[VIDEOS] "I would like to be known as a genuine all-rounder" : Amad Butt

[MenInG]

A rising star in Pakistan cricket, 21-year-old Amad Butt is a right-arm fast-bowler from Sialkot who shone for the Punjab side during the recently concluded Pakistan Cup. His nine wickets at an average of twenty-one played a huge role in Punjab's run to the final where he continued his good form by taking three for fifty-five, including the key wicket of Younis Khan.

Amad's impressive performances earned him a well deserved place in the recently announced Pakistan A training camp, and in an exclusive interview with PakPassion.net, he spoke about the experience of participating in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and Pakistan Cup, his cricketing role models, and the importance of education for young cricketers.

PakPassion.net : Who were your cricketing role models and what attracted you to this game in the first place?

Amad Butt : In a cricket mad country like Pakistan, I obviously had many role models to look up to but one that I admire the most is Shoaib Akhtar. I know that I can never be a bowler like him but I have always strived to be like him and love his style of bowling. As for interest in cricket, like many other children around the country I was told to forget about cricket and concentrate on my studies but as luck would have it, I didn't turn out to be very strong in my studies and ended up playing cricket.


PakPassion.net : You were part of the Islamabad United squad that won the inaugural Pakistan Super League (PSL). How was that experience?

Amad Butt : The experience was amazing. I got to watch some of the top players in the world at close quarters and saw how they prepare and train for the day ahead. It was impressive to watch Shane Watson and Andre Russell in person and it was an educational experience for me which I really enjoyed. The way they go about their game, whether it's batting or bowling, was a treat to watch and as an all-rounder myself, seeing two top all-rounders in action was great. I do regret the fact that I couldn’t discuss the game in detail with both of them due to my limited English but watching them was very informative as well. I saw the methods of practice that these two players use and I have taken these away to use in my own game.

With Andre Russell, who apart from being an excellent bowler is also an extraordinary batsman, I was able to have some discussions around aspects of his bowling which will prove useful for me in the future. His batting is something which I don’t think anyone can copy - all you can do is admire it! Remember that both Russell and Watson had some fitness issues and had travelled some distance to play in UAE so watching them getting themselves up and running and back to full fitness was also very useful for me.


PakPassion.net : What was it like to work with Wasim Akram and what advice did he give to you?

Amad Butt : Wasim Akram was phenomenal in the advice he gave to all of us. His thoughts on how to use the old cricket ball to your advantage were a real eye-opener for many of us. To interact with Wasim, who is such a legendary player, was an honour for me and the fact that he took time out to offer his thoughts and provide advice was just amazing. Not only did he speak to us about cricket issues but he also had pointers on our diet and other aspects not strictly related to the game.

There is a funny incident involving Wasim Akram which I will always remember with a smile. This had to do with a meal we all had in a restaurant. I, being a typical Pakistani lad, sat down and got my rice and meat all set up on my plate and was about to dig in when Wasim spoke to me. He said “What have you got on your plate?” I said I can’t stand salads so I am eating what I really like. He replied “You want to be a well-known sportsman and this is what you are eating? What will happen if you eat salad? At worst you will just throw up, so get going and start eating salads!”


PakPassion.net : What was the reason behind you not playing any games in the PSL?

Amad Butt : There was an issue with my fitness which came to light whilst training. Until then, it was the management’s call to not play me in any game as in the initial games our all-rounders had done well and to be honest, it wasn't all that bad as I was still learning a lot as the 12th man. It just so happened that as the performance of the bowlers dipped a bit and there was a chance that I would get to play, this injury came about and I did not feature in the squad after that. Obviously I was a little disappointed but then these things happen and sometimes they happen for a reason which only the Almighty knows about.


PakPassion.net : You recently had a successful run in the Pakistan Cup, how was that experience?

Amad Butt : This was an amazing opportunity for younger players as we haven’t played in such a high profile fifty-over tournament before. In my case, I was surrounded by some very experienced players like Shoaib Malik, Asad Shafiq and Shan Masood to name a few. This gave me a great opportunity to pay attention to so many different aspects of the game such as training, diet, fitness and preparation for games. It was also great to see the seniors treating the juniors with so much respect. This is how I wish to behave and conduct myself when I gain some experience, God Willing. It was an honour playing with such players and to tell you the truth, I was making a big effort to lift my game on the field to match what I saw them do for the team.


PakPassion.net : The loss to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) in the final of the Pakistan Cup must have hurt?

Amad Butt : It is true that we felt a little down after losing the final against KPK but remember, no one wants to lose and we did put in our best efforts. It is a fact that our batting did not click in the final with no real partnerships to speak of. The score we were chasing was a big one which also didn’t help our cause. But these things happen in cricket and we have to learn to accept and hopefully learn from them. We had high hopes of beating KPK in the final based upon our victory against Karachi in the previous game, and although we had been defeated by KPK in an earlier game, it was only by the narrowest of margins.


PakPassion.net : What were some of the more memorable wickets in this tournament for you?

Amad Butt : Obviously taking the wicket of a batsman of the stature of Younis Khan is firmly etched in my memory. I took his wicket in the final where I took three wickets in total. I won’t say that the wicket of Younis Khan came due to some extra special planning but it was just a case of me sticking to the basics and the batsman wanting to score runs in a hurry. That wicket is a really important one due to the batsman in question but during the tournament, I also took the wickets of Misbah-ul-Haq and Hammad Azam in our game against Islamabad at a time when both batsmen could have gone on and created problems for our team.


