My Pakistan starting test and ODI XI
After soundly defeating the West Indies, Pakistan have a nice problem on their hands. Many good players for a few spots. With Shoaib and Asif returning, it calls for some intense rethinking. Kamran Abbasi, in his blog, recently called on fans to suggest their teams. So here I present my teams for both formats, assuming Shoaib and Asif play. Comments welcome!
ODI starting XI
- Kamran Akmal (k)
- Mohd. Hafeez
- Yasir Hameed
- Younis Khan
- Inzamam ul Haq (c)
- Mohd. Yousuf
- Abdul Razzak
- Abdur Rehman
- Shoaib Akhtar
- Umar Gul
- Mohd. Asif
- If Akmal develops his technique and plays as an opener permanently, he solves 2 problems. Firstly, the opener gap, and secondly he allows for the specialist spinner, rather than the allrounder to play.
- Rehman, the specialist left arm spinner, is a must in my ideal ODI XI. He is attacking and restrictive. Agreed, his debut was impressive, and he will eventually have his bad days, but on the whole, he will be really useful.
- It's really important for both my squads to have at least 4 wicket-taking bowlers. Having a spinner just jazzes it up a bit.
- Razzak over Shoaib Malik? Just because of recent form. Both are great timers. In fact, I chose Mohd. Hafeez over Malik just because of this reason. I feel Malik is better option than both Hafeez and Razzak, though he isn't in form.
- Why Younis? You might have read my tirades in the past over Younis Khan. But I have to select around him. There is no way he won't play.
- Mohd. Hafeez
- Yasir Hameed
- Younis Khan
- Inzamam ul Haq (c)
- Mohd. Yousuf
- Asim Kamal
- Kamran Akmal (k)
- Shoaib Akhtar
- Umar Gul
- Danish Kaneria
- Mohd. Asif
- Playing Asim Kamal is the big thing here. I think he will be really useful down the order. this guy has an uncomplicated technique. He won't be bothered to much by the bounce that Ntini and Pollock will throw at him. He has mustered together the tail in the past to score his runs. An ideal 4-down.
- Kaneria will play no matter how much I like Rehman. I chose Hafeez as the allrounding opener, since he is in form.
4 comments:
my two cents..
how about fitting Shahid nazir for Umar Gul in the ODI squad? He is a hit the deck kind of a bowler and a no mean lower order bat. and is naved rana a part of the squad of XIV or not?
on the test front, IMHO Yasir hameed is batting one position too high for him. Wouldn't it be better if Shoib Malik played instead? The guy can bat and definately can bowl. and shouldn't yousuf be at 4 and Inzi at 5?
my two cents...
Shahid Nazir for Umar Gul in the ODIs
and Shoib malik for yasir Hameed in the tests. and Inzi at 5 in the tests and Yousuf at 4.
Thanks for the comments!
Shahid Nazir has been touted as Pakistan's bes tdomestic opening bowler. We saw what he could do against England and the West Indies. I quite like him. But Gul has a bigger name, and can seam the ball. Nazir is a swing bowler, which is also useful, but the selecters would never play Nazir instead of Gul. Gul is just as important as Shoaib now. In fact in tghe heirarchy, Rana would play before Nazir. He is considered more of a one day bowler than Nazir, who has been limited to test appearances as of late.
Agreed - Inzi and MoYo can switch. I am okay with that. The important thing is that they don't go too high up, or high down.
Yasir Hameed is an opener. So he can handle the new ball. Do you want him to go at 1 down? Younis Khan has clearly established himself at 1-down. He score the second highest runs last year in that position (after ponting)
Cheers Omar..
With the whole WADA thing, Nazir could find himself leading the pace attack again.
The only time I saw yasir hameed was during India's tour in 2003/04. Personally I think he will be found out with the new ball and is better suited at 3. That said, Younis kahn retains his position, so what say yasir hameed makes way for Shoib malik?
I am biased towards malik and would like to see him in atleast one form of the game in SA.
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