Afridi in full flow can play some magnificent shots, and I have seen him play some world class shots, which have only been played by Richards.
(uh-oh, here comes and Asif and gang)
:k: he has potential lakin he just doesnt have that self control… to think b4 he chooses his shot
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by ehsan: *
He might have a proper range of shots but his performance to date is disappointing and he has a habit just like Afridi to get carried away and throw his wicket.
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Yes but at least he won't waste 10 overs of the game as the current opening pair have done in this series. dean Jones said if he was coming in at no 3 he'd rather do a repair job at 3-1 in over no 2 that 21-1 with 10 overs gone. It puts too much pressure on the lower order.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Mr Xtreme: *
Yes but at least he won't waste 10 overs of the game as the current opening pair have done in this series. dean Jones said if he was coming in at no 3 he'd rather do a repair job at 3-1 in over no 2 that 21-1 with 10 overs gone. It puts too much pressure on the lower order.
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Thing is he does not last 10 overs. He is gone within the first 5 and that adds pressure as well. We need a clean hitter but one who can stay, like Saeed. I am afraid Nazir is just not good enough.
ehsan everyone's entitled to their own opinion after all Umair still thinks Afridi is a good player despite failing even at county level. My view is that although Imran has his flaws, he's capable of hitting the best attacks all over the park and he has done it on more than one occasion to Australia. Not many bad players are capable of that. Although I'd like to see Salman Butt given a chance first, I think Nazir should have been in this squad. Imran Farhat should be considered as well.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Mr Xtreme: *
ehsan everyone's entitled to their own opinion .
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True and I am airing mine. Every one has a right to disagree with other peoples point of view. That is what BB's are all about.
Yes we aren't all going to agree on a player and there's good reasons for having doubts about Nazir, but IMO he has enough quality to be considered unless someone outstanding comes along and cements their place. Afridi I don't rate because he can never survive against a good fast bowler whereas Nazir has spanked the living daylights out of McGrath and Lee.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Mr Xtreme: *
Yes we aren't all going to agree on a player and there's good reasons for having doubts about Nazir, but IMO he has enough quality to be considered unless someone outstanding comes along and cements their place. Afridi I don't rate because he can never survive against a good fast bowler whereas Nazir has spanked the living daylights out of McGrath and Lee.
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No offense Mr X, but Imran Nazir wouldn't last a day against the likes of McGrath and Lee. His only OK performance was in 1st Onedayer in Super Challenge II. And that too was after being carried out of the ground of being injured and did some hitting in the end.
About Afridi, just like me, many other cricket pundits around the world thinks he has serious talents.
You just can't play 150 odd matches if you don't have any talent.
There obviously something there.
Its another thing if you are talking about his consistency.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by UMAIR316: *
No offense Mr X, but Imran Nazir wouldn't last a day against the likes of McGrath and Lee. His only OK performance was in 1st Onedayer in Super Challenge II. And that too was after being carried out of the ground of being injured and did some hitting in the end.
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Umair, Imran hit 65 against the same attack in the third match of the same series you mentioned :)
Afridi and Nazir both are very talanted but that talent just needs to be streamlined.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by saby: *
Umair, Imran hit 65 against the same attack in the third match of the same series you mentioned :)
Afridi and Nazir both are very talanted but that talent just needs to be streamlined.
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Oops sorry, but that 1 decent knock doesn't justify his selection to the team, he has struggled badly on numerous occaisions on foreign pitches, 1 example is the series in Kenya.
Where he treated like a puppy in the hands of Aussie bowlers.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by UMAIR316: *
No offense Mr X, but Imran Nazir wouldn't last a day against the likes of McGrath and Lee. His only OK performance was in 1st Onedayer in Super Challenge II.
[/QUOTE]
Yaar not many players last a day against McGrath and Lee, but Nazir has an average of 30 against the best opening bowlers in the world which I can guarantee you is better than Afridi's even without checking. He averages 33 against SA as well so you are talking about performing against some pretty high class bowlers here, Pollock and Ntini aren't too bad either.
I agree with the people who say Imran Nazir is not a good choice. He's been getting out playing a similar shot for sometime now. imran farhat or some other guy should be given a chance. i am not sure if he'll prove a good opener but what about Misbah?
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Mr Xtreme: *
Yaar not many players last a day against McGrath and Lee, but Nazir has an average of 30 against the best opening bowlers in the world which I can guarantee you is better than Afridi's even without checking. He averages 33 against SA as well so you are talking about performing against some pretty high class bowlers here, Pollock and Ntini aren't too bad either.
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Imran Khan is on ARY talking about cricket.
Edit: He's gone now. Coming back to Imran Nazir. Even against RSA he's proved too inconsistent. look at his scores:
71
0
69
80
0
36
1
40
0
and the first three matches are in Sharjah.
