Comment: Why have Malik and Hafeez been ignored for England series?
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LAHORE: The Pakistan cricket team, despite having lost back to back ODIs against host England in the past four days, has surprisingly not yet given a chance to two of its seniormost players — all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik — who reported fit in the second ODI at Southampton on Saturday.
Both the players were once again overlooked for the third ODI against England at Bristol on Tuesday as Pakistan’s young and inexperienced bowling attack was thrashed all over the park by the hosts who cruised to a six wicket win while chasing a daunting 359 for victory.
Earlier, Pakistan went 0-1 down in the second game at Southampton after the first ODI of the five-match series was washed out.
Almost the entire panel of commentators and experts including former England skipper Nasser Hussein, David Lloyd, Mike Atherton, Ian Botham, Waqar Younis and Rameez Raja remained clueless as to why Pakistan chose to ignore both Hafeez and Malik who could have brought a wealth of experience and wisdom to a struggling Pakistan outfit.
A Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that both Hafeez and Malik have been fit and available for selection since the Southampton game but their omission has puzzled both fans and critics.
The next game at Nottingham is Pakistan’s last chance to save this series while a defeat will settle it for England quite handsomely.
The all-important World Cup is now barely 15 days away but surprisingly, the team management is avoiding to test the abilities and form of both Malik and Hafeez in this preparatory series before the mega event.
It may be mentioned here that Hafeez has fully recovered from his thumb injury sustained in the last Pakistan Super League edition while Malik, who took a ten-day leave to attend to an urgent family matter back home, has returned to be with the team and fielded as substitute at Bristol for a short while too.
Published in Dawn, May 16th, 2019
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Comments (44) Closed
May 16, 2019 08:13am
As Shoaib and Hafeez does not fit in the final 15,therefore,no need for practicing.
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May 16, 2019 08:19am
Malik and Hafeez are spent adn would not have added anything to the performance so far......
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May 16, 2019 08:23am
I don’t know why Hafeez is not playing, Shoaib took some time off to deal with something personal but might have returned. I am confused by Mickey’s strategy. Why is Wahab Riaz not in the team? Please do not do to Wahab what you did to Abdul Razzak. Please don’t forget Pakistan is represented here so get rid of politics and Nepotism. Thank you for reading my comment.
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May 16, 2019 08:26am
This is just another episode of the never-ending mismanagement and favoritism that has been plaguing Pakistan cricket in the past. No one is sure why these players are being overlooked, and I for one, cannot understand why Pakistan has not selected a specialist batsman in the middle order. I would have liked to see Asad Shafiq play in the ODIs. He could have been the anchor that this brittle batting order needs when the domino effect comes into play for Pakistan, i.e., one out, three more follow immediately.
And for those who will say that Asad is not a ODI player, if Azhar Ali can be captain of the ODI team, Asad Shafiq deserves a chance to play in the format as well.
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May 16, 2019 08:35am
It's not the batting that is a major concern but the bowling needs to be looked at.
Malik and Hafeez is not going to help improve bowling attack.
Hafeez can come in place of Faheem but not Malik as Pakistan has a settle batting line up .
Azhar Mahmood need to get the bowling improve and fine tuning.
The bowling and the eternal feilding needs flops needs a major overall.
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May 16, 2019 08:48am
Malik ,Hafeez,Shadab are surely going to be in 15 WC squad.Pakistan need finishers at moment in batting.
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May 16, 2019 08:49am
Pakistan team should have had Usman Shenwari,Amir and Irfan in their squad.
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May 16, 2019 09:00am
Ramaz raja is always clueless he wants certain players in the team like the akmal brothers Shoaib Malik and hafeez have they not been tried and test and failed miserably
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May 16, 2019 09:09am
No room for them in the team. Too old for the world cup and no performances to mention within the last 12 months. Same treatment given to Aamir, should apply to them both as well. Asif Ali should be the finisher down the order not Malik.
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May 16, 2019 09:31am
They are rightly being ignored. Youngsters needs to be tested first. Both Hafeez and Malik playing international cricket for past 15 years.
