Pakistan v South Africa (In U.A.E)

Fawad is nothing special. He had enough failures. Pakistan need to bring new players but for the world cup they need their older players back: Yousuf, Malik, Kamran. If Amer and can get back for wc then they can do well.

If possible thenthe best team would be:

Salman
Kamran
Younus
Yousuf
Malik
Umar Akmal
Afridi
Razzaq/Gul/Tanvir
Aamer
Akhtar
Ajmal

Only two positives for Pakistan was that Hafeez and Younus made runs. I'm surprised Malik isn't playing.  At least he does look like he can play.

Honestly if the trio is back I wouldn't mind seeing Asif in the playing eleven, he is under rated in ODI's I believe, he is a gem of a bowler, can run through sides, I would have him in my playing eleven.

Also given the conditions in the sub continent it won't be a bad idea at all to open with Afridi, althogh if Salman returns then he can open.

Salman, Kamran, Malik, Yousuf, Umer Akmal, Razzaq, Afridi, Aamer, Gul, Ajmal, Asif ... will be my playing eleven. Younus and Shoaib can be rotated with perhaps Yousuf and Asif. Sohail Tanvir and Hafeez can be the other two players in the squad.

Meanwhile Waqar has said that he sincerely hopes the trio is cleared, he called them as Key players and has said it is never easy to lose three of your key players and perform equally as good. So it looks like the team doesn't have any issues with the players. Whether they will be cleared or not though is a different question altogether.


Edited by sam_ahmed - 30 October 2010 at 2:23pm

UNBELIEVABLE, Abdul Razzaq you beauty!!! Abdul Razzaq you beauty, Abdul Razzaq you beauty!!!!  That was MAJESTIC!!! LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

This is why us on here was always disappointed with Pakistan in regards to Razzaq.  Adbul Razzaq is as clean a striker of the Cricket ball you'll find.

Some may find it over reaction but I say this is as good a one day innings I have seen - ever. And I have seen enough one day cricket too. Take a bow you beauty Razzaq. he scored 63 off the last 65 runs. Refused singles from the 45th over. Wickets kept tumbling on the other end. He stayed calm. None of his shots were mis hits or wild hits. He hit them clean as a whistle. And what a pity he bats at 7 and 8.

Those who missed this gem last night - should really go and read the commentary in the archives - be a part of this innings from Razzaq. HE is the cleanest hitter in the game today and I have no doubts in what I am saying.

JA Morkel to Abdul Razzaq, no run, and he hits the crease, down the leg side, cramping him up, going through his legs
49.2
JA Morkel to Abdul Razzaq, SIX, smokinnnn! Razzaq on 99! What is he up to here? Low full toss, misses the length by inches, and smacks it over midwicket, into the grass banks. They are dancing out there. Razzaq is playing a beauty
49.3
JA Morkel to Abdul Razzaq, SIX, Razzaq! Beaut! Poor delivery. On a length, in Razzaq's arc. He gets under it, goes over midwicket. Gets to 105. Botha is on the rope. Watches it sail over his head. Shine On You Crazy Diamond
49.4
JA Morkel to Abdul Razzaq, no run, short and wide, Razzaq wants to finish it off, misses the cut. AB and Albie appeal big time, but I don't see any connection there
49.5
JA Morkel to Abdul Razzaq, FOUR, Abdul. Razzaq. Sir, you have played a gem! Full ball outside off, when the leg side is heavily populated, and he crashes it through the field. Four runs! Game over. He emotes for the first time. Exults. He throws his bat, and then pumps fists. looks towards the dressing room. They are all celebrating. Shoaib picks up his bat. Hugs him. One by one all come out. Afridi. Waqar. All have one man to thank tonight
More reactions. Vishal: "Pakistan cricket was reeling...They needed a miracle to survive...and here they have it...One of the greatest ODI innings you will ever see or read in our case...This is a kind of innings that would make a nation believe in themselves...Best of luck from across the border..."
Lee de Souza: "About time we saw Razzaq again showing us what he's capable of! What-an-innings. I hope his top order counterparts were paying attention!"
Maryam: "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. POST MY COMMENT. I AM SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO HAPPY. completely worth staying up at night for. when ab de villiers thought razzaq was out i felt my whole world shattering. BUT ABDUL RAZZAQ IS TOO AWESOME. The world needs to know of my joy."
Joy to the world. On that note, we bid farewell to what was Abdul Razzaq's night. The man scored 63 of the last 65 runs. He didn't wear any costumes, he didn't perform fancy tricks, but on Halloween Night, he left the bowlers scared, very scared. Do join us for the rest of the series. And also don't forget to read Osman Samiuddin's bulletin. It will be up soon. Give him some time. Razzaq didn't give him any. And, that is that.

