Cricinfo - Blogs - Pak Spin - Imran pulls Pakistan out of trouble

salam,
yes you pointed out well, but before the wagon departs let me add a few words. Imran's techinique regardless of the runs scored is woeful. THe way he got out on 57, playing accross the line is not how a "specialist" opener should play. He got 57 on a flat track, but if he continues with this technique he ont be ablt to cross single figures on pitches which ask for more. I know i will get some drubbing for it, but Imran seems no different from Hamid or Butt or farhat or Hafiz. however, lets enjoy it while it lasts.

On the second hand, finally Afridi was sent at the right position and by the right position i dont mean #6, i mean when Pakistan needed a slogget. He should be sent to batwhenever Pak needs quick runs not when we need consolidation, And the Imporatant thing is expct a 50 every 20th match not every 2nd, he is a slogger and days when he will score bulks will come less often.

PS- Younis deserved the MOM. The most selfless innings of the match.

Yes! He got Pakistan off to a flyer! CHanging the psyche of the top order early on. I doubt he will be consistent enough. One hot day doesn't make a summer!

Imran Nazir proved what a lot of us fans have been saying for a very long time - ie - Imran Nazir is 10 times better than the likes of Imran Farhat, Mohammad Hafeez and Yasir Hameed. Despite all this, Nazir was kept out of the team for far too long. He is the best fielder in Pakistan, and one of our most exciting ODI batsman. Pakistan should stick with Nazir for a very LONG time from now on - sure, he will fail occasionally as everyone does, but his talent and ability make him a MATCH-WINNER, something that the likes of Yasir Hameed, Mohammad Hafeez and Imran Farhat never were. Farhat,Hameed and Hafeez have never played a match winning innings for Pakistan ever, whereas Nazir has done so on many a occasion. I think Nazir will be equally destructive in the West Indies, where he already has a test and ODI century to his name in those conditions. After the World Cup, I hope Pakisntan recalls Salman Butt, and then we can finally have a world class ODI opening pair in Butt and Nazir.

thats right kamran he did look good and looks a good choice as opener for pakistan. however it is only one game and he needs to prove himself over the next three games against south africa if he is going to be pakistans opener in the world cup.Talking about kamran akmal I still he should open the innings.I am still positive that he can prove himself in the next couple of games ahead of the world cup.

It was great to c pakistan getting a good start just for a change, but the questions are still arising in my mind. Is Kamran Akmal good enough to face the other attacks in the world if we leave alone Australia.May b if Imran nazir is in good form then he could be an option to attack the oppsition.If Younus Khan has to come in within the first five overs in every game, then why cant we play him as an opener for better stability.
Inzimam apears to have no scense atall when it comes to bowling changes.Razzaq bowling his first over, when the slog was on in the 46th over of the innings. why cant someone go and tell him that a fast bowler needs 2-3 overs to get warmed up and to be in the rythm.Why cant someone tell him that Asif is his ace in the world cup and after bowling 100 plus overs in the tests it is very cruel to him to ask him to bowl 10 in a trot in such heat............

I was surprised myslef when Afridi did not get man of the match award. Imran Nazir did play very well but he needs to be consistent to carve out a spot in the world cup squad, and so does Afridi.

Kamran you got it absolutely right. It is really important that Imran shows consistency. I think Pakistan have two very good openers now in the form of Imran and Hafeez and they have potential and if we can give them a long run they should prove to be a handful for the opposition. Hafeez has shown good technique and if he can learn not to throw his wicket away after getting a good start. I hope both Imran and Hafeez start showing consistency, if not then i would have Inzi open the inning for Pakistan instead of just wasting him down the order. He should learn to lead from the front just like Ponting, Fleming, Dravid, and Graeme Smith. Glad to see that Pakistan still remains a threat for the WC 2007. Keeping our fingers crossed. May Allah help them.

I agree. I think Imran Nazir's innings was the most valuable in terms of putting our team on track. If he'd fallen cheaply, the pressure would have been on Younis & Yousuf.

He did his job as an opener: he gave the rest of the batsmen a rocking start.

Yes, its really true that Imran has given pakistan the start they have wantyed to level dice.But we cannot say everything is perfgect now unlesss he carries on the same momentum to the upcoming games.

Reagrding kamran akmal i still believe he a class act and treat to watch if he overcomes his fears which are around him for long time otherwise definately we requre zulqarnain into his place but i am not sure about his batting abilities as compared to kamran at his best.

Finally i must say pakistan has the most gifted players but all run in different directions apart from focusing on single goal like they have done yesterday by taking a perfect revenage from their counterpart.
we can really pray that we will see same performances from all pakistani player like they have done yesterday.

I think it is too early to "praise" Imran and Afridi. I agree they both have shown class with great confidence and need encouragement but unfortunate to say they both lack in what they call consistency. Needless to say both of them have secured next couple of games but do you have faith in them as a reliable batsman..is a million dollar question ? Amer

I was really happy to see the return of Imran Nazir and Shahid Afridi. Though he didn't get much to do in the match, it was also great to see Azhar Mahmood back. This might have been the strongest team Pakistan can field - I think it's a toss up between Shoaib Akhtar and Naved; Shoaib can get the wickets but Naved, when he's on song, is stingy.

Oh - there's one more who could also be welcomed back - Saqi. How about having the world's finest finger spinner represent in the WC?

No one should ever doubt the potential Pakistan's cricket team has. What has always, however, been in question is their consistency. That is exactly the reason Pakistan cricket has more fans than one can believe. You never know what's coming. The crescendo-decrescendo emotions you experience being a Pakistani fan is second to none.

Come to think of it, being an Aussie fan must be pretty boring as the outcome is rarely in doubt.

Indeed - one ODI is not enough to decide an opener - we have already had our hopes high for Salman Butt, Imran Farhat, Yasir Hameed and Mohammed Hafeez. Inzi was right when he said that there is a limit to the number of chances a player can be given. If Imran Nazir plays well in the next few ODIs, Pakistan should have him and Akmal open, or even open with Younis Khan, since he opens anyways! Then bring in Shoaib Malik and number 3, followed by Yousuf and Inzi. The other four positions are taken by Afridi, Akmal, Razzaq and Mahmood. Asif needs a partner for number 10 - Gul get fit!

It was good innings which set the tone for rest of the Pakistani innings, but was it just one good innings like Afridi or is he the answer to our long lasting opening problem, that remains to be seen. it's sad to see we are still in search of one reliable opening pair when world cup is just around the corner.Nonetheless he is worthy to be picked up for opening place in the World Cup.

For the first time in the last month or so i did not see a pakistani opener dancing on the pitch ,squaring up and eventually giving a nice little edge to the slips.....well done imran i ve always been a staunch supporter of imran.He should never have been dropped at the first place.He has that ability to dominate just like Gilcrist or Jaysuria.Neither does he tries to hit every ball nor does he leave every bad ball.Imran should be the opener for pakistan in the world cup.A good start from the opener is so vital ,it gives the whole batting line up a momentum .Immran is far beter than any other opener pakistan have tried over the last two years.He is an energetic fielder as well.Imran just needs to learn how to be consistent and he can easily cement his place in the team.