PakPassion.net : How good was the quality of coaching in the Punjab side during the Pakistan Cup?

Amad Butt : We all know that no side can come as far as we did in the Pakistan Cup without support from its coaching staff. We were lucky to have the former Pakistan international, Atiq-uz-Zaman, as our coach and that was a major boost for our team. Not only did Atiq work tirelessly during the tournament with the captain and the team to make sure we planned well to take on the toughest sides, but he also paid special attention to me in terms of bowling and fielding plans. He worked relentlessly with me to iron out any issues I had during the tournament.


PakPassion.net : How important is a good educational background for today’s cricketers?

Amad Butt : I think it’s essential for all players to have this background but obviously you may not have time to pursue both cricket and education at the same time. I do believe that whilst I may not be able to devote time for full time education now, one thing I do want to do is to work on my English as I am sure I would have picked up more useful tips if I could have communicated with the likes of Shane Watson, Andre Russell and Dean Jones in the PSL. This is therefore an absolutely essential skill which I am planning to work on in the future.


PakPassion.net : How would you describe yourself, a bowler who can bat a bit or a genuine all-rounder?

Amad Butt : I am pretty clear about this. I would like to be known as a genuine all-rounder but I also understand that saying this is one thing, and showing it to the world is another issue altogether and I will need to put in some effort to prove that. If I am being honest, I would say that my batting needs more improvement for me to attain this goal. My bowling is fine and is moving along nicely in the direction I wish to move in. My batting needs to become more consistent with better shot selection and this is what I will need to work on if I want to be considered an all-rounder. This is something I need to work on myself but thankfully there is also no shortage of good advice from some very experienced players. For example, in the recently concluded Pakistan Cup where I represented Punjab, our captain Shoaib Malik was very active in guiding me on how to bat and perform better which was great for me.


PakPassion.net : You must be pleased that you were called up to the Pakistan A team camp. What do you wish to take from this camp?

Amad Butt : First of all I would like to say that I am delighted to have been selected for this camp as I understand that the competition to be named for participation in this camp must have been very tough. It is an excellent opportunity for me to take part in such a camp as one can pick up some excellent tips and also train with the best coaches the country has. I would like to add that I have some experience of taking part in such camps, the most prominent being the 'upcoming talented bowlers' camp in August 2015 which was supervised by Wasim Akram, so I do know the importance of these for future development.


PakPassion.net : Now tell us why Sialkot is producing a lot of promising cricketers? Surely there must be something in the water?

Amad Butt : Well I really couldn’t say! But what I would say is that this is a blessing from the Almighty and that’s about it. We do have a lot of hard-working cricketers among us and their efforts seem to bear fruit. I am sure there are others in the country who also work hard but it appears that we have some divine help. Obviously, having some famous cricketers from this part of Pakistan also inspires other cricketers from the region to work hard and try and attain the same heights. Apart from that there is not much else different in Sialkot.

[marlonbrowndo]

He needs to be our permanent number 8 in ODIs. If he improves his batting a bit he can become the only genuine all rounder in Pakistan. Forget about domestic cricket he wont improve there. He has to be in the ODI team.

[GoUgandaCranes]

I hope he remains fit.

From the sample size, he is not a good batsman but a better bowler. Let us see how he improves. The basics are there - the building now needs to be built properly.

[Hasan123]

Very good interview. As an islambad united fan I hope he gets games next year. Good advice wasim gave him and hope he keeps working on his fitness

[Saj]

Got high hopes for this lad. Looks a decent bowler and if he can work a bit on his batting he could be an upgrade on Anwar Ali.

We've struggled for a genuine all-rounder for a number of years and hopefully this guy can establish himself.

[MenInG]

Speaking to him I got the impression of a young man who needs to be given all the confidence he needs. The job of the PCB is to nurture and move him along - invest in him.

[AamirWarraich]

He seems pacy. Definitely needs to improve his batting but I think he is already ready for the national team. Considering Anwar Ali and Bilawal Bhatti have played for us.

[Syed1]

He has got all the right ingredients. Could be a better bowler than Mitchel Marsh and batting wise about the same as Jadeja..

[Junaids]

He needs to spend several hours every day on his batting and his English.

There is no reason why he can't reach the Stokes/Mitch Marsh level very quickly.

[Anis10]

He needs to spend several hours every day on his batting and his English.

There is no reason why he can't reach the Stokes/Mitch Marsh level very quickly.

If he gets to the level of stokes then Pakistan's got a superstar

[Asim2Good]

He needs to spend several hours every day on his batting and his English.

There is no reason why he can't reach the Stokes/Mitch Marsh level very quickly.

Hope someone in PCB taking note of this weakness of our players. A Good English ll be really helpful for players in long run specially in English Conditions

[TalentSpotterPk]

Excellent interview. Thank you PP.

Glad that Wasim Bhaee's incident answered this question aswell :


Nothing wrong with it, eat as much as you can, as much healthy food as you can, but then you need to do more and more exercise and training.


It's always great to be educated.

