Abdul Razzaq’s Exclusion-A Gift or A Curse?

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Abdul Razzaq, once to-be-great Pakistani all-rounder and then under-achieved-great-talent, is declared unfit to participate in Pakistani WC campaign. According to one post in gupshup, he injured his uncovered knee with a full-toss bowl in the net batting practice. I, more than often, believe in discernible sources. However, these rumors do spread and compel me to pay attention. Lets suppose that this happens, it will be very silly to bat with only one pad even in the practice. Pakistani team needs to be extra cautious in these matters after going through with all turmoils.
Abdul Razzaq has been a key ingredient in Pakistani ODI team whose exploits at the death are famous. He, along with Shahid Afridi, one of the strongest hitters in world cricket. However, His bowling has been on decline. He has been expensive and less wicket-threatening bowler lately. The alarming difference (12 more runs per wicket) is his wicket-taking ability. I think that Abdul Razzaq has been struggling with his fitness. There has to be something wrong with him. Otherwise, he is fine cricketer who is selfless as well as hard-worker.
MAT----Runs----HS----BatAv----100----50----W----BB----BowlAv----Econ----5w----
229----4449----112----30.06----2----22----245----6/35----31.04—4.68----3
30---- 505----75*----28.05----0----2----23----4/50----43.34----5.56----0

Bloggers are saying that Azhar Mahmood is better than Abdul Razzaq and it is a God’s Gift to Pakistani Team. I, strongly, disagree with all of them. Azhar Mahmood start as next Imran Khan and was splendid with a century and a half century in his test against strong SA team. But, soon he lost in PCB beaucratic files not with his poor form but with the emergence of better-bowler and better-batsman combo Abdul Razzaq. Both of them used to play once and featured in 1996 successful campaign. Subsequently, Azhar Mahmood was considered to be the liability and dropped altogether. His ODI record is not comparable with Abdul Razzaq. In the present, Azhar Mahmood is considered to be better run stopper than Abdul Razzaq. However, the overall record does not suggest this assumption.
MAT----Runs----HS----BatAv----100----50----W----BB----BowlAv----Econ----5w----
142----1519----67----18.30----0----3----123----6/18----38.04----4.63----3----

In the conclusion, Azhar Mahmood is a bad copy of Abdul Razzaq. With all talks of present Abdul Razzaq form, I can take Abdul Razzaq over Azhar Mahmood on any day. Abdul Razzaq is one of the better overseas bowler in West Indies and also the nice bowler cracker. With Abdul Razzaq exclusion, Pakistan will rely heavily on Shoaib Malik and Kamran Akmal to speed up the last few overs. I hope, it does not prove to be a curse to Pakistan.

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Re: Abdul Razzaq’s Exclusion-A Gift or A Curse?

I think timing is a curse. Wish Inzi and Woolmer were not blocking Yasir Arafat and Azhar way in the name of "avoiding extra pressure on Razzaq", in that case it would have been no problem replacing Razzaq with Yasir or Azhar, but at last minute, it may require some efforts for Azhar to be adjusted to the dressing room environment, especially when they knew that they only got into the team because Inzi and Bob favoirte man is not available. So it will cause extra pressure on all parties.

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Re: Abdul Razzaq’s Exclusion-A Gift or A Curse?

Curse, cure, curse. I really don't know how this can be called a "blessing in disguise". Small grounds, good batting wickets, last 10 overs; we will miss him when it comes to that.

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Re: Abdul Razzaq’s Exclusion-A Gift or A Curse?

I do not think that Inzamam and Woolmer has a prejudice against Azhar Mahmood. It is hard to imagine to replace Abdul Razzaq by Azhar Mahmood who is less capable bowler and less talented batsman. If you discount last year record of Abdul Razzaq, he has 30/30 average in bowling/batting which is pretty nice.

:D

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Re: Abdul Razzaq’s Exclusion-A Gift or A Curse?

We will miss Razzaq. Even if he is not performing as he used to, he has earned enough name to demoralize bowlers. :(

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Re: Abdul Razzaq’s Exclusion-A Gift or A Curse?

:grumpy: :grumpy: a definate curseeeeeeeeeee:grumpy: :grumpy:

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Re: Abdul Razzaq’s Exclusion-A Gift or A Curse?

Stop living in past. When you (Razzaq and Afridi) only fire in 1 out of 10 matches, no bowler in the world would care about your quick 16 runs.

~**~ Tussi Baray ----- Ho ~~~~ ~**~
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Re: Abdul Razzaq’s Exclusion-A Gift or A Curse?

Curse his hitting will be missed he is the cleanest striker of the cricket ball in the last 10 overs and now Azhar is replacing him oh no.

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Re: Abdul Razzaq’s Exclusion-A Gift or A Curse?

You might be right about Shahid Afridi.

However, Abdul Razzaq is one of the accomplished ODI all-rounder in cricket today. He has a average of about 30/30 in both bowling plus batting. In the last 30 matches, his average of batting is 28 (2 runs below his average). He is getting replaced by one whose career average is no way near to Abdul Razzaq. He did not live upto his promised future but still a fine cricketer.

~**~ Tussi Baray ----- Ho ~~~~ ~**~
~**~ Tussi Baray ----- Ho ~~~~ ~**~
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Re: Abdul Razzaq’s Exclusion-A Gift or A Curse?