Imran Nazir should have been in the team long long time ago but anyway ''dairr ayed durustt ayed'' now we should open with Younis Khan and Nazir combination. One is very destructive and the other one is best 'thippoo' ever produced by Pakistan. That will make a best opening pair and Kamran Akmal can slip back at no 6.

Not to undermine other's performances but I think his 57 were more valuable than yousuf,younis and afridi's score cuz he put the pressure on the bowlers, gave the other batsmen confidence with a flying start. To me he was the man of the match

Yet another opener comes into contention and he fires on his path of comeback, but can they hold the seat long enough that is question one should ask. We have long lamented for the returns of players like imran farhat, salman butt, taufiq umer, and yasir hameed. But the story is the same Inconsistency, yes it was nice and everyone can jump on Imran nazir bandwagon yet again. But for me and any pakistani with enough sense just hold on and wait. I hope he can destroy every attack just like he did SA, but can he provide us with some sensible and responsible innings..that's yet to happen from any opener ...we all have seen glimpses but someone has yet to put their hand up.

Its far too earlier to comment on Imran nazir's progress as one day opener, considering the fact that he has failed once in tour and blugeoned other time around. But if you go by basics i am failed to understand why pakistani selectors keep giving chances to Imran farhat with no or little batting & fielding talent (excuse me farhat). Imran Nazir is a destructive player and Pakistan certainly need someone who can take the game on from the start but can last for 30-40 balls, so our middle order can do what they are good at, and in later part of the innings we certainly have few players who can clear the rope easily. Pakistani team should not depend on Shoaib Akhtar during world cup as he might only be able to play 2-3 matches max, so we need fit and firing gul , asif , razzaq , shabbir/Sami.

Inzamam is out of sort for quite sometime in one days.

All in all Pakistan can do better in WC, but i am not betting for the whole tournament.

With the return of Imran Nazir as an explosive opener, Pakistin's side lookes like full of fireworkers. While Afridi returned in is dangerous form, there is already Abdul Razak down the order who is another afridi in the final overs. also there is rock solid middle order comprising yunis, Inzi and Yousuf. Now the only problem is in bowling department. In absence of Sohaib Akthar and Gul the fast bowling depends on superb Asif and the spin depends on the alrounders. So there is an immidiate need of either Kaneria or Rahman as a specialist spinner.Also, Akmal's form is very importent for pakistan. It would not reasonable to drop him in the eve of WC. he has done very well with the bat as well as with the gloves in the past. so just let him play down the order where he feels most comfortable. It is better to get back Afridi in the opening now.

I've been among those long awaiting the return of Imran Nazir, but don't think one innings should guarantee him spot on the squad of 15. He needs to do what he did at least once more.

People too often criticize Afridi's inconsistency with the bat and forget what he brings with the ball and on the field. Let's not forget that he had Kemp cleanly trapped LBW, but never got the decision.

Akmal did a decent job behind the stumps but Haider deserves his opportunity. So does Abdur Rehman. Please tell me they came to South Africa for a reason.

When SA were 5 or 6 down and the req. run rate was approaching 8 RPO, Inzamam should have brought Rana back for one more spell to determine whether the pacer deserved a chance in the next match. As it is, I don't think his space can be justified.

Younis was a great call for the Player of the Match award. Selfless and more fluid than Yousuf. He also came in when the score was 1 for 1. And no one else on the Pakistani side could have taken his catch on Ashwell Prince.

Azhar outplayed Razzaq but lost all his steam in 4 overs. How did he pass a fitness test that Shoaib Akhtar and Shabbir failed?

If Asif had been anything less than perfect, the match would have been very, very different. He didn't get enough credit for his work. What more does a bowler have to do for the Player of the Match award?

The topic shows how desperate Pakistan is for a reasonable opener. Yes, Imran did play a scintillating knock, specially after coming back (One of my greatest surprise, why he is dropped from ODI? Effectively his average of 25 is better than most Pakistanis 35, since he contributes at least 10 in the field).
But, his innings had some typical Pakistani essence (Flaw) - Going after the new ball with insanity, brilliant stroke play as well as some cross batted slog, pre-determined shot selection & most importantly, not balancing the mode of attack & defense, which eventually has resulted to so many Pakistani Openers since Sayeed & Amir – dismissed at a critically wrong time & invariably courtesy of a wrong shot selection to an inappropriate ball.
He had South Africans at his mercy, the hard work was done, only had to adopt the attitude of selfishness, to play for his century. Younus & Yousuf this time covered for him, but against a good side, not every time Pakistan can afford, a cross-batted brainless slog, when the score is 80 @ around 7 & your opener is on 57 of 39.

The difference between the Aussie or Indian & the Paki opener is that is that, they struggle at the start & stroll through to 100, taking the game away from opposition, these fellows starts brilliantly & through it, only from the opposition to crawl back.

3 more games to go, wish Imran at least once shows the tendency to survive, for he plays with arguably the current best combined 3, 4 & 5, followed by most destructive 6, 7 & 8. Come young man, play for your career. 57 of 39 sounds good, but 114 of 139 will count higher.

Enjoyed the 2nd ODI. It was good to see Pakistan win with good performances.
I have only word as I described earlier, lets see how long can we carry on. Yes, the word is... you got it.. CONSISTENT. Show me repeats, repeats, repeats, no matter we win or loose, there should be some bone to our show at all times! Keep watching with a ANTACID

its weird that Imran is not playing at the team when he is more stable and make more runs than the other openers who came in with politics. and its also weird that players like afridi and kamran akmal and to an big extent inzamam isnt dropped after a whole year without any runs. If Imran haves just 2 or 3 bad matches he is dropped from the team just like yassir hameed. Why this different?

Imran Nazir and Shahid Afridi can play only in flat wickets because fo their wrong batting technices. And in West Indies batting is very difficult as the pitches are very slow, where we need batsmen who can accumulate runs like hafeez, yunis and yusuf. Both Imran and Afridi are highly inconsistent, Afridi scoring a match winning innings may be after every 30-40 matches. They should learn from Dhoni how he bats according to the situation. I think how many matches Dhoni single handedly won for India in 2005-2006, Afridi did not win for Pakistan in the last 10 years since he is playing. So its too early to count on them. Can we rely on these 2, the way they play, they are susceptible to get out each ball.
I hope Pakistan takes a balanced team to the world cup.