[TalentSpotterPk]

I hope he remains fit.

From the sample size, he is not a good batsman but a better bowler. Let us see how he improves. The basics are there - the building now needs to be built properly.

This is not correct.

He has mostly batted below number 8 so you cannot read much from his batting average.

His highest score of 83* was scored at number 9 when he was the highest scorer of the innings in presence of Asad Shafiq etc.

He is a genuine allrounder.

[Junaids]

Hope someone in PCB taking note of this weakness of our players. A Good English ll be really helpful for players in long run specially in English Conditions

Imran Khan and Wasim Akram developed like they did because they could fluently converse with senior county colleagues and international opponents and learn from them.

Inzamam and even Shahid Afridi failed to develop beyond the level they entered international cricket at because they couldn't.

Similarly, part of the reason why Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal never learn is because they never listen.

[GoUgandaCranes]

This is not correct.

He has mostly batted below number 8 so you cannot read much from his batting average.

His highest score of 83* was scored at number 9 when he was the highest scorer of the innings in presence of Asad Shafiq etc.

He is a genuine allrounder.

Saw him bat when he had a chance to construct an innings but he wasn't able to do so. A batsman must show some signs to construct an innings no matter what number they are batting (he had plenty of overs to do so on the occasion that I'm talking about)

As I've said before - I trust your judgment but I'm not sold on him as a batsman yet. Maybe a few gutsy innings from him will sway my mind.

Also: I think he does not have a wicket taking ball or a plan to get wickets yet. Runs in, hits the deck hard but hardly ever plans for a wicket. And that reverse swing which was happening in the tournament won't happen in int'l cricket. Grassier fields and covered squares.

[Prince of Pakistan]

At the moment he is on the same level as an allrounder as Wahab is these days. Hitting a few sixes or a few leg glances isn't sufficient. One needs to be able to construct an innings just like Aamer Yamin.

[pacesensation]

He has got all the right ingredients. Could be a better bowler than Mitchel Marsh and batting wise about the same as Jadeja..

He gets it to reverse in at death. He seems a better bowler than march. Not to mention he looks like a genuine wicket taker. Will get faster by 3 to 6 kphs InshAllah with age. Got the penetration one needs to excel at international level.
@TalentSpotterPk agreed bro. His innings of 83 reminded me that 46 Abdul Razzaq scored against SA in 1998.


Regards

[pacesensation]

Saw him bat when he had a chance to construct an innings but he wasn't able to do so. A batsman must show some signs to construct an innings no matter what number they are batting (he had plenty of overs to do so on the occasion that I'm talking about)

As I've said before - I trust your judgment but I'm not sold on him as a batsman yet. Maybe a few gutsy innings from him will sway my mind.

Also: I think he does not have a wicket taking ball or a plan to get wickets yet. Runs in, hits the deck hard but hardly ever plans for a wicket. And that reverse swing which was happening in the tournament won't happen in int'l cricket. Grassier fields and covered squares.

got an in-dipper i think? @TalentSpotterPk

[TalentSpotterPk]

got an in-dipper i think? @TalentSpotterPk

After Razzaq he is the best I have seen in Pakistan Circuit.

Bowls out swing with the new ball and jags odd one back into right handers of the seam. Reverses the old ball.

He gets it to reverse in at death. He seems a better bowler than march. Not to mention he looks like a genuine wicket taker. Will get faster by 3 to 6 kphs InshAllah with age. Got the penetration one needs to excel at international level.
@TalentSpotterPk agreed bro. His innings of 83 reminded me that 46 Abdul Razzaq scored against SA in 1998.


Regards

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[Junaids]

After Razzaq he is the best I have seen in Pakistan Circuit.

Bowls out swing with the new ball and jags odd one back into right handers of the seam. Reverses the old ball.



Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

So I would have him fast-tracked straight into the Test team. That is where he will develop.

There is going to be conflict between Mickey Arthur and Misbah about the balance of the side. In South Africa Misbah tried - and failed - with three quicks and one spinner.

But Arthur has won Test series away in England, Australia and New Zealand and he knows that you require four quicks plus one spinner.

The question is whether Amad Butt is good enough to be the third quick or whether, like Mitch Marsh and Ben Stokes and Corey Anderson, he is only ready to be the fourth quick.

The third quick needs to score 45 runs with the bat per Test from number eight, but the fourth quick needs to score 80 runs per Test and bat at number six.

My interpretation - having never seen either play - is that Aamer Yamin might develop into a fourth quick and Amad Butt into a third quick. But neither will ever be one of the team's two strike bowlers.

[Asim2Good]

Imran Khan and Wasim Akram developed like they did because they could fluently converse with senior county colleagues and international opponents and learn from them.

Inzamam and even Shahid Afridi failed to develop beyond the level they entered international cricket at because they couldn't.

Similarly, part of the reason why Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal never learn is because they never listen.

if "senior county colleagues" were that great, England team wouldn't b horrible through out 90s
player should have hunger to learn the art of game he is playing, as long as you have passion & hunger within u, no language barrier can stop you

[Shayan]

if "senior county colleagues" were that great, England team wouldn't b horrible through out 90s

Just cos the players may not have been that good, it doesn't mean they can't impart wisdom. Training techniques, diets etc are far superior in England.

