End of the Road for Azhar, Hafeez, Taufeeq?

Is it the end of the road for Azhar, Hafeez and Taufeeq (ODI only)?

Selectors in there own wise wisdom and after consultation with management, decided to give these 3 player yet another chance instead of giving younger allrounders like Yasir Arafat or a specialist spinner a chance. Taufeeq was never likely to play in the ODI side and it proved to be the case, the selection in the final was just a token gesture after all the other players had been tried.

How many more chances will the likes of Azhar and Hafeez be given.

Azhar is still living on the back of his debut centuries against SA, although he performs sucessfully for Surrey each season in county cricket, like Mushtaq Ahmed, there is a big step up to international cricket, and he does not have what it takes to perform consistently at this level.

There seems to be a lack of faith in his abilities, with Bob Woolmer wanting him in the team, but Inzy not really using him effectively as a bowler and throws the ball to him as more of last resort.

Hafeez main asset is his economical bowling, but that is also now under cloud after being called for throwing. He has never looked like a top order batsmen, and his techniques has been exposed by bowler like Pollock and Mcgrath.

In 6 innings Hafeez scored a total of 75 runs at a pathetic average of 12 with one of the lowest strike rates of batsmen in world cricket, if not the lowest of 47.

Would it not be better to play a specialist spinner until Malik's off spin bowling is cleared rather than continue with Hafeez?

Azhar Mahmood does not provide anything with his medium pace bowling and only took 2 wickets at a strike rate of 86 balls with an economy rate of nearly 6.

Name--------Mat--I--NO--Runs---HS-----Ave-----SR
Hafeez------6----6--0---75-----41-----12.50---47.16

Name----------------Mat----W----Ave----Best----SR-----Econ
Azhar-Mahmood-------5------2----84.00--1-33----86.0---5.86
Mohammad-Hafeez-----6------4----48.50--1-17----58.5---4.97

At the end of the SA series, Inzy said Hafeez should never play for Pakistan again, Hafeez did nothing in domestic cricket, did not score any runs to justify his inclusion in the side.

Was Inzy right and do these 3 players have a future in Pakistan team?

[Schiller]

I have said it in the past that Taufeeq isnt ODI material and its not right to throw him in there either.
thse point about playing a specialist spinner insted of hafeez is one that begs the q : whom would you play instead?
agreed about his batting thouhg. hes not good enough really.

azhar should be kicked out now. enough is enough really

Speciliast spinner, why not try Danish in ODI cricket more regularly he has a good decent record and with his new found confidence on the tour to australia, he will be a big asset to Pakisan.

Afridi and Hafeez did a great job with the bowl today, but I'm sure on this wicket a specilist spinner would have got more turn out of the wicket and helped to bowl out Australia.

Unfortunatley I don't think there are many other spinners around in Pakistan who are ready to step right into the team at this moment. Tariq Mehmood and Mansoor Amjid have not progressed as one would have hoped.

So I guess Arshad Khan, and a fit Saqlain would be next in line for a recall. I heard alot about this Taimur Khan but don't know good he really is.

But the point is Hafeez is not contributing with the bat, his bowling is not good enough for him to get a place in the team and a speciliast spinner is a better option.

[sy]

if Hafeez is cleared, perhaps he has a role as a specialist spinner in odi's if there injuries to afridi,malik,kaneria.
Azhar will probably play 4 Pakistan again but he shouldn't. He's after malik, afridi and razzaq in the alllrounder list and as a bowler he is behind shoaib,sami,razzaq,gul,shabbir, rana etc.....
Not sure about Taufeeq, I would say he didnt have a future in odi's but knowing the unstable top order who knows. I would personally pick Butt, Hameed or Farhat over him.

[Schiller]

the thing is that yar tht I can see why Danish wasnt played for ODis and to a degree i agree, saqi is out of the pic and yar arshad was ok, not sure how much better than hafeez
but i agree if they can find someone a tad better, they should play him instead of H

[Rob H]

End of the road for Hafeez and Azhar

[KB]

Malik's inability to bowl did stuff the balance somewhat. It would really help if he was allowed to bowl again.

Apart from that they need to sort out the top order. I would like to see Butt, Hameed and Inzi as the top 3.

I would also like to see a recall for Danish Kaneria.

[Schiller]

ggm theres no chance inzi would play at 3. and that is why i have been so criticial of him.

danish should be an odi member but i feel that would happen after the indian series

[Amjid Javed]

Waheed, hafeez isnt fit to play odi cricket, qaiser abbas wud have been better option.

yasir arafat was picked by selectors for this tour but azhar was personally picked by BOB

I really dont know why taufeeq wasnt in test sqaud!

thats pakistans cricket for you right now!

[KB]

"theres no chance inzi would play at 3"

I suspect your right. Inzi the immovable object - in more ways than one!

In which case Yousuf or Malik will need to bat at 3.

[Amjid Javed]

yoyo bat @ 3! yeah maybe if where playing zimbabwe....!

