Pakistan selection committee, headed by its interim chairman Mohammad Ilyas, has
announced a balanced squad to face Sri Lanka in the Limited Overs’ leg
of the tour in UAE. Shahid Afridi’s meeting with the new PCB chairman
Zaka Ashraf, later joined by Ilyas too, bore fruit as he made another
international comeback.
Misbah-ul-Haq, regarded as saviour due to his role in stabilizing Pakistan cricket, continues to lead the side. Although he has done exceptionally well in the longer format and his presence has given stability to Pakistan cricket, he does not seem to be a long term prospect. This is because by playing both ODI and T20 cricket, his ageing body will have to bear extra burden which can affect his Test performance, which Pakistan can ill afford.
It will be ideal if he continues to perform and remains fit till the next world cup in 4 years time, but it will be a risky business to bank on. Further, with the passing day he is turning into a hit-or-block type of player, which was clearly evident in the Mohali setback. It will be a dreadful scenario if Misbah bows out suddenly, due to whatever cause, ahead of the world cup with no back-up captain groomed. PCB should have named a vice-captain for the sole purpose of grooming him for the future.
For this purpose, I see three candidates around – Abdul Razzaq, Mohammad Hafeez and Azhar Ali.
Abdul Razzaq wad dropped after the world cup on the basis of his performance. It was injustice to a senior player who was not given a proper chance in any of the WC games. He had won Pakistan a match single handedly a few months prior to the WC. Although his bowling has gone down, he still has it in him to serve Pakistan for a few years as being 32, age is still behind him. Being a cool customer and having vast experience, he can be entrusted with captaincy responsibilities.
For some, it was ideal time to give chance to some one like Hammad Azam, who is bowling faster than ever and batting with responsibility in domestic circuit.
Mohammad Hafeez is one player who has improved most in the last couple of years. His batting technique has become solid and bowling effective in all forms of the game. Because he puts thinking behind his game, he is known as ‘professor’ in the team. He surely has ability to become a good captain in future.
In my opinion, Azhar Ali should have been given a chance in the ODI ahead of Shoaib Malik. It is an open secret how Malik made his way into the team. In the last series against Zimbabwe, Malik failed miserably. Azhar Ali has been wrongly labeled as a Test player. He has a good List A record and has all the shots and talent to succeed in limited version too. He could easily be thought of another captaincy candidate for Pakistan, but for that some one needs to be a deputy to Misbah first.
Selection of Imran Farhat seems to be a compromise, although Farhat batted well in the last two matches he played for Pakistan. But he is not the man for the opening slot in the long run.
Ahmed Shehzad had issues with his attitude but that can be solved and a bright talent can be saved. The way Awais Zia has performed in domestic T20s; he should have been given a chance, at least in the T20 side. Ramiz Raja, after two failures, has been dumped.
Asad Shafiq not only can bat solidly, he can hit boundaries when required. Pakistan should think to give him opportunity to open in the limited version. Umar Akmal, after a forced break to improve his attitude and appetite towards his game, is back again. He is an important cog in the wheel as far as middle order is concerned. He should try not to become another Afridi, because he has talent and strokes to transform himself into a match winner.
Younis Khan and Misbah will make a solid middle order. The return of Sarfraz was expected after his sprightly showings in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam trophy, where he has scored a couple of hundreds so far. Adnan Akmal has been solid behind the stumps, but his batting in ODIs was never up to the mark. Sarfraz is the best keeper in Pakistan at the moment and this time he should grab the opportunity with both hands once for all.
Selection of Abdur Rehman is perplexing as Pakistan already has Saeed Ajmal, Afridi and Hafeez in that department. Instead of him, selectors should have groomed Raza Hasan who is being ignored unfairly. Wahab Riaz, in short span of time, had become a threatening ODI bowler and his exclusion cannot be solely due to cricketing reasons. Renewed suspicions over his involvement in spot-fixing means he is out for the foreseeable future, unless he is declared clean.
Umar Gul, Junaid Khan and Aizaz Cheema are automatic selections. Tanvir Ahmed has disappeared much the same way he had arrived on the scene. There is a big question mark over Sohail Tanvir’s fitness. After coming into force of new rules whereby two balls will be used from both ends, he can prove handy with his swing. He can now swing the bat better than ever and can be a handy lower order batsman.
The form shown by pakistan so far makes me convinced that pakistan should win the ODI series against Sri Lanka comfortably.
My Prediction:
ODIs 3-2 to Pakistan
T20I 1-0 to Pakistan
Pakistan squad:
Misbah-ul-Haq (C), Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Hafeez, Abdul Razzaq, Asad Shafiq, Imran Farhat, Younis Khan, Umar Akmal, Sohail Tanvir, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Saeed Ajmal, Abdul Rehman, Umar Gul, Aizaz Cheema, Junaid Khan.
