I am not all too optimistic of Pakistan's chances in this tournament, but let's see how they do. Im hoping that Umar Gul can be a top bowler in this World Cup as we desperately need him. Rana Naved, Sami are just too expensive and their overs are full of wide's and no balls.

Finally you have come to terms KAMRAN SAHAB that change in this case might not be so bad.

Well batting 9 deep would be amazing and what is more amazing is that all my past predictions and batting order have made it to Bob Woolmer and INZI. YOUNIS should open, that has been my MOTTO for the last two months, and we have it.

No more or no less, for the first time in PAKISTAN's history we can say that WE WILL DEPEND on batting rather than bowling.

LADIES AND GENTLE MAN, announcing that PAKISTAN has gone in depending on BATTING.

I think batting 9 deep is going to be LETHAL for the opposition and IF I MAY SAY SO, Pakistan has a GREAT CHANCE OF WINNING THE WORLD CUP.

From seeing the first PRACTISE MATCH, it is evident that Pakistani team has not YET clicked as a unit, but the key word is "YET", and WATCH OUT WHEN THEY DO... cause they'll take the world cup by STORM...

Here is another prediction, THEY WILL CLICK to PERFECTION come to SUPER 8's and they will demolish the oppositions.. maybe not the next practise match but by the SUPER 8's for sure... and NAZIR, AFRIDI and SAMI are going to be the HEROES

PAKISTAN, zindabad, my HOPES are well ALIVE!!!

SAMI SYED from TORONTO

So far it has been the spinners taking majority of the wickets so believe we have to play Kaneria, at least until Afridi gets back. and i dont see how we can afford to play Rana over Rao.

Mr. Abbasi,

You must be completely out of your mind of supporting the idea that a middle order batsman can do the job for Pakistan as an opener. Yasir Hameed should be given a well deserved chance to open again. You and Bob are claiming that the conditions there will suit Pakistan, then why isnt Shoaib Malik being given a chance to go top of the order like he has done successfully before? It is very risky to alter with middle order batsmen positions who are established in their current slots.
Pakistans strategy went hay wire when Waqar was fired and Mushtaq hired & deserving openers left out of the squad (Hameed Salman Butt - Imran Khan's suggestion). Come bowling and i dont even know where to begin!

Great News ! At last we come up with a plan!

In theory it seems good.... Whether it works or not is another matter, but it definately is the best utilisation of the available resources.

A glimmer of hope.. I just might be tempted to renew that Sky Sports subscription.

I think Malik should be preferred over Hafeez... Younis should have 1 more go at opening

Well, Kamran it seems that you are pleasing yourself by praising yourself by saying: "Despite Bob Woolmer's stonewalling of my piercing questions earlier this week -- I know you all thought the interview was tremendous really --"

LOL....This is called, monkey praising his own tail. .... I don't mean to ridicule you here, but the fact is you were too modest in your approach with Bob. Never mind... its over now!

But, the NEW STRATEGY AND BOB HOPE :-) you are proposing or you have perceived through Bob's diplomacy is not so appealing to me. Especially if Inzi is NOT gonna bat at number 3. He has to be like Imran Khan of WC 1992 final....... Inzi must play in that slot, This is his last chance to prove and lead from the front like a true leader rather than hiding behind Younis Khan at number 3. Younis is not a one day player. He is a good batsman, I have nothing against him, I like the way he plays a test match. But, not in ODI's he is too slow and when he tries to improvise he gets out cheaply. Whereas, Inzamam is a slow starter but the longer he stays on the crease, the more deadly he is for the opposition. I hope my words sink into his deaf ear!

Imran Nazir and Shoaib Malik should open, period. Of course this is my opinion and its based on the facts that Shoaib Malik has the ability to stick on to the crease for a longer period of time and thats what you need from an opener. The rest is all OK Pakistan has no other choice but, just this top order reshuffling is needed, c'est ca! And God bless Rana Naveed.

agree with Kamran and welcome new approach by moving up yunis / yusuf /inzi in the battting order and playing hafeez or malik later.
Gul,Rao Iftikhar and Kaneria are our best bowlers and they should ( if fit) play in every game.
Mahmood and Arafat can be rotated as required.
Afridi - we have to gamble and play him as much as possible, he is a "match" winner - not "matches" - and definitely he will win the all important game!
Rana Naved - sorry but he has to stay on the sidelines.

i kinda like the new batting order but bowling is still shakkkky. u know what would be a good idea. since pakistan has to depend more on their batting, i think what pakistan should do is break batting order into 2 component. first one would be to stabalize the inning with younis, yousuf , inzimam and then azhar/arafat and second component would be to attack with the batting order of nazir, malik, afridi and akmal . now whenever a fella is out, the next person should come to bat from the same department. for example when nazir is out at number 1 position, send malik followed by afridi, akmal and then possibly yousuf and inzi thats if younis is still occupying one spot. and when younis is out, send yousuf followed by inzi and azhar. if we stick to this strategy, we will always have one slogger to get the boundries and other stabilizer to keep the scoreboad moving with singles/doubles/"blue moon boundries"

I think its a positive move after a long time,younus was virtually the opener since being promoted to number 3, and him being the opener means that yousuf and inzi come up a slot...which is good as they will face most of the overs,...i hope they stick to this

Pakistan have a bleak chance without Shoaib and Asif. We really have to win 10 miracles to win the world cup! GOD HELP US!!

Kamran Bhai, I could not stop laughing after reading "I know you all thought the interview was tremendous really--we now have a good idea of what Pakistan's new strategy will be".
I think you forgot Sarcasm Tag :) anyways, sorry Kamran Bhai, don’t be embarrassed, and by the way, the strategy that you think you understood from Bob's Interview; it is what you have been saying for a while, so these are actually your thoughts, not some thing you got out from the Interview.
by the way, Nice post by DAWAR LA USA

I believe that pakistani batting was always there to prevail. We have been chasing/putting runs on score board even though our top 2 were coming for a short time to check out the weather in middle.

It is the bowling that can be trouble. When one see Rana naveed going for so many runs against canada, the hope that he can pull a rabbit out of hat against SA, Australia or India becomes weaker, i wish i cud have jumped up and down with joy on the news that sami is coming up but as we all know he wud give rana saab a run for money in "who got struck for more runs" department.

i see pakistan losing the matches on basis of bowling more then on batting. But that is Just me !

Two elements in your view of emrging make-up of the Pakistan team are beyond my comprehension. First, you seem to suggest that Hafeez will definitely be played. On what basis? His ODI batting record is pathetic, and his bowling duplicates Shoaib Malik's off spin variety. No, Sir. His place is not automatically guaranteed. I think his chance will come if Imran Nazir fails in the first couple of matches.

Second, you seem to conclude that Younis Khan will be asked to open. This is double edged. He could stabilize the batting at the top, albeit at the expense of run rate, but he may also fail in a role he hasn't played with enough success (but if facts are otherwise, I would stand to be corrected). He is in my view too valuable to be exposed in front of the innings.

