Taufiq+Hafeez way to go.

I don’t look too much into the defeat in Guyana because no Pakistan player had played on Caribbean shores before in that test. YK was absent. The wicket was extremely challenging & we were always on the back foot having to chase in the 4th innings. During many junctions of the game we dominated. Had them 9 down for approximately 200 on day 1 and went into day 4 requiring 139 with 7 wickets in hand. The margin of defeat was narrow and we bounced back convincingly to square the series and thrash them in St Kits during some difficult batting conditions on the opening day and still claimed 20 wickets on historically one of the flattest wickets around.

Hopefully I would like to see Shafiq played ahead of Umar Akmal in the UAE.

Line Up Should Be:

1) Hafeez
2) Taufiq
3) Azhar
4) Younis
5) Misbah ©
6) Asad
7) Adnan (WK)
8) Rehman
9) Wahab
10) Ajmal
11) Cheema

Back Up: Umar Akmal, Tanvir Ahmed, Junaid Khan, Manzoor

Reply via PP: as mentioned previously, our batting strategy needs a serious overhaul and I am glad Waqar will no longer be around as the coach so hopefully we'll see more purposeful & fluent batting performances in test cricket rather than slow, lethargic ones...and I am referring to innings building ability of our line up...

our top 3 need to improve against spinners as our next 3 series will feature quite a few of them...

Me: I am not worried about the pace we score. 360 all out in 134 overs vs 224 all out in 63.4 as we have usually seen Pakistan over the years with all these flashy or attractive one day stroke makers in the line up who did not know how to put a price on their wicket and were involved in embarrassing dismissals without spending much time at the wicket. I know which one I’d prefer. Additionally, there will be many draws this winter so needles to get too far ahead. There will be scenarios in where only 3 or 4 wickets will fall in a day’s play so emphasis will be on defending and surviving. We might only get 1 result in a series of 3. That’s how Nasser sees it. At times you can’t afford to go too hard on a flat deck and lose your wickets. It opens up more time for the opposition to enforce a result. Seeing out play & taking up time is the way they will go and should go barring Hafeez who will play his shots regardless.

Team Misbah 1st Innings Record

248 95 overs

434 144 overs

367 121 overs

376 133 overs

160 65 overs

272 110 overs

466 156 overs

Average Score: 332

Average Innings Duration: 118 overs

RR: 2.8


Pre Misbah

258 (99 overs)

333 (97 overs)

301 (106 overs)

148 (41 overs)

258 (65 overs)

182 (54 overs)

72 (40 overs)

308 (100 overs)

74 (33 overs)

Average Score: 214

Average Innings Duration: 71 overs

RR: 3

Week Round Up

Waqar Younis hands in his resignation as national team coach citing family commitments and health issues as the reason for the decision. Decision accepted. Zimbabwe tour to be his last in charge.


Shoaib Malik receives the necessary clearance from the PCB integrity committee and therefore can resume his career with Pakistan.


Before we know it Shoaib Malik is back in the team for the LOI leg of the tour in Zimbabwe.


Pakistan will be leaving for Zimbabwe on the 25th.


The FL T20 finals day is this Saturday. Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq and Junaid Khan expected to be in action. Hampshire are defending champions. 9th time this event will be taking place.


NBP win the Cool and Cool Ramadan cricket tournament organised by former Pakistan WK Moin Khan in Karachi. Kamran Akmal is the winning team captain. Kamran also feels a foreign coach is the best step forward for Pakistan cricket team.


Ijaz Ahmed will be batting coach for the Zimbabwe tour. Inti is no longer manager. Aqib Javed is no longer bowling coach or team assistant either.


Younis Khan turns down LOI captaincy after being offered in order to reduce the workload off Misbah Ul Haq. Turns it down so he can concentrate on his batting and stay away from controversies. Misbah is named as Pakistan captain for the next 3 series coming up against Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and England respectively.


Rumours are that Ijaz Butt will be re-elected in October due to some change in constitution.


Domestic T20 tournament to be held again in September. Venue to be confirmed. Lahore, Pindi and Islamabad are likely possibilities as hosts.


A week is a longggggggg time in Pakistan Cricket World! A lot can happen. A lot can change.

