With less than 4 days left in the first test match between Pakistan and England, Pakistan’s already depleted pace attack was badly hit by injuries to Asif and Sami. However according to the initial news, its seems like Sami is likely to particpate in the match
Pakistan management will be facing a tough selection crises before the first match. With a weak bowling attack, will they go for a strong batting lineup or will they try to overcome this crises by adding an extra bowler?
What will be the final 11 for the first test?
I think Woolmer/Inzi will go for a stonger batting lineup.
Imran Farhat
Salman Butt
Shoaib Malik
Younis Khan
Inzamam
Mohammad Yousuf
Abdul Razzak
Kamran Akmal
Mohammad Sami
Umer Gul
Danish Kaneria
I am not a strong supporter of Shoaib Malik for Test matches and I think with this current crises, Afridi should defintely be playing in place of him. However Woolmer being a fan of Malik will likely be including him in the squad.
Well, its cricket and anything can happen. Let's hope for the best! And I would surely go for Afridi instead of Malik but would tell Afridi NOT to take things lightly, since Malik is waiting for his chance!
You know call me crazy but, Pakistan has no reason to worry. I know that Asif's absence is a huge blow but, we have won, drawn and performed really well with bowling line-up consisting Sami, Gul, Razzaq, Afridi and Kaneria. If they make batting wickets, which I doubt, than it'll be a draw. If they go with grassy wickets, I think this bowling line-up will get the job done.
InshaAllah. There is no reason for us not to believe in ourselves. It was this Gul that helped us destroy India in a session at Lahore. Anything can happen, afterall England will not have a start-studded side either!
I agree, he should play but where I don't know.
Seems like even though we have a bowling crises but there is no such crises in the middle order and Faisal has plenty of competition
If they want him to include as a middle order than I have no problem seeing him in the side in place of Yousuf. But I don't know if they would do that.
Another option could have been to include him in place of Salman Butt or Farhat, but since both of them have scored in the 2 side matches, I don't anticipate any experimentation with the opeing slot.
^^ I would never put Faisal Iqbal as an opener. When he is performing well in the middle order whenever he is given a chance why try to open with him and get his confidence low if he fails a couple of times. It would be unfair to him, he is a middle order batsmen and in the coming years he will replace Inzi in the middle after WC 07.
1 Salman Butt
2 Imran Farhat
3 Younis Khan
4 Inzamam-ul-Haq
5 Mohammad Yousaf
6 Shahid Afridi
7 Kamran Akmal
8 Abdul Razzaq
9 Umur Gul
10 Mohammad Sami
11 Danis Kaneria
Although knowing the defensive approach to play if safe I wont be surprised if they throw in Malik instead of Gul and open with Sami and Razzaq and then go with 3 spinners in Kaneria, Afridi and Malik plus the new found handy man Imran Farhat. He seems to be bowling a lot more regularly know, which is smart on his part since that would given him an extra edge over other openers who cant bowl.
pretty much the same line will play only toss up will be b/w Farhat or Butt
since Malik is coach's fav player.
1) Butt
2) Malik
3) Younis
4) Mohd Yousef
5) Inzimam ul Haq
6) Abdul Razzaq
7) Shahid Afridi
8) Kamran Akmal (if fit)
9) Mohammad Sami (if fit)
10) Umer Gul
11) Danish Kaneria
Imran Farhat
Salman Butt
Shoaib Malik
Younis Khan
Inzamam
Mohammad Yousuf
Abdul Razzak
Kamran Akmal
Mohammad Sami
Umer Gul
Danish Kaneria
LahoriMunda, you are right that Faisal iqbal is a middle order player but that doesn't mean that he shouldn't play in the side if there is no opening in the middle order for him.
With so much competition going on in international cricket, you have to make room for youselve i.e grap whatever opportunity comes to you instead of waiting for things to happen. We have seen plenty of big names from different teams playing at opening or one down positions when they were originally middle order players.
Anyway I am pretty sure that Pakistan will come up with the above lineup, however I will love to see Faisal Iqbal playing. For that to happen they will have to drop either Salman Butt or Imran Farhat. Malik will be opening with one of them followed by Faisal Younis Inzi and Yousuf.
Thinking the exact same thing. In India, we probably had the weakest bowling attack in years at Bangalore, and we won and did manage to bowl the Indian line-up out. Hope for the best :k: . Go Pakistan.