Finally, before we start talking about depth in batting, let us first pick four specialist bowlers. At least two of them ought to be wicket taking attack bowlers who are not too expensive. Let us say these two would be Umar Gul and either one of Sami and Rao Iftikhar (I hope Inzamam will learn from recent past and not use Rana Naved in the first half of the innings). I also think that, in the absence of Shoaib Akhtar and Mohd Asif, Kaneria will be used as a strike bowler. I also believe Bob and Inzi will have paid attention to a recent Cricinfo analysis that Rana Naved is the world's most effective bowler in the last 10 overs...enough reason to not overlook him at least in the first two games. I would use him in two spells in the second half of the innings. So, my four specialist bowling positions would be filled in the first match by Umar Gul, Kaneria, Sami (or Rao Iftikhar....between the two of them, I am perfectly neutral) and Rana Naved. Next, we need two all rounders who can consume 10 overs (and some more, if needed) between them. Shoaib Malik picks himself purely on merit and record, and in the absence of Razzaq, you have to decide between Afridi and Hafeez. Both can open and bowl spin, except that Afridi offers variety, better wicket taking ability, better fielding and the potential to play an explosive match winning inning once in a while. So, I will prefer Afridi over Hafeez any day.

That makes 6. Inzi, Yousaf, Younis and Akmal are automatic choices, for a total of 10. But we are still missing at least one opener, assuming that either Younis or Afridi will fill one opener's slot. So, Mr. Abbasi, if Imran Nazir is picked as the specialist opener, where is the place for Hafeez?

No matter what combination we try, the fact is that unfortunately for years we have a ver non-prpfessional team and team mangement.Pakistan shall certainly cause some upset in one or two matches but honestly we are far down in performance,discipline,devotion and fitness, compared to other top teams.I think it is all a national culture to do adhoc activity.This last minute change in batting line up, I hope it works for Pakistan, but do we really deserve to be the winner of this world cup?? If by an act of God,we rae bale to win this cup, I amm afraid we will be humiliated by every other team in future.Any way I shall be the first to celebrate any win our team gets.I hope we reach semi-finals and if we loose it,we loose with dignity and after fighting hard.I guess under present condition with some many mediocre batsman and bowlers in our team, this would be a good performance.

Hello Pakistani cricket fans,
Thank you for your comments Kamran, where you picked up on Mr. Woolmer's info that he was considering putting Malik at #6 in the batting order. I think that position is OK when Afridi is not playing due to the ban, but Malik is best suited as an opener with Nazir, then Younis, Yousef, Inzi, Afridi, Akmal, Azhar and the fast bowlers. During Afridi's absence you could include Hafeez in Afridi's spot as Hafeez can bowl as well, otherwise I don't see how Hafeez can be included in this line up other than as a sub for Nazir. The Pak team should have 2 slow bowlers (Afridi and Malik) and 4 pace bowlers (Gul, Azhar, Rao, Rana?? and Sami??). I think most experts have written off Pakistan, so there shouldn't any pressure on the players. One-day cricket is such that anything can happen, and I think that if we play as a unit we might surprise a few good teams and hopefully advance. It would be a miracle for this team to advance to the semi-finals (sorry for being a realist). Anyway, good luck to Pakistan and we enjoy some fantastic cricket for the next 7 odd weeks. CHEERS, Brian from Toronto

HI,
I agree with you Kamran this New strategy, gives new hope and a realistic one as it gives Pakistan's best batsmen, Yousuf, Inzamam, and Younis, the maximum opportunity!
Pakistan teams body language looks good and they look determine and focus these are very good signs, lets wish them all the best and support team PAKISTAN in any case!

To promote Younis to the top is not as out of order as it seems. After all, the no. 3 batsman for Pakistan is often at the crease in the second over. It just might work and give us the stability needed at the top of the order, needed even more so as the only way for Pakistan to win is through their batting.

And that leaves us with the all important position to be decided - that of the captain. The true problem with this team is that it lacks an inspirational leader with a hunger for victory . On-field strategy is an area where Inzamam sadly lacks. Imran led Pakistan to the cup because he had a lust for vistory. The same seems to be missing from Inzamam. He already has straws to clutch in form of Shoaib and Asif missing from the team.
I think that this team may reach the semi-finals riding its luck and its mercurial batsmen , who can shred and attack on their day . Beyond that looks improbable .

My advice to Inzi is to start a mental hospital after he retires. I am sure that he can at least admit 15 patients immediately.

yeah yeah forget all this: WHERE CAN I GET AN "EAT.SLEEP.GYM" T-SHIRT FROM LIKE INZY? i think it's an instant classic, on a par with immy's cornered tigers t-shirt from '92. both men our legends, in extreme and opposite ways.

this will be a great strategy to look forward, i think younis is a great choice if he takes responsibility , if we look in the past for example in South Africa he blossomed only in the winning match although you can look into it with a positive sign that when he scores Pak wins but the other side of the pic is horrific that when Pakistan dose not win he never reach a good score he went back always by chewing gum as he has no tension or regrets what happened ,i m not against him but i have to say that he should take the responsibilities being the set player in the team as he has no worries of dropping out of the team ,other than that i think inzi should come at 3 although he will not but this will not be right to change the no of Yousuf ,lets see, malik and hafeez after that will be a better choice for first two games with having mehmood,kamran,rao,umar and danish ,

i have suggestion plz ask or give the following idea to inzi some how its just an idea that in first power play he should give three overs to danish if pitch is turning because the field will be close and batsman will defiantly go after him and probably give a stumping catch or a skyscraper catch to a fielder , bye

This is a strategy Pakistan should have worked on a long time ago.....younis khan used to be at the crease by the second over anyway..it provides our best batters with more time to have an impact on the game....but i feel it should have been thought up and tested b4 the warm up matches...i hope its not too late...other then that..DOES ANYONE FEEL SORRY FOR SHOIAB???

I think Younus has got the heart for an opener.He is no chicken like Inzi,First 4 position should play as they did against Canada. I think, With Akmal,Malik,Hafeez and Afridi middle order already looks formidable.I will play 3 specialis t bowlers atleast in GUL, Kineria and Sami over Rana with his current form.

Well at least its a good move that shows us that the think-tank is actually thinking...it had appeared over the last few months as if the Pakistan team had gone stale and only idiotic changes were being made (i'm reminded of sending Afridi 2 down in Abu Dhabi when the ball was swinging)...but anyways, this is a very positive change from the Pak team and I hope it works, Shoaib Malik i guess is some1 who can take charge if things dont go right at the top although i was hopin a wiser, cooler head such as Inzy could be there to marshal Akmal, Afridi etc. during run-chases...but that said, this is a good and positive change, lets hope yasar arafat can bolster the balling...and i'm very happy that the wickets are turnin...this world cup is unique for pakistan cos its dependant on there Batting rather than there bowling..lets hope the batsman perform to there potential...
oh and BTW....Kamran Akmal hit a 50!! Alhamdulillah! YAHOO! so wat if it was canada, its a good sign!!

I have always thought Younis Khan is overrated and will be exposed if he is persisted with to open for Pakistan. There are three things that i believe will lead to his failure; his footwork which seems to be as if he is playing dodge ball, his tendency to go after every short ball and fails for most part, and he frequently guides the ball to cover-point area uppishly as if he is giving catching pratices to a fielder in that region.

