Afridi Lights Up Sharjah Author: Maaz; Views: 2585; Date: 22-11-2011, 07:50;

Sharjah hosted its first one day international featuring Pakistan since 2003 on Sunday evening for a day night fixture in the historical venue which was hosting its 201^st one day international, more than any other venue on the global scale. It was the 4^th of 5 one day internationals in the series with the visitors looking to keep the series alive and square the series going into a decider whereas Misbah’s Pakistan were looking to seal the series.

The crowd turned up in their numbers and witnessed a nail biter and memorable individual performance courtesy of a stunning all round exhibition from the talismanic and charismatic Shahid Afridi who after scoring a vital 70 odd to help the men in green reach a respectable total of 200 after being 6 down without triple figures on the board and still with over half of the over’s to play out, followed it up and claimed his 6^th 5 for in one day internationals and 3^rd of the year to spin his side to victory from an improbable position when Sri Lanka were coasting and cruising to a clinical win. It was truly the Shahid Afridi show and the magic of the enigmatic character that produced an inspirational display under lights.

Pakistan won the toss and Misbah Ul Haq elected to bat first just like he did on Friday without any hesitation. Imran Farhat and Mohammad Hafeez got through the first 6 untroubled before Farhat was strangled down the leg side from Fernando’s first delivery to be caught behind. It was indeed an excellent take behind from Kumar. This brought Younis Khan to the crease who steadied the ship with Mohammad Hafeez who just like on Friday was batting cautiously and sedately worked his way up to 25. Both were looking at ease when it came to milking the spinners between overs 10-15. The bowling power play brought Hafeez’s downfall as he was caught at deep square leg attempting to sweep. Misbah Ul Haq walked out to bat at number 4 and got off the mark immediately through some innovative improvisation by pulling out his reverse sweep to claim a boundary.

Younis Khan fell in the very next over to a Fernando slower delivery. The experienced campaigner was completely deceived by the well disguised change of pace. Malik walked out at 3 down for his first outing of the tour, but struggled to get ball off the square and was very cautious in his approach and eventually fell to a googly when he was pawned in front. Umar Akmal followed in the same fashion. Shahid Afridi started his account with a beautifully struck off drive against Lasith Malinga while Misbah ul Haq was looking to hold an end up as he so often does  as Pakistan looked to rebuild, however this was short lived as Misbah Ul Haq was again run out in a terrible mix up with the former Pakistan captain. Safraz accompanied Afridi who was playing a measured and calculated knock by taking the singles, being sensible in his stroke play and unleashing the big shot every here and there.

Safraz was trapped in front for the 2^nd time in the series to Prasana’s leg spin. Saeed Ajmal joined his spin partner and managed to successfully stick around for a resilient 20 before being trapped for pace in front. The off spinner clearly has been working on and improved his batting. 

Shahid Afridi in the meantime had reached his half century much to the delight of the Sharjah faithful and was dropped by Fernando at one point, but soon after perished in the latter stages of the innings as he was caught behind from a full and wide delivery. Umar Gul managed to take the innings to the 50^th over, but then receive the death rattle courtesy of a Malinga Yorker which cannoned into those stumps. At the interval Pakistan concluded on exactly 200 giving Sri Lanka a RPO of 4.05 to stay in the series.

Pakistan got two relatively early breakthroughs as Aizaz Cheema found the edge of both Sri Lankan openers which were caught by Younis Khan and Safraz Ahmed in first slip and keeper position respectively. Misbah-ul-Haq kept him on even though he was expensive and taking some tap, especially in his first two overs. Mohammad Hafeez came on once the first 10 were up and dismissed the promising young talent Dinesh Chandimal who was looking to paddle sweep. The youngster has failed to live up to expectations in this series.

It was a lack of experience and technique which brought his downfall. Nonetheless, the veterans got together in MJ and KS and accumulated a partnership of 100 as Sri Lanka looked totally untroubled and well on track before the batting power play and the sheer presence of Shahid Afridi turned the match on its head. Afridi bowled the left hander through the gate. Ajmal got rid of the vice skipper with a sharp off break and Safraz did the rest. Afridi then produced a quick off break which crushed into the pads and the number 7 was plumb for all money. Afridi then produced 2/2 by getting rid of MJ in the off side ring as he drove loosely and then snatched on to a return catch the very next delivery. 

Ajmal got rid of Malinga around the wicket with an off break which was pushed through and came back a fraction. Finally Pereera decided to have a go with only Fernando left on the non strikers end and was taken in the deep by Umar Akmal to give the multi talented Shahid Afridi his 5^th as Pakistan sealed the win and subsequently the series too. Unsurprisingly the instigator, Shahid Afridi picked up his 4^th MOM of the year and 3 of them have come against these men in blue.

3 key players from each side for the ODI series Author: Maaz; Views: 1149; Date: 10-11-2011, 07:06;

Hafeez:

An accurate and economical bowler. He is extremely nagging with his undeniable control of line and length as well as his ability to bowl according to his field and get through his quota quickly and silently. It wouldn't be wrong to say that he models his action on Saqlain Mushtaq with that kink and pivot in his bowling stride, enabling him to pick up on any trigger movements from batsmen and adjust his direction accordingly. Also, someone who doesn't mind bowling with the hardness and proud seam of the new ball. A free scoring and pleasing on the eye opener. An alert and smart team man. 5 MOMs in this format this year. All his 3 ODI centuries have come during this year. Pakistan’s leading run getter in ODIs this year as well as someone who has been amongst the wickets consistently. A highly invaluable utility cricketer, who after multiple recalls into the side, is finally beginning to find his feet to show the hidden talent he always possessed in the domestic circuit by being a permanent member of the side in the last 12 months or so in each and every format. 

Misbah:

Averages 50 against the Lankans with a SR in the mid 80s. Undefeated in 9 LOIs as national skipper. 8 50s in 19 ODI knocks this year and 6 cameos of above 25 in that too. 7 not out scores in that. Pakistan’s 2nd leading run getter in ODIs this year. The 2nd highest average by a Pakistan ODI batsmen of all time and just a few points behind the Asian Bradman. A Batsmen who is a capable innings builder, reliable 2nd innings finisher with 12 unbeaten stays at the crease to knock off the winning runs as well as 6 of his 8 2nd innings 50s being unbeaten knocks in a successful chases (Pakistan are historically not the best of chasers), a key anchor sheet and someone who can hold an end up to prevent the team from collapsing and self destructing as well as setting the foundations to give the innings some calmness, direction and stability, not to forget his ability to innovate, improvise and change gears in between. In 4 out of the last 5 ODI events he has concluded with the best average. Misbah is clearly an impact team contributor with 13 of his 17 ODI 50s appearing in winning causes. Someone a bit like Trott in the sense who does these unnoticeable chores, but others tend to take the spotlight more. Definitely, an underrated and under-appreciated middle order composed operator.
 

