Pakistan cricket for beginners

[The Phantom Ram]

Obviously England will soon be touring Pakistan and as someone who has recently refound his love of cricket I would be the first to admit that my knowledge of Pakistani cricket is sketchy. Can people help me by using this thread to tell me about the test grounds in Pakistan, your current squad information, recent form, history and top all time players. I'd love to learn and will probably ask more questions as the thread goes on.

Cheers in anticipation.
(I will also start a similar thread in the India forum)

[Paul31]

I hope people reply to this thread; I am exactly in the same boat as the OP.

[Orchid]

Just to start off the discussions, here are some of the Pakistani players who are likely to feature in the Pakistani side and are/were playing some county cricket this season:

Younis Khan: He was with Nottinghamshire for a short stint. The vice-captain of the Test team and usually bats at number 3. However, during his short county stint he did more as a bowler.

Danish Kaneria: Plays for Essex.Currently the only definite spinner for the Test side.

Shoaib Akhtar: Representing Worcestershire.If he is fit and other things work out, he will form the main attack together with Danish.

Naved-ul-Hasan: He is having a wonderful run with Sussex, however, for the national team, he most definitely will feature in the One Day side, not too sure about the Test team though.

Azhar Mahmood: Plays for Surrey. He just may have a slight chance of getting back into the National side, at least in the One dayers.

[Maranello]

Originally Posted by Orchid

Azhar Mahmood: Plays for Surrey. He just may have a slight chance of getting back into the National side, at least in the One dayers.

You wish

Good post Orchid, are these the only Pakistanis playing for counties this year? I thought there were more*, but anyway, I really don't think Azhar will play much even in ODIs, unless any of the other preferred all-rounders is injured (Malik, Razzaq, Afridi, even Rana Naved).



* There are some others who are not considered for the national side anymore, eg Mushtaq Ahmed (Sussex), M. Akram (?), etc

[The Phantom Ram]

Originally Posted by Maranello

You wish

There are some others who are not considered for the national side anymore, eg Mushtaq Ahmed (Sussex), M. Akram (?), etc

You must have some cracking spinners if Mushy can't get in, he has took bucket fulls of wickets this season.

[The Phantom Ram]

Originally Posted by Orchid

Just to start off the discussions,

Cheers for the start. Naved ul-Hasan has been a major success at Sussex.

[Orchid]

Originally Posted by Maranello

You wish

Nothing wrong with wishing, is there?

Originally Posted by Maranello

Good post Orchid, are these the only Pakistanis playing for counties this year?

Yes, there has to be more than that list, it was just what I could remember. Other than that, there is Saqlain Mushtaq too who maybe has a better chance of getting into the squad than Azhar Mahmood.

[Maranello]

Again, sorry to disappoint, but Saqlain would not be selected or even considered. Arshad Khan, as his selection for India and inclusion in the playing XI showed, is ahead in the pecking order.

TPR - not sure if we have cracking spinners or if Mushy is only good against average county batsmen now - he has not played regularly for Pakistan for a few years now, but in the meantime, has been a great success at Sussex every season.

[The Phantom Ram]

Originally Posted by Maranello

TPR - not sure if we have cracking spinners or if Mushy is only good against average county batsmen now - he has not played regularly for Pakistan for a few years now, but in the meantime, has been a great success at Sussex every season.

Has there been a falling out somewhere along the line? I know Mushtaq and Saqlain both look good in County Cricket every year (although Saqlain has been injured this year). They'd both walk into the England side.

[Maranello]

There have been minor issues, but nothig that prevents their selection now - if the selectors felt they were good enough, they would play - as it is, the selectors prefer Kaneria as the main leg-spinner. In the unlikely event that we play more than one proper spinner, they might consider have considered Saqlain had he been fit and playing cricket - as he has been out for a while, they might just go for youth.