***Official*** Pakistan in New Zealand 2016/17

[Niall]

So 2 weeks away and what could be a cracking little series. New Zealand will start favourites, but Pakistan have been very consistent and have little to fear from a side which is on a poor run in the red ball format.

Pakistan have named their test squad

Sharjeel Khan picked in Pakistan's Test squad for New Zealand tour | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo

Sharjeel is somewhat of a odd choice, but unlikely to get a game. I'd assume we will a very similar side as the one in action with West Indies, with Sohail or Rahat playing instead of Babar. Nawaz the only other player that's not a guaranteed starter as possibly Azam may play to strengthen the batting. Its a tough call, Nawaz is not a top seven bat whatsoever, but they need a fifth bowler.

I haven't seen that much of New Zealand in test cricket recently,so reluctant to make a call, Id probably call a drawn series if pushed. We have had some lovely matches in NZ between these two over the years, remember that debut century of Umar Akmal, how many of us thought he would be a test beast at the time.

First test

Thursday, 17 November 2016 11:00am–Hagley Oval, Christchurch

Second Test

Friday, 25 November 2016 11:00am–Seddon Park, Hamilton

 

[smash84]

NZ should still be more than a handful at home

 

[OverratedSanity]

Pakistan surely favourites.

 

[hendrix]

If I were a neutral fan I would definitely want Pakistan to win this. NZ's deterioration over the last 18 months has been pretty disappointing, whereas Pakistan have been relatively consistent.

 

[Bahnz]

Yeah, no way NZ are favourites for this. Pakistan definitely have the bowlers to exploit early season conditions, and they have two top-class bats to NZ's one. I could see us pinching a test if Boult and KW have a blinder, but Pakistan will be firm favourites to take the series.

 

[hendrix]

I still don't think Pakistan are firm favourites as I really only see Amir's bowling as well suited to the conditions. The other guys are more speed/reverse/bounce bowlers, plus Yasir, who should be nullified by the conditions more so than anywhere else in the world.

Boult is generally awesome in NZ, and the batsmen tend to go all right at home. Hell, Guptill could do ok if they pick all those left armers and don't have a conventional attack.

 

[listento_me]

Pakistan have often looked good against the Kiwis, thing is, they are only going with one spinner? What's up with that? Pakistan have built their streak with the use of spin bowlers, not the faster men and in all honesty, none of them are good enough to keep Zulfy out of the squad. Bad choice imo unless Nawaz improves exponentially from now till the first match in NZ.

 

[listento_me]

Looking at the squad, I'd probably go for:

1. Aslam
2. Ali (if Pak win the first test and Ali still doesn't do well then it might be Sharjeel time)
3. Shafiq
4. Khan
5. Misbah c
6. Sarfraz wk
7. Riaz
8. Amir
9. Shah
10. R. Ali
11. S. Khan

To hell with the extra batsman.

 

[Athlai]

Yeah you'd have to say on recent form Pakistan are favourites. That said, we're a different beast at home and I wouldn't be surprised to see us being fairly dominant. Should be a good series, the recent Pakistan-NZ series have been pretty good watching.

 

[SteveNZ]

The only way we win if it's a 200 plays 200 plays 200 plays 199 sort of series. Which it could be if Boult and Southee fire, and they play Henry not Bracewell.

Admittedly I don't know much about Pakistan but it seems like they're consistent and are playing a high importance on Test cricket, so they'll be formidable.

I know it's the doom and gloom NZ waaaaah factor again but gee there's absolutely no confidence in us to score runs. As I say before every series, it's up to Latham to finally bar up and turn these starts into tons, and good ones. Eight scores of between 18 and 79 on the tour of India is not good enough for a guy who looks every inch an international player until he inevitably gets out in a generally unrelated way after an hour or two.

 

[Athlai]

The only way we win if it's a 200 plays 200 plays 200 plays 199 sort of series. Which it could be if Boult and Southee fire, and they play Henry not Bracewell.

Admittedly I don't know much about Pakistan but it seems like they're consistent and are playing a high importance on Test cricket, so they'll be formidable.

I know it's the doom and gloom NZ waaaaah factor again but gee there's absolutely no confidence in us to score runs. As I say before every series, it's up to Latham to finally bar up and turn these starts into tons, and good ones. Eight scores of between 18 and 79 on the tour of India is not good enough for a guy who looks every inch an international player until he inevitably gets out in a generally unrelated way after an hour or two.

Nah, reckon run scoring outside of South African/Indian conditions will be a completely different kettle of fish.

