Australia v Pakistan: build-up

[rumman_abbasi]

In all probability, we will lose at Perth. There's no denying that fact. What we are here to discuss is
that incase of a miracle, what would be the possible composition of the side?

[Rachael]

There is one thing in favour of the Pakistan batting line up when they reach Australia: the batting conditions should be good. Sure, there will be bouce.. and perhaps a bit of swing... but it's going to be (first and foremost) a pitch prepared to the batsmen's liking.

Doesn't mean that the batting line up will thrive.. and I think you can take it for-granted that the Aussie bowlers will give lots of opportunities for self-destruction.. but at least the strokeplayers wil not be able to blame the uneven bouce or unplayable ball for getting out :-)

[haseebbutt007]

I welcom u rumman_abbasi in this cricket forum . but!!!!

Originally Posted by rumman_abbasi

In all probability, we will lose at Perth. There's no denying that fact. What we are here to discuss is
that incase of a miracle, what would be the possible composition of the side?

I dont agree with u at all . I is right that Australian Tour will be a very tough one but I think Pakistan will give a tough time to Australia . If India can beat Australia then why we can't ??????

Please don't lose ur hope and have some confidence on ur team .InshaAllah they will BEAT AUSTRALIA.

[haseebbutt007]

Originally Posted by adeel_r

Yes it was fearsome and the best 4-5 years ago but surely not now especially with the current crop of hmmm "chuckers" in the team.

adeel u r new on this forum we welcome u but!!!
don't use such language for our bowlers . If u r saying that Shoaib Akhtar is a chucker than I will say u r a new cricket follower . Because about couple of yeras earlier Shoaib Akhtar was cleared by ICC .
Can u give me a name of ny other Pakistani bowler who can take wicket with the same strike rate as Shoaib possess.

[Zainub]

Where (precisely where, please specify) do you think will such negative talk take us?

For so long, so very long, we have gone to Australia with that very mind set, and it hasn't for all the money in the world done us any good what so ever, for once can you actually BE BEHIND THE TEAM, and dare to BELEIVE in the fact THAT THEY CAN PLAY WELL, just don't think in terms of winning or losing, try telling your self 'Pakistan can play well, and they will' and I'm sure that will make you feel a great lot better about our chances.

Common!!

[Maranello]

Let's steer the conversation back to the topic.

Adeel and Rumman - your points are probably more suited to the Australia forum. Alternatively, there is a thread on the Pakistan forum specifically about Pakistan's prospects in Oz, which might be a more appropriate for this interesting discussion. let's keep this thread focused on players and selection, not on how the team will fare - it gets too confusing otherwise for simple souls like me!

In any case, if anyone wants to throw about baseless accusations, labelling the whole Pakistani attack as "chuckers" it would be polite to do so on the Men's Cricket forum.

Ok, back on topic: it seems Shabbir will not make the trip to Australia, latest Woolmer pontifications:

Originally Posted by Woolmer website

...but as it looks as though Shabbir will not make the Australian trip. His knee has not recovered he will no doubt be discussed.


It looks however that Shabbir Ahmed is still suffering from Bone bruising his cartledge has healed but the bone bruising will take longer than we had hoped.

This is a real blow to Pakistan as Shabbir, with his exceptional height, ability to get unusual bounce and movement was being touted as a key element of the team on the Aussie pitches. Who do they go for now? One option would simply be Shoaib, Sami and Razzaq.

[Zainub]

Good point you make about people taking there off topic comments to other forums.

The fitness update on Ahmed is really sad news, albiet that does give me hope of seeing Sami in the team ;-) That is a blow, because in Australia the last thing we needed was our first choice attack to be not available, anything but Akhtar-Ahmed-Razzaq (since you guys say Sami still is below Razzaq on that pecking order) would be a comprimise. What a shame. Australian conditions as you pointed out would have suited his type of bowling, he'll be missed. I'm hoping though he can keep the rehabitilation going in the right direction and try and target the one-day series for a come back. He'll be welcome in the team any time.

I'm just hoping we don't make the mistake of tagging him along right throught the test series if he's not 100% and/or doesn't have any realistic chance of participating in any of the tests. He would be better off resting at home, trying to get ready for the one-day series that begins on Jan 16. We should take a replacement for him though, just in case any one break down while we are on tour.

It would be nice if we could give some one else a chance in our warm up games. Having said that NZ lost to NSW in their warm up game so we can't be throwing out too weak a team for even the warm up game. We will be playing against Western Australia from the 9th to 12th of December. Before that we also have a one-day game against the Chairman's XI, at Lilac Hill, perhaps we can give a chance to some new face there.

And just in case anyone's interested, my local Urdu paper reported today, that Umar Gul will shortly be going to South Africa again to consult his doctor there and ask him if it is safe for him to begin training again in January. Also, Saqlain Mushtaq, who went under the knife to get rid of ulsers in his knee, is done with his operation, though he is now walking on crutches he hopes to be on his feet very soon. He is targetting a come back in Feburary.

[adeel_r]

The basic criteria of selection is whether a certain individual will perform in the given conditions or not.Taking all this into account rumman and i came to the conclusion that whatever team we select the odds are heavily stacked against us.The only point i made was that we dont seem to have the players to cope with the Perth wicket especially taking into account that for most of them it will be their first experience and if u dont put runs on the board it doesn't matter just how good ur bowling attack is.Apart from all the talk of being hopeful and believing in the team can any1 come up with a decent cricketing reason that the team will perform in the 1st Test?Everyone will agree that the 99 team was streets ahead then this one and yet they were thrashed by the same aussie team that will most probably line up at Perth.So are we to presume that all of a sudden they will rise the occasion,take the pressure and pass the test.I hope they do but they will have to do wat no pak team has ever done at Perth.Both Rumman and I selected a team inspite of our pessimism.All we are saying is to face reality and think logically while selecting a playing XI for the first test keeping in mind the team's inconsistency,the strength of the opposition,the conditions,our skipper's habit of being negative and stacking the team with all rounders.Razzaq was a much suited bowler to oz condition in 99 and yet he miserable failed in the test series.Are to give him another try?Specially now that Shabir wont be there.And if malik is to play at Perth will he do so as a specialist batsman???Won't that be grossly unfair to some1 like asim kamal who is a genuine batsman.

[Zainub]

In the series against Sri Lanka, both the test and ODIs, Shoaib Malik (despite not having scored a 100 like Younus Khan or Inzi or anyone else) looked by far, and I say, by far, the most in-form batsmen we have. He has done enough for me over the past 6 months to suggest that his batting alone is good enough to get him in the side, ahead of Asim Kamal, who I think desperately needs to improve on his fielding, its barely club level at this stage me thinks.

What I'm saying here is that your argument for playing Kamal instead of Malik stands thin ground on the basis that playing Malik would a)ensure a greater team balance b)the lower doesn't won't collapse c)you don't have a guy in the team who is absolute rabbit in the field d)you have in your team a batsman playing at 5/6 who can redily break partnerships and is a handy if not outstanding bowler

As for your other thoughts, I think you have taken a lot of things for granted, if you want to discuss Pakistan's chances, and comment on how you think we will perform, you should have a look at the following

Thread 1

Thread 2

Thread 3

[adeel_r]

Im assuming that for u abdul razzaq is an automatic selection.............if so that means that he and malik will be in the side.2 all rounders in a test side.that reminds me of the '99 series when both razzak and mehmood played in the first two test with disastrous consequences.Even the team management were forced to admit that this was a tactical blunder on their part.Looks like we will be committing the same mistake all over again.It may seem to everyone concerned that im harping on the same point over and over and over again but i believe that looking at the wicket :
1)You just cannot play 2 all rounders.
2)Either razzaq plays or malik.
Test cricket is for specialists.Name me one all rounder that australia has played over the last 5 years?
Asim Kamal might be a slow poke in the field but he has a much better chance of scoring runs against the oz attack than malik or razzaq.He is a specialist batsmen who has performed at no.6 against sa and ind and was one of the major reasons we beat india at lhr when he added 80+ with the tail.Malik no doubt is a talented cricketer infact so is razzaq but it is one thing performing on flat tracks of the sub continent and doing the same down under.What happened to malik during the champions trophy when the conditions where in favour of the bowlers.I'd much prefer see our specialists batters and bowlers have a go then bits and pieces cricketers because at test level thats wat these two really are.In one day they both are fine utility cricketers and are an asset to the side.And if form is everything then salman butt should open the innings alongside imran farhat instead of taufiq.Form is important but a good technique is priceless.