Safrarz:

 U19 WC winning captain and wicket keeper in 2006 in Sri Lanka. Returns to the side for the first time since 2008. Pakistan’s 4th ODI wicket keeping option of the year. Averaged above 160 during the Pentangular competition earlier in the year where Sindh took the title. Hopefully, he will be able to show case and cement his place in the side at least for the shorter formats and show his nation that Pakistan’s wicket keeping potential is larger than just that Akmal brotherhood.  

Malinga:

An unorthodox expressive bowler who is at the top of his game. Out of the two teams he has the highest number of ODI wickets this year including two 5 wicket hauls and a hat trick against the Baggy Greens. Talking of hat tricks, Malinga has the most in ODIs. The player of the tournament in the Nokia Champions League 2011 as Mumbai Indians was victorious. It’s such a shame a bowler of his talent is not playing tests anymore, but nonetheless one who is box office entertainment with those lethal toe crushers, awkward trajectory and deceptive changes of pace. Furthermore, he has turned out to be somewhat of a match winner with the willow down the order and developed his batting a significant deal which Misbah and company will need to watch out for.

Angelo Matthews:

His bowling coach at KKR, Wasim Akram rates him highly. An excellent talent in the late middle order who can win a match on his own. He's had his fair share of struggles with injuries, but a definite future star of Sri Lankan cricket.
 

Kumar Sangakkara:

Joint player of the series in the test series so he has form and confidence behind him. Currently 3rd in leading ODI run getters this year with 1 century and 7 50s in 20 innings. Kumar has played 20 ODIs in the Emirates so has a good understanding of the atmosphere and conditions being the articulate and intelligent man he is.

Player Ratings For Test Series Author: Maaz; Views: 1594; Date: 10-11-2011, 07:03;

Taufeeq: 5/10. After scoring a marathon double ton in Abu Dhabi, he failed in his next 5 innings and averaged only. Why he was not standing in the slip cordon remains a mystery as he is considered to be a reliable fielder and arguably the best in the team. Taufeeq is now flying back and will need to get himself back in shape for the tests in Bangladesh next month. Taufeeq is placed in the top 8 run getters for tests in 2011 and has a chance to add to this with another Asian rivalry before concluding what has been a hectic year.

Hafeez: 5/10. His catching was abysmal, but the catch in the opening over of the 3rd innings to send Dilshan on his way was a welcome relief. Hafeez claimed 2 scalps with the ball in his hand and unsurprisingly they were left hander’s which he has a prolific record against and tends to be somewhat of a demon against them with well over 3 quarters of his test scalps coming against them. The likes of Cook, Strauss, Morgan, Broad, Tamim Iqbal and other lefties will all need to watch out against this underrated crafty off spinner in the forthcoming test series which proceed. His batting was fluent in the 1^st innings of the first two tests of the series where he engaged in a stand of over 50 for the first wicket to follow it up by an unbeaten innings to get the desired result in the 4^th innings of the same encounter. Nonetheless, he was dismissed cheaply to some carelessness both times in Sharjah where the batting all rounder had a below par outing.

Azhar Ali: 9/10. 11 50s and 1 century in 31 innings with 4 not outs. Azhar sits comfortably averaging in the 40s after the series and 11^th in all time from his country. Just like last year against the South Africans, the solid and dependable top order rock topped or came 2nd in the averages for the hosts here in the UAE for his maiden series against a sub continental side. With a noteworthy first innings score at each of the venues the tour was one to fondly remember for this KRL gutsy, determined, resilient & temperamentally amazing youngster who is undeniably a consistent and run hungry performer who also sits in the top 8 scorers at an average of 47 in the 5 day arena for the calendar year with 2 to follow in due course. Surely he will climb up that list further which is extremely encouraging for a batsman only in his 1^st FULL year at this level. The impressive one down batter reminds many of Shoaib Mohammad, a young Rahul Dravid and even the ex England captain in Michael Atherton who Shane Warne feels every team should have and can tremendously benefit from having. All these grafters have the capabilities and strengths of crease occupation, churning out the runs, wearing out the attack, earning the bad ball subsequently, closing an end and making every effort possible to remain disciplined and trust their defences to make it excessively difficult for the opposition to dislodge them as well as providing that sense of re-assurance, responsibility and stability with not necessarily the greatest talent in the world for others to feed off, but a clear, controlled and repetitive game plan. Azhar certainly ticks these boxes. UAE is turning out to be somewhat of a fortress for him and one shouldn’t be surprised to see him frustrating the Poms in January with that heavily resistible application.

Younis Khan: 8.5/10. Most catches during the tour as well as a century and half century. After 8 tests since resuming his career after that ill fated England tour where he was side lined for reasons best known to a buffoon, his country have been undefeated.

Misbah-ul-Haq: 7/10. A 3^rd test series win as captain in 5 series without a series defeat. Mr Solid was outstanding in Sharjah with his watertight defensive technique to survive for over 340 deliveries in the match to earn a well fought draw and consequently seal the series. He led from the front and played a captain’s knock to deny Sri Lanka the win when a substantial effort was required from the leader of the ship. After 10 tests as skipper the calm man averages a formidable 81. Waqar Younis regarded him as having one of the tightest defences in the world when it comesto dead batting the ball quickly on to the turf with the full straight face of the blade or forward prodding with a keen stride to tackle a length or trap any revs imparted on the ball with sheer watchfulness. Tony Greig, a respected and experienced observer in the commentary box, said he was a simply a gem of a captain. Misbah was also just 1 behind Younis Khan for being the leading catcher during the series. With 10 50s or more in 15 innings as captain (excluding single figure not out scores), Misbah has broken in to the top 5 averages in tests from his country of all time. Will he retire with an average of above 50? It’s certainly a possibility as far as I’m concerned.

Asad Shafiq: 6/10. One half century, one unbeaten 20 odd, one unbeaten 50 ball knock to secure the draw in the fading light and one score in the teens before nicking behind. Shafiq held on to some key catches namely Kumar Sangakkara throughout the tour.Surely he has done enough to be retained at the number 6 position against Bangladesh and presumably England as well.

Adnan Akmal: 7/10. A 40 and a cheap dismissal in the two outings he received. However, sound in the keeping department. He has not been retained for the LOI leg of the tour and will be flying back.