An emphatic performance to seal a most emphatic victory. Pakistan have roared back in to the series and who better to announce their thumping and slightly belated arrival than perhaps the two players that are so capable but also guilty of letting the team down on innumerable occasions in the past. Nazir and Afridi showed yesterday that the Pakistani lineup is capable of brilliance on its day but the major problem remains is how often does that particular day occurs. It was definately Nazir's innings that swung the pendulam in Pakistan's favour as it was the early onslaught that basically announced to the South Africans that Pakistan might go down but will go down with a bang. Nazir looked to be in prime form (although he did commit the cardinal sin of throwing away a century that was there for the taking). What is needed now is for him to show some kind of consistency otherwise a week from now all Pakistan supporters will again be scratching their heads and trying come up with opening combinations. One thing that has been proven by this performance is that the Pakistani brand of cricket is most effective when it is in the form of attacking, adventurous and high paced cricket. One more point that I would like to make is that the situation yesterday was perhaps an ideal platform for Afridi to launch his assault. I have my reservations about his batting position when Pakistan are say 93/4. For this reason and as far as being adventurous is concerned, would the idea of opening the innings with both Nazir and Afridi be one that might be considered in the next three matches? I think that it might work although some might say that there is a difference between being adventurous and being stupid.

Correct me if I am wrong, but Viv Richards had highly spoken of Imran Nazir; and apart from his highlighting of Imran's talent, I myself was a big fan of his strokeplay, especially against McGrath. Which is why I was so amazed that he has been dropped from the side!! Although we have missed a lot of him, it is still pleasant to know that he is back -and in such a way. Talent needs to be nurtured and given chances, he is of more right to this than Imran Farhat.

imran played a special knock here,as a openner u always doesnt need perfect technique,as chris gayle or v.sehweg, every batsman have its weakness,but u need 2 show consistencey,but both oppeners(gayle & sehweg) are lucky there partners are very senior ,sehwag have tendulkar and gayle have chander paul,if nazir get inzamm who is wasted himself at no 6,then its good for him,its the only solution 2 solve our betting problem.

And Kamran bhai, thank you for making Imran's knock a headline; true Younis, Yousaf and Afridi's knock, and for that matter Inziiiiii's run out :) are more than worth a praise. Imran's 50 is nothing short of either.

Imran was the real man of the match he changed the whole psychi of the pakistani team. Turned the likes of pollock and ntini under pressure who never recovered.
I also think that south Africans bowled a lot of short deliveries on a good batting pitch. They took pakistan lightly and payed the price.
More consistency is needed from Imran Nazir. He is talented like Afridi, certainly better technique then him but the same temperament and short selection. What they both do in the coming days will really show the right picture. Asif bowling 10 straight overs i dont think he will make it to the end of series. Another pakistani way of destroying talent. Azhar is back in the light he also has to prove himself.

I agree Afridi should have been man of the match, and Imran Nazir set the tempo for a faboulous first innings score. He is the opener Pakistan have been looking for, and they should try Malik as an opener as Akmal failed yet again.

Pakistan played superbly in the second ODI against SA. However they need to reflect on how they won. This is due to a brilliant platform set by Imran Nazir and helped along by YO-YO. Afridi came in to do what he does best - slog. My reason is that he performed well was because he had no pressure as a solid base was set up with plenty of wickets in hand. Overall a very good performance and i hate to see Kamran Akmal being criticised as he took a couple of hard chances behind stumps. Batting needs improvement - maybe a different batting position. Open with Shoaib Malik and Imran Nazir. Hope to see the 3rd ODI and hoping Pakistan win

I think yesterdays's team had a poerful batting line-up we just need Umar Gul or shoaib Akthar instead of Naved

Bill Shankly the legendary liverpool coach once said team sport is like a piano.You need Three people who can play it and the rest can carry the damn thing.It is very important for pakistan fans to be patient with this team.I heard an overzealous SA reporter asked Inzamam about a possible whitewash.He was rightly irritated.Pakistan is justfiably the 3rd best team and people shouldnt worry too much about the number of all rounders,they will all play a role for the team in the world cup.The problem with subcontinent teams is they want demi gods to be the only players in the team.It now time for a good batsman who can field to be chosen ahead of a classy batsman.pakistan will never reach aussie or west indian heights if the fielding does not improve.i mean its bad enough having mohammed yosuf in the team in terms of running,even khan looks to have caught on.Right now there is a bowling crisis and besides the injuries it seems bowlers are not improving.who knows,maybe asif could follow naved.People need to realise that afridi is in the team as a bowler only.batting is a bonus.there is no way you can drop kamran after watching the video of him and razzaq save the test in india.you just have to pray that he improves.younnis no matter what people thinks has to play in the odi squad,even just as a fielder.He is the only player who plays with a genuine plan,its just that his batting limitations mean his plans dont come of.He was the best batsman during the test series.He may not be flamboyant but there is more to cricket than classy shots.Its time bob and the PCB gave central contracts to at least 18 players and definetly there is no way shoaib and inzy can continue playing both forms of the game.Shoaib no matter what some think is a legend to most young players and pakistans best test bowler.The problem is every time he comes back he upsets the balance of the team like michael vaughn does for england.No wonder Bob was hurt.He knew pakistan would not win the series without their most experienced quick.Rana definetely cannot play test cricket and Hafeez I believe has the best technique for test cricket at least.The best young opener is salman butt not because of technique but because he has a cricket brain.i like what I saw in Imran and if he can field he can play for my life.L am more worried about abdul,he seems lost and malik is a class player.

Here we go again. Is it just in our blood or Imran Nazir really that good? I know there have been many calls for him to be in the team, but one match is no good. His domestic form isnt too great, imagine what will he be able to at the international level. Even though I do want him to succeed for the sake of a reliable opener, but I just dont see that happening. Well lets just pray he succeeds big time. Why not bring back Malik as opener instead of wasting him down the order. Akmal would be better down.

PCB has some serious issues. Its full of people who sit back hands on stomachs and pretend to act like they are doing some work. Reintroducing Azhar is a hit and miss move much like the adhoc commitees and meetings they have. I felt that Imrans return was pointless. However Imran and Shahid played very well and i feel that pehaps Afridi should have recieved the man of the match he was deserving it and reciveving recognition would have fired him up for the coming match.

Pakistan is Backkk and Backkk with a Bang !!

imran nazir has shown true potenial..however he needs to be consistent.
i belive this was the best team pak has fieled since a long time. We need shoaib or gul back so that asif can get a good support. rana sami or rao are completely useless. they cant keep batsmen under pressure for a long time like asif and shoaib.
I belive Malik should open with nazir. so that when nazir is slogging, malik can anchor the other end and then with yousaf younis and inzi he can build the innings. Then we'll have akmal, afridi, razzaq & mahmood for sloging overs.

Yes..for how log have we been saying bring back Imran and he finally shows his true colour.He set up the innings perfectly.Now get back Salman Butt and Pak have a gr8 opening pair.

the Pakistan team needs some consistency to have good world cup, all that is needed is the return of Umar Gul and Shoaib Akhtar and they will be full strength, Nazir needs to prove himself

I think we might have perfected the final XI for the world cup...but what shud be changed is that shoaib malik who i think has like 3 centuries as an opener brought back to number 2 and kamran akmal allowed to play more freely in the lower middle order...Rana Naveed should be sent back to the academy to work out his problems and Azher Mahmood retained as a 12th man cover

I think openers have been a long time problem for pakistan now, but it's not because we do not have potential but because they don't play consistantly well, what I don't understand is that where does Mr. Bob Woulme stand in all this?, isn't this a coach's job to let any playe know of their bad habits as a batsman or a bowler, that everybody has, or is it all about showing us his labtop in every game. He has to talk with players about their weaknesses also, to help them built their careers and good totls for pakistan.

