Mohammad Amir the prodigy

 Mohammad Amir who was banned for spot fixing alongwith Muhammad Asif and Salman Butt returned to the Pakistan national team in 2016 after serving his ban. He immediately made a key impact as he played a vital role in defeating India in the final of Champions Trophy in 2017 played in England at the oval London.

Muhammad Amir is a very talented bowler. He not only has pace but he can swing the ball in both Directions making the opposition batsmen almost impossible to play him. He has a very deadly and accurate yorker as well.

In the end what I like to say is that Mohammad Amir still has a lot of cricket left in him and he still has a lot to offer. Pakistan should play him regularly in international cricket atleast until Champions Trophy. to be played in Pakistan in 2025. Pakistan should also convince him to play test cricket. 

Mohammad Asif the Glenn McGrath of Pakistan

 Mohammad Asif wasted his talent and promise by indulging in spot fixing in 2010. Salman Butt, Muhammad Amir and Mohammad Asif were involved in spot fixing when Pakistan toured England in 2010. Mohammad Asif was banned from playing international cricket for 8 years. He wasnt selected for Pakistan again after serving this ban.

Mohammad Asif was a geniune fast bowler who bowled with immaculate accuracy and line and length just like Glenn McGrath used to do for Australia. He used to bowl magical and unplayable deliveries. He had every skill like inswing, outswing, incutters, outcutters and bouncers. He also deceived the batsmen with slight variations of pace. AB devilliers once said that Muhammad Asif made him to cry when he once dismissed him. Who can forget Mohammad Asif clean bowling of Sehwag, Tendulkar and Laxman all in quick succession in the historic Karachi Test in 2006. Pakistan won that test match against India in Karachi in 2006 all because of Mohammad Asif's bowling.

In the end what I would like to say is that Muhammad Asif wasted himself by getting involved in spot fixing.

Second Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh 2024

 Pakistan lost the second test to Bangladesh at home in Rawalpindi and hence Bangladesh has whitewashed Pakistan 2-0. Pakistan now have a terrible record at home losing test series to England, Australia and now even to a low ranked team like Bangladesh. This is not surprising as Bangladesh team was much more experienced than Pakistan and they outplayed and outclassed Pakistan in all departments of the game that is batting, bowling and fielding.

Having said that Pakistan were in control of the second test match when they had Bangladesh at 26 for 6 from then onwards Bangladesh fought back through Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz world record partnership of 165 runs. I think Shan Masood was found lacking in his captaincy as he didnt make any proper strategy to break this partnership a lot earlier and the inexperienced Pakistani bowlers became complacent.

In the end what I would like to say is that Pakistan should better starts winning at home and every international team in cricket are lions at home. 

Younis Khan as Captain

  Younis Khan was another successful captain of Pakistan. Besides being Pakistan's all time highest scorer in Test cricket with over 10,000 test runs. He led Pakistan to a number of memorable victories like the Twenty20 World Cup 2009 and also leading Pakistan to Semi Finals in Champions trophy 2009. Besides leading Pakistan to a memorable Karachi test win over India in 2006 in the absence of Inzamam ul Haq.

Younis Khan led Pakistan to its only title in 2009 Twenty20 World Cup. Younis Khan retired from Twenty20 internationals after that. This Twenty20 World Cup 2009 win was a tremendous achievement as Pakistan's performance in 2014, 2016 and 2024 Twenty20 World Cups was below par. 

In the end what I would like to say is that if Pakistani players didnt revolt against Younis Khan after Pakistan's disastrous tour of Sri Lanka in 2009 where they lost the ODI series 3-2 and test series 2-0 to Sri Lanka then Younis Khan would have led Pakistan to more glory as captain.

First test between Pakistan and Bangladesh 2024

 Pakistan lost to Bangladesh in the first test at Rawalpindi by 10 wickets. This is a big blow for Pakistan's chances in the World Test Championship 2023-2025 making it almost impossible for them to reach the final of World test championship 2023-2025. Pakistan's selection was flawed in this test match especially in bowling as they selected 4 fast bowlers with no genuine spinner in the team. They should have played Abrar Ahmed instead of probably Mohammad Ali who is inexperienced at this level.

This was also Bangladesh's first test win in it's history against Pakistan. Pakistan cricket is at its lowest ebb at the moment and there seems no respite in the near future.

On the otherhand Pakistan has a lot of talent but they are not playing upto their full potential. They should also make sporting pitches when they know their main strength is fast bowling. Rawalpindi pitch for the first test pitch was a flat track hardly supporting the bowlers both fast and spin.

In the end what I would like to say is that Pakistan has the potential to level the series if they play according to their strengths.

Saqlain Mushtaq the inventor of Doosra

 

Saqlain Mushtaq was one of the finest off spinners in the world produced by Pakistan. He had one mystery delivery the doosra which was a ball that Saqlain Mushtaq invented which was a ball that turned away. This ball turned in opposite direction to his stock ball which was the off break. Saqlain Mushtaq used this delivery pretty cleverly and often bamboozled and outfoxed the opposition batsmen by it.

Saqlain Mushtaq's best performance came in 1999 test tour of India in which he bagged 20 wickets in the series taking 5 wickets in each innings in the two test series which was drawn 1-1. Pakistan won the Chennai test by the narrowest of margins of 12 runs when Saqlain Mushtaq dismissed Sachin Tendulkar caught by Wasim Akram with just 17 runs still needed.

Saqlain Mushtaq was a brilliant ODI bowler often bowling incisive spells with great economy rates. He played a key role in Pakistan's triumph in Carlton and United Series in Australia. in 1996/1997.

In the end what I would like to say is that Saqlain was not only an amazing off spin bowler but a great coach of Pakistan cricket team as well. Coaching Pakistan to semi finalist standing in 2021 Twenty20 World Cup and runners up in 2022 Twenty20 World cup.

Wasim Akram as Captain

Wasim Akram led Pakistan to many great victories as captain. Under Wasim Akram's captaincy Pakistan reached the 1999 World Cup final. This was Pakistan's last great performance in a 50 over World Cup. Otherwise Pakistan had very disappointing campaigns in 2003, 2007, 2015, 2019 and 2023 World Cup. The lone exception being 2011 World Cup when Pakistan reached the semi finals under Shahid Afridi's captaincy.

A great achievement under Wasim Akram's captaincy was the Carlton and United Series in Australia in 1996/1997 when Pakistan beat West Indies in the best of three finals to win the tournament. Australia which was the World best test side in that era failed to reach the finals and won just three matches out of eight in the competition.

As a test captain Wasim Akram won the Asian test Championship beating Sri Lanka in the final in 1999 in Dhaka. Besides defeating England in England  in 1996 in the test series 2-0.

In the end what I would like to say is that if Wasim Akram had been allowed to stay as captain till the 2003 World Cup he would have led to Pakistan to more and better victories.