So Afridi is back as the knight in shining armor of Pakistan late order batting.
What are the odds that the other doofus can make a come back and stake a permanent claim in our ODI side…namely one Imran Nazir?
The guy is obviously immensly talented. Hard hitting batsman, great fielder and a complete team man. But he had an Afridi like problem, where he wouldn’t use his brain cells and will go after every ball. Can his screws be tightened so he can play more responsibly to solve our top order batting woes?
I think before we try him, give Taufeeq couple of chances in the two VB finals ahead. That will tell where he stands with his current form. If he performs in Austrailia, he could again open against India with Salman in Tests as well as ODI.
I believe we need a sensible and patient opener to pair up with Salman, who can play fast or slow depending on the situation. As Salman is a little adventurous in nature, a similar partner will make a good combination. Specially against Irfan Pathan, as both Salman and Taufeeq are lefties, and Pathan's inswingers will not bother them much.
Probably the sharpest fielder in Pakistan today. His batting was never an issue as it depended on some exposure and good fortune which was pre-maturely snatched away from him. Deff deserves another chance,
I see Afridi as a bowler with some good veriations + a long handle master,
Imran Nazir should need to prove his improvements (if any) in domestic to make a come back. Afridi has improved a lot, its a whole new Afridi since his come back. He has silenced his critics (including me) with his performance and positive attitude. He wants to cement his place in the team and is really working hard to give the best of his in every win. Looks like he is complete insync with captain and coach's game plan. Also, that he has been given a role which he can do the best, unlike previous team management who destroyed his career by making him opener for so long despite of continous disappointments.
Imran had his fair share of chances, he blew them. Now he'll have to wait his turn. It would be senseless to throw in a new opener like Taufeeq in the middle of the series, especially in such a pressure final. He hasn't batted once out there, he can't be expected to score. If Pakistan were truly serious about giving him a run, he should have played atleast a couple of matches.
The reason Bob Woolmer stuck with Afridi and brought him back in the fold was because of his all-round abilities. I dont see that happenning for Imran Nazir when there are three competitive openers in Salman/Yasir/Taufeeq.
Personally I don't think Kamran Akmal is the solution. Its just a stop-gap tukka, chal giya tau chal giya. Salman is a decent bat, with some weaknesses. Hopefully he can get rid of those weaknesses through good quality coaching (and, frankly, you can't get better than Woolmer at this point). So the question is who should be the batting partner of Salman.
Taufeeq is there, but he literally sat out the entire VB tournament. The thorough professional that Woolmer is, makes me believe that he knows something that we don't. Which is that Taufeeq is not suitable for ODI's. If Taufeeq is suitable for Tests, he should be brought back and be the opening partner for Salman in Tests and tried out for year or two years.
Then we are left with a gap in our ODI team opening pair. Thats where we have to think creatively. Is Imran the answer? Maybe, but only if Imran has solved his mental problems.
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What were IMRAN NAZIR’s deficiencies? He was caught between the 2 worlds of Minadad/ Rashid/Moin khan experiments and all of them were so pre-occupied mentally with their own politics. That team interest were on the bottom shelve.
HASAN RAZA should be considered more lucky to have more chances than Imran Nazir who inspires his fielding from SA Jhonty Rhodes.
and proved his metal in Sharjah, that was perhaps the only exposure he had of international cricket, I would never consider them as being “Given a chance”
^ I dont think Inzi/Woolmer tried Kamran as a stop gap solution. They intend to make it a logn term one. But that means that Yasir who has had a successful stint batting as an opener in ODIs had to drop down the order. I think that Bob rates Yasir very highly and will push him up the order again once Kamran experiment fails consistently (I hope not).
Afridi is still doing what he was doing before in prior experiments (quick fire 20-30-50) but when a player comes as an "opener" all eyes are set on him to play longer innings. Afridi now comes down the order so nobody expects him to stay 10-15 overs, so no disappointments either. Besides his contribution to team is now mainly in "bowling" department, good fielding is added bonus.
Imran Nazir, what I've heard of him (not watched) is a good blaster but has same problems as Imran Farhat (shot selection) then it is of no use. Where would he be positioned in batting line up?
if he is not doing "brainless" slogging then do you mean he is doing "brainful" slogging? I disagree if that is the case otherwise he'd have produced better results.
You have to see how many balls he faces these days. Opposite of brainless is not brainful but ‘intelligent’ hitting :-p and this is what he is doing thse days. He will play ridiculous shots again but those will be less and less frequent.
Yep. This is my point exactly that Bob Woolmer brought him back because of his all-round abilities. Had he not produced consistent results with the ball, he was never gonna get picked.
Dont just consider VB series but his recall since Videoconcup. Secondly, only his 30 run dismissal in last oneday against Aussies was a bit brainless. Others were because either he was running out of overs or partners.
p.s maybe you can open anew thread here, this Afridi discussion is derailing the thread. I wouldnt mind if Afridi doesnt score, he is one of our primer bowlers in oneday format and whenever he scores its a great bonus for us.
Captain1 bhai afridi can't be transformed into Inzimam completely. All we here are saying is that he has improved with bat as compare to his last two years of outings. But he is in the team not for his batting, but for all rounder abilities, specially bowling and fielding. As far as batting is concerned, he has given the rite position to do what he does the best. SLOG :p and he has been very helpfull in the recent victories against India and Austrailia/WI.
