ANALYZING THE PAKISTAN TEST SIDE

[AFRO]

The first eleven i expect to see in the First Test is

Taufiq Umar
Mohammed Hafeez
Azhar Ali
Younis Khan
Misbah ul haq
Asad Shafiq or Umar Akmal
Mohammed Salman (wk)
Adur Rehman or Saeed Ajmal
Umar Gul
Tanvir Ahmed
Wahab Riaz

The top five are all experienced and decent players, BUT bar Khan and Ul Haq it is a very inconsistent top order, the main thing we should be encouraged by though is THEIR BOTTOM SIX IS EXTREMELY WEAK, from Salman to Riaz there's not much runs there at all, so the top five will be under huge pressure to get the bulk of the runs, if we get a few early strikes a collapse like we've seen in the last two ODIs is very much on the cards, Salman is making his debut and is like Ramdin, decent with the gloves but don't expect many runs out of him!! ,

Another thing to note is we've seen two of their pacers in action recently, Riaz has been a shambles and is totally off form, and Tanvir was getting hit all over the place today, Gul will be a danger so if our batsmen can keep him quiet we should be able to get some good scores on the board because as i've said before their Tests spinners are not up to much, we faced better in Sri-lanka for sure.

Obviously it all depends on what our selectors do, if they use their fecking brains for once and pick a balanced side (aka no Sammy) then i really believe we can win the Test series, in Bishoo we've got "the game changer", they can't handle the yute at all and he's getting better and better, they won't have anywhere to hide when Bishy confronts them without any limit on the overs he can bowl!! .

[mikesiva]

I would suggest that Umar Akmal has to play, and that it's between Shafiq and Azhar for the final batting spot....

I would also suggest that in Tests Ajmal has to play ahead of Rehman.

[howzdat]

Hi Guys. Although 'WI' have enough problems of our own to be thinking about Pakistan I will join in this chat for a while.

AFRO observed that the Pakistan top five is experienced though inconsistent and the bottom six extremely weak, however on paper AND based on what we have seen in the way they approach their innings, the combined effect of their batting adds up to a lot more than the West Indies. And Younis Khan has not even played yet!

My analysis is that irregardless of who they pick Pakistan can approach this series with a simple mind set:
1) Win the toss and aim to bat ONLY once in the game.
2) Bowl WI out for a low first innings score and set them a huge second innings total to avoid an innings defeat.

If Pakistan plays according to this simple plan then they will prove to have a much better team no matter who they select.

[AFRO]

I would suggest that Umar Akmal has to play, and that it's between Shafiq and Azhar for the final batting spot....

I would also suggest that in Tests Ajmal has to play ahead of Rehman.

Rehman played against both SA and NZ recently so i wouldn't be so sure about Ajmal!!..and whoever plays really doesn't matter because like i said we faced better spinners in Sri Lanka.

[AFRO]

Hi Guys. Although 'WI' have enough problems of our own to be thinking about Pakistan I will join in this chat for a while.

AFRO observed that the Pakistan top five is experienced though inconsistent and the bottom six extremely weak, however on paper AND based on what we have seen in the way they approach their innings, the combined effect of their batting adds up to a lot more than the West Indies. And Younis Khan has not even played yet!

My analysis is that irregardless of who they pick Pakistan can approach this series with a simple mind set:
1) Win the toss and aim to bat ONLY once in the game.
2) Bowl WI out for a low first innings score and set them a huge second innings total to avoid an innings defeat.

If Pakistan plays according to this simple plan then they will prove to have a much better team no matter who they select.

Sri Lanka have a better batting line-up AND WE MADE THEM FOLLOW ON on their own turf, so needless to say i don't think we have anything to be afraid of, in our last two test series we had South Africa 120/5 and SL 33/3, if we manage similar spells against Pakistan then they would have a serious problem because they don't have a tail that can get them out of trouble.

[mikesiva]

I would suggest that Umar Akmal has to play, and that it's between Shafiq and Azhar for the final batting spot....

I would also suggest that in Tests Ajmal has to play ahead of Rehman.

Rehman played against both SA and NZ recently so i wouldn't be so sure about Ajmal!!..and whoever plays really doesn't matter because like i said we faced better spinners in Sri Lanka.

Pakistan has crazy selections, just like us....

Ajmal does a helluva lot more with the ball, and is a better bowler for the longer format than Rehman, who's really an ODI bowler. I feel more confident about our guys negotiating Rehman than I do about them surviving against Ajmal.

They're both early in their careers, so there's not a lot of difference in their Test stats. But when you watch them bowl, I know who I fear more....

[AFRO]

Pakistan has crazy selections, just like us....

Ajmal does a helluva lot more with the ball, and is a better bowler for the longer format than Rehman, who's really an ODI bowler. I feel more confident about our guys negotiating Rehman than I do about them surviving against Ajmal.

They're both early in their careers, so there's not a lot of difference in their Test stats. But when you watch them bowl, I know who I fear more....

Well i don't really fear Ajmal in the longer form to be honest, he's just been someone who's kept things tight rather than someone who's taking wicket after wicket like Bishoo, Mendis had more more variations and we managed to cope so why should we be scared of Ajmal? and talking of spinners!!..Pak must be wondering what on earth they have to do to stop Bishoo to rhatid!! .

[mr. cricket]

Pakistan has crazy selections, just like us....

Ajmal does a helluva lot more with the ball, and is a better bowler for the longer format than Rehman, who's really an ODI bowler. I feel more confident about our guys negotiating Rehman than I do about them surviving against Ajmal.

They're both early in their careers, so there's not a lot of difference in their Test stats. But when you watch them bowl, I know who I fear more....

Well i don't really fear Ajmal in the longer form to be honest, he's just been someone who's kept things tight rather than someone who's taking wicket after wicket like Bishoo, Mendis had more more variations and we managed to cope so why should we be scared of Ajmal? and talking of spinners!!..Pak must be wondering what on earth they have to do to stop Bishoo to rhatid!! .

now you have started comparing leg spinner to off spinner...plus dont hype him so much he is good but he needs to keep working hard...tests will tell the real story

[mikesiva]

Afro, a Pakistani fan here agrees with you that Shafiq should play ahead of Umar Akmal....

http://www.cricket-match-special.com/vi ... f=3&t=4393" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[AFRO]

now you have started comparing leg spinner to off spinner...plus dont hype him so much he is good but he needs to keep working hard...tests will tell the real story

Excuse me isn't a spinner a SPINNER? or was EVERYONE wrong to compare Warne and Murali?