Abdur Rehman: 5/10. Unimpressive with the bat in both tests, but exceedingly economical with the ball including picking up some key wickets. The bowling average was approximately 50, but his presence enabled Ajmal to attack more in the shorter bursts. On the whole it was a passable tour for the left arm spinner which during the process he claimed 400 FC wickets.

Umar Gul: 8/10. 14 in the series in the 20s, but disappointing with the bat. 4 times during the series he struck with the new ball in the opening over. 27 scalps in 6 tests for the spearhead of the pace attack. The delivery he bowled to Parnavitana in the opening over of the Sharjah test was one real Jaffa.

Saeed Ajmal: 8.5/10. 2nd MOTS for the year in tests for the leading wicket taker in tests this year as well as the leading wicket taker in international cricket. The wizardry finger spinner was the leading wicket taker in the series and thankfully it was in a winning cause for one of the quickest spinners in the world who reached 50 test victims. Sri Lanka have some fine pickers of spinners in their team which makes the achievement even more special for a bowler who has thrived under Misbah’s leadership, a captain who pushed for his inclusion in the national team and has captained him in the domestic arena for over a decade.

Junaid Khan: 8/10. 12 in the series in the 20s. Should have had more had it not been for the diabolical fielding display in Abu Dhabi. The left armer bowled energetically from around the wicket throughout the series and troubled the Sri Lankans many times. The 21 year old stepped up and made a name for him on batting friendly surfaces. He was rewarded for his discipline and ability to extract movement against the odds. His praises were sung throughout the course of the test series by fellow players and commentators and deservedly so.

Confident of saving the Test and sealing the series Author: Maaz; Views: 709; Date: 4-11-2011, 10:11;

Not a great day with the exception of the middle session. Sri Lanka is well on top, especially with those 2 breakthroughs before stumps. They have 5 front line bowlers and 2 specialist spinners in their line up. They will be backing themselves to level the series here. They have fielded an attacking composition in this crucial decider. As far as Pakistan is concerned, the batsmen need to play out the whole day tomorrow without getting bowled out. Misbah has been a bit on the quietter side with the bat in this series (2 40s) and they’ll need him to deliver with a noteworthy score of around a 70 odd at least and provide some calmness, direction and stability to the innings by occupying the crease and valuing his wicket as well as frustrating Sri Lanka with his disciplined and level headed approach.

Nonetheless, the inform Azhar Ali is unbeaten overnight, a man who has never scored a 50 in a vain cause and never failed to reach a 50+ score after 8 innings in the United Arab Emirates. They’ll want to be around 300/7 tomorrow at stumps. A draw looks like the best bet at this stage from the perspective of the hosts. The only way I see the hosts coming out on top is if Sri Lanka bat woefully in their 3rd innings perhaps because of a lack of time to push for the win and carelessly lose their wickets during the process. I don’t know whether how the events which unfolded in court had an effect on the team and their mindset and on field performance, but I won’t be surprised despite all what they say. Saeed Ajmal now is the leading test wicket taker this year and has 15 in the series. King Sanga’s form has been utterly remarkable and he is a front line candidate for the player of the series award. Sanath Jayasuria is back in the commentary box after being absent in the 2nd test due to Hong Kong Sixes participation. Pakistan expectedly named an unchanged line up whereas Sri Lanka made a few changes for a must win game. Dilshan returned back to open up and made his first meaningful score of the series.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has named a 16 man squad for the 5 match one day and 1 off T20 which commences a week today. Shahid Afridi makes a return to the team along with Abdul Razzaq. Safraz Ahmed will be the wicket keeper. Wahab Riaz has been excluded probably in light of the news that the ICC is widening their investigation after the players were found guilty for conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments earlier in the week.

Sharjah Time! Author: Maaz; Views: 303; Date: 2-11-2011, 12:51;

Sharjah is hosting its first test match in 9 years tomorrow for the 3rd and final encounter of this test series with Dilshan’s troops looking to square proceedings after being largely outplayed in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Sri Lanka have gone 13 tests without tasting victory, meanwhile for Pakistan they have been undefeated for 5 consecutive test series regardless of the outcome in Sharjah, however a 2-0 series win will push them above their opponents on the test rankings and they will enter the top 5 tier. With a 2 match series against Bangladesh scheduled in December as well Pakistan has been undefeated for 6 consecutive test series if results go as they should. 6 test series without a loss is the 2nd highest undefeated series streak by a Pakistan team after Imran Khan in the 80s and it’s not broken yet. What a job Misbah -ul-Haq and company have done and who could have thought this would be possible after that spot fixing fiasco? The future was looking excessively bleak, but reality has well and truly proved differently. The record in Sharjah results wise have been 2 wins and 2 losses for the hosts.

Stats

The hosts have posted 340 or more 8 out of the last 13 times in an innings. Under their previous captain they were demolished for fewer than 100 on 3 occasions during a test series. The average first innings total under the current captain is over 350. 

Another stat regarding the batting is they have only lost 13 wickets per test on average in their last 9 tests.

Pakistan have posted above 400 in all of their last 3 tests.

Pakistan have had 6 individual centuries in 9 tests under Misbah's leadership. Previously they did NOT have a single one in the 9 tests before he took over under the leadership of Butt, Afridi and Yousuf combined. 

Misbah’s first boundary in both tests has been from a six against a spinner.

The Sri Lankan replacement wicket keeper in the 2nd test was not only making his test debut, but was playing his 100th FC match.

Pakistan have taken 40 wickets in this series out of all which were possible whereas the opponents have only taken 18 out of a potential 40. The hosts have only been bowled out once whereas the visitors have been bowled out 4 times.

Saeed Ajmal needs 3 wickets to be in the lead for the leading wicket taker at test level in 2011 with 3 tests left for him maximum.

Saeed Ajmal has taken three 5 wicket hauls this year and been awarded 2 MOMs in his last 4 tests.

The test in Sharjah will also be the 40th between the countries and the 10th of Misbah as captain.

Abdur Rehman needed 6 wickets in this test to be the joint leading Pakistan bowler who is the quickest to 50 test wickets along with Mohammad Asif, Shabbir Ahmed and Waqar Younis. He stands a chance of being the quickest spinner to the feat.

Azhar Ali has 4 half centuries, 1 century and 2 unbeaten stays at the crease in his last 8 test innings. He currently is on the brink of breaking into Pakistan’s top 10 test averages. 

Azhar Ali is yet to fail to reach a 50 when being dismissed in the UAE after 8 innings with 4 half centuries, 1 ton and 3 unbeaten stays. He averages 88 in this part of the world.