Pakistan vs New Zealand 2011 ODI Series Ratings By Maaz

Pakistan's ODI Series Ratings

Ahmed Shehzad 8/10

Mohammad Hafeez 7/10

Kamran Akmal 4/10

Younis Khan 5/10

Misbah Ul Haq 9/10

Umar Akmal 6/10

Shahid Afridi 7/10

Abdul Razzaq 3/10

Wahab Riaz 9/10

Umar Gul 6/10

Shoaib Akhtar 3/10

Asad Shafiq 4/10

Abdur Rehman 3/10

Sohail Tanvir 3/10

1-0 Pakistan

The brief Test Series has concluded and it is the tourists who deservedly take the honours 1-0 after battling it out down and hard on the final day thanks to an invaluable 4th wicket stand between the experienced, authoritative and commanding Younis Khan and Misbah Ul Haq which ensured PK safety, stability and indeed sensation. A highly meaningful and long waited Test Series victory put 4 years and 3 months of hardships to bed.

The Tactics in the final session were debatable to an extent, however I strongly urge people not to take this with any concern or seriousness as the final outcome is what ultimately matters and it’s the greens that emerge as the final victors. It is better to be safe than sorry. A Pakistani win was least expected anyhow . A draw was the wanted outcome. A draw was we got. Moreover, we are not used to winning a series so we wanted to fully guarantee we were able to comfortably take the series honours as the wait had been a long, painful and miserable process rather than playing with risk and giving the opposition even the slightest of sniffs to get themselves back in the game and consequently level the series. It was an excellent effort which demonstrated great character, professionalism, responsibility, application, composure and gutsiness.


This current Test Team is a pleasure to watch. PCT are finally showing encouraging signs of becoming a “good” Test Unit. The batsmen are showing responsibility, determination, character, temperamental solidness and the bounty of consistency which makes them a respectable fighting professional outfit. The bowlers continue to discover new ways and new disciplines. I really rate this Test Match outfit personally. They have the ingredients to do wonders and I am proud to be following and supporting them. Test Cricket should be the long term priority and I prefer watching this line up then the ODI and T20 one by some distance. It’s a refreshing blend of top class characters and individuals, experienced and young who are stepping up on the responsibility ladder and stamping their authority in a controlled manner.

Misbah Ul Haq lifts the Series Trophy. He continues his magnifient form as skipper with a 6th consecutive half century. Pakistan remain undefeated under his leadership.


So far 2011 is proving to be a successful year. Long may this continue........?

On the 4th innings marvel that is YK and eternal whiners

The fact that Pakistan won their first test series in almost 4 and half years didn’t prevent some rather immature fans from whining about the result of the 2^nd test. The whiners complained that Pakistan teams approach to the target was gutless, tame, and what they called “phattu mentality” of the captain and coach robbed us from clean sweeping the miserable Kiwis.

Some of them would rather have Pakistan lose and draw the test series then to DRAW a test match from a winning position so shamelessly. The legacy of the cornered tigers they say has been disgraced by the utter nonchalance Misbah ul Haq displayed in the afternoon session chasing 274.

Maybe my fellow fans are forgetting that this is test match cricket and this team is still a work in progress. The team only has one world class batsman in the shape of Younis Khan (when he was on the crease the chase was still on) who can be expected to chase down totals in excess of 250 on a 5^th day wicket.  I didn’t expect them to chase down the total after we were in trouble at 43/3 and risked losing the match. Considering how much turn a part-timer like Mohammad Hafeez was getting on the 4^th day it was always going to be a challenge for the sometimes brittle Pakistani batting lineup to go for the win.

Image Courtesy: Marty Melville/Getty Images

Only 3 things are certain in life, taxes, death and a Pakistan batting collapse. Could the team think tank really risk losing a series, that too after 4 long years just to win one test match? Would you have done the same, considering that only a keeper who is playing his 4^th test match and the tailenders were left behind?

This is exactly what has been ailing Pakistan cricket for the past 4 years, the disability to look at the bigger picture, the incapacity to stick on the wicket and tough it out.

Younis - Pak Crickets hottest commodity

Sure we all want some entertainment out of it, but this is REAL TEST CRICKET. The still relatively inexperienced team cannot slog their way out to a win when they do not have the necessary experience to deal with a collapse. This is test cricket we are talking about folks, not a gulli danda T20 slog-fest.

To sum it up, I think Misbah ul Haq and his men made a brave choice when they gave more importance to a long awaited series win rather than a senseless chance at glory.

Speaking of Younis Khan, has Pakistan ever produced a batsman more capable of handling the pressure of the 4^th innings the way he does? Well the stats definitely say a big NO to that. The man is a class above everyone who is playing test cricket for Pakistan right now, a true winner.

The incomparable Khan from Mardan has been there more often than not when the team is in crisis. It was absolutely cruel of the PCB and his fellow players (who rebelled against his captaincy) to keep him out of the test side for almost 2 years.