But i suppose desperation requires desparate strategy and Pakistan has nothing to loose as they have already been disounted by the cricket pundits all over.

I certainly hope i am wrong but it might be too much to ask from Younis Khan, who might not be mentally prepared to take this challenge and roll with it straight away especially in such a big tournament.

I would stick with our given specialist openers to start the tournament and if that doesn't work then try this strategy.

First of all, I was a little suprised at Bob's answers to your interview. I wasn't completely surprised since a coach and captain have to keep some strategies to themselves, specially when it comes to being in a situation that Pakistan is. However, right after your interview, I read a few of Bob's comments about the team and his planning and they were far more forthcoming. So, either he has something against giving you information or you did not honestly publish all of his comments.

Whatever the case may be, I think people who criticize Bob just because he is a gora should be ashamed of themselves. They claim that Bob-supporters have some sort of complex but it is they themselves who are suffering from it. A coach is not about being gora or desi, it is about having someone who knows what to do. There is not one Pakistani at this point who is (1) capable and (2) willing to take this job. They all like to sit on the outside and criticize. Yes, this includes Imran Khan, Miandad, Aamir Sohail etc. etc. They all like to sit on the outside and criticize. They either do not take up the responsibility or when they do, they screw it up real bad. So, instead of discussing gora vs. desi, we should appoint coaches based solely on merit, no matter what the nationality. They are being paid to do a job so nationality does not matter.

Now, for Bob's performance. Up until this time last year, we had a very solid team and were well on our way to establishing ourselves for the WC. The only open item at this time last year was the openers and we would have settled that were the team to continue making the progress it made before. However, due to the numerous unforeseen events happening i.e. injuries, doping, bans, captaincy issues, changes in board leadership etc., we are left in this situation that we are in today. This is not the coach's fault at all. It is just fate. However, I am glad we have had our share of bad luck before the WC. Hopefully, it will average out and we will have some good luck during the tournament. One thing is for sure, no matter how good your team is, you absolutely need luck on your side and I hope our time for bad luck is over now.

All these whiners, all these people who complain about Inzi and Bob, all these people who like Imran Khan so much they would kiss his feet if given the opportunity, what I would say is get a life. The current lot is what we have and I for one am supporting them all the way. If they lose, they lose, no problem. If they win, I will at least be able to be proud of them. You guys either won't be able to be proud of them or will become hypocrites and claim them as "your team" and "your captain" and "your coach" when the going gets good. I am behind our team whether we win or lose and I am proud of that.

Kamran Sahib, nice to see a touch of humor in the intro. No doubt the batting line up you suggested is aggressive and attacking. They need to stay with it, until a better combo comes around.

As for the bowling, Pakistan needs to adopt the strategy of Shock and Knock. Sami would provide the shock with maximum speed and sheer pace with a reckless abandon. Gul and Arafat from the other end would knock wickets through disciplined bowling and immaculate line and length. Because Sami would be exerting a tremendous amount of force and energy, he should only be allowed to bowl in sets of 4:3:3. Now, all three pace bowlers should understand their roles and Mushy has to take the lead role in making sure the bowlers understand their roles to the tee. The importance of not giving extra’s should be drilled into each bowler. In addition Mushy in consultation with Woolmer should in fact chart out each over with all bowlers but especially Sami cause I have a feeling dear old Sami may not be the brightest bulb on the porch as it were.

It would also not be a bad idea to introduce Kaneria early and by that I mean as soon as Sami completes his first set, introduce special K with Arafat. Now we all know that Afridi Duck is not playing in the two openers, so special K has to be in the mix early on.

The world cup is here. Only Zeus and the Pakistani team know how well they will do. This is Inzi’s last hurrah, I do not hide the fact that I am not now or ever been a fan of the man as a captain. Yet, my inner voice says to support him and the team and hope that he finally walks away from the game with integrity and peace. So as of now I AM ON THE BANDWAGON. I need a drink and some oxygen. AMF!

i actually like this new strategy. inzi needs to step up as the captain and bat higher up the order. this is what i have been saying the whole time. always put your best batsmen at the top of the order. inzi needs to step up as captain and bat higher up the order to take charge instead of coming in late when 3 wickets are gone. he will be free to play his style of cricket without having to worry about the wicket. plus, his teammates will be insured that their captain is batting higher up the order. then the allrounders can take care of the rest when our specialist batsmen are gone.
EVERYBODY! NOW IZ DA TIME 2 COME 2GHETTA AND BACK OUR TEAM IN BRINGIN' HOME THE TROPHY!!!!!!!

i think the batting line up we played against Canada is the best one Pakistan has yet adopted. But id still rather see Shoaib Malik open the batting with imran nazir and have Younis to play wit the tale.

Finally finally....Bob Woolmer and Inzi get something through their thick heads!!!!!!!
I have been saying this forever that we should open with Younis and bring up Yousaf and Inzi. This is a really good strategy and one which I guarantee will work. Your best batsman has to come in at number 3 and the best batsman at this time is Yousaf. Younis will stabilize the opening slot and Nazir will be more comfortable opening with a senior partner. Inzi had to come up as he either doesnt have enough time to play at number 5 or comes in with too much pressure.

The bowling is still a concern but if we get our batting back on track, the bowling will come itself. Danish should be included in the opening round matches and see how we pans out and then decide on what to do in the Super 8 round.

kamran akmal.. what a joke of a wicketkeeper

oh, for a rashid latif or a moin khan. too bad their careers had to overlap

When ur Blog is not advertised on the front page.
you dont get a lot of Hits.

The plan is a sound one indeed if it works. However it seems more sensible to protect someone like Hafeez and Malik to a certain extent as they are both useful batsmen when it comes to belting the old ball all round the park and then there is Afridi. With Akmal to reinforce the faster scoring rate its paramount that Pakistan strengthens its battery of pace bowlers. Sami, Iftikhar and Gul should be automatic choices. Even canadian got better of Rana(perhaps being mindful of his recent ODI record).

Unfortunately Rana can cause as much damage with the ball by leaking extra runs that he can compensate with the bat. With so many batsmen to bat down to Akmal, it would be foolhardy to use Naveed. None of the teams are strong enough as Bangladesh proved by beating NZ. If Pakistan cant beat India then they can forget about winning the world cup. I am assuming that Pakistan can beat Australia :)

Hope will always remain, but the head says that hope wouldn't be able to last the world cup.
As far as bowling goes, Kaneria and Gul should definitely play. Although, unlike many posters on this blog, I don't think Afridi is anywhere close to Pakistan's ultimate or the only hope, he should be in the team. He will be a utility player, but I should warn my Pakistani brethren not to hope too much in this instance or they will be dissapointed. The fourth bowler should be Rao; he is more consistent than the others. The fifth one is a tricky one: I would prefer to give Sami a bowl in the first few matches and see how he does; if he does what he usually does, then I would play Yasir Arafat (who apparently is a good death bowler as well).