[Asim2Good]

Just cos the players may not have been that good, it doesn't mean they can't impart wisdom. Training techniques, diets etc are far superior in England.

u should have read my full post.

[Shayan]

u should have read my full post.

I think that's a separate point entirely.

[Asim2Good]

I think that's a separate point entirely.

but that's what u replied with "just cos the player may not have been that good" and that's what I am saying too IF player have hunger and passion within to be successful then language barrier is not big issue in today's time.

otherwise English county seniors , Management & System etc etc had
Graeme Hick in 90s whose profile says on cricinfo "with 57 first class 100s under his belt, he arrived at international level in 1991 " he ended up with avg of 31 in 65 tests but ended first class career with 41k runs and 136 hundreds to his name with avg of 52
Mark Ramprakash was another player in 90s who avg 27 in 52 tests at international level but have 35k domestic runs at avg of 53

[Slog]

Probably the first Pakistani cricketer in last 15 years with a six pack.

Maybe Anwar Ali and Younis Khan are close but doubt anyone else.

[Hasan123]

A Pakistan player working on developing there body and fitness.

[Nothing matters]

Probably the first Pakistani cricketer in last 15 years with a six pack.

Maybe Anwar Ali and Younis Khan are close but doubt anyone else.

True.

[Saj]

I'm surprised he wasn't picked for the Pakistan A squad for the tour of England.

[pacesensation]

having six packs does not means that you will be a world class athelte

even gayle has six packs so what?

He should just work on his stamina control and get lean muscle

you guys are so funny getting happy for his six packs!!!

[Mamoon]

having six packs does not means that you will be a world class athelte

even gayle has six packs so what?

He should just work on his stamina control and get lean muscle

you guys are so funny getting happy for his six packs!!!

Having 6-pack shows that he is serious about his fitness, because you cannot get a 6-pack without toiling hard.

It clearly reflects on his good self-discipline, and the Wasim example shows that he listens to advice and acts on it.

[Mamoon]

While it is understandable that he prizes the wicket of Younis Khan, but the harsh fact is that getting him out in a Limited Overs match means absolutely nothing.

[pacesensation]

Having 6-pack shows that he is serious about his fitness, because you cannot get a 6-pack without toiling hard.

It clearly reflects on his good self-discipline, and the Wasim example shows that he listens to advice and acts on it.

with all due respect, wasim mentioned something along lines about players who prefer gym to bowling in nets. According to him they found it easier to spend more time in gym instead of bowling.

Self discipline part is a given, no one can deny it.

I just hope he is more dedicated to his bowling then to his physical appearance.

[Mamoon]

with all due respect, wasim mentioned something along lines about players who prefer gym to bowling in nets. According to him they found it easier to spend more time in gym instead of bowling.

Self discipline part is a given, no one can deny it.

I just hope he is more dedicated to his bowling then to his physical appearance.

Yes it is true, obviously having a six-pack means nothing if you aren't a good cricketer, but at least he is different to other players in this regard, because he clearly values fitness.

It is a good starting point, and if he achieves success as a cricketer, he can inspire upcoming players to follow in his footsteps.

[pacesensation]

Yes it is true, obviously having a six-pack means nothing if you aren't a good cricketer, but at least he is different to other players in this regard, because he clearly values fitness.

It is a good starting point, and if he achieves success as a cricketer, he can inspire upcoming players to follow in his footsteps.

On second thought

building lots of muscles in gym (not bowling) is bad as it messes up those natural flexible muscles in a pacer(his inherent nature gifted fast bowling muscles) . Thus his fast bowling muscles gets rigid due to gym workout. It leads to his muscles getting messed up ------------------> leads to frequent muscle issues..injuries etc


this is what i read over the years though

[Hasan123]

Wasim can have a good effect on younger players hope we get more quality ex players as coaches in psl

[Mamoon]

On second thought

building lots of muscles in gym (not bowling) is bad as it messes up those natural flexible muscles in a pacer(his inherent nature gifted fast bowling muscles) . Thus his fast bowling muscles gets rigid due to gym workout. It leads to his muscles getting messed up ------------------> leads to frequent muscle issues..injuries etc

this is what i read over the years though

It is true. Too much time in the gym can be detrimental for a pacer, it affected Shoaib as well as Shane Watson. Both of them became to big which affected their agility.

It is important to work on your 'bowling' muscles.

[endymion248]

On second thought

building lots of muscles in gym (not bowling) is bad as it messes up those natural flexible muscles in a pacer(his inherent nature gifted fast bowling muscles) . Thus his fast bowling muscles gets rigid due to gym workout. It leads to his muscles getting messed up ------------------> leads to frequent muscle issues..injuries etc


this is what i read over the years though

Hope this fitnessbro nonsense isn't starting to affect cricket too. No such thing as ''nature gifted bowling muscles''

[endymion248]

As for Amad, it's clear that he has low bodyfat% and strong torso muscles rather than pumping iron as the likes of Shoaib and Sohail who couldn't dream of having a six-pack even spending 24/7 in the gym just because of what they eat.

[pacesensation]

Hope this fitnessbro nonsense isn't starting to affect cricket too. No such thing as ''nature gifted bowling muscles''

pace is inherent

muscle contributes to pace

inherent pace comes from muscles that one is born with



Regards

[Anis10]

I'm surprised he wasn't picked for the Pakistan A squad for the tour of England.

