Shoaib Malik / Playing XI against England

I do not want to see him play any more tests for Pakistan. He is useless

He should be dropped from the test team for good. He is just not test material

Batting is still not upto the mark. need the two Y’s back in the test team

Provided (Ijaz) Butt sahib can let go of his (big) ego, this should be our playing XI against England

Salman Butt (c)
Imran Farhat
Younus Khan
Azhar Ali
Mohammad Yousuf/ Umar Amin
Umar Akmal
Kamran Akmal
Mohammad Aamer
Umar Gul
Asif
Kaneria

This team CAN beat England (who are currently better than Australia in tests IMO) this summer

re: Shoaib Malik / Playing XI against England

I would have one allrounder instead of Umar Amin or one of the Ys, but if Umer Amin can bowl as he did in this match, then i guess the team you have suggested is fine

Re: Shoaib Malik / Playing XI against England

replace the other akmal as well for hameed or a new youngster...These two brothers are not test material!

Oh come on give it a rest.

Re: Shoaib Malik / Playing XI against England

asif your team is good but I think with victory against Australia the two Y's are going to be history, in the short term anyway. I would like Pakistan to persevere with the three youngsters, azhar, and the two Umar's

Oh I actually meant Umar Akmal...can't really drop him despite an average series against Australia with the bat

exactly!

It would be really harsh to drop either Umar Amin or Azhar Ali in favor of either two. Yes our batting is thin but if our bowlers keep performing like they are mashaAllah, our batsmen will grow in their shadow.

Re: Shoaib Malik / Playing XI against England

true ehsan bhai. i think they'll stick with this team for atleast another test, though maybe one of the Ys can come in place of Shoaib Malik (hopefully). If not then Yasir Hameed should be given a shot in place of Malik.

One of the two Y's is a must if we are looking to compete against England who are a better test team than Australia right now

Maybe in shoaib Malik's place but signs are that board will call Mohammad Yousuf instead of Younis. Where in all logic they should call Younis as he has been playing cricket in england whereas Yousuf has not..

Re: Shoaib Malik / Playing XI against England

only problem with the Ys is the politics that will follow them. Yousuf especially.. fraudia molvi.

Re: Shoaib Malik / Playing XI against England

Get rid of Malik and bring Younis. Yousuf has retired and should stay retired.

right on :k:

Re: Shoaib Malik / Playing XI against England

*If 2 Y's are not available .... then we'll need atleast 1 senior batsmen in side (whether he perform or not) ..... and that senior happens to be Malik
*

Id go with:

Salman Butt
Imran Farhat
Azhar Ali
Yasir Hameed
Umar Amin
Umar Akmal
Kamran Akmal
Mohammad Aamir
Umar Gul
Saeed Ajmal
Mohammad Asif

Id get rid of Malik and play Hameed...push Hameed to 4 as that will suit him better than batting at 6. Kaneria should be benched and Ajmal should have another go.

As for the two Y's - Yousef is over the hill and retired...he didnt score any runs the last 2-3 series before his retirement and he's also a negative influence with all the baggage he brings to the team..

Younis didnt get any runs in Australia...then he went to play for Surrey and disappointed there too...so 1. he isent getting runs and 2. hes a basket case.

I wouldnt mess with a young team that will go places soon.....maybe down the road Younis can come back if he gets his head right and also scores heavily in domestic cricket....Yousef should stick to the tableeghis and leave the team alone.

Re: Shoaib Malik / Playing XI against England

I agree with cadet, if captain and coach are fine with his dressing room demenour, i think Malik still has a lot to offer, with bat, bowl and fielding. They should keep him. I am not too sure of Umar Akmal though, he is not showing any application.

Re: Shoaib Malik / Playing XI against England

Shoaib Malik should be dropped based on his performance and political games that he plays in the team. There should be no rats in the team.

English players are weak at spin. Ajmal should be included.

Re: Shoaib Malik / Playing XI against England

so the damad stays on.

Re: Shoaib Malik / Playing XI against England

Had it not been for that 110-run 2nd-wicket partnership between Farhat and Azhar, things could have been so different and we might even have lost the game yesterday

I was not in favour of Farhat before but the truth is the Butt-Farhat combo is delivering and doing an adequate job as opening pair, so there is no need to fiddle with that combination at present

if we look at his recent performance, i would not say that he is damad only, i would say he is damad and he at least tries to deliver not the best choice but is doing something which has been missing from some time and which is not being delivered by the exp n talented players....