Lets not get too excited, Nazir's innings can be best described as lucky. The way he batted (very similar to the domestic 20/20 competition), top edges going for sixes and falling in no man's land and the manner in which he eventually got out, wasn't that reassuring. He is as much a walking wicket as Afridi. And lets not forget the flatness of the track and the fact that Saffers bowled horribly throughout the game. I am willing to predict that this innings would be the best effort from Nazir we will see in the whole series. He won't be crossing the fifty mark anytime soon.

Every opener pakistan has played over the past couple of seasons has shown signs of brilliance. Talent is not lacking mental toughness is. I think nazir is an ideal odi player specially because he is an excellent fielder. the guy is one of the most talented players we have produced but he needs to score big runs. i give him credit for coming back into the side under a situation where previous pakistani sides would have packed up and gone home but his counterattack gave the whole team confidence. I have said this forever mcgrath and pollock and even asif can be hit u need to be bold though. u need to know how to hit the pull.

Azhar Mahmood's knee was being attended to as the match ended. Will he be yet another casualty taking a flight back home after a short stay in SA?

Imran Nazir deserve accolades, as he badly destroyed South African's game plan, at very earlier stage. He is capable to carry on as a solid and reliable opener for Pakistan. Although Pakistan bowling department contained South Africans for mere 210, still needs much more improvement, especially for all seamers.

The whole team fired and the whole team deserves the man-of-the-match award. Even Kamran Akmal made a nice stumping and didn't drop a catch. Inzamam made a diving stop, what else can you ask for?

Yes..finallyyy! Imran Nazir is back in the Pakistan team.. he should have been in the team after the warm up game against India where he killed the Indian bowlers. To this day i dont understand why he was dropped in the first place? I mean on his day he can destroy any bowling attack and he is a great fielder... probably the best in Pakistan.. i mean the guy dives for the ball instead of waving is hand for the fielder behind him. I am not saying that he is the only one, there is Afridi, Shoaib Malik & thats it. I think the board said something about him not being consistent or some BS like that... heck is our board consistent in anything that it does? By the way the board has to do something with Rana Naved... for some funny reason i think he is very well connected or something because I cannot understand how this guy is in the team. I think PCB should think about giving those 2 under 19 bowlers a chance. I think their names are : 1) Anwar Ali Khan and 2)Jamshed Ahmed or something(basically a carbon copy of Wasim Akram)

Guys, stop complaining about ability of Imran & Afridi to score on flat wickets. One day cricket is all about batting and flat wickets. How many sporting wickets we see these days any ways?? Important thing is they should perform more often...

Yeah he played a good innings but depends how consistent he is. I would like you to write an article on Naved Ul Hasan. What a lucky bowler he is. By looking at him I just wonder if I would have been a friend of Inzi I would have been in the team too. I don't know how long he will stick with the team but sooner we get rid of him, the better it will be.

Mr.Abbasi though I enjoy reading each & every of your article & do appreciate of your work , but don;t you think it's a tad early to say "Imran pulls Pakistan out of trouble" . No doubt he played very well & laid the platform for the Pak win but I think he isn't yet a certain choice for the opening spot until he performs once again at least in the remaining matches which I'm sure he's gonna play . He's sure;ya great fielder & very talented player but he needs to be consistent , & should not need to get lost like the likes of Salman Butt , Yasir Hammed & many more who impressed with their start but failed to produce what was expected with them . I can only hope that he do takes Pakistan out of this opening dilemma .

Also , I would like him to open with Hafeez who I think have an outstanding technique & if guided in the right direction can prove to be a future champion . In turn , either of Malik or Mahmmood or Razzaq should be opted to sit out (now when the blue eyed Afridi has fired , expecailly malik as it would maintain the balance) .

pakistanis did show some positive and exciting cricket,everybody knows what are they capable of and it was pressure that came out at the right time, kamran akmal needs some rest , hafeez and nazir is a good opening pair to go for rest of the series and it will give them some time to settle down and build up a cordination together.
it was paksitan's day yesterday and there could be more if there focus stays on the game.
bravo pakistan. keep up the good spirit.

Pakistan played superbly in the second ODI against SAImran Nazir set the tempo for a faboulous first innings score. He is the opener Pakistan have been looking for, and they should try Malik as an opener as Akmal failed yet again.think yesterdays's team had a poerful batting line-up we just need Umar Gul or shoaib Akthar instead of Naved
Pakistan have roared back in to the series and who better to announce their thumping and slightly belated arrival than perhaps the two players that are so capable but also guilty of letting the team down on innumerable occasions in the past.

finally Nazir gets a chance after 2 years. He should make the most of it, and hopefully he will be picked for the world cup

You have rightly pointed out that it was Nazir whose aggressive innings laid the foundation for pakistan. Nazir is one of the better pullers and hookers in pakistan team. I remeber him playing a very good innings in Australia in 2003 where he got a dashing 50. I think he should learn to be more consistent and convert those 50's into hundreds

Lets not now get carried away. That was an excellent performance from pakistan. I concur with kamran. The performances need to be consistent.

Lets just hope this was not just a flash in the plan.

At last we won agianst SA a much needed win before to bolstter the team's confidence for the rest of the series and eventually for the World Cup. My congrats to Pakitsan Team and their big supporters around the world. Nazir, Younis, Yousuf, Asif and Afridi all played extremely well, BUT AFRIDI was awesome and should have the Man of the match. Regarding opening pair, I think Nazir/Hafeez or Nazir/Salman Butt would be a good opening composition. Regarding bowling we need a Fit Shoaib Akhtar or Umar Gul back in Team. A combination specialist bowlers of Asif, Shoaib and Gul will be an ideal. In this situation we might need to get rid of one allrounder. Regarding Captaincy, which is very important on the field, is that Inzi does not have captaincy capabilty, he never seems to be motivating bowlers, no sense of filed placing, no capable of making strategy and right decision on the field, example does not make bowling changes when it needed.

imran played a true warrior innings; he changed the face of paksitani batting, needs to continue in same manner....bravo!

I really enjoyed Imran Nazir's innings because if he didn't perform he might have been dropped again. Afridi is getting too much praise, at least with the bat. In the last match, when it was needed, he got 17. Now, when Malik or Razzaq, who are both bigger hitters than Afridi, could have come in, he perfoms. He did it when it wasn't as important. Malik or Razzaq's innings aren't talked about that much because, unlike Afridi, they help Pakistan more by waiting until its time to hit out, and then they get better shots and more runs than Afridi. In my mind, Afridi still shouldn't be in the team. The difference between Nazir's innings and Afridi's was that Nazir was playing well and playing properly. He started the runs flowing for Pakistan and he didn't look like he was about to get out. And as the commentators said, the difference between someone like Afridi and a class player like Yousuf was that Yousuf was finding the gaps; Afridi was hitting straight to the fielder.