He's currently with the Pakistan team in the skills camp from the pics I saw that Pcb posted

[Chief Destroyer]

On second thought

building lots of muscles in gym (not bowling) is bad as it messes up those natural flexible muscles in a pacer(his inherent nature gifted fast bowling muscles) . Thus his fast bowling muscles gets rigid due to gym workout. It leads to his muscles getting messed up ------------------> leads to frequent muscle issues..injuries etc


this is what i read over the years though

What are these natural flexible muscles?

[mz123]

Can Amad Butt bowl 140 kph ? or is he a 130 kph bowler ?

[Hawkeye]

Just advice can't turn a mediocre trundler into a proper pace bowler who can turn in both ways.

From what little I've seen, we have another Anwar Ali on the cards.

In fact we don't have any good allrounder in the pipeline.

[The Last Of The Stars]

I like this guy's ever cool look, oozing qualities of a fighter.

[Ellipsism]

Don't get why everyone here is undermining his ability, easily the best all rounder in Pakistan right now.
He has the pace and swing to succeed. Batting needs a bit of work, but he will only improve by going on A tours and at least touring with the Pakistan team.

[Suleiman]

Don't get why everyone here is undermining his ability, easily the best all rounder in Pakistan right now.
He has the pace and swing to succeed. Batting needs a bit of work, but he will only improve by going on A tours and at least touring with the Pakistan team.

Exactly, that is how allrounders are developed, few understand this concept. Imran Khan didn't come into this world as an allrounder. In fact he was actually a mediocre bowler before making it to intl cricket who couldn't bat.

You have to work hard towards both facets and only way for that to happen is if you consciously develop batting and bowling, and are in the right system to develop you (Imran had the county system, batted at 4 and opened the bowling at a time, incredible fitness).

People have insane expectations on this forum as if they are fans of some #1 ranked team and not some #9 one. Please temper your expectations guys, thanks.

[kingusama92]

Just advice can't turn a mediocre trundler into a proper pace bowler who can turn in both ways.

From what little I've seen, we have another Anwar Ali on the cards.

In fact we don't have any good allrounder in the pipeline.

You would have said the same about Imran Khan in 1971.

All-rounders are the hardest to develop. It takes time.

Not saying he's the next Imran Khan and he very well could be Anwar Ali 2.0, but for now he has a chance of doing well.

[ExplicitAI]

If I have to say one thing is that this is my list from easiest to hardest on the type of player to raise

1.) Batsman
2.) Fast bowler
3.) Spinner
4.) Wicket Keeper
5.) All-rounder (spinner)
6.) All-rounder (Fast bowler)


All-rounders are reasonably considered to be the most difficult to produce given their workload and role. I hardly notice a single good solid fast-bowling all-rounder (equal in batting and bowling) who is settled in Tests for any international team. They're a rare breed like a white tiger. The last good all-rounder that could bowl quick was Kallis.

[Professor]

Probably the first Pakistani cricketer in last 15 years with a six pack.

Maybe Anwar Ali and Younis Khan are close but doubt anyone else.

I am pretty sure Kamran Ghulam has a six pack, IIRC someone posted a picture on here a while ago.

[TalentSpotterPk]

1. Bilawal Bhatti :

First 6 overs 4-23

Last 4 overs overs 0-39


2. Hasan Ali :

First 3 overs 0-12

Last overs 5 overs 2-38


3. Amad Butt :

First 3 overs 0-30

Last 7 overs 1-49


Amad Scored 29 (31) with the Bat aswell.


After a Poor start with the Ball i would say Amad recovered quite well and showed grit & fight back.



Last match figures were 1-38 in 8 overs and 8* (9) in a winning cause.



Has he done enough to be picked for Odi squad by Inzamam ?

@Junaids @Finisher

[JibranAnsari]

1. Bilawal Bhatti :

First 6 overs 4-23

Last 4 overs overs 0-39


2. Hasan Ali :

First 3 overs 0-12

Last overs 5 overs 2-38


3. Amad Butt :

First 3 overs 0-30

Last 7 overs 1-49


Amad Scored 29 (31) with the Bat aswell.


After a Poor start with the Ball i would say Amad recovered quite well and showed grit & fight back.



Last match figures were 1-38 in 8 overs and 8* (9) in a winning cause.



Has he done enough to be picked for Odi squad by Inzamam ?

@Junaids @Finisher

Though I am not convinced by his performances but I think he should be picked along with amir yamin.

Sharjeel
Azhar
Hafeez
Babar
Malik
Rizwan
Yamin
Nawaz
Butt
Hasan ali
Amir

This team has quite a lot of all round ability if you count malik as well. The bowling looks a bit weak but its the price you pay for having bowlers who can bat.

Amir and hasan should bowl 20 overs , butt and yamin should bowl 15 , 15 overs should be shared by nawaz , malik , Babar and azhar.

[JibranAnsari]

^ saud shakil should be in the squad and can replace hafeez or malik if needed.

[endymion248]

1. Bilawal Bhatti :

First 6 overs 4-23

Last 4 overs overs 0-39


2. Hasan Ali :

First 3 overs 0-12

Last overs 5 overs 2-38


3. Amad Butt :

First 3 overs 0-30

Last 7 overs 1-49


Amad Scored 29 (31) with the Bat aswell.