PLAY FOR A DRAW

Ensuring safety and playing out time will probably be key in Sharjah. We cannot expect the wicket to be as successful as the curator in Dubai produced. A win will be a bonus, but priority has to be on taking the series honours as comfortable as possible, especially if we have to bat last. We have to eliminate the chances of a Sri Lankan win out of the equation completely, before we can think about pressing for the win. Series victory means more than rankings promotion. 

Player Ratings. 

Hafeez: 6/10. Professor started off well in the first innings and played out the closing 9 overs on day 2 unharmed. He was dropped in the opening session on day 2, but eventually fell to a rough decision. He made it count in the 2nd innings and scored freely to ensure it did not go into the final day. He also broke the opening partnership in the 2nd innings by producing a beauty. Hafeez has scored 2 half centuries in this test series and scored 2 50s and 1 ton in his last 3 tests. 

Taufeeq: 4/10. After a resilient display in Abu Dhabi, the left hander failed to back it up and was removed fairly cheaply in both innings. He was initially dropped in the 1st innings, but no damage was done. He also dropped a regulation chance on day 1 from Ajmal’s bowling fielding on the off side ring. Nonetheless, he was been consistent this year and we can let him off the hook.

Azhar: 10/10. Mr Reliable was exceptional and finally got that monkey off his back by reaching 3 figures on the 11th attempt after scoring 10 50s. He put on over 100 with Younis Khan for the 3rd wicket in the first innings and then continued the solid effort with captain Misbah before being dismissed exactly on 100 by a rough decision. He top scored in the first innings and was the key man behind Pakistan’s reasonable first innings lead. As always he was alert and chirpy at short leg under the helmet, he took a stunner in the first innings off Rehman’s bowling but while the decision was being doubled checked up stairs, Rehman as a slow bowler out of all people over stepped to deny him his 3rd wicket of the innings. Azhar has featured in 11 wins or draws in the 15 consecutive test matches he has played. 6 50s and 1 ton have come during winning causes whereas 4 50s have come in commendable draws. He clearly is an impact contributor. The 26 year old, who has an impressive grasp of English as we saw in his press conference has an average of 102 in this series. 

The determined and gritty rock wall was influential in providing the solidity, stability, steadiness and direction to the innings on day 2 just like in Abu Dhabi when accompanied by Taufeeq by preserving wickets, building partnerships, occupying the crease for lengthy periods and wearing out the bowlers to set up the basis for further and easier accumulation on day 3. His application, gutsiness, mental toughness, temperament, fighting resilience and concentration was central to setting up the platform for Pakistan to move into a winnable position. Both times during this series Pakistan have only lost 1 and 3 wickets respectively on 2 day and added 232 and 239 to the overnight total over 3 sessions. A level of smartness was required to ensure they do not collapse and get Sri Lanka back in the game, but to set the foundations from where they can dictate terms by utilising game sense or adopting a disciplined approach, particularly on a wicket which you can trust and get value for your runs this was of paramount importance. Misbah and Mohsin Khan undoubtedly achieved what they were looking for here and Azhar Ali batted for the best part of a day during the process in getting to that goal on both occasions. 

YK: 8/10. More slip catches and a first innings half century before playing on to a turning delivery from Sri Lanka’s skipper. He assisted Azhar Ali a great deal and looked settled and gutsy. As always he showed a fluent method for tackling the spinners and looked in control throughout with his bat always coming down early and looking to work the ball away with the angle and spin and defend tightly to anything which needed to be greeted with respect which he watched carefully and treated with caution with his neat technique. The knock was one which weared out Hearth as he grinded deep and got stuck in. This was his 9th half century of the year across all in the green shirt for the lion from Mardan. 

Misbah: 7/10. This was his 4th test victory as captain and his 7th as a player. He averages 80 as a captain after 9 tests; in contrast he averages 34 as a player from 19 tests without being the captain. He was splendid with his slip catching during the opening session of the match and held on to absolutely anything which came his away to dismiss some prolific run getters in the first slip position which was where Hafeez was positioned in Abu Dhabi. With 20 international catches this year, 4 were added here during this impressive 9 wicket win. He battled hard in the closing session on day 2 and nearly went through the session without losing any wicket before Azhar Ali fell, but both took Pakistan into the lead and ensured they had a firm platform set where they could capitalise from. He also overcame the passages of play with the 2nd new ball unfazed with his unflappable temperament. Unlike in Abu Dhabi, here he was dismissed correctly in the 40s again by fishing at a wide delivery in the first few minutes of the 3rd day after battling hard for his runs the previous evening. 

Shafiq: 8/10. His 3rd half century in 10 innings. He batted with positivity, intent and freedom to inject some impetus and momentum in the innings and advance the game forward. It was a considerably much better display than his heavily criticised slow scoring in Abu Dhabi. He also held on to the all important wicket of Kumar Sangakkara during the first innings when 2 wickets fell in consecutive deliveries. He successfully grabbed on to a lofted shot at mind on. 

Adnan: 7/10. Just like Shafiq he played positively, but was unable to reach his first half century when he was the last man out to a flighted delivery from the Sri Lankan skipper. He drove with style through the off side and glanced anything fine from his legs. Out of all the Akmal’s he comes across as the one with the best and most compact defence. Yet another neat performance with the gloves for him as Pakistan is yet to lose in the 7 tests he has played.

Rehman: 6/10. Debatable selection and the only change in the team from that which was fielded in Abu Dhbai. He enticed a mistake from the former Sri Lankan captain in the first innings with his accuracy and guile and provided the all important breakthrough the very next ball after Ajmal dismissed Prasad with a doosra from around the wicket. His advance down the wicket to get off the mark against his opposite number was a foolish shot only for him to receive the dreaded death rattle and leave Adnan batting with the tail. Rehman removed the danger and in form batsmen again in the 2nd innings in the opening minutes of day 4 with a delivery which pitched in the rough patches outside the left hander’s off stump. The wily left arm spinner also produced a straighter one to shatter the furniture of Prasad immediately after tea when a frustrating 7th wicket partnership was beginning to flow and extend Sri Lanka’s lead. He varied his pace from 95 KPH to the low 70 KPH throughout his spells and kept the batsmen guessing. Pakistan have won 2 consecutive tests when both Ajmal and Rehman have been in the starting line up against top 8 ranked sides. 

Gul: 6/10. Gul provided 3 top order wickets in the opening session of the test, but struggled to produce the goods in the 2nd innings and add many with the willow. He looked threatening in the first innings to trouble the Sri Lankan top order after they decided to make first use of the surface which back fired as Gul was on song. 

