Shoaib Malik as Pakistan's permenant opener

[saud]

Re: Shoaib Malik as Pakistan's permenant opener

Ummm.... Excuse me I am allergic to BULL ** :D **

[brahmachari99]

Re: Shoaib Malik as Pakistan’s permenant opener

@Mirza_Sahib

That’s exactly why we should stick with Younis Khan. Imran bhai ki pick jo hai.

Imran Khan wasn’t always right. Remember Mansoor Akhtar?

[system]

Re: Shoaib Malik as Pakistan’s permenant opener

hi there cricket buffs…

you know we do have a domestic cricket circuit which has given us players like Zaheer, Inzamam, Miandad, Abdul Qadir etc etc. Why do we get stuck with names projected to us? If we look at the domestic cricket performances we can find many good players, provided they are given a chance. Tahe Faisel Ather for example or Shahid Nazir, former opening bat and the latter a strike bowler. Both have performed exceptionally well, yet cannot find a place in Pak eleven, why? Cause our so-called gurus or those who make decisions are more comfortable with names they know. Dont get stuck with Malik or Yunus Khan, we should broaden our selection base and make it on merit, not old associations.

[smooth_guy]

Re: Shoaib Malik as Pakistan’s permenant opener

Finally Malik gets to open a Test match for Pakistan. I hope he will make a good opener as the guy has shown versatility in all aspects of the game. My best wishes are with him.

:k:

[brahmachari99]

Re: Shoaib Malik as Pakistan's permenant opener

Good luck to him and I hope he's learnt how to play outside the off stump.

[smooth_guy]

Re: Shoaib Malik as Pakistan's permenant opener

According to (not so reliable though) Jang newspaper, Woolmer is satisfied with Malik's opening stint and thinks he could be the solution for our long time problem.

[Lucid_Chaotic]

Re: Shoaib Malik as Pakistan's permenant opener

I'd much rather see him open with Salman then to see other inconsistent openers and also those who show consistency when it comes to gifting away their wicket in the same manner every freakin time.

[fkhan2]

Re: Shoaib Malik as Pakistan’s permenant opener

@smooth_guy

**why can’t we try him as permenant opener along with the lefty Salman Butt. **

If they both get settled at the opening slots, Pakistan will be assured to have a blistering start in ODIs and sensible 50+ partnership in test, which would be enough to take the shine off from the ball so ther Nawab’s that come in the middle don’t have to face the erratic swing of new ball. If we don’t go for minor differences in the stats for ImranX2, Taufeeq, Yasir and Salman and him, Malik is much more stronger in technique, thus will last for long and produce goods when given regular chances. I believe he can settle down as opener more than anyone else, since he has this instinct to prove himself in any task he has been assigned to.

Idea is good but meree bhai pakistan cannot play with malik and butt or any other specialist opener together. I earlier started a thread couple of weeks ago to shed some light on the same problem but i guess no one notcied:(
Let us all count our players if we have to play with malik and butt

1. Salman/yasir
2. Malik
3. Younis
4. Inzi
5. Youhana
6. Kamal
7. Afridi
8. Razzak
9. Akmal
10. Shabiir
11. Shoiab akhtar/Rana
12. Kaneria

I hope you get my point. If we have malik and butt together then we end up having 12 players. So either we keep both of them and drop an allrounder. Afridi, with his current form, no way. I don’t think they are ready to drop razzak as well. Also they cant afford to have akmal till number 9 and then only 2 regular bowlers. We have to have 3 regular bowlers at number 9, 10 and 11 position.

[smooth_guy]

Re: Shoaib Malik as Pakistan's permenant opener

I got your point. My first question would be, who will open with Salman if Malik/Yasir are not playing? Younis? I don't think so, he takes way to long against the new ball (when usually our openers get out and he comes at No. 3) to settle down that he is very much vulnerable to get out LBW or caught on slip. But still we can give it a try.

Back to your list. Couple of scenarios are possible in this situation.

1. Drop Akmal and have Kamal or Younis keep the wickets.
2. With Akhtar bowling along with Danesh, Afridi and Malik, we can drop Razzaq and play either Sami or Umer Gul/Nazir. Shabbir will be out of action for sometime now. Since we have depth (in your list) in the batting department, we can go back to the basics, by playing specialist bowler instead of (temporary solution due to injuries) playing three all rounders in Test.

If not, then Malik doesn't have place in Test team and Younis should open. This could work if Afridi and Razzaq both play decently with bat too so we can count both of them as one specialist batsman.

[fkhan2]

Re: Shoaib Malik as Pakistan’s permenant opener

@smooth_guy

I got your point. My first question would be, who will open with Salman if Malik/Yasir are not playing? Younis? I don’t think so, he takes way to long against the new ball (when usually our openers get out and he comes at No. 3) to settle down that he is very much vulnerable to get out LBW or caught on slip. But still we can give it a try.

Back to your list. Couple of scenarios are possible in this situation.

1. Drop Akmal and have Kamal or Younis keep the wickets.
2. With Akhtar bowling along with Danesh, Afridi and Malik, we can drop Razzaq and play either Sami or Umer Gul/Nazir. Shabbir will be out of action for sometime now. Since we have depth (in your list) in the batting department, we can go back to the basics, by playing specialist bowler instead of (temporary solution due to injuries) playing three all rounders in Test.
   If not, then Malik doesn’t have place in Test team and Younis should open. This could work if Afridi and Razzaq both play decently with bat too so we can count both of them as one specialist batsman.

Yar smooth bhai i dont think they are willing to experiment with younis or kamal as a wicketkeeper. They started last year in the Paktel cup where yuonis did the keeping for couple of matches i guess, but i guess it didn’t work and thy dropped the idea. And even if we suppose they do it in future, it will be ODI, the problem still remain in the test side. And personally I am also against such a strategy.
The bowling option of dropping razzak, could be really costly in an ODI. He is a real handy player in an ODI. Even in test I don’t know if they can afford to drop him to fit in malik. Bowling with 2 fast bowler and one regular spinner along with malik and afridi could be too risky and backfire.
I think there iss no harm in trying younis as an opener. The other opener could be Malik, butt or yasir, whoever perform best at that position. Afridi can flucuate with yuonis opening position when ever it is needed and in that case younis will come at his number 3 position but that won’t happen too often.

[Captain1]

Re: Shoaib Malik as Pakistan's permenant opener

chhorro yaar, Butt ko bhee drop kar do, open with Malik and Afridi, Younis to come one down... problem solved.

[Raindance]

Re: Shoaib Malik as Pakistan’s permenant opener

@smooth_guy

I got your point. My first question would be, who will open with Salman if Malik/Yasir are not playing? Younis? I don’t think so, he takes way to long against the new ball (when usually our openers get out and he comes at No. 3) to settle down that he is very much vulnerable to get out LBW or caught on slip. But still we can give it a try.

Back to your list. Couple of scenarios are possible in this situation.

1. Drop Akmal and have Kamal or Younis keep the wickets.
2. With Akhtar bowling along with Danesh, Afridi and Malik, we can drop Razzaq and play either Sami or Umer Gul/Nazir. Shabbir will be out of action for sometime now. Since we have depth (in your list) in the batting department, we can go back to the basics, by playing specialist bowler instead of (temporary solution due to injuries) playing three all rounders in Test.

If not, then Malik doesn’t have place in Test team and Younis should open. This could work if Afridi and Razzaq both play decently with bat too so we can count both of them as one specialist batsman.

--------------cvabn-----------------
Akmal , has all the ingredients of a ‘professional player’ of high calibre in both format of the game, his improvent and dedication is ever so on the increase.
Uprooting him now would spell disaster.

Besides, cricket has always failed in adhocism.

[smooth_guy]

Re: Shoaib Malik as Pakistan's permenant opener

Agree with you guys. I think Salman needs more chances, he has some problems but then who does not in this team. If Younis has to open to accomodate Kamal in the team, then Malik won't fit anywhere.

Rainy, I am against dropping Akmal too. It was just for the heck of discussion as an option since we heard about it last year. Test cricket must be played with specialist.

That is why the second option might be practical, if we have to have two regular pacers in the team, one being Akhtar and other Sami/Nazir/Gul, then we can go without Razzaq. Or may be not. He is in a not so bad touch with ball in recent times.

[Raindance]

Re: Shoaib Malik as Pakistan's permenant opener

Yes smoothy, Razzaq has been bit off his game but never the less he should not be comrpomised in ODs unless we have a better performing 'young blood' some where.

Salman also showing some advance maturity, sitting him now is not going to help his form
as I always believe that we must eye the 'top games' ahead untill the next WC event.

I like to see some more games with Gul bowling,, hope he delivers,,that would be a great 'left armer'

[Captain1]

Re: Shoaib Malik as Pakistan’s permenant opener

Gul, left armer?

[Raindance]

Re: Shoaib Malik as Pakistan’s permenant opener

keun , nahi hai ? ,doesn’t matter agar nahi hai,but we do need one in the side ,

[Captain1]

Re: Shoaib Malik as Pakistan’s permenant opener

yaar, us ke paas lef arm to hai, lekin woh bowling ke liye RIGHT HAND use karta hay. phorget LEFT and RIGHT yaar, all we need is a bowler who can move the ball in & out, good pace is bonus :k:

[smooth_guy]

Re: Shoaib Malik as Pakistan's permenant opener

Rainy ur still living in Wasim Akram's fantasy :D

[Raindance]

Re: Shoaib Malik as Pakistan’s permenant opener

@smooth_guy

Rainy ur still living in Wasim Akram’s fantasy

-----------cvabn------------
Aren’t we all? One has to develop good skills on its own to play ‘left arm spinner or pacer’ specially Akram class, , wah kiya baat thee,

Mind you! All ‘left arm’ pace bowlers aren’t as skillful as Akram was. To watch him in action was was a privillage and an honour. :elmo:

[Sohaib]

Re: Shoaib Malik as Pakistan's permenant opener

Razzaq's batting is a bit off since Mohali test but on the other hand his bowling is certainly on the rise in both tests and one dayers.