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May 16, 2019 09:35am
because they are not world class and are spent force. Why you are asking for him and not Fawad Alam
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May 16, 2019 10:04am
Batting has been good. Bowling is terrible. But young bowler need advice of Senior who are on the bench while the Captain is clueless
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May 16, 2019 10:12am
Pakistan badly need a good spinner.. Shadab and Nawaz or hafeez.
1- Imam
2- Fakhar
3- Babar
4- Haris
5- Sarfaraz
6- hafeez
7- Shadab
8- Imad
9- Hassan
10- Amir
11- Junaid
12- malik 13- Shaheen 14- Fahim 15- Nawaz
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May 16, 2019 10:40am
They senior status means nothing. The last two ODIs, the team batted well, however poor bowling is a new ill of the team, and dropped catches continue.
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May 16, 2019 10:50am
@Humayun, true- go with the young team. Nasir Hussain and others should be reminded that Pakistan could never score 360 Plus in2 ODI’s and no shame to loose the game. Once the 2 oldies are introduced, Pakistan will revert to the old ways Pakistan approached the game to score 250 runs, never enough in the modern game. Send the oldies home, do not milk PCB anymore and retire gracefully.
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May 16, 2019 10:55am
Hafeez should be given chance as he can bowl a bit but no place for Malik as Asif Ali is in great form...
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May 16, 2019 11:38am
keeping in view the bowling performance of the last 2 ODIs, it will be a blunder to ignore Amir for the WC. Everyone is talking about his lack of taking wickets, but please don't forget that his economy is less then 5 which is outstanding in modern day cricket. The selection committee is destroying the future of Hasnain and Shaheen shah by selecting them for the world cup.
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May 16, 2019 12:04pm
When Current batting is going classic then no need for both of them specially Malik ( he is burdon on the team )... Yes Bowling needs some special treatment on warfooting basis.
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May 16, 2019 12:37pm
@Umar, Anwar Ali, Mir Hamza and Usman Shenwari. There players who deserve a place. Mohd Irfan also.
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May 16, 2019 01:28pm
Hafeez can be retained if he can bowl, while Malik should be sent back and replaced with Asif who is now performing with some consistency.
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May 16, 2019 01:30pm
Our bowling attack needs improvement and maybe worth forsaking Shoaib Malik and Abid Ali for Rumman Raees and Usman Shinwari.
Yet, might as well play M Hafeez to see if he should be the top order batsmen over Babar Azam and play Shoaib Malik to prove he can replace Asif Ali
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May 16, 2019 01:30pm
As they say, old is gold but too old becomes rolled gold.
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May 16, 2019 01:39pm
Personally, I would play Malik and Hafeez and Hasnain next match, Drop Faheem and Afridi. Amir will have to be in world cup squad.
However, looking at other teams, this is going to be a very tough world cup for Pakistan. Don,t think they will be best south asian team. too. India and Bangladesh will outqualify Pakistan.
Pakistan will finish 6th/7th whiche reflects their odi position.
Not expecting much from Pak this world cup.
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May 16, 2019 01:55pm
Fire miki and inzamam. They are selecting on favorism not merit.
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May 16, 2019 01:59pm
Bowling extremely weak we need wahab riaz and 1 good spinner i go for best spinner who performed in PSL not ordinary spinner like nawaz amir is out don't consider him now he can't recovered chicken pox is not season flu it required extreme care and fitness level he even recovered from pox it will take time to heal its a painful really painful INFECTION.
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May 16, 2019 02:14pm
Really no place for the two veterans in the team right now. Since both of them are primarily batsmen, it doesn't look like they are needed. Surprisingly it is the bowling that needs to be bolstered. Batting pitches are no excuse for them to not perform, they have grown up on dead batting wickets.
Bowlers need to be intelligent, use change of pace, different angles and lengths. Hope somehow Amir can be brought in and hope he performs.
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May 16, 2019 02:21pm
We need umer khan haris rauf or wahab riaz in this wc squad
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May 16, 2019 02:22pm
@OJ, Agree, Malik does not deserve a place in the team and shadab should play instead of Faheem. Shinwari is a better bowler and fielder than Shaheen afridi.The tracks are flat so the problem is that for the first time our bowling depot looks weak.Play Hasnain,in the next match
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May 16, 2019 03:10pm
@Faisal Jamali, Shaheen Afridi is leading wicket taker from u19 world cup. One match on a small baked ground does not define him. He is only playing his second match. He is a brilliant bowler consistently hitting 85mph plus and a wicket taker.
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May 16, 2019 04:01pm
Just chill & go to sleep ... Shoaib or Hafeez - it wouldn’t matter. Pakistani Cricket is down and it will take several years if not decades to see some spark if at all. These commentators were really clueless as to why do they think Hafeez or Shoaib’s inclusion was necessary....just a “clueless” commentary
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May 16, 2019 04:05pm
Hafeez can play only if he willl be able to complete his bowling.
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May 16, 2019 04:33pm
I would have Hafeez as one experienced player, having Shoaib is a luxury that the team cannot support. There is no leader in the bowling. Unfortunately this thrashing by the English team will deflate the whole,team, this is the risk of playing practice matches before the tournament agains the favourite team.
We had a strong captain then it would not matter...Sarfaz!
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May 16, 2019 06:42pm
@JackJones, You are right on the money, we need Shanwari and Wahab back to strengthen our bowling attack which is very weak right now.
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May 16, 2019 07:16pm
they should give more chance to Hasnain and ask their fast bowler to shorten their run up and focus on yorker and swing instead of speed. Don't focus on who is not in the team , just focus on who is in team.play with intensity as I dont see in fast bowler
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May 16, 2019 09:13pm
@arif Wajid, you may be right on the button after all Wasim Akram bowled of a shorter run and was a very potent bowler. The bowlers will have to come to the party if Pakistan is to advance in the World Cup by taking wickets against stronger opposition. Pakistan has genuinely missed the services of Shadab Khan, but in his absence, Pakistan should send Umar Khan the magician by sending another spent force Yassir Shah home. In addition, Amir is the most economic bowler and should be back, if nothing else to save runs piling up.
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May 16, 2019 10:49pm
@Hashim, the dynamics and needs of ODI as opposed to Tests, demands a power hitter at number 6 and NOT a consolidator. This is when a push is made to accelerate and increase the run rate
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May 16, 2019 10:53pm
@Pak-uk, HAfeez is NOT a good spinner Now that Shadab is fit we have the bases covered with him as the kingpin and strike bowler nd Imad, and Haris providing support. At a pinch even Fakhar can pitch inow many more spinners you want l
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May 16, 2019 10:56pm
@Ali, agree It is NOT just the wicket taking ability.that is important in ODI, but the economy rate. Which will you prefer, a bowler who takes 3 wickets but concedes 80 runs in his spell or a bowler who does not take wicket but concedes only 40 runs in his 10 overs
Seeing the 2 England ODIs, it is imperative to rein in the rampaging batsmen
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May 16, 2019 11:02pm
@Junaid, then ask ICC to allow a team of 16 players to play in the game
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May 16, 2019 11:04pm
@kash, Afridi is a pace bowler. Both HAfeez and Shoaib are spinners (part time at best)
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May 16, 2019 11:26pm
It is too late now to experiment. Malik and Hafeez would be under pressure to perform in such a situation. Let us keep the team as it is and leave everything to fate.
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May 17, 2019 06:01am
Please don't play them, both should have retired years ago. Without them Pakistan is posting good totals. Malik does not even bowl!
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May 17, 2019 06:03am
@JackJones, wahab does not swing the ball and would be belted. Besides has he taken a single wicket lately?
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May 18, 2019 04:47pm
I think Sarfaraz needs to improve his game. His batting, captaincy and wicket keeping all were not up to the mark. He has put on some weight as well.
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