da wazamba： Article: Pakistan Squad assessment
da leao： Agha Akbar05-May-2001Rameez Raja, the former Pakistan skipper and now a cricket commentator with a leading sports channel, is extremely popular among television viewers for his knowledgeable and insightful remarks on the game and those who play it. Here are his views on the Pakistani cricketers presently touring England, their strengths and shortcomings, and the special role some of them are expected to play to ensure an unprecedented fourth away series win for the green caps against England.Waqar Younis:
Is temperamentally very strong, a good athlete. He proved to be a very good leader recently in the limited-overs tournament in Sharjah, where his influence on the youngsters was well-appreciated. Nevertheless, the England series would be a huge challenge for him. I’m sure, with a quality outfit at his disposal, he’ll deliver.
This is his last tour of England, where he was hugely successful in two previous visits, in 1992 and 1996; both campaigns ended up in Pakistan triumphs. That should inspire him to make it three in a row – and if that transpired it would be Pakistan’s fourth series victory in England on the trot. He is keen to do well, both with the cherry and as skipper.Saeed Anwar:
He is the cornerstone in Pakistan’s batting, for two reasons: One, he opens the innings and second, he is an experienced campaigner. His role as an opener is going to be vital for Pakistan, especially in the month of May when there would be lot of seam and swing. His job would be to stay at the wicket and inspire others to do the same.
A natural strokemaker, when in full flow, Saeed Anwar is a treat to watch. He has been in good nick lately, and if he carries that form to the Test series it would be great for Pakistan.Mohammad Wasim:
He has got the temperament; he showed it in the West Indies last year. Though he has played sporadically for Pakistan, but he has been around for a while. Although he is technically limited, but a good player in seaming conditions. One expects him to deliver partnering Saeed Anwar as opener.Inzamam-ul-Haq:
Inzamam is one of the leading batsmen on the circuit. He has simply been outstanding for Pakistan in the last couple of years. Hopefully, he can carry that good form into this series. Along with Saeed Anwar, he is the key to Pakistan’s success. And if the two of them fired in tandem, they between them have the ability to bat England out of the series.Yousuf Youhana:
A very very talented and stylish batsman. According to some pundits he is the kind who could in due course rewrite all Pakistan records. He too has a very important role to play, and that is to first build a partnership with Inzamam and then carry on from there and make the latter half of the Pakistan innings rally around him. He must stay in the middle for long periods and keep partnerships going with Abdur Razzaq, Rashid Latif and Wasim Akram.Younis Khan:
He played very well in New Zealand. When everybody seemed to struggle with movement and extra spin on those tracks, he came to grips with it and put up a few good scores. A rising star, Pakistan would be hoping that he carries on in the same vein. A youngster with a lot of potential, he has on occasions been flashy. That is one flaw that he would need to work on.Faisal Iqbal:
Faisal has got talent, though at this point it looks a bit limited. But he is very young, and it is too early to judge him. One thing, which is really good in him, is his temperament. He is very gritty, plays within himself, and thinks about the game. He is expected to be a permanent fixture in the Pakistan team.Rashid Latif:
He was included in the squad because of his experience, and I’m sure he would do well.
A wicket-keeper in the classic mould, he is more than a handy batsman. Expected to be a good influence on the team as well.Wasim Akram:
He has been a champion all-rounder, and the conditions in England would suit his bowling, especially in the month of May. A lot would depend on him in case Shoaib Akhtar is doubtful. However, he has to get along with his team mates and whatever has happened in the past has to be buried.Shoaib Akhtar:
The fastest bowler in the world, he is a huge draw card. He brings to the game an element of excitement and thrill, but he has to make sure that he improves on his fitness standards. It is the requirement of the team, and important for his own career as well. There is no doubt about his ability; he can get his side crucial breakthroughs and create that element of fear and panic in the opposition.Abdur Razzaq:
A very smooth operator. Never would you find him in a hurry or under pressure. He has improved tremendously as a bowler. Remember, he batted at one-down in the ’99 World Cup in England and succeeded when others had failed. As a bowler, he is exceptionally accurate, deceptively fast and can also bowl reverse swing. All in all, a good all-rounder.Mohammad Sami:
Sami is a rising star on the fast-bowling horizon. He bowled with a lot of pace and showed good temperament at Sharjah, where wickets tended to favour batsmen. If he could get his line and length right in England, he could prove quite a handful.Saqlain Mushtaq:
An ideal bowler in one-day cricket. His Test record is not as exciting as his one-day record, but with his experience, and also because of his long stint with Surrey, he is expected to take maximum advantage of his familiarity with English conditions.Mushtaq Ahmed:
It is generally believed that England and New Zealand do not read the leg-spinners well. His inclusion primarily has been made keeping that point in view. It, however, remains to be seen how effective he is because in the last couple of years he has not really been at his best. If he gets his line right, there would be a bit of spin for him because the wickets would have some moisture. So, if played, he might be useful for the side.Azhar Mahmood:
Of late he has been on the injured list a couple of times. So it is good to see this all-rounder of great potential back in the side. Three Test hundreds are an eloquent testimony of his talent as a batsman, and his bowling is suited to English conditions.Imran Farhat:
I personally have great liking for this left-handed youngster. He has got that basic technique of back-and-across, waits for the ball to come to him rather than lunging forward like most of the Pakistani batsmen. He has loads of talent, but again his shot selection needs improvement. He has got to understand the importance of building an innings – it is vital that you do when you are an opener. Maybe he should pick up a thing or two from Saeed Anwar.Saleem Elahi:
Saleem Elahi has once again had a tremendous domestic season, and that weighed in his favour at the time of selection. I’m sure that he would do well if he continues in this form. He has a tendency of opening the face of the bat and running the ball to the gully area. I’m afraid that is not the right technique to play on the seaming tracks. If he improves in this area he might do well.