If someone advocates one extra all rounder for a bowler, I'd like to ask if the first six fail, what will a part-time batter do? Don't think in terms of useless 50s that Malik was hitting in SA, but rather the impact of those 50s in the match. The simple thing is that 99 times out of 100 if the top 6 don't play, the seventh half-batsman won't play, or have any significant impact in any case. On the other hand, imagine Smith and Devilliers getting an excellent start and hitting the ball around. If we turn to Kaneria, we have a better chance of taking a wicket and probably get the match back in grasp. Also, Kaneria could prove a match-winner as well if Akmal is good enough.
I will be happy if Pakistan make it to the semi-finals. And, if that is the case, then it is just two more matches...two good days!

I disagree with this lineup, I think Shoaib and Imran should open. Since, Shoaib bats slowly he could hold wicket at one end, while Imran Nazir bats aggressively from other end. Shoaib has in the past opened the innings, although not sure if Younis has or not.

I believe Pakistan should also play Sami as opening bowler as his pace may help restrict opposition scoring. Not sure about Arafat's selection. Considering that Shoaib and Asif were pacers, it would have been better to have Shabbir Ahmed (who I heard was available).

Danda sada peeer ha....as a paki i understand if we wont apply enough pressure to our players (for decipline) they wont change..They will hang out at beaches in Jamaica and here we are praying hard..Dont put all the blame on Bob Whoolmer...I am living in USA..here the boss politely tells you to do something and you do it..well unlike back home!!...you all may not agree but i think most of us south Asian dont undersatand the meaning of professionalism..

First time, it seems like Pakistan team did something right..Combination seems just right and a receipe for success,...

HOPE. Thats all we need for a WC win . Thats the only thing which won us the last WC. Or else with this captain,this team and this coach and bowlers like sami,Naved only allah can save us.

Stilll Zero Commment,,,,,,,

Let me be the first.
The last interview was so bad that I have lost faith in U

Kamran i didn't think we actually had 11 batsmen. turns out we do. I know Mohommad Sami's isn't to bat but he did make a 46 against SA in the ODI's. I know Test matches are more or less irrelevant irrelevent but, he did make a 31 against SA. Kamran i know listing a playing 11 ticks you off, but i will go ahead in listing them just to prove YOUR point.

1. Imran Nazir
2. Younis Khan
3. Mohommad Yousuf
4. "Eat, Sleep, Gym?????" (Yeah right)
5. Shaid Afridi
6. Shoaib Malik
7. Mohammed Hafeez
8. Kamran Akmal
9. Azhar Mahmood
10. Yasir Arafat
11. Mohammad Sami

LOL! An all batting line up. Here it is folk. Look in any other country n' you won't find it. I think Pakistan has a copyright on all really stupid, yet very possible line up. ONLY IN PAKISTAN PPL. COME VIEW!!!

World cup hasnt begun officially yet and as usual we have pulled out our swords and heads are already at the choping block,reading the comments about Woolmers interview on this blog posted by different people I can easily say he will be the first one on that choping block, but is it fair?
Is he the reason for our problems? Did he suggested Asif and Shoaib to take Drugs and destroy the whole planning for the WC?
And if we fire him will that bring any improvement in our team?
Is there any other coach who can coach players like Afridi?
Bob woolmer stired up a huge reaction when he didnt said a word, Imagine the reaction if he actually had given the answers.
Our frustration and disappointment is justified to an extent but honestly speaking we expect too much from our team most of the times and sometimes even think they are invincible,we never assess their capabilities realistically thats the biggest problem.
Now as far as Bob woolmer is concerned we need not to worry about him bcz he will not re-sign with Pakistan.
The question is what needs to be changed in Pakistan cricket so that it lives up to our expectations.
I think the biggest problem with our team is players over extending their careers,in almost all the teams in subcontinent nobody announces an honorable retirement we have to kick them out, and as a result when they leave they leave a big void
which takes years to fill.
If we look at Australia their 4 senior players retired they could have easily played the WC
but they made a honorable choice to leave with dignity and make room for more deserving young players which will be ultimately beneficial for their team.Whereas In our team merit is never the key to selection,internal politics is the key if you join a powerful group you can remain in the team even though you have nothing left to offer,
the members of the board the selectors the Explayers they all join different groups for their own interests.And as a result we witness the drama
we are witnessing right now.
Until this problem is fixed we should not develop
any serious expectations from Pakistan cricket,
Dont sweat Just enjoy each game regardless of the result afterall you are paying to watch.

I hope Pakistan persists with the same batting lineup and younis khan should hold one end as long as possible he is too good to fail continously,
he does not have to be over agressive should only play his normal game,if our highly experienced top
order stays uptill 30 overs and play solid cricket
rather than flashy their is no reason why we will not post 300+ score in every match given the depth in our batting,I think the match against WI will
be the real test for our team,it will also give us an idea what kind of pitches we are going to get,
remember its ICC which is preparing the Pitches
so we can expect hard and bouncy wickets also,remember the pitch in champions trophy where we lost to SA,ICC will do its best to provide goree teams their home environment,I can bet on that.

Even if Pakistan plays without Yousuf, Younis and Inzi. Pakistan is equally likely to win the game as it is to lose the game. Pakistan has always had ONLY ONE strategy...making the whole nation PRAY.

Once Afridi becomes available he will probably replace either Malik or Hafeez depending on who's batting better my guess is Malik may have to defer to Afridi even though his influence in the middle order is crucial to stabilize the innings but with Hafeez's current form one never knows

I have previously advocated this same idea in one of your blogs. Having YK open the bat gives us plenty of options in the rest of the batting order along with a solid batting at top spot. The new strategy shows the attacking mindset for the worldcup. I agree, Afridi should take one spot down the order after Malik and Hafeez. This might leave no room for Azhar Mahmood but with too many allrounders, you have to play the best cards. Iftikhar Anjum contines to impress and along with Umar Gul is the first choice attack duo. Rana Naved's spot in the team is very shaky since having him in the team now a days, Pakistan plays with 10 players while the opponents play with 12 players. Yes, Rana jee plays for the opponents. (just kidding). I dont think Inzi is getting the idea yet. Rana is the bowler at the death and we continue to see him with the fresh red cherry !
Tomorrows game with SA will make the picture more clear.The game is ON ...

I think the real question is what pakistan will play with. will they include three pacers or two pacers with danish kaneria and 2 other part time spinners. i think they will have to play with 3 pacers and danish kaneria.

We wish Pakistan well. More than a handful of players can win a match anyday. All things remaining the same, I have a hunch. Wicketkeeping will let the team down. Few flashes of brilliance cannot cover missing sitters at regular intervals. Who bats where and who bowls when can become irrelevant.

STRATEGY
Pakistan team has always changed its strategies once the previous one has backfired. Now again we are hearing that they have changed their batting order and promoted Younis khan at the oening slot. The decision of Inzimam and Yousuf to play up the order sounds logical being a premier batsmen both of them have to play maximum role in the batting performance of the team. I am not expecting miracles from Younis khan in opening positin because he has some basic flaws in his technique as well and he will feel the pressure of a big tournament as well. But he is much better in technique form Muhammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik. We have to go for the depth in bowling as well due to the reason that right now that is the grey area in the present squad. The bowling options lacks variety and gives the impression of sameness in all of them. I like the phrase Imran khan uses time and again " bits and pieces" but now we have to play with what is in our repertoire. Inzimam has to be proactive his captaincy and needs to guickly change his gears from defensive skipper to one who will remain positive in his approach through out the Tournament.

