Ex-Pakistan batsmen Basit Ali spoke to PakPassion.net about his expectations for the ODI series, tackling the batting worries and personnel changes required to ensure success long-term success.

6 June 2012

By Nasser Khan

With no clear advantage being established by either side in the T20s between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, the two teams meet tomorrow at Pallekele in the first game of the five-match series, hoping to lay a marker for the forthcoming Tests.

The ODI series is the first for Pakistan after the disappointing outing against England in their previous 50-over contests and the new coaching regime will be hopeful of a strong showing to emphasise the progress being made under the new management.

Ex-Pakistan batsmen Basit Ali spoke to PakPassion.net about his expectations for the ODI series, tackling the batting worries and personnel changes required to ensure success long-term success.

Ali began by discussing the relative strengths of the team “Sri Lanka have a balanced squad and quite a dangerous team in their own back yard, but I feel Pakistan have the edge because of their variety in their bowling. Pakistan have exceptional spin bowling attack and they should trouble SL batsman.” The quality and variety of the Pakistani bowling attack has troubled most opposition batsmen over the last year, and has been further bolstered by the pace option offered by Mohammad Sami after his encouraging showing in the second T20.

The batting has been a concern for Pakistan in recent times, and Ali emphasised the importance of batting depth “Pakistan should opt for six front-line batsmen, a keeper and a bowler. The Pakistan batting is not very strong and it's important to play an extra batsman. Hafeez is a good spinner and should be the 5th bowler. In the fast bowling department, I think Pakistan should go with Gul and Sami. Tanvir has bowled well as well but I will give Sami preference at this time because of his sheer pace.”

There has been much debate over the composition of the batting line-up in the ODIs and is a symptom of the poor ODI results of late. Ali disagreed with the selection of key Test batsman Azhar Ali, and felt that Malik would have been a better option - “Though Azhar has done well in Test cricket, I feel he should not be in the One Day squad. Since Nasir Jamshed was injured, Pakistan should have picked Malik. He has not done too well recently, but he is a very good player and I feel Pakistan should persist will him. He looked good in 2nd T20. If he would have been in the squad, Pakistan would have the 6th bowler as well.”

Ali also indicated the newly-assembled coaching team required further bolstering, to offer greater support to the Head Coach “Pakistan must appoint bowling and batting coaches to help Dav Whatmore - we need to have a bowling coach and batting coach with the team. I feel Wasim Akram could have been the best choice but since he is busy, Mohammad Akram is the right man for this job. He has played international cricket and he is a qualified coach as well. Pakistan also should have a batting coach, I think Ijaz Ahmed or Moshin Khan can be given this responsibility.”

Although a new Chairman was recently appointed to the head position at the PCB, Ali feels changes in personnel are also required at board level “It's sad that even though Ijaz Butt has left the scene, other board officials remain in their places. Pakistan needs to move on. Why are the same people working whilst the chairman has been changed? I believe that it is time to bring in new people in the board.”