After a Poor start with the Ball i would say Amad recovered quite well and showed grit & fight back.



Last match figures were 1-38 in 8 overs and 8* (9) in a winning cause.



Has he done enough to be picked for Odi squad by Inzamam ?

@Junaids @Finisher

Innocuous bowling and thukka batting. I prefer Hassan Ali and Mohammad Nawaz to be selected. They have performed in all the matches, tests and one-days, with both bat and bowl.

[TalentSpotterPk]

Though I am not convinced by his performances but I think he should be picked along with amir yamin.

Sharjeel
Azhar
Hafeez
Babar
Malik
Rizwan
Yamin
Nawaz
Butt
Hasan ali
Amir

This team has quite a lot of all round ability if you count malik as well. The bowling looks a bit weak but its the price you pay for having bowlers who can bat.

Amir and hasan should bowl 20 overs , butt and yamin should bowl 15 , 15 overs should be shared by nawaz , malik , Babar and azhar.

Despite the bad performance today i think we should pick Asghar who is miles ahead of Nawaz as a bowler. I do not mind Nawaz in the squad as an allrounder though but his batting needs lots of improvement. If Hafeez clears the test than we may opt not to select Nawaz until he progresses further especially with the Bat.


As far as Aamer Yamin is concerned i want him to be selected as a Back up batsman for number 6 batting position. Rizwan averages 13 odd in his last 5 Odis so if he does not perform in 2 matches than i would want Yamin to replace him and bowl 3 to 6 overs.


I agree with all your other selections.

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[TalentSpotterPk]

Innocuous bowling and thukka batting. I prefer Hassan Ali and Mohammad Nawaz to be selected. They have performed in all the matches, tests and one-days, with both bat and bowl.

Hasan & Nawaz aren't competing with Amad Butt for a Spot in Odi squad.


Hasan should be there Nawaz needs time as a batsman. He has many weaknesses against short bowling aswell as all types of Spin bowling.


Amad Butt is competing with Anwar Ali, Sohail Tanveer, Bilawal Bhatti & Aamer Yamin. In my opinion he is better than all these 3 Pseudo allrounders and Yamin who for me is a batsman who can bowl abit. Amongst these Amad was the most impressive with the Ball in Pakistan Cup (50 overs) which was televised.

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[endymion248]

Hasan & Nawaz aren't competing with Amad Butt for a Spot in Odi squad.


Hasan should be there Nawaz needs time as a batsman. He has many weaknesses against short bowling aswell as all types of Spin bowling.


Amad Butt is competing with Anwar Ali, Sohail Tanveer, Bilawal Bhatti & Aamer Yamin. In my opinion he is better than all these 3 Pseudo allrounders and Yamin who for me is a batsman who can bowl abit. Amongst these Amad was the most impressive with the Ball in Pakistan Cup (50 overs) which was televised.

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He is competing with them for the bowler who can strengthen the tail spot. Amad Butt isn't a real batsman.

[TalentSpotterPk]

^ saud shakil should be in the squad and can replace hafeez or malik if needed.

I rate him very highly but if Inzamam will pick him than he will pick him on instinct only because He hasn't delivered in last List A games where he scored 25 odd in both matches.

I would be glad if he is picked.


After this Odi series we have to take a call on Hafeez or Malik or both because officially they will be 38 in 2019 and very few 38 years old have been at their best ever like Sangakara was in 2015 world cup. Mostly players are downhil at 38. If we don't have them in our plans than we must give their replacements 2-3 years of Int cricket before next WC.

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[JibranAnsari]

Despite the bad performance today i think we should pick Asghar who is miles ahead of Nawaz as a bowler. I do not mind Nawaz in the squad as an allrounder though but his batting needs lots of improvement. If Hafeez clears the test than we may opt not to select Nawaz until he progresses further especially with the Bat.


As far as Aamer Yamin is concerned i want him to be selected as a Back up batsman for number 6 batting position. Rizwan averages 13 odd in his last 5 Odis so if he does not perform in 2 matches than i would want Yamin to replace him and bowl 3 to 6 overs.


I agree with all your other selections.

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I have selected rizwan as a keeper , I like sarfraz but if he not going to open in Odis he is useless.


If mohammad hafeez makes it back only then we should play asghar. We need to experiment with all round cricketers.

[JibranAnsari]

I rate him very highly but if Inzamam will pick him than he will pick him on instinct only because He hasn't delivered in last List A games where he scored 25 odd in both matches.

I would be glad if he is picked.


After this Odi series we have to take a call on Hafeez or Malik or both because officially they will be 38 in 2019 and very few 38 years old have been at their best ever like Sangakara was in 2015 world cup. Mostly players are downhil at 38. If we don't have them in our plans than we must give their replacements 2-3 years of Int cricket before next WC.

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Our domestic is no place to learn , saud shakil has a lot of upward potential and playing with big boys can help him.

[TalentSpotterPk]

I have selected rizwan as a keeper , I like sarfraz but if he not going to open in Odis he is useless.


If mohammad hafeez makes it back only then we should play asghar. We need to experiment with all round cricketers.