Yes, Kamran Bhai when you old strategies are not working, there is no harm in trying something new. If we go by with your suggestion, it is a good idea to spend more time on the wicket for the inform batsmen rather than sending up the order that batsmen who are running out of form. It is clear that the WHITE balls only swing 8-10 overs and then it is easy to play. If we have Nazir who can start his inning with GO it is a good idea to have somebody to preserve his wicket. The middle order looks safe and sound and if Hafeez and Malik are being used 6&7 respectively, it is safer than ever. But how Afridi and Akmal are being used, will be watched by me very carefully. The ODI cricket is all about batting and if they click as a unit, this team is going to do wonders for us and I am sure, all the pundits will eat their words. It is in the interest of Sub continent team that the pitches are going to be slow. I think this is going to be one of the most amusing tournament where batsmen will win matches for them. In this particular WC, strategy will be key for winning the matches and shrewd captain will take all the matches as it is the last one. Remember we have seen the first upset before the WC whereas Bangladsh defeating NZ one of the most contenders for the WC. In my personal opinion,it would be a good idea to plan different strategy for every new match rather than one strategy for each and every match. Kamran Bhai, once again my best wishes for the team and I am not loosing heart and they will do WONDERS... Pray to ALMIGHTY

Kamran, I could not agree more to the idea of changing your strategy when its not working in its present state. Still then, I feel inside that Younis khan opening is a good idea, but what if it does not work and he fails against South Africa. Kamran Akmal has done well opening on flat pitches earlier, and I think if Younis cannot adjust to the opening slot, Akmal should be used with Imran Nazir to unleash the mirror image of hell. Younis can then come down at 5, with Shoaib at six. Pakistan bat down to any number, especially considering what danish kaneria did to the South African bowling attack with umar gul during the recent tests. Shoaib, Asif and Razzaq are turning out to be convenient absentees. We do not have to be over optimistic to expect pakistan to win the World Cup. Just optimism would do.

i am NOT sure that younis khan will open the batting. Inzy in his interview said that this is a experiment they have done. However i totally agree with Kamran bhai that the everytime should give their best batsmen as much overs as possible. Secondly younis khan isn't really a slogger or big six hitter in the death overs. He is more adept at finding gaps, and thus can find more boundaries inthe powerplay with only two men on the boundary.

Doing well in the world cup depends tremendously on the batting. Batting first, it will be very important to post a huge score to give the bowling a chance, while batting second will certainly put the onus on the batting. So either way, without a frontline pace attack, the batting has to come through big for Pakistan for any hope of doing well. If changing the batting order may help, then I'm all for it.

I guess that is a good idea to send your best batsmen earlier to give them more time to build the innings and then have the hitters come in later for the fireworks. Hopefully we will see some good surprises from this bruised Pakistan team. Everyone nowadays is mocking us about our fitness and weaknesses but they don't know that if they get their momentum and play as a unit, they can beat any team in the World.

I think the only strategy that can work is
Remove Bob from pakistan coaching

well,lets hope for the best.Thats how we,pak fans,keep on consoling ourselves,with pakistan team trying different permutations n combinations.Pak always have had problems with settling the batting order.But i would like u to go back to the 2005 one day series in india,it seemed pakistan had settled down with their batting which was in the order:afridi,butt,malik,inzi,yousuf,younis.....but pakistan think tank had different plans,they didn't feel comfortable with it and kept on changing n chopping,rest is history.younis has always been a better player of spin and is unable to keep things moving in the earlier part of the innings when fielding restrictions are on which puts a lot of pressure on later batsmen.Recent comments by inzi where he said that yousuf might be batting down at 5 is a shocker.Well,everybody knows that your best batsman has to bat at 3(in extreme cases at 4) and arguably yousuf is the best batsman in pak line up at present with inzi struggling with his form for more than a year now.

lol @ "my piercing questions" :)

i think younis should definitely open with nazir not a bad idea coz it will be better opening with younis than hafeez.then yousuf and inzi bhai should be at 3 and 4. hafeez should be 5 and malik 6.then akmal at 8 and boom boom should come at 7.then the rest are the bowlers.thats my view anyway.

I think, hope and pray that this strategy'll work. Now its upto the players that what they do, we can just be optimistic here back in Pakistan and hope everything goes well. Younis can be a calming influence in the team and for Nazir and i think he is well eqiupped technically to handle the new ball, more or less he was the virtual opener for Pakistan in recent series to SA, because our openers were not well equipped technically. Plus i think Pakistan may find an exciting finisher in the form of Hafeez. May Allah bless us with the honor of another WC...Ameen!!

Pakistan has to come up with some bold decisions sending it top guns up in order other wise their strategy was defensive to save the batsman which is of no use in today cricket. Your best player should come at top. This batting order will give maximum chance to Inzi, yousaf and younis to play maximum now let see how it works.

"But when your old system isn't working, a reasonable approach is to try something completely different." Quite true, but surely not IN THE MIDDLE OF A WORLD CUP?!

"but the complication arises when considering which combination of bowling all-rounders and bowlers to go for." There is no complication, i love Rana Bhai but even i must admit that he's got to be given a rest. As people have already pointed out, if he got tonked by Canada what will the other teams do to him. And i thought i saw him with a beard (mashallah) in a cricinfo, if so then i doubt Inzi Bhai will drop him. Ho hum...

Something else occured to me as well.. here i am born, working and living in the UK yet i support Pakistan. Where do you think Uncle Bob's priorities lie (i.e. who do you think he's rooting for in this WC ?) ?

Well yes, I agree. In fact this world cup offers a good opportunity to do all the experiments that Bob ever wished to do. Since there aren't too many expectations - we have nothing much to lose anyways. At least these experimentations would help us in preparing for the next world cup for sure!!
Good Luck Bob, Inzi and your boys!!

Opening with Younis Khan is really good decision in my opinion. It will provide the much needed stability at the start and will also allow Imran Nazir to play his strokes freely. I am a bit apprehensive about the decision to play Yousuf at number 3 especially in high run chases since he tends to throw his wicket away in such situations.

Sounds good. As long as they stick to it. It really does look good on the paper and we know that the guys are capable of it so perhaps we need to be a little positive... SA will be a good warmup, i hope the result only fires them up. WI will be playing against India which is a strong candidate this time around. So WI will be comming in the real game playing a team with relative resemblance.

All the best Team Pakistan.

If Pakistan somehow manage to score evev 350 still it could be chased because we have got Rana in the team. I cant understand his presence in the team despite his continuous poor performances.He would play a vital role in making new records against Pakistan and I am surprised u hav never criticised his performances.
Apart from Rana everything is fine in the team.