Here are some amazing stats of Younis Khan in the 4^th Innings of a test match. Oh, and Cricinfo tells me that he is second only to The Great Don Bradman in 4^th innings batting average.

Younis Khan 4^th Innings Stats

Matches – 23 | Innings 21 | Not Out 6 | Runs 887 | Highest 131 | Average 59.13 | 100’s 4 | 50’s 4

Misbah's mysterious dismissals

Pakistan test captain (and if reports coming out from the PCB are accurate, their future ODI captain) Misbah-ul-Haq has already gained a cult status as Pakistan cricket's tragic icon with yet another out-of-the-world dismissal in the weirdest of circumstances.

After dragging Pakistan to safety with yet another gutsy, determined and well thought out innings Misbah was just one away from his 3^rd test century and his first after 3 years. Chris Martin, the likeable Kiwi fast-bowler was in no mood to let Misbah score the final run of his bowling and was persisting with a line outside of off-stump challenging Misbah to take the risk.

The nagging line tested Misbah’s patience but he eventually succumbed to the pressure and shuffled across to the off-stump to a delivery that was coming into the right-hander. Lo & behold in no time after he stuck on the pads the umpires finger went up and Misbah could only walk back to the pavilion with a wry smile on his face.

The reaction of his teammates who were all gathered on the boundary to applaud the captain’s innings, were even more ironic. Younis Khan (the ultimate teammate) covered his face in disbelief and quickly walked back to the dressing room whereas the coach Waqar Younis asked his son to go back before Misbah sauntered his way back to the ropes.

Of course Pakistani fans are no strangers to Misbah's heroic ways of getting out. Who can ever forget the infamous scoop shot which landed in Sreesanth’s hands in the final of the 2007 T20 WC, which handed arch-rivals India the trophy. The only thing that saved him from being a target of rotten tomatoes and jootis on his arrival back to Pakistan was his sizzling show in the tournament.

Here is another classic out-of-this-world Misbah dismissal with video, this time against India at Delhi in the 1^st test match. Here is CricInfo’s description of the weird run-out.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/235972.html

Misbah-ul-Haq - Delhi 2007
Batsmen are instructed to get in the way of the ball while running between the wickets; Misbah-ul-Haq made all the right moves before blowing a fuse at the last moment on the second day of the Delhi Test. Patting to point, he took off for a quick single and just needed to ground his bat at the non-striker's end when he chose to jump and evade the throw instead. Dinesh Karthik's effort from point found its way onto the stumps and Misbah was out when in mid-air.

Mohammad Yusuf’s omission signals the end of an era

PCB has left out experienced middle-order batsman Mohammad Yousuf from the ODI squad which is due to face New Zealand in a 6 match ODI starting later this month. Yousuf has been an integral part of the Pakistan’s middle order in Tests and ODIs ever since he made his debut as Yousuf Youhana in 1998. He is widely regarded as arguably the best batsman Pakistan has produced after Inzimam ul Haq. The omission has left his future looking bleak after he was named in the 30 man provisional squad for the World Cup.

The 36-year-old who has scored over 7500 test runs was left out of the test series against South Africa and New Zealand citing lack of fitness and form. Yousuf was keen to regain his touch but did not perform up to par in the few Quaid-e-Azam trophy matches he played. He later left for Bangladesh to play for the Mohammadens Club in the Premier Division Cricket League of the country.

He has been a vital cog in Pakistan’s ODI middle order and first came into prominence during the 1999 world cup in England where he was one of the star performers from Pakistan but missed the final against Australia (which Pakistan went onto lose) due to a hamstring injury.

Yousuf has an incredible record in the 50-over format of the game. He is the second highest averaging Asian in the one-day format after Sachin Tendulkar at 41.71. He has played a total of 288 one-day games and has scored 9720 runs with 15 hundreds and 64 half-centuries. His highest score of 141* came against Zimbabwe.

Yousuf - Will he bow out with dignity?

On Asian pitches he is a master of milking runs and keeping the run rate going in the middle overs and in a weak Pakistani batting line up he is one of the few who is able to play a long innings. With Younis Khan and now Misbah ul Haq in the team Yusuf’s chances of playing the upcoming world cup look bleak since the selectors will opt for young blood to balance out the squad.

Personally I believe that Yousuf should have gotten the nod over Misbah ul Haq because he is a much better accumulator than the test captain. He does not stall in the middle of the innings where keeping the flow of runs going is very important for a team to post a good total on the board.

Knowing the unpredictable nature of PCB you cannot rule out the possibility that Yousuf will be back for the world cup, but if he is selected it will be a very poor strategy by the selectors who will throw him into the biggest cricketing event after having kept him out of international cricket for so long.