Mmmm i ll have Sarfraz at number 7. He cannot succeed as Opener in Odis in England because of the Crouch. Also his strengh is batting against Spin and not against Pace.

I want Rizwan our best fielder in the field to lift all the fielders and he can give us a sharp dismissal every 2nd game with his fielding.

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[TalentSpotterPk]

Our domestic is no place to learn , saud shakil has a lot of upward potential and playing with big boys can help him.

If Haris isn't picked yet and Fawad is ignored again than Saud may be picked. Lets hope Ifti misses out.

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[JibranAnsari]

If Haris isn't picked yet and Fawad is ignored again than Saud may be picked. Lets hope Ifti misses out.

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Harris at least needs a year to be match fit again and fawad is not in PCBs good books.

[JibranAnsari]

Mmmm i ll have Sarfraz at number 7. He cannot succeed as Opener in Odis in England because of the Crouch. Also his strengh is batting against Spin and not against Pace.

I want Rizwan our best fielder in the field to lift all the fielders and he can give us a sharp dismissal every 2nd game with his fielding.

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He has failed so far at number 7 in Odis as he is not an accelator. At number 7 you are most likely in the last 10 overs and unlikely to face any spinners anyway

[TalentSpotterPk]

Harris at least needs a year to be match fit again and fawad is not in PCBs good books.

I do not think Fawad is suited for Odi cricket or Test Cricket outside Asia, Zim,WI,BD.


If Aamer Yamin & Amad Butt are both picked than for Saud Shakeel to be picked Imad, Bilal, Iftikhar & Anwar Ali have all got to miss out for Saud to have a place on Bench. I hope it happens for Pakistan sake.

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[JibranAnsari]

I do not think Fawad is suited for Odi cricket or Test Cricket outside Asia, Zim,WI,BD.


If Aamer Yamin & Amad Butt are both picked than for Saud Shakeel to be picked Imad, Bilal, Iftikhar & Anwar Ali have all got to miss out for Saud to have a place on Bench. I hope it happens for Pakistan sake.

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Anwar and Bilal are not going to be picked again , I am pretty sure. What I worry more is that bilawal might find his place in the 11 which is terrifying for me. Iftikhar was picked out of nowhere in the test squad and inzamam can not justify it at all and if he picks him in the odi squad then God save us. I don't want to see wahab and rahat in the odi squad.

[Syed1]

I do not think Fawad is suited for Odi cricket or Test Cricket outside Asia, Zim,WI,BD.


If Aamer Yamin & Amad Butt are both picked than for Saud Shakeel to be picked Imad, Bilal, Iftikhar & Anwar Ali have all got to miss out for Saud to have a place on Bench. I hope it happens for Pakistan sake.

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I understand you back Saud but honestly his performance on this tour as been nothing to write home about, specially the ODI leg..

[TalentSpotterPk]

He has failed so far at number 7 in Odis as he is not an accelator. At number 7 you are most likely in the last 10 overs and unlikely to face any spinners anyway

He is the vice Captain & permanent member so he is going nowhere even if he does not open.

He can be used as a floater in middle order if Adil Rasheed & Moeen Ali are operating in tandem to milk singles at which we are very poor but England won't play 2 spinners.


We do not have a Sam Billings, De Cock, Buttler , Sangakara or Dhoni otherwise I would have opted to Drop Sarfraz and pick them. Rizwan is just averaging 13 odd in last 5 matches so it won't be a justified move to drop Vice Captain and permanent Odi keeper to have a makeshift keeper who is struggling with the Bat.

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[JibranAnsari]

^ fawad alams time is gone , he should have been persisted with when he was picked for the first time. He was let go only after 3 failures after a wonderful debut century. He is a story of past now and a brutal injustice. I am not pushing for Sadaf hussain now in Odis as we are striving for bowlers who can bowl.

[TalentSpotterPk]

I understand you back Saud but honestly his performance on this tour as been nothing to write home about, specially the ODI leg..

This is Correct. I agree.

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[JibranAnsari]

He is the vice Captain & permanent member so he is going nowhere even if he does not open.

He can be used as a floater in middle order if Adil Rasheed & Moeen Ali are operating in tandem to milk singles at which we are very poor but England won't play 2 spinners.


We do not have a Sam Billings, De Cock, Buttler , Sangakara or Dhoni otherwise I would have opted to Drop Sarfraz and pick them. Rizwan is just averaging 13 odd in last 5 matches so it won't be a justified move to drop Vice Captain and permanent Odi keeper to have a makeshift keeper who is struggling with the Bat.

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That's a shame really , captain and vice captain both don't really fit in with the modern day odi cricket demands.

Azhar can only score if his partner comforts him , he is a dependent member of the team and still the captain.

[endymion248]

Don't worry about him. He's a racist Gujjar who doesn't like Butt's.

Ijaz Butt, Salman Butt, Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif... I rest my case.

[TalentSpotterPk]

That's a shame really , captain and vice captain both don't really fit in with the modern day odi cricket demands.

Azhar can only score if his partner comforts him , he is a dependent member of the team and still the captain.

This Odi series may very well be last for Azhar Ali if he does not click with the Bat and does not improve his Captaincy because despite his good numbers He hasnt clicked against Top bowling sides.