Yes, you are right. This strategy may work, but Pak will have to show attacking intent and not play too many all rounders. For example, play Sami over Azhar, unless he appear totally out of form. Also, we should only play one out of Afridi and Nazir. Then play Danish in every match.

Hmmm! new strategy! well, i feel it tough to digest coz WC is not right place to test it! Though i am a huge fan of Inzi-Woolmer (except 2004 CT, when they opened with debutant Salman butt) but i feel it was better for Inzi & Yousuf to play over Number 15 to 35 that is no 4 & 5!

ANyways best of luck to pakistan, and if this experiment with Younis is failed after 2 matches of S8 , then we should move to old Haffez/Nazir/Malik and pray for the best. Anyways Younis/Yousf/INZI are precious and should not be wasted in first 10 overs.

That would be excellent. However, Imran Nazir, unlike Afridi, plays a more calculated game and his shots are good while Afridi is just lucky. But as, after his ban, Afridi will be back, I think that he should be at five, followed by Akmal and then Malik. Then it will be up to who else is in the team. If there is Azhar Mahmood, then he will come in at eight, Sami and Rana after him. When there is no Afridi for the first two matches, Akmal should be at five, Malik: six, Azhar Mahmood at seven and eight and nine will be Sami and Rana, then Gul and Kaneria. This also gives their best spinners: Malik and Kaneria more time to bowl.

not sure this will work players needs time to settle themselves in some positions esp b4 the world cup i dont think they will bear its pressure

As Kamran mentioned, that if all other strategies arent working, then this new combination of Younis, Yousuf and Inzamam moving ahead in the batting order is something to consider atleast in the first round, might help them decide if the team is comfortable with it or not, if not they can always go back to thier old batting order without much damage as except the opening encouter, the other two games are quite meaningless except that they can help Pakistan tinker with different ideas. I think Malik and Afridi and Hafeez can be a useful trio at 5 6 and 7. One has to take up the job of a finisher. My money goes for Malik, after the main three, he looks more likely to spend the max. time in the middle with hafeez and afridi provide the explosiveness. But playing all three means that they have the job of bowling 20 overs together as Pakistan then afford to play only three specialist bowlers, which in my opnion keeping in mind the limited strength of the attack might not be a bad idea.

Pakistan have realised, that having your two best batsman play at 4 and 5, when you have a team full of explosive yet erratic players, is not the way too go. With Younis being the opener that Pakistan desperately need, it gives Mohammed Yousuf and Inzamam a chance to really change the game in Pakistan's favour. Australia already does this, with the combination of Ponting and Clarke. As do South Africa, with Kallis and Gibbs. Malik is a very calm and controlled player, and can provide great stability for his big hitting partners, such as Afridi, Mahmood, Akmal etc. Mohammed Hafeez is in this way the odd man out, and in my opinion should only play as a specialist spinner, which would allow pakistan to bat all the way down to number 9, with the two quicks coming in after. Mahmood is essential to this World-Cup campaign, as he is the third quick as well as another big hitter down the order. If he can nail both of these slots, it will provide flexibility for Pakistan that few other teams have, and will allow Pakistan to play Kaneria. With two quicks, Kaneria and Mahmmod firing plus the spin of Afridi and Malik Pakistan will have a very potent bowling lineup which can destory any team in the world. The Key though is the Batting, and if Inzamam and Yousuf can be the two main pillars Pakistan still have a hope of doing serious damage, and winning the World Cup.

yess kamran your right that younis yousif n inzi all of em will get chance to show how good they r n i think nazir if he goes down da order wid afridi cud boost our chances of winin cuz dey can b hardhittin towards da end of da match so good pakistan

Pakistan's New Startegy! Some how looks similar to Srilankan dream run in 1996.(1 or 2 decent Bowlers & Batsmen, Rest...Every body Bats & Every body balls. Who knows Muhammad Younis grabing an important wicket...& Our RANA ji after going for 80 runs for 1 wicket, may eventually HIT a winning 4 ...This team can do any thing.
As is apparent, they are getting more n more Hot favourites to lift the cup, even HILTON catching fire. I just wonder, What ICC would have decided on 'The Fire issue', Had the World Cup been played in Pakistan(Sri Lanka Or Bangladesh)...

Though Pakistan bowling attack looks average, specailly if compared to the past Pakistani attack, for me still the Batting remain the main concern, we need Match winners, only Inzi Bhai is a true Match winner. In Batting 2 Y's still need a lot to prove, specially in a pressure run chase situation against quality bowling.
I still say Azhar Mehmood could well be "Man of The Tournament".

Anywayz, my team to lift the cricket world cup 2007 is PAKISTAN.

I still dont get why Shoaib Malik is not tried out as the opener. He was exceptional when he played one-down and quite frankly speaking he is under utilized when he bats down the order.

I think Shahid Afridi will replace Hafeez in later stages of the game. but let see :)

I think Inzi feels compertable at NO 6. let him play at NO 6. They have changed batting order because they felt huge presure from Paksitan media.
I think, if we lose inzi early than whole team come under presure, and no one is capable to handle this presure. Hafeez and Malik they good but you can trust them to play good ingings in tough situation.
They can go with one more batsman but problem is they don't have any?

Younis Khan can be tried at top of order. However if he fails in next match Kamran Akmal should be put at top.
Younis Khan is too precious to be wasted in first few over, he is key to providing stability in middle order along with Mo.yousuf. I am not too sure about form of Inzy, but as indictaed in warm up match he should find WI conditions to his liking for pulling etc. Rest of the middle order and lower order is OK.
Afridi should be moved up the order in case PAK has a huge target to hunt down.
Main Bowler to be picked : Gul,Sami,Ift.Anjum,Kaneria

Hi
In circustances this the best strategy as Imran Khan promoted himself to one down position and was successful I gues Younas Khan is capable of doing same in this world cup as he a natural fighter not like Inzi who will never budge from 6 position.

Only thing i am afraid of is WHAT IF Younis or Nazir fell down early ? Then Yousef and Inzimam will be revealed to new swinging ball. I think this strategy will work good for pakistan only if openers cover yousef and inzi by getting rid of new ball.

Kamran jee...baley bai baley..
yep new strategy is there...
to me it should be in this way..

Combination Baley bai baley..
Attacking: 1-gulla, 2- Afrida, 3-Danisha or Samia
containing:1-iftekhara, 2- Hafiza 3, malika or Azhara

Kamran you have devised a really good batting order, the conditions will also favour Pakistani style of batting. The major concern is that Inzamam and Yousuf might be in very early which they are not used to. I hope that the opening pair of Younis and Imran clicks and that can do wonders for Pakistan. Regarding the bowling options, I think if we play Afridi than there is no place for Hafeez otherwise 40 overs will be bowled by spiners i.e. Afridi, Malik, Hafeez and Kaneria. I think Azhar Mehmood or Yasir Arafat should be tried at number 8 after Kamran Akmal and Rao Iftikhar should be used with Umer Gul. This will give Pakistan the two strike bowlers in Gul and Kaneria and Rao, Malik, Arafat can do the containing job. Afridi we hope can do a good job with the bat and the bowl and we all know that if its his day Pakistan have a 80% chance of winning the match. Well wishes for the Pakistan team.

