Ultimate ODI pakistan cricketer (part 1)

[Amjid Javed]

After watching the programme named "ultimate ODI cricketer" on sky sports i came up with the idea for this thread. Now the TV programme was split into different episodes where a different characteristic of the odi game was looked at each week. players from all round the continent where looked at inorder to find the ultimate odi player. characteristics looked at (slightly altered by myself) -

1) opening batsmen
2) innings builder
3) finisher
4) Master blaster
5) new ball master
6) spin wizard
7) death bowler
8) wicketkeeper


The aim of this thread and the threads which will proceed this will be to build the ultimate ODI cricketer from a selection of players from pakistan past and present.

Now in some cases a cricketer may fufil more than one catoregory and thats not a problem. in some cases some of the names nominated for a catorgory maybe debatable and in some cases some players may have been missed out. The choice for the postion maybe an easy one in some cases it will be difficult in others.

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PART ONE of this series will begin with the selection of a opener - A player who could play in all conditions and play according to a given situation. someone who could pick the gaps early on in the field but also bat agressively if needs be. The opener is also required to bat alongtime and score big runs for the team.

selections

Name -------- Mat I NO Runs HS Ave SR 100 50
Aamer Sohail - 156 155 5 4780 134 31.86 65.36 5 31
Majid Khan --- 23 22 1 786 109 37.42 74.71 1 7
Rameez Raja - 198 197 15 5841 119* 32.09 63.32 9 31
Saleem Elahi - 48 47 4 1579 135 36.72 71.31 4 9
Saeed Anwar - 247 244 19 8823 194 39.21 80.66 20 43
Mohsin Khan - 75 75 5 1877 117* 26.81 55.64 2 8
Mud Nazar --- 122 115 10 2653 95 25.26 51.71 - 16


now please consider the definitation of an opener above and choose an opener from the list above with a full justification to why they are your choice for opener

(NO one word answers or one line answers please !!!!!!)

Also at the request of the MODS can a poll be added to the this thread so a winning player can be defined from poll and opinions.

thanks

[waqar30]

Saeed Anwar wins the contest in a huge margin...

[Daoud]

Considering Majid played virtually in the 70s alone, his record is outstanding - especially his strike rate. Really its only him and Saaed Anwar in contention.

[Amjid Javed]

Originally Posted by Daoud Considering Majid played virtually in the 70s alone, his record is outstanding - especially his strike rate. Really its only him and Saaed Anwar in contention.

so how would you seperate the two players? statistically? from a personal visual point?

please elabroate and justify your final choice to why youu have discarded some players and made your choice.

[Amjid Javed]

Originally Posted by waqar30 Saeed Anwar wins the contest in a huge margin...

please elabroate and justify your final choice (see helpfully guidlines in original post) to why you have discarded some players and made your choice.

[Hussain]

I wud have gone for MAjid had it been tests
but since he has only played 23 inns as an ODI opener
so he is not considered
tht leaves us wid amir ramiz saeed and elahi


and amongst them Saeed is a class of his own especially in the mid 90s whn he was at his flowing best
great wrist work , superb timing, exquisite placement , superior class,
so SAEED ANWAR for me

[Geordie Ahmed]

I agree with Daoud that it really is between MK and Anwar even then i think Anwars wins easily!
Anwar wins imo purely cos he played far more games and his quality showed - according to the stats MK had 22 innings which is far too little imo for him to compete with Anwar!
So ANWAR for me

[Daoud]

A Ramiz Raja century would often be better for the opposition than it would be for Pakistan - unless its a low total that we were chasing. But if batting first, it was definetely detrimental to us - like the WC match vs the Windies.

When Aamir Sohail and Saeed Anwar batted together it was obvious who the better batsman was. And since he has a better average and strike rate and the fact that they both played together tells you who the better batsman is.

Salim Elahi has a surprisingly good record, but he has a technique that can be exposed very easily by quality bowling.

So it wasnt a difficult choice to narrow it down to Saeed and Majid. However it is hard to compare the two as they played 20 years apart

[Amjid Javed]

For me the choice has to be Saeed anwar. ON most wickets around the world Anwar was able to adapt his technic and tempremant to suit the situation. Anwar was able to play some of the most sublime wristy cuts, drives and flicks to pick gaps thru the infields early on. On flat wickets of the sub-continent anwar was also never afraid to to go over the top early on either the trade mark flick of a cricket ball from off-stump over deep square leg or mid wicket was a trade mark shot.

Anwars was also very adapt at playing thru the middle of the inns against spinners and medium pacers, anwars use of wrist work and nimble footwork always allowed for him to pick the gaps and milk any bowler inparticular areas square of the wicket. Anwar was also able to up the temp and smash spinners out of the ground. Prime example being his 194 v india where anwar time and time again was able to clear the boundary from the use of his feet to come down the pitch or able to rock back in his crease and smear the ball away.

finally his record of 20 odi tons at an average of 1 ton approx every 12 inns showed anwars ability to score big runs alot of the time.

[Amjid Javed]

2 further openers added to list. i dunno wether it would change anyones opinion.

[Geordie Ahmed]

Originally Posted by Amjid Javed 2 further openers added to list. i dunno wether it would change anyones opinion.

Wont make a difference! Anwar is gonna win and i doubt anyone will disagree

[Amjid Javed]

Fessal heres part 1 or any1 else who hasnt had chance to have a look either.

[Amjid Javed]

looks like saeed anwars (my all time fav pak player) winning by a landslide margin at moment.

[z10]

i think the fact is saeed anwar will win...because hes the most recent of our good openers...sum of his innings still live in the memory......

[Hussain]

Originally Posted by Amjid Javed 2 further openers added to list. i dunno wether it would change anyones opinion.

ANwar is still unmatchable :1: