Starts October 17th
Any hope for Pakistan after disastrous batting @ Rawalpindi.
We definitly need a new look batting lineup.
Only Inzi, Youhana and Hameed deserve their spots.
Younis Khan, Hafeez need to be dropped.
I think even Razzaq doesn't deserve a place in the test side...as he is more of a ODI player, and his bowling is more economical rather than wicket-taking. I would include Younis Khan in the test side, he has always done much better in tests rather than ODI's. In Test matches, Younis has an average of almost 38 with 5 100's, compared to ODI's where he has no hundreds and his average is about 31. Hafeez must be replaced by Taufeeq Umer or Salman Butt for the test series.
Inzi and Youhana will have to pass the fitness test before being considered for the first test. Assuming that one of them cannot make to the final 11, Younis must be included in the side. Even if both of them are there, Younis should be continued till we find a better batsman. So far, Yasir has shown some promise and that is all.
Quite a tricky selection dilemma, in test matches you need players who can occupy the crease first and foremost, not flashy hitters who can hit a quick 30. Salman Butt would have been ideal for the ODI's but was ignored and ironically might be considered for the tests which is typical muddled thinking of the selection committee.
I think Taufeeq needs to come back and I would go for Saleem Elahi as his opening partner, at least he has some past success behind him. Salman Butt I haven't seen enough of yet, might not be the right time to pitch him into a 5 day match against SA. Younis Khan should play as well, after the series is over we need to identify a replacement though, especially for ODI's.
I smell a white wash in all departments,, like what happened in test match in Sharjah against Australia...
Dont think that I m underestimating our guys... the problem is with the selection and the management..and even I dont see Inzi as a good Captain, and infact I dont see any one in the team right now as a good captain,,, only Rashid to some extent,, other wise,, none has the capability...
if the selection commitee will keep on selecting players like Hafeez and Junaid... no wonder teams can kick our butts and can bounce back in the game at any time...
mushy bhai should be back hopefully he's recovered from his pulled stomach muscles
looking at how our bowlewrs performed overall i think mushy and saqi are both needed in the test series to add variation to our bowling attack
i hope ahmed and gul aren't picked i hate them they are rubbish no line or length just pace and wayward bowling.
waqar bhai should have been in the squad he would've bowled better than them to medeocre bowlers.
azhar mahmood deserves his place in the side he is good and has been bowling well for surrey, he should replace the lanky and lazy razzaq.
hafeez should be dropped he is rubbish he has under preformed in the odi's. yasir hameed is getting better day by day he should play in the test series.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by #let uz chat#: *
mushy bhai should be back hopefully he's recovered from his pulled stomach muscles
looking at how our bowlewrs performed overall i think mushy and saqi are both needed in the test series to add variation to our bowling attack
[/QUOTE]
I am no big fan of Danish Kaneria but I think he bowled far better than Saqlain and Mushtaq when he got his solitary chance in the last ODI.
Pakistan in disarray after one-day series defeat
One week ago, Pakistan were full of confidence following a clean sweep over Bangladesh and enjoying a 2-0 lead in the one-day series against South Africa.
But after three straight defeats the Pakistanis are suddenly in disarray.
**Captain Inzamam-ul-Haq is doubtful for the two-test series against South Africa and a late-night binge by two players before the final one-dayer has again raised question marks over the team’s discipline. **
**“It was disappointing to lose three matches in a row and the series in this way. We were not expecting it to end this way. But I think injuries to key players affected our performances,” Inzamam told Reuters on Monday. **
“I hope the fitness problems are over by the time the tests start and we need to now pay special attention to our batting and will need more experience for them,” he added.
Inzamam has been struggling with a hamstring injury that forced him to miss the third and fourth matches and made him a virtual passenger on Sunday.
However, the signs that Pakistan’s batting remains brittle were visible even against Bangladesh when the hosts twice conceded a first-innings lead. Only Inzamam’s hundred gave Pakistan a one-wicket win in the final test.
Against South Africa in the last two games, Pakistan managed totals of just 157 and 192 and their opening stands in the series were 18, 19, 52, 11 and three.
Mohammad Hafeez, the only player to appear in all 22 one-dayers and three tests played by Pakistan since the World Cup, is almost certain to be dropped.
Before the SA series, the 23-year-old had scored 386 runs in 17 matches and his stock bowling and brilliant fielding made him a valuable member of the side before scores of five, seven, 20, one and zero against the South Africans.
**“We backed him because we didn’t want to change a winning combination,” Inzamam said.
“We selected him because he is also our sixth bowler and an outstanding fielder. But now with these performances I don’t think he is going to play again for Pakistan,” Inzamam said. **
**However, Inzamam was at a loss to explain the presence of fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar and all rounder Shoaib Malik at a fashion show late on Saturday evening at an Islamabad hotel. **
“Our curfew timing is 1100 pm. I think they were back then but if anyone breaks the discipline, action will be taken against him,” Inzamam said.
It is not an ideal situation for Pakistan going into a tough series against a team they have beaten just once in nine tests.
Pakistan consider changes](BBC SPORT | Cricket | Inzamam to miss first Test)
Pakistan’s selectors are considering their options ahead of the first of two Tests against South Africa.
They may decide to make changes after seeing the team throw away a 2-0 lead in the one-day series.
Opening batsman Mohammad Hafeez’s place appears to be in serious jeopardy after he made only 33 runs in five innings.
He is the only player to have appeared in all 22 one-dayers and three Tests Pakistan have played since the end of the World Cup in March.
"We backed him because we didn’t want to change a winning combination. He is also our sixth bowler and a brilliant fielder.
“But now, with these performances, I don’t think he is going to play for Pakistan again,” said skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq.
Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar and all-rounder Shoaib Malik could find themselves in hot water for attending a fashion show in Islamabad the night before the final one-day game, which South Africa won by seven wickets. ( again :smack: . I guess shoaib should change the name. yee naam k aasar hai. Shoaib Malik ko bhee kharab ker deya 
)
“Our curfew timing is 110pm. I think they were back by then, but if anyone breaks the discipline, action will be taken against him,” Inzamam warned.
Pakistan’s plans for the first Test, which starts on Friday, are also being disrupted by injury problems.
Chief among them are Inzamam himselfand vice-captain Yosuf Youhana.
“Inzamam is unlikely to be available for the first Test,” team manager Haroon Rashid admitted.
"Youhana also has a hamstring problem like Inzamam and he is feeling uncomfortable batting and fielding.
“He will be examined by doctors, only then will we know if he can play in the Test. His chances at the moment are 50-50.”
If both are ruled out and former skipper Rashid Latif cannot be persuaded to change his decision to miss the series, the captaincy may pass to Younis Khan or Abdul Razzaq
Here are my 16 to choose from.
- Yasir
- Taufeeq
- Faisal
- Misbah
- Yousuf
- Younus
- Inzimam
- Razzaq
- Shoaib Malik
- Kamran
- Saqlain Mushtaq
- Mushtaq Ahmed
- Shoaib Akhter
- Sami
- Gul
- Shabbir
We are still not clear about the fitness of YoYo and Inzi
shoaib-e-babi will never learn :rotfl:
1 Australia 129
2 South Africa 116
3 New Zealand 106
4 England 104
5 India 94
6 Pakistan 92
7 Sri Lanka 91
8 West Indies 83
9 Zimbabwe 58
10 Bangladesh 0
6 at Test, What is Pakistan looking at in Test?
[QUOTE]
Originally posted by #let uz chat#: *
**shoaib-e-babi will never learn *
[/QUOTE]
luc - What's wrong with that ? Why do you want to control his life.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Asif_k: *
luc - What's wrong with that ? Why do you want to control his life.
[/QUOTE]
No one is controlling his life. There is a thing called "Team Discipline" that everyone has to observe. Furthermore he is in binding with PCB due to his contract that he will follow the rules setup by PCB and team management. Now if there is a Curfew time of 11:00 pm at which everyone has to be back in the room there he should be back by that time.
Why do you think are rules for? Breaking? Shoaib is in the habit of breaking rules and discipline more than any other cricketer of Pakistani team and he always get away with it.
Mazey mey jeeno du yaar, all thy have to do is Loose and say that they were HURT.
I don't thinks that even some don't pray at all. Atleast yoyo fallows his religion. Sharam bhi Nahi Aati In KO.
South Africans are wicked in test matches...
so Pakistani's should do something special to win the series!
I would pick Dinesh Kaneria over both Mushys in test, he was very impressive yesterday, if the pitches are anything like the last one dayer, Kaneria will have a blast against the South African top order.
Shoaib Malik and Razzaq are one day specialist, they shouldn't play.
Razzaq is hardly an attacking bowler anymore.
Pakistan should have a solid specialist batsman play.
Hameed should open.
Lets hope Youhana and Inzi are fit for the test series.
Amir Sohail even suggested that if both Youhana and Inzi are not for the test then the likely stand in captain would be Shoaib Akhtar!
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by UMAIR316: *
Lets hope Youhana and Inzi are fit for the test series.
Amir Sohail even suggested that if both Youhana and Inzi are not for the test then the likely stand in captain would be Shoaib Akhtar!
[/QUOTE]
wow,,, Shoaib Akhtar as captain.....
why not we bring back Moin or Waqar of this job..
Injuries to Inzamam, Youhana worry Pakistan ahead of Lahore Test](http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/031013/323/eazw5.html)
LAHORE, Pakistan (AFP) - Pakistan cricket selectors will wait 24 hours before assessing the fitness of two crucial players ahead of the first Test against South Africa, an official said Monday.
“We are waiting for another 24 hours to assess the situation of Inzamam and Yousuf Youhana, both of whom are facing fitness problems,” Pakistan Cricket Board chief executive Ramiz Raja told reporters.
Inzamam-ul Haq, who missed the third and fourth match of the one-day series against South Africa due to a pulled muscle in his foot, looked in discomfort while batting in the last match on Sunday.
In the case of Inzamam and Youhana being ruled out for the Test in the easternmost city of Lahore, Pakistan will have to look for a new captain as Rashid Latif, who resigned as captain last month, has already pulled out of the Test series.
Ramiz refused to call the situation a crisis for the national team.
“This is a situation due to injuries and we will announce the team on Tuesday,” he said.
Inzamam was annoyed Sunday that his injury seemed to have returned.
“It is disappointing to have the recurrence of the injury and it would be a race against time to get full fitness, it’s very tough,” he said after Sunday’s match.
Chief selector Aamir Sohail said there would be changes in the Test side after Pakistan lost the five-match one-day series 3-2.
**Former captain Moin Khan and Kamran Akmal are under consideration as replacements for Latif, Sohail said.
Moin last played for Pakistan in New Zealand two-and-a-half years ago.
But if recent outcomes are anything to go by Moin has a good chance of leading Pakistan again – both Waqar Younis and Inzamam staged their comebacks to the side as captains.**
Well i hope to see Azher and Saleem Elahi back for Pak … Elahi as opener and Azher may give us some bowling option with some usefull batting
This is a Test Seasom, Aussies Vs.zimbabveans, indian V.S kiwis and now Pakistan and south africa. So far Aussies look to be on top, indian and kiwis have had a tie. so good teams giving their best.
i hope pakistan will do so too. All we can do is pray for them.