I like the look of Rehan Afridi but because of being from FATA he gets to play 2,3 list A games after 2 years gap and so his List A record is average and sample size is small too.


And than comes Pakistan U-19 keeper who is too young and under cooked at the moment.


Bangash & Waqas haven't impressed me uptil now.

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[TalentSpotterPk]

^ fawad alams time is gone , he should have been persisted with when he was picked for the first time. He was let go only after 3 failures after a wonderful debut century. He is a story of past now and a brutal injustice. I am not pushing for Sadaf hussain now in Odis as we are striving for bowlers who can bowl.

We can have Sadaf Hussain at number 11 if he improves his fitness and raises his pace abit for which PCB need to help him.

Remember Asif has an Okish Odi record but his best bowling record in Odi's is in England. The best place to bowl in Odis is in SA & ENG. Sadaf has a tremendous List A Strike Rate we can use that.


Woakes at 27 has increased his pace so Sadaf at 26 can improve his pace aswell.

But


David Willey is a good Odi swing bowler whose current pace is exactly similar to Sadaf's pace.



Sadaf has developed abit of a tummy lately which is Sad.

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[Junaids]

I am baffled by how Amad Butt, Aamer Yamin and Hasan Ali have been misused on the A tour.

Mickey Arthur and Inzi should have directed Basit Ali to bat them at 6, 8 and 9 in every match, every situation.

Build on their raw talent by getting them experience in challenging conditions in the A Tests and ODIs.

With luck, one or more would have made the leap, just like Abdul Razzaq in 1999.

But they have hardly played at all.

I'm genuinely shocked at the missed opportunity - and the lousy decision for Yamin and Butt to miss the Tests, when you so desperately need them in real Tests in 16 weeks in New Zealand.

[#GreenRoars]

Going with first mission, i think Inzi will NOT go with Yaamin, Ammad, Asghar, Saud e.t.c no chance tbh.

Probably only one new face we will see in LOI squad is Hasan Ali. And in AR category, we may see Nawaz.

Rest of the team will be same rubbish like Annu, Irfan, Wahab, Rahat, and may be, just may be on the recommendation of Basit Ali, hate to say but we may see once again Bilawal Bhatti

So guys, don't keep your expectations high, we aren't going to meet surprises, but we may meet shocks

[Asim2Good]

don't get your hope too high for these guys, it ll take time for ALL of them to be in team.
Also we need to see these guys live first to make any kind of impression, just can't go with numbers.

I will not be surprised if we asked Amad to be dropped from team once we found out his real game at international level. when he would be bowling at 130-135 speed, leaking runs and not able to contribute with bat. and we come to realise that he is just another Anwer,Bhatti type all rounder.

[TalentSpotterPk]

Again Wasim Akram has said this :


"Pakistan need another bowler, especially in England. 2 spinners and 2 pacers work in the UAE. That doesn't work well in England or South Africa. An extra pace bowling all-rounder is needed."

"We need an all-rounder. I saw one named Ammad Butt, they need to groom him well."


Well i shall add New Zealand and Australia to his list.



I was vouching for Amad's Selection for Pakistan Test Team or atleast A team for England tour (Fc) for last 1 year. Sadly it did not happen.


I want to see him Bat at number 8 and play as a genuinw allrounder and a first change bowler.


But there is a big Problem for Pakistan. I don't think Hafeez will be discarded. Don't think Azhar will be made Opener. Than how can Amad come into playing eleven as part of a 5 bowling option line up ?


After Azhar's failure in 2 tests He could have been rested for 1 or 2 tests in Australia but Root dropping him on 38 meant that now He would get all Tests in Australia.


Younis Khan will retire after Australian tour provided he scores 400 runs against WI in UAE. So than Amad can replace him in playing eleven but the Problem is that we need him now. We badly need him. He is pacy, he is superfit raring to go tiger and we need him. Hafeez averages 43-45 in last 1 - 2 years in test Cricket so i do not see him going anywhere.

[Chief Destroyer]

Again Wasim Akram has said this :


"Pakistan need another bowler, especially in England. 2 spinners and 2 pacers work in the UAE. That doesn't work well in England or South Africa. An extra pace bowling all-rounder is needed."

"We need an all-rounder. I saw one named Ammad Butt, they need to groom him well."


Well i shall add New Zealand and Australia to his list.



I was vouching for Amad's Selection for Pakistan Test Team or atleast A team for England tour (Fc) for last 1 year. Sadly it did not happen.


I want to see him Bat at number 8 and play as a genuinw allrounder and a first change bowler.


But there is a big Problem for Pakistan. I don't think Hafeez will be discarded. Don't think Azhar will be made Opener. Than how can Amad come into playing eleven as part of a 5 bowling option line up ?


After Azhar's failure in 2 tests He could have been rested for 1 or 2 tests in Australia but Root dropping him on 38 meant that now He would get all Tests in Australia.


Younis Khan will retire after Australian tour provided he scores 400 runs against WI in UAE. So than Amad can replace him in playing eleven but the Problem is that we need him now. We badly need him. He is pacy, he is superfit raring to go tiger and we need him. Hafeez averages 43-45 in last 1 - 2 years in test Cricket so i do not see him going anywhere.

Who bats at 7?

[TalentSpotterPk]

Who bats at 7?

Sarfraz Ahmed.

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