Ajmal: 8/10. The undisputable magician was MOM, but his 3 in the first innings were all wrapping up the tail. Nonetheless, he produced the goods in the 2nd innings unlike in Abu Dhabi to end up with a tally of 8 after plugging away to a 5 for. The spin demon was also the night-watchman and managed to hang around for a frustrating 20. His fielding is also worth a mention as he managed to hold on successfully to an attempted pull shot from Sri Lanka’s keeper which was a key moment as this was the last recognised partnership. He is on track to be the leading bowler in 2011 in terms of wickets across all formats of the game very soon with his mysteries and variations. He currently is the leading wicket taker in the series and will want to finish it off that way. 

Junaid: 8/10. The left arm quickie bowled whole heartedly with his exuberance and whippy action and is just 1 behind Ajmal for the leading wicket taker in the test series. He has dismissed Dilshan 3 times consecutively with a clean bowled, slip catch and LBW. He is turning out to be a bunny of this energetic 21 year old pacer. Noticeably, all his 4 wickets came when he was bowling around the wicket which is a dangerous angle as he uses the crease effectively and can angle the ball in, away and straighten it without straying by any stretch of the imagination. Having taken his wickets at an average of 22 on batting friendly pitches, the left armer surely can only get better?

Average: Approximately 7.1.

First test average approximation was: 6.

Player Ratings For First Test In Abu Dhabi V Sri Lanka Author: Maaz; Views: 1370; Date: 25-10-2011, 06:40;

The opening test in Abu Dhabi has concluded with a moral victory for the Sri Lankans who batted with utmost character, spirit and heart to prevent an embarrassing loss after being outplayed on the first 3 days by Misbah-ul-Haq's Pakistan team. The seasoned campaigner Kumar played a blinder at number 3 to notch up his 8th double century in an illustrious career. Since he has given up the gloves, his batting has gone from strength to strength. The 34 year old batted for 153 overs to ensure Pakistan did not have the necessary time they required in order to chase down the 4th innings target which was 170 from 21 overs in the end. Pakistan decided not go ahead with the chase and ensure safety in order to get the test match done and dusted with a draw and 2 tests to follow in Dubai and Sharjah (first test will be played there in 9 years).

Maravan Atapattu, the Sri Lankan batting coach and past great would have been delighted with the "application" his batsmen displayed on show. It was the key phrase he mentioned to Tony Greig in his interview. The visitors battled with resilience, controlled game sense, gutsiness, clear mindset and a tight defence to see out the bowling and survive for lengthy periods and get out of jail from a disastrous position. The comeback would have done wonders for the camp knowing they can dig themselves out from a mammoth hole. The 3 day gap is an opportunity for both camps to regroup and reassesses as well as relax after a challenging 5 days in the scorching UAE sunshine. Dilshan mentioned his team will be watching the RWC final from Auckland between New Zealand and France on Sunday as their so called relaxation at the post match presentation ceremony where Kumar was awarded the player of the match award also. Misbah praised his batsmen and bowlers and vowed to work with the fielding. He defended his decision to close the game down rather than having a dart at the 9RPO target due to no fielding restrictions, day 5 rough, no leg side wides and so forth.

Stats

All the last 3 tests in the UAE have seen Pakistan bowl first with the match ending in comfortable draws.

Just like last November only 27 wickets fell in the test at Abu Dhabi. 3 double centurions in 2 tests in Abu Dhabi.

Only l loss in 8 tests for Misbah. Before he took over Pakistan lost 10 out of their last 15 all after the 2009 ICC WT20 euphoria.

Sri Lanka have drawn 4 out of 6 tests under Dilshan this year.

Saeed Ajmal needs one more wicket for 50 international wickets in the calendar year across all formats.

Azhar Ali has 4 50s in his last 5 completed innings (where he has been dismissed) ever since the St Kitts testmatch which was played in the latter half of May this year.

Both teams went two sessions without losing a wicket. Both teams saw their 2nd wicket stand do one of these sessions.

Umar Gul struck twice in the 3rd innings on the very first delivery with the new ball each time. Both times the batsmen was removed by an LBW with the new cherry and proud seam on the first delivery of the 1st and 81st over.

In comparison to Pakistan's 20 wickets. Sri Lanka could only manage 7. 2 of their pacers went without a wicket: Lakmal and the debutant and recent birthday boy Pradeep.

- The last time there was a test match in Dubai YK scored an unbeaten 4th innings century. This was also Younis Khan's last century at test level.

-Pakistan posted their highest 4th innings total in Dubai last year.

-Sangkarra and Jaya have the 4th highest run aggregate partnership in cricket history at an average of 50.

- Herath is the 3rd leading Sri Lankan wicket taker of all time at test level. He over took Lasith Malinga with the unlucky caught behind of Misbah in the first innings.

-4 current Pakistan players are in the top 13 averages test averages in the country's cricket history as things currently stand.

-Aizaz Cheema has taken his last 4/10 test wickets all caught behind by Adnan Akmal.

Taufeeq 9.5/10: The highest score by a Pakistan opener since 1992 was a record he achieved during this test match. Taufeeq has the 11th highest Pakistan test average of all time following his marathon 236 in the first innings where he spent 496 deliveries at the wicket to place Pakistan in a commanding position in this Abu Dhabi test match. He was knocked over cheaply in the 2nd innings for yet another LBW (5 in his last 9 innings) which is an area he'll need to
address.

Hafeez: 4/10. Dropping catches on that surface was criminal. The professor was a letdown in the slip cordon and was having a nightmare. Additionally, he got through plenty of overs (31) without a wicket and when considering his previous first class appearance after his surgery which saw him miss the Faysal Bank Twenty20, gave him a match winning tally of 11 wickets it was a disappointing return. He did score a first innings half century nonetheless as well as successfully seeing out the 10 overs in the final session on Saturday to earn the draw, but catches win matches and Hafeez was a disappointment in this aspect.

Azhar Ali: 8/10. He engaged in his 6th stand of 100 during the course of the test match to go along with 12 50 stands. The 160 2nd wicket partnership was a key contributor to Pakistan's grand total of 511/6 declared. Azhar should be able to reach 1000 test runs during the Dubai test match and should be targeting 300+ aggregate in this series with an average in the high 40s at least. Azhar also was involved in 3 second innings dismissals including taking his maiden test wicket with a beautifully pitched leg spinner which saw the end of Kumar.