 

[smash84]

the problem with Pakistan has been that anything above penis height and anything going anywhere other than gun barrel straight is a bit of a problem for the batsmen to negotiate.

Pak were lucky in England that they didn't get to face the kind of conditions that SL did. I can see boult run through Pak when he can get the ball to move around.

 

[Mike5181]

My ideal squad:

Tom Latham
Jeet Raval - watching some of the video footage available, I don't actually rate him. I think it's time to give someone else a go though. Too much baggage with Guptill now.
Kane Williamson
Ross Taylor
Luke Ronchi - very short-term option. Not my first choice, but you can't drop him after looking the most competent batsman in India after Latham.
BJ Watling+
Corey Anderson/Jimmy Neesham
Mitchell Santner
Matt Henry
Neil Wagner
Trent Boult

I honestly can't see them dropping Wagner again after the criticism the selectors copped in India. Realistically Henry will probably be left out for Southee.

Reserves:
Tim Southee
Jimmy Neesham/Corey Anderson
Jeetan Patel
Will Young (would help if his Fleming-esque conversion rate disappeared at some point)

Out:
Martin Guptill
Henry Nicholls
Ish Sodhi
Doug Bracewell

 

[straw man]

Jeet Raval - watching some of the video footage available, I don't actually rate him. I think it's time to give someone else a go though. Too much baggage with Guptill now.
Luke Ronchi - very short-term option. Not my first choice, but you can't drop him after looking the most competent batsman in India after Latham.

Think I'd lean towards these too, as a result of a fair selection policy.

 

[NZTailender]

2. Ali (if Pak win the first test and Ali still doesn't do well then it might be Sharjeel time)

lol what

He's scored 0, 0, and 2 in three Tests, but also 302* and 79. His last ten innings have been 0, 79, 0, 2, 302*, 30*, 49, 38, 40, 139, 8. Averages 62 in 2016. Don't see how you can drop him.

 

[listento_me]

lol what

He's scored 0, 0, and 2 in three Tests, but also 302* and 79. His last ten innings have been 0, 79, 0, 2, 302*, 30*, 49, 38, 40, 139, 8. Averages 62 in 2016. Don't see how you can drop him.

Look, going on cricinfo and copy and pasting doesn't impress m.e

Ali has looked scratchy throughout the year and you take away his big scores and he really isn't doing that well. For an opener, that is way too many ducks and way too much up and down. Also, it's not me saying he should be dropped indefinitely but Sharjeel is a keen striker of pace bowling and with the bounce and pace on offer with some NZ and Aus bowlers, he might be a good fight.

That's not to say Ali can't bat well but he isn't batting well often enough.

 

[Bahnz]

Look, going on cricinfo and copy and pasting doesn't impress m.e

Translation: "I've made up my mind, don't trouble me with facts."

Ali has looked scratchy throughout the year and you take away his big scores and he really isn't doing that well. For an opener, that is way too many ducks and way too much up and down. Also, it's not me saying he should be dropped indefinitely but Sharjeel is a keen striker of pace bowling and with the bounce and pace on offer with some NZ and Aus bowlers, he might be a good fight.

That's not to say Ali can't bat well but he isn't batting well often enough.

Yeah. Some goes for Steve Smith, KW, Joe Root and Younis Khan. What a bunch of scrubs.

Seriously, take out his best score and his worst score from that list and he's still averaging nearly 43, so it's hardly like he's been coasting on the back of that 300. Dropping players on the back of one or two bad performances is a great way to sow instability in a side. We found that out to our cost with Neil Wagner.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

For an opener, that is way too many ducks

Two ducks. Way too many.

 

[Grumpy]

Looking at the squad, I'd probably go for:

1. Aslam
2. Ali (if Pak win the first test and Ali still doesn't do well then it might be Sharjeel time)
3. Shafiq
4. Khan
5. Misbah c
6. Sarfraz wk
7. Riaz
8. Amir
9. Shah
10. R. Ali
11. S. Khan

To hell with the extra batsman.

You've got Wahab batting at 7 and it's still not the worst sh!te you've posted here. You're contemplating dropping Azhar Ali for a guy who's just starting to make his name in T20 and you want Zulfiqar Babar, a 50 year old spinner who averages as much in the UAE, to tour NZ.

Excuse me if I refuse to take you seriously from now on.

 

[Grumpy]

I think this series will be 1-1 with all of us crying about the need for a 3rd Test and how the ICC should have that as minimum for a series