First, I got to get my heat out on the Pak loss. Yea, it was a terrible loss and I had classes in the morning and stayed awake all night and cheered Pak and did a lot of prayers at the same time as well.. I love my Pakistani team and I am very hopeful that InshAllah they will bounce back and bounce back well to win the series as we got plenty of ammunition.
Pak lost, it's a reality that Dhoni took away the game from us. No doubt, that India really held their pigeons together. Guys, I believe we really weren't short in bowling dept. What we lacked was @least another 30 odd runs. Well, last time Pak almost chased Eng 327 and finished @ 289. Pak, obviously lost but that tells you the story that you got to have 300+ runs @ these wickets to really shake up the opposition.
Secondly, one thing that really irritated me, seriously was the shuffling up of the batting order. We had been doing really well from this Akmal/Butt combination, so it was really a rubbish idea to throw in Afridi to start the innings. Don't you agree?
Secondly, I think what Pak misses in the bowling dept is an express pacer such as Shoaib Akhtar or Sami. I am optimistic that at this time and point, Sami can deliver the goods as well as M. Asif.
Pak's batting, well, we recovered from a point of no recovery so really hats off to A.Razzaq and Shoaib Malik. What a handy cricketer he has been for Pak lately. A. Razzaq, mashAllah, he just took the game but alas, we couldn't capitalize in the end. Oh well, Multan has a for sure cliff hanger waiting for us and inshAllah Pak will overcome its shortcomings and blow off India in the rest of the series. Ameen...
Aright,
Umer579
I think Pakistan has great tallent, but they have made far too many tactical mistakes.
Start with the batting order - When you know that ball is swinging, why do you need to send make shift openers/pinch hitters early? Afterall, what are the RECOGNISED batsmen for? They are supposed to deal with seam/swing and take the shine away. I won't have sent Kamran and Afridi up the order. However, Shoib malik to me, is second only to Inzi as far as Pak batting is concerned. My batting order in this game would have been -
Butt
Akmal (make shift opener, I'm forced to send him as an opener)
Malik
Inzi
Younis
Yusuf
Afridi
Razzaq
.....
India made the same mistake. They saw that the ball was moving and yet sent Pathan at one-down. Why did they need to shield Dravid? Isn't he supposed to be one of the best when playing seam/swing?
Bowling -
Pakistan made a HUGE mistake by not bring on Razzaq early. Asif and Razzaq are the only two bowlers in this side who have troubled Tendulkar and Inzi nevery brought him on till the match was almost over for him.
I do believe that we will win the fourth ODI ... though i am not sure about the last one.
Regarding the batting order, I think Younis should open with Butt and save Akmal for down the order. I think Younis will play the new ball better than Akmal. YK has been a regular one down in Test and knows how to play the new ball. Pakistan just need to get through the first 15 overs without lossing too many wickets. I think if we open with Younis and Butt and if they can survive through the new ball (even if they play at a slow run rate), we will have Afridi, Akaml and Razzaq to accelerate the run rate at the end.
Lets just hope we perform well and win the series.
With Inzi's superstitious captaincy, we cannot win. It may very well go for 4-1... :(
Rana naveed needs to go... he gives too many runs. He is a huge risk. Yeah sure few yorkers here and there might get a wicket...
Salman needs to be dropped as well...two ducks in a row?
Bring back sami if shoaib is not available.... if we are going to give chance to others I think sami deserves another chance to prove himself. :-\
Don't experiement with batting order... Afridi is good when he comes late down the order. He is the one wicket we hate to lose early...
Inzi ki "koshish karain ghay" doesn't go that far. Bhai koshish ke sath sath demagh bhi chaheye koe strategy.
Lets just hope we perform well and win the series.
That is a pretty decent idea. Although I would actually think they would sort of re-shuffle the opening combination by sending Akmal/Afridi down in a more permanent slot, bringing Younis up the order is exactly what Imran Khan was gunning for as well. He mentioned these types of specialist batsmen (Younis, Yousuf, Inzamam) need to come up the order (the top four positions) and drop anchor, when necessary. Implementing the above solution might do the trick, although I am unsure of the "mental capabilities" of Inzamam.
With all due respect, Imran khan's comments are not making any sense frankly. He wants Younis to come at number three when he has scored heavily there (not in just three matches but last whole year).
I don't understand why people have given up on the old age formula of batting first and putting up a total. Loss in two games, and the panic button is hit instantly. Relax. Pakistan bats. Puts up above 300. Game to Pakistan. Simple. Really good post Faisal bhai.
as afridi is out,n they r 1 spinner short,i think they shud risk bringing in kaneria mayb just mayb he will take wickets b4 giving away too many runs.we hav enough batsmen,its abt time yousuf n inzi r back in form n inshallah if they do we will win the series
We need good umpires and Arshad Khan must play to take advantage of it. :)
Considering no change in Pak team for next 2 ODIs, the most important factor (to win against India) will be the performance of our gunners (Afridi, Razzaq, Akmal). With Afridi unsure for next ODI, ...
^ ditto. That was the Rana of old, now he has caught the Sami syndrome. Plus I think Gul can still be handful if he just works on his radar a bit better.
Well, yes, we do have enough batsman, infact. I believe the presence of Afridi in the field will not be a huge factor in this game, provided that our batting order clicks at the right time.
Some folks are shooting for another spinner (Danish, perhaps), while others are trying to bring back either bhatija Sami or one of the batsmen (Farhat, Iqbal) in the lineup.
I think in the present circumstances, formula that may lead to success lies in the following team keeping the same batting order:
Imran Farhat (As Salman Butt has failed to cope with any kind of swing)
Shoaib Malik (Praying that he continues his majestic form)
Mohd Yosuf (Hoping that God likes his new MUSLIM outlook and helps him)
Inzimam (Yes!!! Up the batting order to get more time to settle)
Yonis Khan (This is the kinda position where he has mostly played his best)
Kamran Akmal (He should be coming after 35th over so he can accelerate)
Razzak (Allowed to play his kind of stuff and smash it all around)
Rana Naveed (Despite his dismal show, should be trusted)
Mohd Sami (Pace is a Necessity and he provides it)
Umer Gul (Good showing during 3rd One day)
Mohd Asif (No justification required)
Now we ve got 5 full batsmen in the top 5 slots. 2 all rounders in akmal and razzak after them so 7 in all who can score. Pretty orthodox; but thats what i required. In the bowling department, we ve got one Pretty FAST one in Sami to open with Mr Consistant, M Asif. Asif has Umer Gul to continue the same kind of line length while naveed, razzak and shoaib malik can share the remaining 20 overs depending on the situation.