Everybody is trying to sing the same song,Imran is this Afridi is that and so on and so forth.But the key factor to rap up all in one shot is it is important for all the players to play as a teem and not to depend on individual performances,they all should emphasize in all departments of the game especially on feidling,they should plan their game according to the circumstances they are facing,to stay calm and be composed and concentrate on their game. They should try to win the series and to keep eye on the forth coming world cup.

Whatever they say, Imran looks and feels More confident than all the other Openers on display!

But mind you, this was the first ODI, And teams are pretty good at figuring out weaknesess. Imran will have to be Intelligent about his play in the next three games. He got 1 free in his first outing.. Lets see how he copes when the South Africans pitch it up to him.

However, he's a very pretty player to watch when in full flow.. I distinctly missed his cover drives.

i said in a post on another blog that pakistan can play as if they are playing a schoolyard team, and rip them apart or play like the schoolyard team itself!, this is a blunt reminder to people saying we dont have the talent, indeed, no one in the world has as much talent as pak, and as much as it pains me to criticise pak after that mauling of SA, i must echo what people on this blog are already saying, youve shown us you can do it, but now show us that you can do it 90%+ of the time!

Peace 2 all

Kamran, agreed but yet again will he be consistent or not ? This questions has plagued the team for so many years now. I am a big fan of his game and can clearly see that he isn't getting out in the slips anymore .. atleast for now. Every new opener comes, bats brilliantly in the first few games and suddenly hits the bad patch or say "bad technique finally expolited by the opposition". He played brilliantly, no doubt but the way he got out exposed his flaw as well. Next few games will witness his rise or will we witness "another bites the dust" ?

i think it was Nazir who starts what Afridi Finished, i think Pakistan Should Open with Imran Nazir and Shoaib Malik, because he better then Kamran Akmal opening. And Afridi Should Play at nº 6

Too early to say if Imran Nazir is the rightman to be trusted the job of a opner considering his poor technique, he is more of a slogger that carries its own risks.what we need is solid openers who can face atleast first 8-10 overs aiming no mor than 4/5 runs per over.we all know it pakistan rarely recovers if it loses wickets early on.it is worth trying malik with yasir hamid with akmal at 8/9.how about trying younus khan as a wicket keeper.it is not the right time with world cup so close to try a new wicket keeper for such a big occasion.akmal had good match as a wicket keeper that should help his confidance to score big in forth coming matches.we need to remind ourselves world cup will be played on pitches very different than SA pitchs which hopfully will suit our team.pakistan will need maximum 3 spcialist bowler and maximum alrounders with proven match winner at no 9, thanks to our thoughtless selectors, we cannot take azhar with us.pakistan must strengthen its batting lineup and score big enough to give chance to our bowlers, as we did yesterday.return of GUL should stenghthen our bowling.same applies to Shohaib but personnly mentally i will prepare for world cup with out relying on him

Kamran Sahib, I am really turning into a fan of yours, your comments are really nice. and very true. Imran did play a good innings, he has a big heart and really takes it on to the opposition. He had always had potentials but the sellectors (who are nothing more than a bunch of Idiots) never really gave him a long run instead applied an in and out policy with him. It reminds me of Saeed Anwar's case when he was sent back to Pakistan from Australia by Imran after he scored 3 hundreds in one dayers there on the pretext of him not being suited for the test match series, this was back in 1985 I guess. A move that surprised every one including ppl like Ian Chappel and company who went on to say that one has to be stupid to send such a player back on the asumption of him not being useful for test matches, perhaps Ian didnt know that such things are a common phenomina in pakistan. The same Saeed Anwar came back with vengence and proved Imran & company wrong as he became one of the best openors that Pakistan ever produced in both forms of the game. Saeed Anwar however was a very disciplined person and he managed to fight out odds and came back with a style to prove the pundits wrong and not every body is so lucky. The responsibility of PCB and in perticular the sellectors is to spot the talent and groom him, which in Imran's case was missing and he along with many others were left to straighten out things themselves. it really is unfortunate and by this way we have lost many a budding talent, some names do come in mind and those are Naveed Lateef, Wajahatullah Wasti, Hasan Raza, Ghulam Ali, Zahid Fazal, the list can be a never ending one, and in the end who is the looser. I personally feel that its not just these players who lost out on wearing Pakistan colours, but a greater looser is Pakistan cricket. How londg are we going to live with such things, why are the PCB officials not answerable to any one, why is the Ministry of Sports quiet on this issue and also why is the Patron In Chief not asking the board chief about such things for it is him who has been appointing the Chief's of PCB directly.

Coming back to the ODI's in South Africa I think teh line up for the remaining matches should be as follows
Imran / Hafeez / Younis / Yousuf / Shoaib Malik / Shahid / Kamran / Azhar Mahmood / Razzak / Sami / Asif. My team does not have Inzamam in it for we should try and build up a taem for the world cup and its never too late. Inzamam is a certainty for the World Cup, at the same time he is prone to injuries so he must be rested and Shoaib should be tried as a possible substitute/cover for him at the World Cup. This would also give an opportunity to Younis to prove his worth as captain for If Inzamam falls unfit during the World Cup then he is there ready and battle hardened. I only wish the powers to be in PCB have some brains and try this out. One thing i must also add and that is that Imran, Kamran, Azhar, Shahid must always be there in any ODI out fit that Pakistan tries out for these are very valuable players and there presence does make the opponents think twice.
Now about Salman Butt, he is a class act for both the forms of the game and also is a captaincy material. He should be braought back in the team and be given a confidance that he is there to atay and not just be a part of the in and out policy of PCB. I see in him a very good future captain and to be honest he alongwith Younis are the only one amongst all the Pakistani Cricketers who can handle the press with some confidance. It surprising to see Inzamam who has been playing international cricket since 1990, speak like an Idiot whan faced with the press both in english and Urdu as well. he has been theer for almost 17 years and touring with the team for such a long time, yet his english is so poor. Not only his english (which has a very big ZERO), but the way he speaks (even in urdu)gives an impression of a man lacking confidance and I would definately not accept that it is because he is a shy person. It is his job and if he cannot face the press properly than he does not justify his job and I wonder what PCB has done as far as this is concerned. Have they ever tried to groom/train him in this vital area, if not then may i ask why for I believe it is an integral part of the job that he has been assigned to do. He is very clever in other things like having Mushtaq in as assistant coach and manipulations to bring his trusted friends in the team, the likes of Razzaks and Naveeds, and keeping the ones he dosent like out of the team. He has lerned all these wrong things very fast and we still say he is shy. To me he looks more like an operator and not a shy person.

fewer people are saying that imran is not going to be successful on bowling wickets, may some one tell me where the hell in this whole world one day cricket is being played on bowling wickets. there could only be bouncy tracks for one dayers and that it was. 99% of one day cricket around the world is being played on placid tracks so it is more then worth to have an explosive player like him up their with a solid one like younis. younis should dare to come up and i am pretty sure he will adjust there quickly. he can fail for a while but with his solid technique he will fill that place efficiantly. imran was droped only bcoz he was bit too much aggressive ,was not choosy and his footwork was poor but in this match we saw all three faults covered though he needs to be sensible bit more but till now its ok.time will make him perfect and i think he should be given chance atleast as much as they gave to imran farhat. he can prove himself.

I rate Imran Nazir very highly. We should give him at least 5-6 more matches to judge his comeback! Between Imran Farhat, Butt, Yasir Hameed and Nazir my bet would be on Imran Nazir. He is definitely a good fielder then the above. Imran and Hafeez can be a decent opening pair for the world cup.

ICC again has shown its white color of going to ban Afridi. Why 4 days later Malcum Speed realized what had happened in the stands. He needs to adopt a hobby.

Hi Kamran,
I am slightly distracting and focusing on the Level 3 offence being laid out on Afridi by Malcolm Speed & ICC. Afridi was rash and they think he brought the game to disrepute. But why didn't Mr Speed react when Ponting, Martyn and Co. literally pushed the BCCI chief and Indian Minister of the stage after/amidst their ICC Champions Trophy celebrations- with the whole world watching ..wasn't that bringing the game to disrepute.
Mr Speed why is it that your fellow Aussies can get away with murder and our poor Afridi has been singled out by you when he was exonerated by the match referee initially??
P.S. Afridi was just beginning to get on top of his game and we may again lose a matchwinner to non-cricketing issues. Saddens me.

What happened in Durban is history but whats taking place now has to be seen. For a start I think Malcolm Speed has it against Pakistan. If Afridi was out of form why bother. Nobody wants to proceed against him. He scores runs and gets wickets, in comes Mr Malcolm Speed and decides to have action taken. Pakistan should not come together. Wouldnt be surprised some other action is not planned to create further disruption. They cannot have an Asian teams coming together.
While I have keyboard going I would like to add that I dont understand Osman Samiuddins negative comments on Pakistans state of affairs all the time. I dont know why he cant leave the subject of doping alone. People want to get on with it. My friend Blair and Bush moved into Iraq on false charges. What have you done about it. One has to move forward.

By bringing Nazir back, the PCB has made the right choice. The way to go is by playing match winners. Sure its a risk, but on their day, they will single handedly win a match, and thats how it should be. If you pack a team with 8-10 match winners, one or two of them are bound to play well. Atleast statistically. Therefore, bring back Salman Butt as well; he will win you matches on his day. PCB also made the smart choice by bringing back Afridi and Azhar Mahmood. These guys, on their day will win you games.
We now have :
Imran Nazir, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Inzi, Yousuf, Younis, Akmal, Razzaq, Asif and hopefully Akhtar (for the WC) who are capable of winning games on their own.

Things looks good.
Finally some sense from the PCB. But Afridi is goes and gets himself banned?? Idiot!

Anyways, hope every one has a good day

Awais

I believe imran nazir is a fine talent for pakistan cricket team he just lacks as is the case with other pakistani cricketers the consistency. Consistency is the order of the days if you want to make substantial contribution for the side. Shahid afridi again showed what he again do if he play sensibly and to control his short selection. As berry richards mentioned about our players that they are slow learners of the game so they need to change their impression by removing this tag of unpredictablity from them.

Yeah its a fact that Imran was the person who set the tone for Pakistan though most of the people are giving credit to Afridi. If Razaq was sent at Afridi`s position he would have done the same.I could not understand why Rana Naveed was in the team.Soth Africa once chased 440 against Australia
and if there are bowlers like Rana its not hard to chase even 500.Pakistan was lucky that they managed to defend.Thanks to Asif.He is an amazing talent.

hello kamran bhai.pakistan performed brilliantly with the bat.it was pleasant to see them batting so well.i hope they will bat like this always.i always knew that imran nazir was agood batsman.as for afridi i am not sure if he will continue his good form.but still afridi should have gotten the man of the match award.i know that yonis scored 93 runs but still afridi 77 came of 35 balls.he was also not out.he bowled very well too.he took 3 wickets of 9 overs with the economy of 2.77 so this all points out that afridi should have gotten the MOM award.

namste,it was great to see imran back in the side;not only is he a courageos batsman,he is also the best fielder together with younis.as for kamran akmal , he should not be opening the innings.it should go to shoib malik.even though pakistan won 2nd game i don't think their bowling apart from asif has any sting.running between wicket & fielding in genrel is bellow par.if they want to gofurther they have to pay more attention to this.

HAve to agree with Ghalib Taimur. Farhat and hafeez have been such a bloody disappointment. Immagine if Imran nazir, butt or yasir hameed start getting such a prolonged run. The fact of the matter is , these three guys play like batsman, therefore have the 'potential' to improve if given opportunities to learn. Farhat plays like a bloody dhobi brandishing his bat and Hafeez, i am afraid is to say, 'Parchi' can only go that far, he should go try his luck on something which might suit him better. I would suggest the civil services, there he can pretend that he knows what he is doing, without any body bothering !

I feel relieved after commenting earlire that Imran Nazir will be a welcome addition to the ODI squad. It is interesting to note that Mohammad Hafeez who has a strike rate of less than 60 runs per 100 balls in ODI career made the way for Imran nazir who has an imressive strike rate of more than 75 runs per 100 balls. And what a welcome change it turned out to be . . .

The issue of inconsistency can not be tagged to just one player in the team. We all know that the whole tem is inconsistent. We had won the World Cup in 1992 by defeating England, the same team who got us all out for mere 70+ in the group game! I think Imran Nazir should be groomed and this is his first time playing under Uncle Bob who may bring the best out of him.

the rule is=NO PLAYER IS BIGGER THEN THE TEAM, yes true, but players like afridi and shoab akhtar are exceptions to this rule,cuz not just paki fans but most cricket fans of the world would prefer to see afridi fail again for 10 more games,and see on the 11th game afridi perform like he did today,afridi and shoab akhtars critics would never understand the thrill of watching afridi hitting the pitch with his bat{whether d ball would go outta d ground or afridi himself} or the devilish look in shoab akhtars eyes before he starts his run up.
we want shoab akhtar in playing 11,with all his attitude,altitude,magnitude problems
ICC chief malcom speed, too seems to be afraidi of afridi,cuz why does he wants to ban afridi for 8 ODIs, for showing his bat to a spectator,while nothing to be done with the spectator who provoked him?or is it the ICC still havent yet got over its racism attitude???

That is the we all wanted from IMRAN NAZIR. hope he will continue like this

Another good player which is being ignored is Fawad Alam. He is performing brilliantly in domestic matches. When we look that guys like him are ignored and the likes of farhat are given so many chances karachi´s case of ignoring its players look quite promising.

Posted by: Tanveer Imam, M.D. from Pennsylvania, U.S.A. at February 8, 2007 7:51 PM

It seems very discouraging that Pakistanis are still seen experimenting with their openers when the ICC world cup is only weeks away.
I see it futile to play 4 all-rounders at one time, while specialist batsman like Asim Kamal are left to rust.
Kamran Akmal must have some friends in the PCB hierarchy and Pakistan dressing room to be still counted as a part of the team.
As for Imran Nazir, he indeed looked confident and fearless. He however needs the test of time. Our batsmen need to learn to keep the ball on the carpet while hooking and pulling.