I absolutely agree MR.Kamran Abbasi. I am of the view that Younus Khan comes in the 1st over very often so he might as well open with Yousuf and Inzamam the next two. I would then put in Shoaib Malik and then Afridi followed by Azhar Mahmood.My Bowling Line up would be Sami,GUL and Kaneria.

wheeeee I got first post look at me, yeay me...England will win world cup (they won a match recently so of course they are going to win - just like in football)

I think that the pakistan thinktank and hierarchy does get a lot of stick especially from us fans but i believe they must be commended for such a bold and innovative approach. It clearly shows that we have realised that inzi is batting way to lower down the order therefore the order has rightly changed. I know people would have a opinion on younis khan opening the innings but hey he is normally coming in after a couple of overs anyway so whats the difference?. This also frees up the best player in the world today (along with ponting? Big Mo to bat at 3 where he can dictate the situation and not let the sitauation dictate him. Hafeez 5 Malik 6 Akmal 7 Afridi 8 Gul 9 Sami 10 And Rana 11. Best of luck boys!

Kamran, come to talk of top 5 batsmen, all were there in SA. Why was this not tried then? Just few days away from the WC and we are going for a new combination. What were Bob and Inzi doing there? I think it’s too late to comment on what ever they are doing. One thing I am sure of that like every team our team will also try its best. In case if they fail then they are not to be blamed, it’s the board, the coach and selection committee as they failed to get true openers for the team in last 4 years or so and of course us the cricket lovers? Why expect so much when we know what is going on.

you are forgetting about azhar mahmood! Would open with afridi, and azhar in at no. 5 to be the finisher. push Mohammed yousef up the order, perhaps as a opener. inzi should be no. 3;

Well I partially agree with you but experimenting in such a mega event seems very ridiculous. We see lack of planning in Pakistan squad, first they said Akmal will be rested in South Africa ODI series, that never happen. Asif was pretty fine in ODIs, they said the same for the final ODI, and we never saw him at the bench.

Secondly I think Pakistan should play spin all-rounders, the problem will arise when Shahid Afridi return after serving the ban.

Thirdly with the results in the warm up matches suggesting maximum spinners from the sides, it means Kaneria should be definitely selected.

Lastly it is the only thing encouraging before the mega event that our senior players are stepping up the order, deciding the balance of the match and leaving youngster to carry on.

Mr. Abbassi, I truly agree with your statement that if the old stuff doesn't work, try something completely new. Anything experimental CAN click in Pakistan's favour, but the question is, is this the time for trial and error?

The countries which will succeed in the world cup will be those that have unity and best batting partnerships, not those that aren't injury struck.

Maybe no place for Muhammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik, but do you really need them? ODI cricket is a fast game and Shoaib Malik is a slow settling batsmen; someone who is utile in Test Cricket.

All I can now say is good luck to Pakistan! (P.S. Do take my advice ;) )

of sourse kamran this is the way to go but they should have gone this way lot earlier so that younis could get enough time to be familier with this spot.its bit late but its never too late.

Let's just hope for good!

YK as an opener should have been experimented a bit earlier. now it leaves no time really to see how he fares at opening slot. nonetheless, worth trying. would be fantastic if 'the opening' factor also comes out from him, AMEEEN.

Very interesting observations. I guess the Pakistanis are trying a bit of Indian experiment where Dravid opened for some time. Not a bad idea if it can be executed. Shoaib Malik and Muhammad Hafeez can be good attacking options. So lets see what happens tonight and hope for the best.

Hoping that Pakistan should qualify the super 8 stage with no hicups, one can predict the following out comes from their games
1.Vs England----win
2.Vs Westindies--Win
3.Vs South Africa--50/50
4.Vs Australia--Lose
5. Vs India---50/50
6.Vs Sirilanka--50/50
7.Vs Nezeland--Win
This gives them 3 wins 2 loss's and 2 50/50

Therefore these two matches(Vs India and SeriLanka)would be crucial in order for them to qualify for the semifinals.
Good luck after that.
Najam

Yes the strategy needed some revamping for the world cup and the peculiar situation that the team finds itself in. There is criticism from all corners and the senior players have to take the initiative and lead by example. If Mo Yo can come in at three and inzi at four shoaib malik has shown to be consistent at five or six then you can have the all rounders. Lets wait and see whether Younis can play well enough alongwith Nazir. Eagerly waiting for the 13th

pakistan's problem was not batting but bowling. well todays warmup will shed some light on this lets see how much can southAfricans can score. Some of the teams even have much dangerous batting order than south Africa so lets see

hi it is an interesting approach. I must applaude the risk taking bob woolmer after all this is not the traditional way is it after al.
I was just wondering why does pakistan not consider dropping kamran akmal and making younis keep wickets after all he has done it before and he is preety allryte with it not the best i would agree but that will allow us extra room for azhar to come in. That will give some strenght to your depleted pace attack as well and we would be able to fit in kaneria as well that way we would be able to bat till number 8 and we will have 7 bolwers in the team can it get any better;)

One day cricket has long become a batsmans game.The size of the bats is remarkable.Have you ever wondered why Jacque kallis never seems to edge the ball.There is no doubt spin will play a role in this tournament.Generally as the tournament continues the pitches are never a fast bowlers dream but the difference between south africa and west indies is that there is decent turn on these ones.The first games will be tough,so expect a few surprises.Younnis has always been a grafter so if he has a bit of luck then he may make a couple of 50s at that opening position.The other advantage of him opening is that imran will be well marshalled.The youngsters tend to get out embarassingly when they are on their own.Inzy is in discomforting form but has to lead from the front.Remember before the two Ys became our two most profitable partnership,Inzy and Yosuf were the best at the crease,never mind their terrible running between the wickets.for me malik is world class and bob knows the final overs will be crucial given the several faces these pitches will have so he is the best to marshall the lower order along with shahid,Hafeez and Akmal.Always felt hafeez was a good player,Its just the decision making,Akmal is a good batsman,even under pressure,its a pity he has been exposed as a wicket keeper.Once you are marked you are marked for like.Gilchrist doesnt have the best glove work but is proffessional so nobody ever notices.For me the two allrounders must be Malik and Hafeez.With Afridi in the team as abowler that means no automatic place for danish,although I feel he can be used on turning pitches.I know fast bowlers are not the most important aspect in a one day team but our fast bowlers are just horrible at the moment.I would be tempted to play sami but the extras equation rules him out.Gul is not even a good one day bowler but I would play him and I hope he will not be exposed.I am tempted to drop rana.God knows` whats wrong with him but even his fielding qualities and determination cant get him a place now,surely.Rao looks efficient and azhar should get the third seamers spot.In the inner circle there should be malik,imran,younis and afridi.Inzy at first slip and yosuf as third man please.

I think Pakistan have come up with a very nice batting order. At least now we can hope for at least one of the openers to survive more than 5 overs! Kamran, you have rightly pointed out that the big question now is to balance the bowling attack. Here are a few observations:

1. Pakistan has persisted with Rana but he has constantly been expensive with the new ball. Is it not possible to use him like West Indies uses Bravo. Give him the old ball (after 25-30 overs) and he can pick crucial wickets with his reverse swing. I think Pakistan has to be as innovative with their bowling strategy as they are with their batting.