[Abdul Qadir 236]

as usual what seemed laughable to u all 3 weeks ago is now agreed upon after the event!

Not really Amit, I along with many questioned the wisdom of the selection of these 3 players yet again before the VB Series started.

[Abdul Qadir 236]

I have long wanted Taufeeq Umar in. Why? he is ur best opener! simple as that!

[Sage]

Taufeeq shouldn't play ODIs, until he firmly establishes himself as the Test opener.

Hafeez should not play for Pakistan for a long time. He's a smart lad, a sharp fielder, a good bowler, but incompetent with the bat.

Azhar should not play for Pakistan for a long time either, I don't think he'll ever make it back.

[Jahangir Khan]

Taufeeq has shown an excellent Test temperament but has a slightly flawed technique. When he works on this he is the number 1 test opener. It was unfair to play him in such a big game without any experience of the earlier games.

As for Azhar, he is unfit for International cricket, he's put on a lot of weight and is past his best

[Abdul Qadir 236]

Taufeeq should already be the premier test opener with his record. He should play odis as well. Pak need a solid player at the top and he has scored runs against intl attacks already in his career!

[Schiller]

well ggm, i think malik at 3 was a good one that they screwed up perhaps but maybe thats due to hafeez coming in. still think yoyo or inzi should but inzi wouldnt.
yoyo is not good early on and against the moving ball and I suspect thats why he remains dwon perhaps.

[Abdul Qadir 236]

Hafeez didnt have to bat in the top6. Pak may as well have picked Usman Tariq who is a better bowler and can open the innings. or Adil Nisar who has been in superb form.

[pakistani pride]

Well end for azhar and hafeez for sure !!!

[Uzi]

I agree with Schiller, Malik should be batting at 3 without a doubt.
It is obvious that Taufeeq isnt an ODI player, he is better suited to tests. Hafeez and Azhar should only get into the squad if there are many injuries to the first team players . I feel other young players should be given a chance instead of these two the next time Pak have so many injuries.

[Officer Barbrady]

Hafeez's strength lay in his bowling and I don't think his action will allow him to bowl much longer unless they can come up with a good excuse for it. Azhar, I have felt for years now, should concentrate on county cricket and yes Arafat or someone else should be given a go.

You are right about Taufeeq as well. He should be playing test cricket.

[Abdul Qadir 236]

Taufeeq can adapt to odis, Pak need a solid opener. Rather have a solid guy with Butt who is proven in intl cricket than some less proven flashy customer. Might be boring, might not be Pakistani but it will win you more games.

[MIG]

I would still say that :

1. Failure against Australia is not necessarily an indicator of a bad player

2. Success against Australia (Salman, Kaneria. Rana ) IS an indicator of great things to come.

[zulfiqar]

success against aus? u forgot a certan pathan's name ;)

[MIG]

Oops - and of course Afridi !

[the true passionist]

well here's what i think!!!

1) Azhar... End of road ...could play many mathces even 3-4 strike bowlers r out...so no future!

2) Hafeez.... depends on Malik's bowling action..if he is allowed to bowl than Hafeez is gone too( for a long time...unless he can learn to score some runs as opener)...but even if Malik can't bowl i would prefer to play Kaneria in ODIs since he is a way better bowler...and we have aslo seen the Hafeez's inability to score runs...batting useless...should be gone for a long time

3) I dont think same applies to Taufiq... He is one good player... he has been unlucky with his fitness,form and selection the most...
He is certainly in as a test opener and once he score some runs there..he will make it to the ODIs since we do not have good openers as yet...unless But and Akmal can cement their place....
Although Taufiq is percieved to be a test player but he can score runs quickly...nd by the way we need a slow player who can save his wicket till the 14th over atleast....How many mathces would we have won if we had any in the last 5 yrs!!! So Taufiq is still in

[Annie]

i wud say azhar yes,
not so sure about good ol hafeez though

i'm sure we'll see umar again for another final somewhere when he'll be thrown in again and fail

[Waqar's inswinging yorker]

taufeeq and butt should be given a run as a partnership - get to know each others game even better,

how can u say if a player is good enough fo test cricket then he may not be good enough for one dayers. I hate the "test only" tag - shouldnt exist - in one dayers u cant just have all your batsmen being free flowing stroke makers - taufeeq can be like an attapatu for us at the top - i mean rotate strike - see off new ball, he needs an extended run in both sides to regain his confidence

[Saj]

my take on this is that I dont think Taufeeq is a one day player. I'd much rather he wa at the top of our order in test matches. Hafeez, his bowling is good enough for international cricket, but watching him batting is painful to say the least - I think he will get more chnces though.

Azhar looked in no shape to be playing international cricket. I've always rated him, but he looked aboout 20lbs overweight imo.

[scifinite]

Tafeeq should be for test only- i think he is capable but might be out of form? doesnt matter he should be nowhere near the odi side forsure

[Raz]

I agree Taufeeq a big no no for ODI's. I think the selectors still think of that 80 ball century for Pakistan A against India at the start of last years tour and from that they think he is ODI material.

[161]

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