YK: 5/10. It wasn't the most fluent first innings knock with a SR in the 30s and he missed out on a track where he was expected to score big.Nonetheless as always the man with the most catches by a fielder in Pakistan cricket history was active and involved with his fielding. He will be hoping to make it count in Dubai.

Misbah: 6/10. A superb counter attack in the first innings as well as a good decision to insert Sri Lanka into bat which worked extremely well. The pitch tends to flatten out inthis part of the world as the game progresses. Whatever little assistance isavailable for the seamers is at the beginning. His lack of killer instinct in the 4th innings chase was debatable as was the fact that he was not fielding in the slip cordon, but by and large he should be pleased with the performances of the batters and bowlers. He will want to have a word with the fielders for sure. He will be backing himself to maintain the 2nd highest average by a captain in Dubai and for his team to put on a similar show, but with the catches held this time.

Asad Shafiq: 2/10. A bizarre knock in the circumstances and he has come under a lot of criticism, but due to the insecurities surrounding his place in a way it is understandable. Asad will want to put this behind him and prove a point or two to his critics. He definitely should be retained.

Adnan Akmal: 6/10. 6 dismissals. The catch in the first innings to remove Kumar was a blinder. He didn't get the chance to bat as Gul was promoted above him for the declaration. They said when a keep is not being mentioned, he is doing a good job.

Umar Gul: 7/10. 6/101 were brilliant match figures on that particular surface. He struck at crucial times in the 2nd innings. Only criticism if any is he struggled to strike when it mattered in the opening hours of day 5 when Pakistan were pushing for victory and could have added a few with the bat as opposed to the duck he bagged. 19 wickets in 4 tests for Gul this year.

Junaid Khan: 10/10. He bowled his heart out in his 2nd test on a cruel venue for bowlers and if it wasn't for the diabolical catching he could have easily claimed a memorable 10 wicket match haul. He produced the ball of the test match in the first innings against the Sri Lankan wicket keeper.
It was unplayable first up. You have to sympathise with him for all those chances which went down from his bowling. He produced the sparks and bowled with firepower and energy. He surely has cemented his place for the remainder of the series. Pakistan can take a lot of encouragement from his impressive showing.

Aizaz Cheema: 5/10. He put in the effort and gave it his all, but he was ineffective in the 2nd innings and struggled to back up the brilliance we witnessed in Bulawayo. Nevertheless, he bowled some excellent surprise deliveries which on another day could have easily got him many wickets.He did have trouble with his footing which seemed to disturb his rhythm and was warned twice. He may well be replaced in Dubai by Rehman or Wahab depending on the wicket.

Saeed Ajmal: 3/10. For a bowler of his class and calibre he struggled in the 2nd innings and failed to live up to expectations. He was economical in the first nevertheless. There is a possibility that Rehman might play in his position in the 2nd test. The ball he bowled to remove Jaya was a beauty though, it cut back sharply from a length. Nonetheless, credit to the Sri Lankans who played him well and did not allow him to settle. On batter friendly surfaces Ajmal has been a bowler who has suffered to get the results.

King Sanga's Century Brings SL Back In The Game Author: Maaz; Views: 766; Date: 21-10-2011, 10:09;

Mohammad Hafeez dropped 2 regulation chances in slip off the bowling from Junaid Khan in consecutive deliveries (the last ball of his previous over and then the very next delivery of his next over). On a placid track, you really have to make the most of what comes your way. These costly misses could come back to daunt the hosts on day 5 if they make it overly difficult for themselves or are unable to enforce a victory from the position of superiority they have got themselves into with a sizeable 314 first innings lead. It was bitterly disappointing for the left arm young pacer, who got the ball in the right areas, made it talk, found the edge and it was spilled not once BUT twice. It was literally unbelievable because generally Hafeez has a decent pair of hands. Also, to add to his woes he nearly dropped 1 in the first innings but managed to hold on in the 2nd or 3rd attempt.

Kumar Sangakkara’s artistry batting was on show. The former Sri Lankan captain stood up and played a blinder at number 3. His off side stroke play is as pleasing on the eye as it can be. His aggressive running to scamper those quick singles also helped him accumulate with fluency and take the pressure of his lesser experience opening partner who was dropped 2/2 as mentioned in the above paragraph. Kumar is always up for a challenge and he won’t give it away easily. He has a fine average against Pakistan and achieved plenty of success against them over the years. I wasn’t surprised a touch to see him perform here. The pitch was still playing well and he tends to step up when the going gets tough. 

Further observations

Misbah-ul-Haq, Pakistan’s captain played a fluent counter attack yesterday and really accelerated the rate as well as injecting some impetus and momentum into the innings with a declaration in mind. Scoring 46 with a SR in the 90s including 4 fours and 1 mighty sixer from the left arm spin of Rangana “the low round arm workhorse” Hearth. He got a rough decision which prevented him from reaching yet another 50+ score as captain which he deserved with his intent and positivity.

Asad Shafiq played a strange hand considering the situation with an unbeaten 26 from over 90 deliveries with only 2 boundaries when the hosts were looking to up the ante, nonetheless with 511/6 on the board we shouldn’t be too fussed and complains about these minor events. Shafiq who was playing only his 6th test would have wanted to cement his place consider in the competition he has from Umar Akmal who is currently captaining SNGPL in the ongoing QEA trophy with Misbah on national duty.

Mohammad Hafeez and Taufeeq Umar average 35 as an opening pair with 2 century stands since last November.

More About TAs 236......

Highest score by Pakistan batsmen since March 2009

2nd highest score by a Pakistan opener

Highest score by a Pakistan opener since Aamir Sohail’s double century in 1992. Aamir of course has highly rated and backed Taufeeq over the years and worked a great deal with him which seems to have paid off big time

4th Pakistan batsmen to spend 700 minutes at the crease in a test 
match after Hanif, YK and Shoaib Mohammad

He is now 5th in leading test run scorers this year and the highest from Pakistan over taking Misbah. He is behind the likes of Ian Bell, Cook, Dravid and KP who have all played 2 more tests in the calendar year thus far

He has the 7th highest crease occupation per innings per minutes in Pakistan’s proud batting history even prior to this test from Abu Dhabi

Looking ahead: The match isopen and Sri Lanka has the potential to save this match if they bat over half the day or more like it up to tea. Pakistan is likely to have to bat again, but will not want to chase more than 150/200. Kumar is the key. As things currently stand Pakistan will be disappointed not to go on and win this, but still there is work to be done. Sri Lanka has had a top day 4 and is definitely still in it. Defeat is not inevitable for them. I would say it would be 53% Pakistan win/42%Sri Lanka draw/ 5% Sri Lanka win in terms of a proportional verdict. It's all set up for a fascinating final day from the Sheikh Zayed Stadium. King Sanga just does NOT looking like getting OUT. I won't be surprised to see Sri Lanka hold on here.

