Tuesday, August 11, 2009

What Pakistan Must Have Learnt from the Sri Lanka Tour

Pakistan's tour is not yet over with one Twenty20 game left but the test and ODI series losses must have taught them something.

Here are a few things to think about.

  1. Leave Shoaib Malik out of the team and Pakistan will win matches. It is significant food for thought that the only 2 matches that Pakistan won on this tour were the ones in which Malik was overlooked.

  2. Mohammad Yousuf still has a few years left in him; for test matches though. ODIs is a game for younger and fresher legs; tell him to move on and concentrate on tests.

  3. Misbah will only perform in the final match of a series. He did it against Australia, and against Sri Lanka as well. Keep him for tests too.

  4. Umar Akmal has a very long career ahead of him; he will go on to become the mainstay of Pakistan's middle order over the next decade. Don't rush him into the test team though.

  5. Fawad Alam is another one for the future. Get him into the middle order for ODIs and tests as well and persist with him. Give him a proper chance!

  6. Mohammad Aamer will spearhead Pakistan's pace attack for a long time to come; Pakistan need to find an able partner for him.

  7. Test openers is still a cause for concern. Khurram Manzoor will probably get more chances but someone else needs to fill in the other spot. Fawad is for the middle order.

  8. While for ODIs, Kamran Akmal and Imran Nazir should be able to do the job. Persist with them with Nasir Jamshed as back up.

  9. Abdul Razzaq is probably past his sell-by date for ODIs. Play him in T20Is only.

  10. Who knew Rana Naveed still had it in him? The ICL also seems to have done his batting a lot of good. But he is still very expensive! Pakistan should look beyond him.

  11. Younis Khan made an impact in the final two games, both of which Pakistan won. Shows what an important component of the team he is. He needs to think as a batsman when in the middle.

  12. Shahid Afridi did not make much of an impact but then his playing field will be the T20 in two days. Once Misbah moves on, he should be made Vice Captain of the ODI team; that way a lot of burden can be lifted off Younis Khan's shoulders.

Make your pitch on this post...



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8 Pitched:

  1. Stani Army said...
     

    "Who knew Rana Naveed still had it in him?"...I did!

    We also learnt that Sanga is not the gentleman we all thought he was.

  2. Som said...
     

    Afridi is ambitious and I too believe if he gets ODI vice captaincy, he would give another extra 10 percent.

  3. straight point said...
     

    yes shedding of some extra flab won't hurt pak cricket...

    som...if only captaincy or vice captaincy can make him to give that extra 10% than i think its high time pak team plays sans these ambitious gents...

  4. Unknown said...
     

    I wonder what exactly Sangakarra said last match to Younus Khan as I didn't get to watch it. Anyway, excited to see how it all turns out tomorrow...Afridi's captaincy is only temporary, but maybe it'll be permanent if they win?

  5. Q said...
     

    Stani,

    Thats true man.. u have been supporting Rana Naveed for so long.. I still feel his bowling needs improving..

  6. Q said...
     

    Som,

    Thats true.. responsibility drives him and such men need to be in the driver's seat..

  7. Q said...
     

    SP,

    Not necessarily.. its the drive to the captaincy or VC that motivates some players.. its all but natural.. at your work place u work hard for that promotion / bonus.. its the same.. if more responsibility drives Afridi then that needs to be given to him.. his ambitions have not hampered the team.. if they are harmful to the team then yes u get rid of them..

  8. Q said...
     

    Husha,

    I didnt watch the match either so don't know what was exchanged.. but i guess it was to do with YK's dismissal that was not given by the umpire.. YK nicked the ball when he was on 70.. Sanga appealed, YK did not walk, umpire gave not out.. Sanga must have talked abt that and it irked YK..

    As for Afridi.. I feel he should be made permanent already.. Im not sure what the PCB are thinking or whether they r thinking at all..

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