2. With so many part-time spinners the temptation is to omit Kaneria. But this may not be the right thing to do. Kaneria is a wicket taking option in the middle overs. I am not fully convinced about Hafeez and Afridi taking many wickets against a top batting line up. Apart from India and Sri Lanka Kaneria would be effective agaianst most oppositions.

3. Ideally Pakistan needs Gul and Sami to fire with the new ball. However if Sami does not rise to the occassion the job should go to Rao.

4. In the current setup there doesn't seem to be much room for Mahmood. He is no longer an attacking option with the ball and in Windies' conditions we are better off with the spin of Hafeez and Afridi. It is important not to play too many all-rounders at the cost of wicket-taking bowlers. However on a newly laid seeming track Mahmood can be played at the expense of a spinner.

5. Imran Nazir??? (and this is a big question mark) Can he finally realise his potential? If he does Pakistan would have a real chance.

Pakistan are outsiders in this WC and that might work to our advantage. Let's watch out for the most evenly contested World Cup of them all!

pakistan should not let younis open he has the ability but if they lose him early pakistan may grt under pressure

I think Younis opening is very sensible - our 3 top batsmen have to have the best opportunity to make a big score.

However, given the absense of Shoaib and Asif I feel Kaneria MUST play, we need a top quality bowler to support Umar Gul, not just allrounders.

Beyond the 1st game, Afridi comes into the picture. He will HAVE to play. So I can see him being slotted in for any one of Azhar/Hafeez, depending on if we think we need the extra pace or extra spin on that day.

I guess it is a very good strategy and i sincerely hope, it works for Pakistan. Having Younis at that position, will give our openners more stability and an opportunity to Imran Nazir for playing his natrural cricket. So Pakistan seems to be more reliant on attacking cricket rather than taking defensive which is an excellent move by Pakistan. I would have preferred Afaridy with Nazir as openners but inzi is very defensive in his approach. Anyway good luck guys, i will be more than happy if we qualify upto semis, inshallah.

We will find out if this new strategy works against the south Africans, but i like it and it balances the team out and gives players more time. Kamran akmal can play the role of a big hitter and he needs to in this world cup as he is required to cover for the loss of razzaq. Afridi has more time with this strategy so he can spend more time at the crease and hafeez and malik can provide a bases for a late assault.

Kamran you are right we now have a good idea of what Pakistan's new strategy will be after the first warmup match.

I think pakistan would do very well in this tournament. They will started well winning first warmup and today its the time to beat S Africa.

Kamran, I think it's a very balanced assesment. Everythings happens for a reason, hopefully good ones. Perhaps, absence of SK and MA would provide better results, as the ODI's are generally dominated by batsmen while the top bowlers get the beating no matter what. So, in my assesment, batting deep 9 or 10 would be the key. I'd rather play all all-rounders rather specialists in the lower order, with an exception of Kaneria.

Let's compare the arch-rivals man-for-man....

Man-to-man, both India's batting and bowling looks well above the Pakistan's. On a slow-low pitch, I dont think Malik and Afridi have the technique to cope. During India's tour to Windies, Dravid was opening the batting, he wasnt in the middle order. With the return of Ganguly and advent of Uthappa, that problem is solved. I have serious doubts about Pakistan's probabilities in the worldcup, but you never know

To me the main problem is in the bowling department, v r not missing much in the batting except for Razzaq's brilliance at the end. Hopefully the big guns coming up the order will help the cause. But the question remains who will put his hand up and lead from the front in bowling?

You are right Kamran, if the old strategy has not worked, then Pakistan must try something different, and with the exposure givien right at the top to our premier batsmen, I hope that it works well for Pakistan. A litmus test for this new strategy would be their warm up match against South Africa.
However I still do not see much room for Danish Kaneria in the side, two fornt line fast bowlers, My choice : Gul, Rao, and then the allrounders , Azhar, Shahid, shoib and Hafeez, with Gul and Rao, taking the new ball.
With this eleven Pakistan should would be batting right till the 9th down. The case for Kaneria is lost for me because I feel Shahid Afridii is more then usefull as a leg spinner.

Because of the terrible opening starts that Pakistan has been getting Younis even when coming in at No. 3 comes in to bat very early on. He is indeed batting as a virtual opener so this move is sensible. If Pakistan had problems in the openning department why did they not give Yasir Hameed a fair go at this position? He never openned in South Africa and did not play in any of the one dayers. Yasir has a reasonable average and plenty of experience.

My other area of concern is using Rana as a new ball bowler. He got hammered by England in England, in champions trophy, by West Indies in Pakistan, by South Africa in South Africa and even by lowly rated Canadian openers yet Pakistan keeps persisting with him. Cricinfo article clearly illustrates Rana's value when the slog is on at the end but not at the beginning. Why Rao is not given the new ball and Rana brought into the attack later on? Furthermore Rao's style is similar to Aquib Javed who was pretty successful when he played in the 1992 World Cup. Rao can bowl his 10 overs upfront and be a good support to Umar Gul as his opening bowl partner.

Another area of concern for Pakistan is that they have still not cut down on extras. In the last one day match against the West Indies Pakistani bowlers did an excellent job in this regard. Waqar Younis should have been congratulated for this achievement instead he got a sack. Malik a persistent offender of no balls is totally inexcusable.

Well thats not a bad ploy to start with. When nothing seems to work right, we need to take our chances. Lot of people have talked about batting but the main concern is our bowling.
I think Inzi should open the bowling with Gul and Arafat because rana had a very bad record of opening the bowling. But Instead he is very lethal with the old bowl. RANA and SAMI can ruin the oppositions plans with Old bowl.

Obviously we don't have the kind of bowlers to depend on our bowling to win matches, so WE MUST DEPEND ON OUR BATTING. Yes, we do have batting talent in our side to post big scores. Yet, batting down to 9,10,or 11 IS A BAD IDEA because there are some quality sides in the world cup with some explosive batsmen. Exposing our second rate bowlers will only see our opposition blast our hopes out of the stadium in the first 15 overs. So, GUL, KANIERIA, AND SAMI should be included for sure. KANIERIA IS KEY.

Note:
-If it doesn't look like we're going to be all out, send Afridi in earlier, because the bigger score he gets a chance to post the better.
- KANERIA NEEDS TO PERFORM, AND WE NEED TO GIVE HIM RESPONSIBILITY

What Younis Khan can do as an opener is yet to be seen though I am optimistic as I want Younis to succeed. What we need to look at is the fact that Bob and the team haven't thrown in the towel by losing three of their key players. That is a positive sign but let me state the not so positive aspect of this move.
The only reason we have made this change is because we have either finally realized that we had an opening problem or finally decided to do something about the opening problem that existed for quite some time. We are experimenting until the last mintute when everyone has a stable opening pair and (some teams have) suitable replacements for them. This is not being flexible as it is a desperate move to fix a problem that