My playing Eleven:
1- Hafeez 2- Asad Shafiq 3- Younis, 4- Misbah 5- Umar Akmal 6- Abdul Razzaq 7- Afridi 8- Sarfraz 9- Umar Gul 10- Junaid Khan 11- Ajmal
Misbah-ul-Haq, regarded as saviour due to his role in stabilizing Pakistan cricket, continues to lead the side. Although he has done exceptionally well in the longer format and his presence has given stability to Pakistan cricket, he does not seem to be a long term prospect. This is because by playing both ODI and T20 cricket, his ageing body will have to bear extra burden which can affect his Test performance, which Pakistan can ill afford.
It will be ideal if he continues to perform and remains fit till the next world cup in 4 years time, but it will be a risky business to bank on. Further, with the passing day he is turning into a hit-or-block type of player, which was clearly evident in the Mohali setback. It will be a dreadful scenario if Misbah bows out suddenly, due to whatever cause, ahead of the world cup with no back-up captain groomed. PCB should have named a vice-captain for the sole purpose of grooming him for the future.
For this purpose, I see three candidates around – Abdul Razzaq, Mohammad Hafeez and Azhar Ali.
Abdul Razzaq wad dropped after the world cup on the basis of his performance. It was injustice to a senior player who was not given a proper chance in any of the WC games. He had won Pakistan a match single handedly a few months prior to the WC. Although his bowling has gone down, he still has it in him to serve Pakistan for a few years as being 32, age is still behind him. Being a cool customer and having vast experience, he can be entrusted with captaincy responsibilities.
For some, it was ideal time to give chance to some one like Hammad Azam, who is bowling faster than ever and batting with responsibility in domestic circuit.
Mohammad Hafeez is one player who has improved most in the last couple of years. His batting technique has become solid and bowling effective in all forms of the game. Because he puts thinking behind his game, he is known as ‘professor’ in the team. He surely has ability to become a good captain in future.
In my opinion, Azhar Ali should have been given a chance in the ODI ahead of Shoaib Malik. It is an open secret how Malik made his way into the team. In the last series against Zimbabwe, Malik failed miserably. Azhar Ali has been wrongly labeled as a Test player. He has a good List A record and has all the shots and talent to succeed in limited version too. He could easily be thought of another captaincy candidate for Pakistan, but for that some one needs to be a deputy to Misbah first.
Selection of Imran Farhat seems to be a compromise, although Farhat batted well in the last two matches he played for Pakistan. But he is not the man for the opening slot in the long run.
Ahmed Shehzad had issues with his attitude but that can be solved and a bright talent can be saved. The way Awais Zia has performed in domestic T20s; he should have been given a chance, at least in the T20 side. Ramiz Raja, after two failures, has been dumped.
Asad Shafiq not only can bat solidly, he can hit boundaries when required. Pakistan should think to give him opportunity to open in the limited version. Umar Akmal, after a forced break to improve his attitude and appetite towards his game, is back again. He is an important cog in the wheel as far as middle order is concerned. He should try not to become another Afridi, because he has talent and strokes to transform himself into a match winner.
Younis Khan and Misbah will make a solid middle order. The return of Sarfraz was expected after his sprightly showings in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam trophy, where he has scored a couple of hundreds so far. Adnan Akmal has been solid behind the stumps, but his batting in ODIs was never up to the mark. Sarfraz is the best keeper in Pakistan at the moment and this time he should grab the opportunity with both hands once for all.
Selection of Abdur Rehman is perplexing as Pakistan already has Saeed Ajmal, Afridi and Hafeez in that department. Instead of him, selectors should have groomed Raza Hasan who is being ignored unfairly. Wahab Riaz, in short span of time, had become a threatening ODI bowler and his exclusion cannot be solely due to cricketing reasons. Renewed suspicions over his involvement in spot-fixing means he is out for the foreseeable future, unless he is declared clean.
Umar Gul, Junaid Khan and Aizaz Cheema are automatic selections. Tanvir Ahmed has disappeared much the same way he had arrived on the scene. There is a big question mark over Sohail Tanvir’s fitness. After coming into force of new rules whereby two balls will be used from both ends, he can prove handy with his swing. He can now swing the bat better than ever and can be a handy lower order batsman.
The form shown by pakistan so far makes me convinced that pakistan should win the ODI series against Sri Lanka comfortably.
My Prediction:
ODIs 3-2 to Pakistan
T20I 1-0 to Pakistan
Pakistan squad:
Misbah-ul-Haq (C), Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Hafeez, Abdul Razzaq, Asad Shafiq, Imran Farhat, Younis Khan, Umar Akmal, Sohail Tanvir, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Saeed Ajmal, Abdul Rehman, Umar Gul, Aizaz Cheema, Junaid Khan.
My playing Eleven:
1- Hafeez 2- Asad Shafiq 3- Younis, 4- Misbah 5- Umar Akmal 6- Abdul Razzaq 7- Afridi 8- Sarfraz 9- Umar Gul 10- Junaid Khan 11- Ajmal
Published in SP on 2/11/11
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