Salam,
No doubt this guy has the courage and desire to deliver plus his fielding is an added advantage, however its too early to say that his inclusion has settled the oppening issue. He had shown his brilliance in the past but still lacks the most needed consistency. Only time will tell how much he has grown as a player. In the present day cricket one must have the potent combination of defence and attack, undoubtly he has variety of shots ranging from drives to hook and pull but his defence is still a question mark.
Out of the available lot of openers in Pak cricket, he and Salman but make a comparetively better opening pair, thus this is the high time to recall Salamn aswell.

So finally Shahid Afridi has been charged with a Level 3 offence of ICC code of conduct. Although he was initially cleared by match referee, but Malcolm Speed (by virtue of his dictatorship power) decided to act all by himself to take action against a Pakistani player whenever and wherever possible.

This situation is quite amusing as well as painful. Why it is amusing because this act of Speed clearly shows he does not have faith or trust in the ICC match referee who is also appointed by him. It seems he is simply not agreeing with match referee Chris Broad who was there at the ground and thought this act of Afridi was not of a serious nature. May be Speed does not agree with Chris Broad because one of the involved party is a Pakistani player.

The situation is also very painful because it is now almost certain it is Speed vs Pakistan after Hair saga. Speed is determined to punish Pakistan for all those reasons that brought the downfall of Hair……. an ardent friend of Speed.

Now it will be no wonder if Afridi gets the maximum punishment and he is kept out of World Cup. It is even more interesting that after the first ODI where Afridi scored only 17, everyone at ICC thought Afridi’s act was not of serious nature but when Afridi blasted a 37 ball 77 against one of the best bowling attack, Speed suddenly woke up and charged Afridi for bringing the game into disrepute.

It so unfortunate that this game of gentlemen is in the hands of the most wicked and evil-minded person always busy defaming Pakistan and Pakistani players. He became CEO of ICC in 2001 and God known how long he will occupy this position. Can anyone enlighten me what does ICC constitution say about the selection of CEO? Who is responsible to select/elect the CEO and for how long one can stay on this position?

I just want to add one more thing that it is also Malcolm Speed who in association with World Anti-doping Agency, is trying to keep Shoaib and Asif away from the World Cup.

This man is totally insane.

As far as Imran Nazir's joy ride is concerned, i believe he's definitely one of those 'few' misfortunate youngsters that have been overlooked and ignored for some pathetic mind-boggling reasons, as compared to the same era youngsters who have been given ample time to prove themselves and they have failed to do so. Imran's talent was never in doubt as a batsman, the day he notched up that test century against West Indies in 2000 tour of WI against Walsh and Ambrose. Couple that with his brilliance in the field, earning him the Best ground fielder Pakistan has produced in recent years by far, where he saves around 15-20 runs per game, you get an absolute vital player in the form of Imran Nazir.
I just wish he continues to perform with the confidence he did in this ODI.
As for the match itself, it was simply one of the best turn arounds of a Pakistani modern day cricket team after been humiliated in the previous game the same way as they returned the favor in this ODI.

Imran Nazir batted well. He should continue playing as long as his form is good. Problem with players like Imran and Afridi is that they are totally dependent on good hand eye co ordination. There is no technique to fall back on in case the co ordination is a bit off. These sort of players will thus be either very hot or very cold. They will continue to attract crticism and praise of the highest kind.
Pakistan played well, credit should go to entire team, especially Asif (I think the best in the world at the moment. Lets not get carried away though, we still have major problems in bowling department. Rana is such a key player and his form will be a major issue. I stress again we need Waqar back asap. He should have a few weeks to try and sort out whatever problem has. Other key player will be Razzaq, he has to fire especially as a bowler. I think focus should be on getting rana and razzaq firing again. Lets not depend on unfit players they may be back or they might not be. And even if fit you never know what sort of form they will be in. Pakistan or for that matter most teams world cup chances will depend on how fit the squad is and on the bench strength. Australia, Pakistan, India and srilanka will do well. These teams have variety and bench strength unlike SA ( no variety) and England (no bench strength). Out of these four the fittest and the luckiest will win. Luck we cant do anything about, fitness we can do a lot about, first step employing some Sports Medicine Specialists proper professionals to look after the team, and not brothers of politicians and sons of generals etc.

with the second one day match batting line up theres only tow thing could happen either they sore "402" or (more likely) 102

Imran Nazir has proven to be the catalyst of yesterday’s moral boosting win which has restored our pride and once again given the spark to dream for the ultimate prize, the world cup. As a keen observer and fan of Pak cricket I have been thinking for wc dream team. For wc, we should not disturb our middle order that is Yo-Yo and Inzi. Afridi is a must in the team because of his bowling and fielding ability. Talk of dropping him is nonsense. Our team should be made up of the players who are proven match winners and fighters. I Nazir has just shown that yesterday and few times before, so he should be on board too. I am sure he will look at his cross bat error in next matches. Now, we have all the ingredients of a destructive team despite fielding and fitness issues. But I believe everything will fall into place as the momentum goes our way. Here is my dream team for wc:
Opening with I Nazir and S Malik then core of Yo-Yo Inzi followed by K Akmal. Now at this point if innings needs consolidation due to early departs Azhar and then Razaq should be sent b4 Afridi and if platform is good Afridi should be launched b4 them . Let me remind that A Mahmood is mentally a very tough player with much better technique than Afridi and Razaq and he is a rock in crisis. I stress Afridi is a slogger and that is what he knows and does the best. On his day he can absolutely destroy any opposition and we must use him in that capacity only as far as his batting goes. Number 10 is S Akther or Umar Gull and last Asif. I will also include M Hafiz and Kaneria in wc squad. In some matches we can drop either A Mahmood or Razaq to play Kaneria. We will need him against Australia, SA and Eng. For Ind, NZ, SL and WI we can rely on Afridi and Malik as spin options. Hafiz can cover for an injured opener as he is useful player as a bowler and fielder. I will not go with Shabir as he has no track record as a genuine match winner and he is a pretty useless one day player. He will be good for us after world cup but not in the world cup. I am also opposed to play three specialist fast bowlers in a match. If you look at Pakistan history two genuine fast and two medium pacers have won key battles for us in the past. So Asif with either Gull or S Akther should be used with new ball. First change Azhar and Razaq. Kaneria fits in as a genuine spin option against above mentioned teams. I predict that most man of the match awards will go to the batsmen and all rounders. Fast bowlers will not win those awards because of two reasons. Firstly, Pitches in Caribbean are not bowlers’ paradise and secondly there are no great bowlers like those of the past in current times. Most matches will be won with strong batting show and moderate bowling performance. All the other unmentioned players should rest for now and prepare themselves for after world cup battles. They are not good enough to be given the chance of a life time.

will afridi criticisers shut their mouth up for 10 more matches?cuz we{not just most paki fans,but most cricket fans} would let afridi fail for 10 more games to see him perform again like he did,yes AFRIDI IS A GAMBLE,BUT SO IS LIFE TOO

Ok so who decides if Imran is Imaran or Nazir? Pakistan (and maybe Bangladesh) are the only two countries where cricketers are referred to with their first names. What's up with that? I never saw Shane Warne's jersey reading Shane on his back. I think it's the same with Indian Sikhs as well, they go by first name too, like Harbhajan. I think its weird that anyone would be formally known with their first name. Imagine Boycott being referred to as Geoff througout a newspaper column.