Day 2 and Day 3 Review: Marathon Batting Effort From Taufeeq Umar Places Pakistan In A Commanding Position. Author: Maaz; Views: 771; Date: 20-10-2011, 11:22;

Day 2

Score: 259/1 (98 overs)

Looking ahead: Pakistan will be looking to battle through the first 40 minutes of day 3 and then kick on with  some steady accumulation and consolidation through the course of the day. Considering the position of strength they have got themselves in a lead of 250-300 should be a minimum they should be targeting and having in mind with the experienced duo to follow.

Player of the day: Taufeeq Umar who batted the whole 90 overs with patience, concentration and top notch judgement against the quicker men as well showing as a neat defence to trap out the spinners. He battled hard and kept at it throughout the day. This was top quality resilience and solid top order batting we witnessed as Pakistan thoroughly dominated the day with only 1 wicket lost in 3 full sessions. 

Ball of the day: Only 1 wicket fell, but it’s worth a mention. Herath prevented Hafeez from reaching his 2nd successive test century by trapping him in front just after the lunch break. The slow left arm spinner toiled hard and bowled just over 30 overs in the humidity.

Stats:

Taufeeq Umar and Azhar Ali have been involved in 3 100 and 3 50 stands in 8 innings together.

Azhar Ali averages over 40 overnight on 19/10/11 as does Taufeeq Umar.

Taufeeq scored his 2nd century in the space of 4 test innings.

All 3 batsmen registered half centuries during the day.

Azhar Ali 60 (176) needs 60 more for 1000 test runs and reached his 10th test 50 in 26 innings. 

Sessions: 3-0 Pakistan

232 runs were added to the overnight total for the loss of only 1 wicket

Day 3

Pakistan 511/6: lead of 314

Sri Lanka 41/1 (11)

Moment of the day: Gul dimissing the Sri Lankan opener for a golden duck on the very first ball of the Sri Lankan innings and trapping him LBW with a moving delivery. Tony Greig who was on commentary at this moment in time with Waqar Younis called it out straight away from where they were sitting. It looked plumb in real speed. It summarised how Misbah’s side were so on top. 

Ball of the day: The Sri Lankan left arm pacer W for short getting rid of Azhar Ali with a beauty to deny him his much awaited maiden test century. It was a peach of an inswinger which rattled the stumps and broke a 2nd wicket left right combo stand of 160. Finally Dilshan and company could see the back of one of them. 

Player of the day: Taufeeq Umar once again continued from where he left off from to make a double century. He batted for over 5 sessions in total. The opener who former Pakistan captain Aamir Sohail highly rates continued his superb form since resurrecting his international test career against South Africa last November. He covered all the major qualities you look for in a “proper” test opener to add over 100 to his overnight total. It was a pity he couldn’t carry his bat to the end and was run out by a very thin margin. 

Looking ahead: Pakistan win=75%/Sri Lanka draw=25%. Pakistan will be looking to get through the big fishes tomorrow and even finish the job off. 
Sri Lanka will be looking to go into the final day near to Pakistan’s lead with wickets and experience in hand. On a placid track they have the capabilities to avoid defeat in going 1-0 down here. Pakistan are on course for victory, even perhaps by an innings or a brief chase of day 5. I reckon it will be a 10 wicket win. 

Sessions: 3-0 Pakistan. 

Stats

Taufeeq Umar’s 236 was the highest score by a Pakistan test batsmen since Younis Khan’s triple century at the NSK against the Lankans in the first half of 2009

Azhar Ali scored his 10th half century in 26 innings

Both captains, Misbah and Dilshan were dismissed incorrectly and victims of no DRS

Pakistan have only lost 107 out of a potential 150 wickets in their last 8 tests

Kumar S averages 79 in the 3rd innings against Pakistan

First time since against Sri Lanka in 2009 has Pakistan posted 500 in a test match when cricket was played in Pakistan (24 tests)
 

Taufeeq Umar has the 7th highest stats occupation per minutes at the crease prior to this test match in Pakistan’s proud batting history. He gave us an ideal demonstration of why he is in that list here in Abu Dhabi during the first of 6 tests to be played in the UAE this winter. He also has the highest average by a Pakistan test opener since Saeed Anwar. According to many, he was dropped and treated unfairly throughout his career. In the test arena he always had the ingredients required to flourish, although his game was less suited to the shorter formats. The Lahore left handed opener is a gritty and mentally strong occupier of the crease.

Pakistan has won all 9 sessions in this match as far as I’m concerned which the scorecard reflects. The first session on the opening day was a debatable one, but nonetheless Pakistan did control the flow of runs and received a break through before lunch as well as winning the toss and getting to do what they wanted up front.

Further observations: Just a mention that the former New Zealand fast bowler Danny Morrison is also part of the commentary team here which I forgot to mention on day 1. Danny is an individual who comes across as a humorous and enthusiastic follower of the game to say the least. 

Quotes

Junaid: "When I went to Lancashire, Wasim used to call me and tell me how to bowl, how to use the conditions," Khan said. "That stint was very helpful. There I learnt how to seam, how to swing the ball, how to bowl a yorker."

Taufeeq: “Partnerships are the key”

Waqar: “Captain and coach trust is very important. The captain and coach should also be good friends.”

Day 1 Review: Pakistan On Top In Abu Dhabi Author: Maaz; Views: 515; Date: 18-10-2011, 09:13;

Commentary team: 

Sanath Jayasuria, Rameez Raja, Waqar Younis, Russel Arnold, Tony Greig were just some of the people involved. It was interesting to hear Waqar back in the commentary box just exactly 1 month after completing his tenure as coach. It was fascinating to hear his insightful views as he has been around the camp. It’s nice to see him going strong and still being involved in the game and more specifically with his country. His passion and enthusiasm for Pakistan Cricket never runs out. I look forward to hearing more from him throughout the course of the series with his knowledge and experiences more than the comical grammatical errors in tone of voice. Tony Greig of course is from channel 9 in Australia and a familiar voice to many.

Pitch and Conditions: As always in the UAE the weather is humid and it becomes a test of stamina as much as it is to do with skill. The conception was the pitch would be a batting paradise once more in the Middle East dessert. 

