Ex-cricketers Laud Pakistan's Win, But Want Middle-order To Improve

Former cricketers have lauded the green-shirts on the ODI series win against South Africa but believes that Pakistan's middle-order needs to be addressed as it lacked performance

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Apr, 2021 ) :Former cricketers have lauded the green-shirts on the ODI series win against South Africa but believes that Pakistan's middle-order needs to be addressed as it lacked performance.

Former pacer Shoaib Akhtar feels the green-shirts have proved that they can beat South Africa not only in Pakistan but at their home as well.

"I congratulate the Pakistan team and the selection committee who did not leave the talented batsman Fakhar Zaman out of the team and played him. This was not fluke from Fakhar that he scored big runs, he has also done it in the past," he said in a video on his YouTube channel.

Shoaib was of the view that Fakhar has changed his technique and was now playing on back-foot. "A player waits for the ball to come on the bat on the wickets which have bounce. Fakhar was also getting runs through the cut shots and Pakistani Skipper Babar Azam along with Fakhar is a deadly combination," he said.

He said Mohammad Rizwan should be played either on the top of the order or at No 6 or 7. "Danish Aziz should have played in the middle order," he said.

The former pacer said Babar was a great batsman but was also learning the trade. "He's improving and is in a process of becoming a great batsman," he said and added that Pakistan has created history by beating the Proteas.

Speaking about the upcoming Twenty-20 series against South Africa, he said Pakistan needs to improve its selection and middle order so that it can become a compact unit. "If you want to make a player, then continue him. No problem will have occurred if Danish was played in the last match," he said and also lauded Usman Qadir and Mohammad Nawaz saying they can do 10 overs and were proper good spinners.

Former Skipper Rameez Raja said this was a very big win for Pakistan. "I hope under a young leader, Pakistan will prosper. Very good performances were seen from the top order," he said.

He said but Pakistan has problem in the middle order which needs to be addressed.

"Playing two wicket-keepers in the middle order means you haven't involved and engaged a set batsman in it. A chance can be taken on Haider Ali as he is a got the talent and can hit big shots," he said.

Rameez said when Pakistan scored 320 runs in the final ODI they had got half of the match in their favour. "Pakistan won't have scored 320 if Hasan Ali and Babar hadn't hit four and two sixes in the last overs, respectively," he said.

Lauding Fakhar, he said he came back with a bang. "He was looking calm and his body language and technique was also good. Scoring back-to-back 100s there (in South Africa) is a big thing," he said.

Rameez praised Babar saying he has got the silky touch and was a superb batsman. "Babar was leading from the front. After this victory Pakistan team will go a long way," he said and also praised bowlers Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Nawaz and Usman.

Former chief selector and batsman Inzamam-ul-Haq said Pakistan played the series very well and beat South Africa at their home after 13 years. He also lauded Fakhar and Babar for scoring good runs in the series.

"This will give boost to the team. Our bowlers did well and the level of fielding was also good. However, there is a big worry for us as the middle order was not scoring runs," he said.

He said the turning point of the match was Hasan's 32 on 11 balls. "Fakhar, Rizwan were out, but he made the difference by hitting four 6s," he said.

Inzamam also feared that private leagues were given priority over international cricket. "The South African board must be asked as why they gave permission to their players to go and play in a private tournament in the middle of the series.

International Cricket Council (ICC) should take notice of this," he said and added that it shows that a private league was being preferred more than international cricket and your country.