Give it a think. How did it start? Is it because Pakistani last names are not unique. For eg. Mushtaq or Javed or Younis are both first names and last. No parent ever named their kid McGrath or Tendulkar or Harmison, these are strictly last names. But then Imran is not any more unique than Nazir.

This was a very poorly thought-out, unstructured post, and I apologize for it. But hey, if international media can put the cart before the horse by calling Imran Nazir Imran, why can't I post a miserably organized piece on a blog?

Kamran Sahib, like most othe posters I am very excited about this very convincing win. However, if there is one thing consistent about the Pakistani team its inconsistency. I will savor this win and hope that the team will continue the winning ways. Having said that I do not expect the same performance from Shaid Nazir on a consistent basis. Shahid Nazir, is basically a pull hitter, eager to get the ball out of the park. The reason Nazir and Afridi succeded yesterday was because the SA's were feeding them the short balls in an effort to have them play reckless hook shots. Well, yesterday was Pakistan's day and the shots fell in open safe areas. I believe the SA's will adjust to the batting styles of both the sluggers and the results may be different. I do earnestly hope that this does not happen and Paksitan is able to scare a couple away from them. For what its worth the fireworks are worth celebrating. I will enjoy it while it lasts. I do hope Pakistan can build from this effort for the WC. AMF!

I am just worried about Mr.malcom speed,how long we have to bear him, I totally agree with Mr. ASH ZED,,,, does anyone know about the ICC constitution ?May be Kamran abbasi can help us out. If anyone knows , e-mail me directly at mustafamir@msn.com

Salman Butt and Imran Nazir is the opening pair Pakistan is looking for! Recall Salman Butt, Akmal is a temporary solution, he cant be a permanent solution.
SB and IN will compliment each other as well, while SB can build an innings and provide stability at the top order, IN can go ballistic at the other end. At the moment, I dont see any of the openers to cash in on a half century and go on to make a big one.
Salman and Nazir is the answer.

Did someone actually say that there was a toss up between Rana and Akthar. Keep smoking that Hashish man. Arguably the fastest bowler in the world verses a decent medium pacer who had the worst ever single ODI bowling figures in Pakistani history? Yes indeed quite a toss up. Razzaq has also lost his sting. If Akthar is healthy - then Akthar and Asif as the two main speed bowlers. Dependant upon our opopsition I would with 2 of Gul, Rana or Razzaq. Farhat and Akmal to open - with Younis one down, yusuf 2 down, inzi then malik. Followed by Afridi (whose position should change dependant on the match situation), Mahmood and then Akthar, Asif and Gul (or Razzaq/Rana depending on who is healthy and who we are playing)

B AFRIDI,, BE VERY AFRIDI
OH! I just love it.... KAMRAN ABBASI, make it a heading ''B AFRIDI BE VERY AFRIDI''

We should not blame Woolmer for opener's problem. Butt, Hamid, Nazir, Hafeez, Farhat; they are all about the same. No one is consistent and dependable. That is why it is hard to select a pair. They all suck. I bet, if we find someone of Saeed Anwar's calibre, selectors will not think twice before dropping these. Right now this is the best we got and we have to pick from these mediocre. Look at other teams. Almost every team better openers than Pakistan. Gale, Hayden, Gilchrist, G Smith, Jayasuria, Tendulkar. Now if we want to compete with Bangladesh and England, then yes we have better than them. Like I said, unless we find a new talent, "Galay main paray dhool ko peetna hai."

It's not often South Africa get a hammering. It takes a special team to beat those guys, especially after our drubbing in the first match. What a come back! If we can do it once then we can do it again and again - all this against a full SA team, and with Zaq still to fire! Add Akhtar and Gul to the line up, then bring on the World Cup.

I still feel that there is no place of kamran akmal as a opener on pitches like in SAF, England and Australia.He should bat down the order.

Afridi can make the ODI squad on bowling alone. His amazing batting is just a bonus - proof is here (in comparison with Pak strike bowler - Asif):

Last 15 ODIs for each:

Mat O R W BB1 BB2 Ave Econ SR 4w 5w

Afridi 15 116.2 492 17 3/25 3/37 28.94 4.22 41.0 0 0
Asif 15 129 533 14 3/28 2/10 38.07 4.13 55.2 0 0

Mr Kamran,
i have been a regular reader of ur coments and find it very interesting, recent columns that were written about the PCB chief and the composition of the team has promted me to add somethng to it. player power has actually plagued Pakistan cricket,so much so that the team has suffered to a great extent, this situation arises only when you have non professional people managing the orginization.Pakistan cricket board does not need a cricketer as its chief because it is not cricket but an industry and has to be run by prfessional managers/technocrats.Having said this i must also add that we have unfortunately very few educated cricketers in our coffers as such i find it hard to see anybody from our past cricketers filling in the gap and at best we will have to rely on non cricketing but highly skilled , professional managers able to run this industry.Secondly every Tom Dick and Harry in Pakistan is coming out of his pants iun criticizing Bob Wulmer for the pathetic performances of our team which is totally unclled for and this is only becoz our past cricketers were either uneducated or nonqualified in the art of coaching have been instigating a disinformaiton campaign agaist the coach and cannot see the existance of a forieng coach becoz this will take away their bread and butter. Pakistan team has had many former cricketers as their coach and i aleways felt that they were notihng more than a masseur.the most celebrated of the Pakistani coaches that we had was Intakhab Alam who at best could manage only to coach the Punjab cricket association's (INDIA)team and this is the caliber that we have while he credentials of Bob Wulmer speaks for himself so i would like to request Zahir Abbas and his likes to just shut up becoz only a fool would say that playing 78 test matches as compaered to the 18 test matches (that Bob played for England during his career)makes him more qualified than Bob.Cricket coaching is an art and its the same thing as batsmanship but one must understand that a good batsman cannot necessarily become a good coach, this is an entirely different feild.This also goes for the nonsensical presenter of GEO TV's programme BOLIEN KYA BAAT HAI who also has the stupid notion of a good batsman can be a good coach im referring to Iqbal Zaidi.In the end i would really like to put on record my deepest appreciation for the good wwork that u Mr Abbasi are doing by writing these excellent comlumns and im a frim believer of the fact that u have generated alot of interest in the cricket loving people of Pakistan by mentioning the truth and just the truth not like the other balcksheeps of the sports jounalism who are up their forsale and shamfully penny a piece.Keeping this in mind i must also extend my appreciation for the gr8 sservice that u are rendering to Pakistani cricket and i pray to Allah that ur efforts do not go in vain.