Lets look at last few matches we have played. Our MIDDLE ORDER has been playing fairly well and we have won a lots of matches recently… Last two matches we lost our opener within first 20 runs. Our main strength was middle order.
I hope this Hafeez guy doesn’t become Afridi i.e. kept in team for his bowling-all-rounder capabilities 
I’d recommend drop Hafeez and Razzaq and bring in Salman Butt/Imran Farhat and Saqlain Mushtaq/Dinesh Kaneria. Both of these two all rounders haven’t done a significant job in batting.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by ChthonicPowers: *
Coming back to Imran Nazir. Even against RSA he's proved too inconsistent. look at his scores:
71
0
69
80
0
36
1
40
0
and the first three matches are in Sharjah.
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Those are pretty good scores. Out of 9 matches he's contributed substantial scores in 5 of them and knowing the way he plays he'll have done it at breakneck speed which will have paved the way for the niddle order to cash in at leisure.
By all means try Farhat and Butt, both deserve a chance, but Nazir doesn't deserve to be left out of the squads until we have established someone who can command respect from the top bowlers.
Incidentally, I checked Afridi's stats and he averages 12.77 against Australia having played 18 matches and averages 19 against SA. I rest my case.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Mr Xtreme: *
Those are pretty good scores. Out of 9 matches he's contributed substantial scores in 5 of them and knowing the way he plays he'll have done it at breakneck speed which will have paved the way for the niddle order to cash in at leisure.
By all means try Farhat and Butt, both deserve a chance, but Nazir doesn't deserve to be left out of the squads until we have established someone who can command respect from the top bowlers.
Incidentally, I checked Afridi's stats and he averages 12.77 against Australia having played 18 matches and averages 19 against SA. I rest my case.
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just about everyone knows how to get Imran nazir out by now. Bowl him a short pitched delivery and he lofts it to mid-off or whatever you call the fielder standing on the left side of the bowling end.
I am not advocating Afridi either. i am just saying that there are probably better options available than nazir. in fact, Imran Nazir is probably on the wrong side of the chief selector right now anyway becuz I recall him pointing out his weakness in a little disappointed way the last time he got out.
By all means give someone else a go...just don't perservere with Hafeez unless he can show he's capable of getting on top of the opposition. He's not pulling his weight with the bat and that's his primary job.
South African batsmen were initially tied down as well, but then they uesd their initiative and started coming down the pitch to break the bowlers hold and ended up getting to a reasonable start as a result. Hafeez looks incapable of taking charge to me and I don't like that at ODI level.
:EDIT:
I like Hafeez as a cricketer and attacking-wise I feel he has most of the shots in the book. If he is going to stay in the ODI side as opener I feel he should be instructed to go for his shots. Part of the gripe I have with Miandad's tactics are that he has demonstrably discouraged attacking play by asking players to slow down on tv, and both Yaasir and Imran Nazir were dropped after getting out hitting attacking shots.
Hafeez's current strike rate after 20 ODI's is around 50% in favourable batting conditions. I think either he is being advised poorly or he isn't up to the job. In the next match I'd like to see him really going for it to see if he can turn up the heat when required.
Here is an entirely different suggestion for you to comment.
We have seen other teams like India and Australia sending in their best batsmen (who would bat #3 or 4 in tests) to open the innings so that the best batsman gets an opportunity to make the most out of the alloted 50 overs. Secondly, if your opener(s) is out quickly, sometimes one down or two down batsman is practically opening the innings.
Having said this, why shouldn't we give either of Youhana or Inzi a chance to open the innings. They can definitely face the new ball, have sound technique and most important of all, can keep the scoreboard ticking (Youhana with his elegant placement of ball in the gaps and Inzi with his forceful strokes).
This will also give us a chance to try a batting all rounder in the middle order and get additional depth in bowling.
Hafeez has failed miserably as an opener on most of the occasions. He cannot find gaps and has a poor strike rate. However he is a pretty good bowler and an excellent fielder. He should be retained in the team on the basis of his bowling and fielding. He should normally bat at # 9, but if there is a disaster (quick early wickets), he can be sent at 5 or 6.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by WitchDoctor: *
..... He should be retained in the team on the basis of his bowling and fielding. He should normally bat at # 9, but if there is a disaster (quick early wickets), he can be sent at 5 or 6.
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There are so many all rounders we can pick from, but the reason of sticking with Hafeez is "OPENER" not bowling and fielding (a la Afridi).
I don't see the logic in picking Hafeez on account of his bowling and fielding either. For me the only way he can stay in the side is if he can start making scores regularly and at an acceptable strike rate which is around 70% not 50%. I wouldn't support opening with Yoyo or Inzi either as they do a very important job at 3 and 4. The answer is either Hafeez looks to change his game plan or we get someone else in who can hit past the infield.