Toss: Misbah won the toss and elected to insert the Sri Lankans into bat due to the moisture in the wicket. It was a brave and courageous decision on the UAE wickets which are renowned to be placid. The man with the best cricketing intellect and decision making credentials in the country certainly got his assessment spot on and thoroughly justified his decision with the performance and backing from his bowlers who responded extremely well against an experienced Sri Lankan middle order. Without a doubt the day belonged to Pakistan who are placed in a commanding position. I can understand why Misbah wanted to bowl first because Pakistan batters tend to be slow starters in new series schedules. Therefore, he wanted to give them more time to have a look and get settled. Also, the other 3 times he has won the toss and bowled he achieved a superb draw and 2 comprehensive victories. He had confidence in his bowlers to get the early breakthroughs and batsmen to chase in the 4th innings which speaks a lot about him and his team. It was a tremendous outside of the box decision from him which many captains would have been very reluctant to do. The results are there for one and all to see.

Team selection:
Pakistan left out Wahab Riaz and Abdur Rehman. They decided to play 3 

front line pacers. Junaid Khan was the surprise selection and the Lancastrian 
overseas player was sensational during the afternoon session where he claimed 3 wickets in quick session in his first proper test against a major test force. It was an incredible spell of left arm pace. As expected Shafiq got preference at number 6 with the omission of Umar Akmal. Is Pakistan’s lack of batting a concern? Gul, Ajmal, Junaid, Cheema in the absence of Rehman and Wahab who both can be handy down the order.

Stats:

- This is the 7th time in 8 tests Pakistan is in the field on day 1.

- Misbah has won 5 tosses in 8 tests and decided to bowl first on 4 occasions.

- Pakistan has 2 bowlers who are playing only their 2nd test in the current attack.

In other news:
today Afridi has officially announced his return to international cricket putting an end to the conditional retirement following his removal from captaincy after the ODI series against the West Indies in May. Whether he will be selected for the Sri Lanka ODI series remains to be seen.

Sessions: 
All 3 belonged to Pakistan. 3-0. 

Score Line: Sri Lanka 198 AO Junaid Khan 5/38. Pakistan 27/0. (8)

Ball of the day: Junaid uprooting the stumps and giving the SL keeper the death rattle early in the piece. He was overwhelmed. Pakistan had turned the tables. It was magical viewing.

Player of the day:

Junaid Khan. He made a bold statement in his first international match of any kind within Asia and against an Asian team. He wasn’t expected to play by any stretch of the imagination, but Mohsin and Misbah included him and backed him all the way. The Abbatobad youngster produced some excellent deliveries and was having a great time of it. He came out with a 5 for. The 2nd bowler to get one at Abu Dhabi (a venue where it’s only test produced 27 wickets). Adnan Akmal was also worth a mention with 4 dismissals.

Looking ahead: Pakistan batsmen will be looking to get stuck in, apply themselves at the wicket, work their socks off, dig in long and deep, pile up the runs, wear out the bowlers and gain a sizeable first innings lead to put the visitors under pressure. They can afford to take their time. Grit, application, solid temperament, determination, mental toughness and the ability to value their wicket and scrap hard for their runs is the strength of the current Pakistan top 6 which they will be looking to portray again here. They should be rewarded for this discipline, stamina, patience and sound defences. A total of approximately 400 will be very pleasing. They’ll be looking to bat to around lunch time on day 3 and really tuck into this inexperienced bowling attack. They’ll be looking for a centurion or two.

Misbah Targets A Test Series Win Author: Maaz; Views: 765; Date: 17-10-2011, 05:55;

Sri Lanka have gone 11 tests without a victory since Murali’s retirement. Dilshan will be batting in the middle order instead of opening up. Sri Lanka have a 4-2 record in the last 10 tests against Pakistan.Pakistan have not beaten a higher ranked test team for a considerable amount of time. Should Pakistan win this series 1-0 they will narrow the 9 point gap between 5^th and 6^th position on the ICC test rankings significantly. A victory for Misbah before he next loses will give him the highest W/L ratio by a Pakistan test captain of (4). This will be a sufficient sample to illustrate as he will be 12^th most capped Pakistan test captain out of 29 leaders by the end of the series.

The dilemma Pakistan are facing going into this test match is whether to play 3 front line fast bowlers or 2 specialist spinners. Rehman was named in the test team of the year and has been the leading wicket taker under Misbah’s captaincy with 29 wickets in 6 tests. He also adds depth in the batting and helps the tail wag. He has a test match half century next to his name and can attack and defend in equal proportions. In my opinion, he should make the starting line up alongside Ajmal for the aforementioned reasons.

The other dilemma is the number #6 spot. Shoaib Malik is widely regarded as not test match material even by his most diehard fans;however he is in the 15 man squad and possesses an average of 60 against Sri Lanka including both his test centuries as well as providing the calm and composed Misbah with another spin bowling option should they decide to play 3 front line pacers. Therefore, there might be a temptation to play him ahead of Asad Shafiq. However, in my view Shafiq should have priority. Although he only averages 27 from 5 tests, he did start his career with 2 half centuries in his first two test innings against the number 2 ranked South African side as well notching up a half century in the New Zealand alien conditions in just his 2^nd innings. He also played a match saving cameo in the 2^nd test of the same series. It was just in the West Indies where he struggled, but in the ODI leg of the same tour he notched up 2 50s. His composure, temperament and elegance are ideal for test match cricket.

Under Misbah’s captaincy Pakistan’s average first innings total is 332 with an average innings duration of 118 overs.  Previously in the 9 tests before he took over Pakistan’s average first innings total was 214 with a 71 innings duration. This statistic clearly illustrates how things are moving in the right direction for a team eyeing a spot in the inaugural world test championship in England for 2013.

Pakistan have left out Umar Akmal from the test squad. As far as I’m concerned, this move was justified with Umar only scoring 2 50s in his last 22 test innings. Plus, he will benefit from competitive cricket at the domestic level rather than carrying the drinks on the side lines. Asad Shafiq who Mohammad Yousuf regards as one of the most technically correct batsmen he
has seen flourish through the ranks should have priority at the number 6 position. He has fluent stroke play and a better temperament. Meanwhile, the surprise omission was that of Tanvir Ahmed who after taking 6 wickets on a pancake wicket in his debut and making some invaluable contributions lower down the order with his hard hitting has been ignored after being rested for the Zimbabwean tour for experimentation with new comers. Tanvir has been hard done by and should have made the squad ahead of Junaid. Nonetheless, he is in the reserves category.  Mohsin Hassan Khan will be taking over as interim coach for this series which provides the PCB with more time to decide about the new coach to succeed Waqar Younis after he stepped down due to personal reasons.