Pakistan: Conquering Fortress Australia

[Salamuddin]

Its been a long dream of Pakistani cricket to send a team to Australia that can beat the Aussies in a test series.

Javed Miandad, said recently on ESPN that winning in Australia would be the ultimate goal of his lads this year, a series as important to Pakistan as the forthcoming one against India.

Pakistan were buoyed by India's performance in Australia and reckon they can go one better.
IMO, Pakistan certainly has the bowling to take Australia out.
But The key is whether their batting can show patience and accumulate enough runs to back their bowlers.

How do others see their chances ?

 

[krkode]

Personally, I think Pakistan had the bowling to take Australia out 5 years ago. Saqlain, Wasim, Waqar.

The only bowler of real consequence, or any danger to the Aussies, as I see it is Akhtar. If he can pull off something special, then Australia might just find themselves in trouble. If the Aussie batsman dismantle him though, like they are capable of doing to anyone, then I wouldn't rate Pakistan's chances very high. As it stands, their batting is also very weak with no more Anwar, Ijaz, and Saleem Malik, etc.

They're a young team and it'll be interesting to see their progress.

 

[Salamuddin]

Personally, I think Pakistan had the bowling to take Australia out 5 years ago. Saqlain, Wasim, Waqar.

The only bowler of real consequence, or any danger to the Aussies, as I see it is Akhtar. If he can pull off something special, then Australia might just find themselves in trouble. If the Aussie batsman dismantle him though, like they are capable of doing to anyone, then I wouldn't rate Pakistan's chances very high. As it stands, their batting is also very weak with no more Anwar, Ijaz, and Saleem Malik, etc.

They're a young team and it'll be interesting to see their progress.

Its gonna be a big test for the young top order of Farhat, Taufeeq and Yasir Hameed.

Pakistan will need a couple of their other bowlers to really step up and support Shoaib well (he will undoubtedly be the spearhead).
It could be the make or break tour for Mohammad Sami.

 

[Dick Rockett]

If the series happened tomorrow, I think the Aussies would win, but not as heavily as you might think, with their weakened bowling attack.

Pakistan have some good experienced guys, Youhana, Inzamam, Akhtar and so on, but their some of their younger players are exciting, particularly Yasir Hameed. Imran Farhat needs to curb the kamikaze aspect from his one day batting.

One thing that struck me about the Pakistani side that just left NZ was their professionalism. Unfortunately that waned towards the end of the tour but compared to sides they have sent here in the past they were outstanding in that regard.

I reckon the only major blot on their record is fielding. Inzamam's not been setting a good example with this.

 

[Pratters]

I reckon the only major blot on their record is fielding. Inzamam's not been setting a good example with this.

I was thinking, this guy is so careless about his own fielding, he probably doesnt even think about the fielding of others. Quite funny the way Inzi is captaining, carefree, lazy comfort.

 

[krkode]

I was thinking, this guy is so careless about his own fielding, he probably doesnt even think about the fielding of others. Quite funny the way Inzi is captaining, carefree, lazy comfort.

I agree. Pick a team from 1997 and that would be acceptable. The Pakistan of today have to really buckle up...

 

[age_master]

haha ok i may be proved wrong by this BUT

Pakistan dont have the batsmen that india have, so they wont score as many runs.

without the runs the pressure will be on their batsmen, now barring farther injury the aussie attack will be the full strength, McGrath, warne as well as Gillespie and lee or whomever else

they dont have a dravid or a tendulkar or even a laxmann in their team

its certainly a big ask and it puts alot of pressure on their young team

 

[NikhilN]

reckon they can go one better

what are they talking about?Do you really think pakistan have a chance of making 705/7 DEC.(notice the DEC)not saying that pakistan have a bad team or anything but really...

 

[BlackCap_Fan]

Well the pakistanis lost an o.d.i series against the kiwis,how are they gonna beat the aussies?

just a question.

 

[Craig]

I doubt it.

 

[NikhilN]

Well the pakistanis lost an o.d.i series against the kiwis,how are they gonna beat the aussies?

just a question.

well we are talking about a test here and still i dont think they can do it in test ether

 

[Salamuddin]

what are they talking about?Do you really think pakistan have a chance of making 705/7 DEC.(notice the DEC)not saying that pakistan have a bad team or anything but really...

If Pakistan bowl well, they probably won't need 700 to defend.

Their strength lies in their explosive bowling led by Shoaib Akhtar.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

well we are talking about a test here and still i dont think they can do it in test ether

That's what people said about India and we all know how that turned out.

IMO Pakistan definitely has better bowling resources than India, but the batting is far less experienced and consequently less effective. Still, I wouldn't be surprised if Pakistan competed well in the series.

 

[krkode]

If Pakistan bowl well, they probably won't need 700 to defend.

Their strength lies in their explosive bowling led by Shoaib Akhtar.

I agree. When bowling well the Pakistani attack can strike with great purpose. Speed, and strength - both work in their favor. Akhtar will be the key. He's destroyed and been destroyed by all good teams.

But when they're not going well, we all know what can happen...(read: World Cup 2003 Ind v Pak )

 

[deeps]

they dont have a dravid or a tendulkar or even a laxmann in their team

inzamam and youhana r proven world class batsman...they also have quiet a number of up coming talented players who if in the right mindste,will play extremely well and push the aussies to the brink

I think the main thing is wether mcgrath and warne will return,and wether they will play well....if they do, aus will win comfortably...if not, it'll b too close 2 call...PROVIDED the ****'s have the right mindset

 

[deeps]

um,edit that.....i just rememberd that ****'s is a forbidden term... but i don't seee why, it's just like calling the australians aussies but if it offends ne1, i didn't mean it in an offending way,and i apologise

 

[hourn]

Pakistan are just as good as chance as India to do us.

Their batting isn't quite as strong, but the Shoaib Akhtar factor is massive.

He'd be close to the very first player I'd pick in a world XI at the moment.

 

[krkode]

um,edit that.....i just rememberd that ****'s is a forbidden term... but i don't seee why, it's just like calling the australians aussies but if it offends ne1, i didn't mean it in an offending way,and i apologise

It's derogatory unlike Aussies. Not a short form. That's why it's forbidden.

 

[Salamuddin]

Has anyone here seen Abdur Rauf Khan or Mohammad Irshad or Osama Shahriyar bowl ?

According to the Pakistanis who live on the BBC messga eboard, these three are the next generation of Pakistani fast bowlers...needless to say, they are all "reputedly" very quick.

Perhaps we'll see one of them later this year in Australia.

 

[Dick Rockett]

um,edit that.....i just rememberd that ****'s is a forbidden term... but i don't seee why, it's just like calling the australians aussies but if it offends ne1, i didn't mean it in an offending way,and i apologise

Yes, I fell into that trap. That term is tricky because it seems to be considered offensive in some parts of the world and not others.

I think it's a shame that a simple abbreviation can be considered an insult.