Pakistan vs West Indies: Pre Series Build Up Thread

[Zainub]

Pakistan will shortly be touring the Caribean to play (as usual) just 2 tests and 3 one-day internationals. In total the tour will last just the 26 days. Here's the full schedule:

May

11-13 v Carib Beer XI, Antigua
15 Practice One-Day, Antigua
18 1st ODI, St. Vincent
21 2nd ODI, Gros Islet, St. Lucia
22 3rd ODI, Gros Islet, St. Lucia
26-30 1st Test,Barbados June

June
3-7 2nd Test Jamaica

Although the team performed well in India, a few questions still remain unanswered as far as the team composition is concerned. We still need to figure out the right opening combination. Shahid Afridi managed to pull his antics of in the flat wickets of the sub continent but is that gamble worth taking in the West Indies as well, especially in test side? And most of all, does Afridi fit into your test team playing outside the subcontinent when two spinners are usually not needed. Surely Arshad Khan also will now not be needed. And what of Taufeeq Umar? Should he be given another chance? The biggest question of all though surrounds the fast bowling reserves. If all reports are to beleived all of Shabbir , Shoaib and Umar Gul (I personally doubt this one) are fit and avialable (Shoaib Akhtar actually has beleive it or not played a few domestic games and bowled quiet well, picking up wickets). Question here is, with Rana Naved having performed so well in the one-day series, and Mohammad Sami not exactly having done too badly either, who should get the nod and who shouldn't?

PS: Of the 19 tests Pakistan have played on West Indian soil, we have managed to win just 3, drawing 7 and losing 9. In terms of series, we have never won on Caribean soil, the best result came when the 1987/88 series was drawn 1-1. In out last tour there in 1999/00, West Indies won 1-0 snatching a one wicket victory in 2nd test after the first test was drawn.

[Occasional Fan]

Not quite on subject, but does anyone else find it annoying that, with only a finite number of tests being played in the year, the ICC and national boards seem so able to give us huge deserts in the calendar with nothing going on followed by direct date clashes? The WI v Pakistan test matches are on exactly the same dates as those between England and Bangladesh.

[Zainub]

It is quite annoying OF. You're right. Teams seem to play whole bunch of matches in no time, and then go through these phases when they don't play for ages.

After this tour I don't think we'd be playing any more tests until December, when you guys will tour us. Now that's shocking.

[Paoli]

I have to agree with Zainub and Occasional Fan. It's quite stupid that we have all these bunched up series, and then a whole patch of nothing....Australia's 2005 schedule is probably better than most....

January- Last Test vs. Pakistan
February-March- 3 tests and 5 ODI's vs. New Zealand
June-September- Ashes 5 tests in England and 7 ODI's.
October-February 2006- 3 tests vs. South Africa, 3 tests vs. West Indies and Triangular ODI series vs. Sri Lanka and South Africa...

Not bad, but take a team like England....Finished their International commitments in August, (Not counting Champs Trophy) and then had a gap to December where they had 5 tests vs. South Africa, finished those in January, and don't have cricket until May, and then tour Pakistan and India???? later this year....Terrible

[Occasional Fan]

Notice for everyone:

I've put details of the Pakistan tour of West Indies into the site calendar. If you've not seen that feature, take a look (link at the top of this page): it allows you to receive a personal reminder of any event listed in it, and offers us a central location in which to store and publicise forthcoming matches and other events. Any member can post events to the calendar. Please also see my announcement regarding the calendar, which can be accessed from any WAT forum until the end of April.

[Shaka]

Like the Calendar feature OF, very useful.

As for the tour coming up, I would find a place for both Shoaib and Shabbir in the test squad, Rao can be retained for the ODI's. Afridi might be worth considering in the test team as well. I have a feeling that his bowling might prove quite tricky against the Windies. The wickets are quite dry there as well so I wouldn't write off his chances opening either. Personally though, I'd prefer him down the order with Hameed and Salman Butt opening.

Arshad Khan will probably be dropped from the squad but I think he would be quite useful. The Windies have a lot of left handers and with his control I think he could provide problems.

As for Umar Gul, Woolmer has said he won't be recovered fully until July so I would dismiss any rumours of an early return out of hand. Someone somewhere might have seen him in a net and put 2 and 2 together making 105. In any case, a fast bowling armoury of Shoaib, Shabbir, Rana and Sami is quite formidable IMO. Any 3 from that 4 would give some serious firepower.

[Zainub]

I tend to agree with most of that. I'm not rulling out the possibility of Afridi retaining his place in the side either, after all, it would be rather harsh do drop him after how he performaned in Banglore. But I'm not sure of what the final XI should be. I guess the tour matches will give us a good opportunity to explore the different options we've got.

[workkey]

i think arshad khan should not be waisted this time around with left handers in the w.indies side including hinds,gayle,lara and chanderpaul he can be very useful..

[Zainub]

Update:

Umar Gul 4 overs taking as many wickets in the 2020 Cup match involving Peshawar Panthers (who were clad in DEEP BILE YELLOW ) and Hyderabad Hawks yesterday, looked fit by the looks of things. Also, Shoaib Akhtar took a 5-24 in his four overs as the Rawalpindi Rams comprehensively beat the Quetter Bears by 96 runs. He was declared man-of-the match and later told reporters that he "felt great".

However the most exciting match of the day saw skipper Moin Khan hit 112 off just 59 balls {including 6 sixes, 3 of the of consecutive balls off off-spinner Salman Qadir, in the 14th over of the innings } as the Karachi Dolphins piled on 228 runs in their alloted 20 overs. In reply the Lahore Lions side that including current Pakistani internationals Yousuf Youhanna (who was skipper by the way) and Abdul Razzaq lost their first two wickets quickly at 31. However Razzaq hit a typical astonishing 45 off 20 balls with eight fours and one six and along with Nasir Jamshed (35 off 28 balls with three fours) steadied the innings by adding 72 runs. But after their departure, the remaining batsmen found the runs hard to come by giving the Dolphins a 17 run win. The match was witnissed at the Gadaffi Stadium by a sizeable crowd, and by the looks of things they really enjoyed themselves despite the quite annoying BRIGHT ORANGE () coloured kit of the home side. Dolphins looked far more sophistaced in the navy blue outfit.

In the only other match played yesterday the other Karachi side, namely the Zebras lost to the Multan Tigers as Leg-spinner Zeeshan Khan grabbed the first hat trick of the Twenty20 Cup. So quite an exciting day all in all, itwas only the first day of the tournament, but we already have a century, a five-for and a hatrick of both wickets and sixes. This surely has to be a first!. By the looks of things I'll be supporing the Dolphins, primarly because I'd rather support a team called the Dolphins then the Zebras, but coming to think of it I'd rather support neither. May be it's cause we will be further strengthed though by the return of Shahid Afridi, and that we seem to be one of few teams around in the competetion whose kits don't hurt my eyes.

[Paoli]

I must admit, I like the team nicknames...

BTW, Zainub, I'm sure teams like Pakistan International Airlines, Habib Bank Limited and the like would be interested in this...Have the PCB said anything regarding that?