I agree Zuhair, may be the best ODI knock I have ever seen too... since this was in a winning cause it should beat Sachin's innings of 140 odd in sharjah against AUS as that was in a losing cause.

Still can't believe it, it was so dramatic, 12 30 in the night and the entire colony must have got awake when I started shouting after the win! A couple of people were very upset, my wife who thought I'm still a Kid and my mom who thought I've gone mad... boy that innings will make anyone go mad, let alone me!!!

Yes Zuhair , Pakistan are still some way off the South Africans and once in a lifetime knocks like Razzak's can't hide that.  The top order are distinctly average and I can't see them threatening the top sides , come world cup time. 
             Ingram looks the part and seems very levelheaded - a good addition to the side , but surely Albie Morkel's shot his bolt with that final over. Langeveldt's not much better either - okay when it's swinging , but very easily hit when it's not.

 The Akmals will strengthen the side and especially in the subcontinent , but  isn't Yousuf  something of a liability in the field ?  We know his batting's top notch , but he does need hiding in the field.   I think Amir's chances of getting back aren't good and they'll have to put together an attack without him.


Edited by Sledger - 01 November 2010 at 7:41am

Yes, they can ask Asad to keep wickets and bring back Umar Akmal for the remainder of the series. But things do look much better for the WC especially on the batting front.

Yes, Yousuf is a liability on the field but so is half of the team with the likes of Ajmal, Razzaq and Akhtar. You have to have provisions for this and Yousuf's batting does make him an exception in my view. Malik should be back in place of the latest test skipper Misbah. I still think Amir can make a come back by WC if the hearing is processed at a more rapid pace.

What hitting... what clean and supebr hitting! My word you have to give it to that man Razzaq. I was wondering that he's no longer in the form of old and was on the decline but boy didn't he prove me wrong yesterday! I think you got to feel for Morkel and Lageveldt a bit! Yes they bowled some bad stuff but when someone's in that mood even the good balls disappear!

Hats off to Abdul Razzaq for snatching victory out of defeats hands! I guess Rusty Theron would be replacing Charl next game and Kallis will take his place and replace Albie but then when its not your day you will disappear!

It was good to see Afridi play a bit sensibly too! If he carries on like this it would augur well for Pakistan.

lets hope so Zuhair, The deadline for submitting a 15 man squad to the ICC will be one month before the WC starts I belive, which means it'll be around 19-20 of January, so they only have a couple of months at hand.

It's all about getting to the QF's which won't be that difficult, and then it's 3 good games.

A better idea is to drop Haider and ask Asad to keep. Fawad is more suited to the middle order, as he is more of an accumulator

It was very good Innings.
Remember he blocked 2 overs from M Morkel in the batting powerplaya nd let the req. runrate increase. He had selected the bowlers which he wanted to attack and thats why this innings was so special. It was a well planned Inning from the clean hitting master. He is being wasted at no. 7 or 8.

Razzaq won also a match for pakistan against england where he scored 42 from the last 2 overs and changed the complete game. He is very dangouras.

I'll be interested to see where Razzak bats today , I don't think he'll be moved that far up the order. He's a fine finisher , but I can't see him batting in those middle overs where boundaries are as common as hen's teeth.  If he does , then maybe 50 over cricket is about to undergo a transformation for the better.