Simply more badluck, Azhar and Akmal can imitate him but they dont have the range he provides in the scenario; "8 over to go...Can Pakistan cross 300, Razzaq in to bat"

Tough luck for Pakistan and lets hope now Pakistan coach and captain keep
Malik, Akmal, Azhar and Rana intact for lower order fire power. (2 games) then Afridi in, well good or bad?

French fries
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Re: Abdul Razzaq’s Exclusion-A Gift or A Curse?

I think Shahid Afridi should come after Malik or before him depends on the situation. Malik provides stability and long inning.:clown:

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Re: Abdul Razzaq’s Exclusion-A Gift or A Curse?

First decide yourself what you want to discuss. You asked for Razzaq, not his replacement. I never liked Mehmood, always looked ordinary since his debut. I don’t wanna go into that debate.

Razzaq is a good allrounder (from Pak’s recent standards), but as I said, ‘stop living in past’, the averages are spanned on his career. His recent form is terrible to say the least.

Its the game of cricket in 21st century. Human race has witnessed Steve Waugh, Inzi, Lee, McGrath, Gillisepe, Younis Khan, Sehwag, Pathan, Afridi and many more stars/super stars dropped from ODI and test in some cases.

Abdul Razzaq or Garry Sobers, out of form=out of team.

Having said that he had a better success chance in WI conditions and he will be missed for his one in 5 innings (better than Afridi huh?)200+ strike rate scores and some reverse swing at death overs, but frankly speaking, ask yourself, what are our chances without Akhtar and Asif, and out of form Inzi, and fragile/undependable openners and the worst fielding side of the top 8 teams. Ask yourself. Loosing Razzaq might look like a Super 8 stopper at this point. But it doesn’t matter if we see semi finals or not.

Its Woolmar and Inzi’s fault to not groom one or two younger allrounders from domestic. This breed has not gone extinct yet in Pakistan.

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Re: Abdul Razzaq’s Exclusion-A Gift or A Curse?

ek thread kam par raha thaa !

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Re: Abdul Razzaq’s Exclusion-A Gift or A Curse?

I think this would be considered "Allah Ki Marzi".
Whatever happens is for the best - is mein humari team ki behtari hai... InshaAllah.

Who knows, Azhar turns out to be Klusener from 1999 WC... Only Allah knows best.

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Re: Abdul Razzaq’s Exclusion-A Gift or A Curse?

Did Razzaq fail the drug test....that's what bloggers are saying :D

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Re: Abdul Razzaq’s Exclusion-A Gift or A Curse?

Razak will be missed for his explosive hitting; wondefull player to watch especially towards the end of innings.

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Re: Abdul Razzaq’s Exclusion-A Gift or A Curse?

I will miss his fielding especially his dive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Re: Abdul Razzaq’s Exclusion-A Gift or A Curse?

we got Kaneria to make-up for that :D

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Re: Abdul Razzaq’s Exclusion-A Gift or A Curse?


True but before Inzi has the luxury to put Kaneria on Long on and Razzaq on log off and himself in short cover. Which will encourage PAK poor bowlers to bowl on leg with a hope that the ball will be smashed to somewhere but away from these three.

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Re: Abdul Razzaq’s Exclusion-A Gift or A Curse?

Bari bypassed on decision to replace Razzaq
The decision to replace injured all-rounder Abdul Razzaq with Azhar Mahmood in the World Cup squad on Tuesday was made in haste and remains shrouded in mystery after it was revealed that the chairman national selection committee was bypassed, Dawn learnt on Wednesday.

Razzaq, after sustaining a knee injury on Monday, had his medical tests conducted the next day (Tuesday) but as the reports on the test were still awaited the same evening, Azhar was suddenly given the green signal to join the Cup squad as replacement at around 1.00pm.

What’s more surprising is the fact that chief selector Wasim Bari was on his way to Karachi from Dubai at the time when the replacement player’s name was announced.

According to PCB sources, Bari was to consult fellow selectors Iqbal Qasim and Ehtesham-ud-Din on the issue but the former captain was taken by surprise as he landed at Karachi airport in the afternoon since the replacement had already been made.

According to a PCB press release, "Razzaq sustained a knee injury during training camp and initial assessment of the injury revealed partial ligament tear and bone bruising. Razzaq’s knee was subsequently put in plaster for three weeks and it was decided that the injury would be reassessed after that.”

But while the PCB press release claims that Razzaq sustained the injury after a ball struck his knee during the training camp, a renowned medical expert on the condition of anonymity told Dawn that there was no way a ball could cause torn ligaments or bruising of bone and such kind of injury could result in a person falling on his full weight on a firm surface.

Dawn further learnt that the medical reports were not given to Razzaq at any stage.

Meanwhile, previous instances prove that it is not the first time when the selection committee has been bypassed in crucial decisions which highlights the fact that selectors are no more than mere puppets in the whole scenario.

Just recently, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf made the arbitrary decision of sending Shoaib Akhtar to South Africa last month without even bothering to consult Bari.

The chief selector was still in negotiations with Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer in South Africa to finalise a replacement for injured Umar Gul when the PCB chief, after having watched Shoaib bowling in a Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Silver League match against Abbottabad, announced there and then that he would go to South Africa.

As for Azhar Mahmood, his inclusion in World Cup squad was the best gift he could receive on his 32nd birthday which he celebrated on Wednesday.

In the last World Cup held in 2003, Azhar’s inclusion was also made only 15 minutes before the final squad was announced.
http://www.dawn.com/2007/03/01/spt1.htm

Can the PCB get anything right? Yet another example of incompetence of this organisation. :slight_smile: