We have lost another series we could have and in all honesty should have won! bowlers did the job tremendously well after kind of letting team down in second match. but batsmen proved to be our undoing yet again.
As an armchair critic, I see nothing wrong in losing with a heart and fight but the way our batsmen surrendered yesterday, it was an embarrassing procession!
First of all, I see no reason why Akmal was demoted down the order. Fair enough he played a blinder in first match but he is at his best up the order… Team management and selectors’ obsession with a specialist opening pair is dumbfounding considering we have a plethora of middle order batsmen who are fighting for their batsmen. Rather than making them team’s strength, they are trying to accomplish what could not have been accomplished since 97.
chalo maan liye they wanted specialist openers. Now they had Imran Farhat, Salman Butt, Khalid Latif and Imran Nazir (who evetually wasnt in ODIs).
Intikhab Alam probably has instilled the thought in Younis’ head that we need two players who would see off the initial overs and then hard hitting in last few overs by late order. It is a kick back to early 90s but game has changed. If you must keep two specialist openers, you need to ensure that at least one of them is going to be the aggressor. This strategy will work once in 10 matches (like it did against India) but on other occasions, it will fail..
They went with two grafters (so to speak) in Salman Butt and Khalid Latif. Many people here on this forum know that I support Butt’s inclusion in the team but IMO it HAS to be with an aggressor like Akmal, Farhat or Nazir. I have seen khalid Latif’s domestic performances on Geo super at times and he seems to be a decent player but he doesnt really gets going a lot. In second match, they gave a decent opening stand BUT we needed an explosive one to be honest. Salman can hit the ball and hold his end (unless he gets run out) but he doesnt rotate strike enough.
I dont really know the obsession with Akmal’s demotion (unless he or management thought he cant open anymore). I think he should open with Butt or Latif. And please give them an extended run. Tell them your place is secure for 5-6 matches at least, now go and make it your own for 5-6 months…
These two firm openers would have been okay if younis was in form. But that is not the case sadly! He tries to build an innings too which is detrimental to our cause in the end. so our first four batsmen look like this
Butt, Latif, Younis, Yousuf..
None of them capable of providing the right momentum to an inning. And by trying to create the so called ‘solid’ platform, management sacrifices our talented middle order. which otherwise would comprise of Yousuf, Malik, chota Akmal with Afridi and Razzaq to follow. Plus we have Misbah on the bench waiting for chance. This creates a right blend of aggression and caution in the middle order.
Look at other teams. Newzealand have a little dynamite up the order McCullum. There have been calls to get him down the order but they stuck with him and he repaid the faith by winning them the series. Aussies’ first choice openers are now Watson and Paine. None of them opened and still doing well.
Some may argue that they on have been playing on different pitches at home so they are well equipped to handle the new ball. What about Dilshan then? He had never opened either but he has made this position his own!
So I am really baffled what could have the reason for this latest obsession with specialist openers. Team balance is more important than specialist openers. and our team looks well balanced with swashbuckling Akmal opening with a grafter (Butt, Latif or whoever). But please do not ruin our middle order, thats what I would ask of team management. this ‘healthy competition’ creates too much chopping and changing in the middle order where someone like Umar Akmal would really benefit from continuous exposure to tough cricket.
Okay I am done yapping 
if you made it to the end, congratulations for reading this far! lol.