Pakistan are in disarray as they prepare to host Australia, with gun batsman Younis Khan threatening to withdraw from Tests and two more spinners reported for suspect actions.
Already badly wounded by the suspension of their spin superstar Saeed Ajmal for having an illegal action, these latest developments threaten to derail Pakistan cricket.
Australia’s tour to the United Arab Emirates starts this Sunday when they play Pakistan in a one-off Twenty20 in Dubai, followed by three one-day internationals and two Tests.
Key all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez and off spinner Adnan Rasool, one of the leading candidates to replace Ajmal in the Test side, have both been reported during the Champions League T20 tournament in India.
Hafeez, who has been a pivotal player for his country in all three formats in recent years, was playing for the Lahore Lions against the Dolphins in Bangalore on Saturday when he was reported.
His action was questioned by umpires Kumar Dharamsena, Vineet Kulkarni and Anil Chaudhary. Hafeez’s Lahore teammate Adnan Rasool was reported for a suspect action last week in a continuation of the major crackdown on the 15-degrees of flex rule this year. Rasool is considered one of the leading candidates to play in the upcoming Test series against Australia as a replacement for the banned Ajmal.
Hafeez and Rasool are fortunate that when they were reported they were playing in the Champions League rather than an international match. The Champions League rules, enforced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India, are more lenient than International Cricket Council regulations. Under the Champions League guidelines, Hafeez and Rasool were placed on a ‘warning list’ for their action and allowed to keep bowling.
Although their reports will not stop them from playing against Australia, they will ensure that both bowlers are heavily scrutinised by the umpires in control of those matches.
Unless Hafeez and Rasool remodel their actions over the coming weeks it is possible they could be reported again in matches against Autstralia, this time by the ICC. This will place both bowlers under significant pressure and also surely act as a distraction for the Pakistan side, who look set to be without their best player in Ajmal.
Compounding their spin woes is the row the Pakistan Cricket Board have started with the country’s most prolific Test batsman, 36-year-old Younis Khan.
Younis, who has scored 7610 runs at an average of 51 in Tests, including 24 centuries, late last week reacted furiously to being dumped from the Pakistan team for the ODIs against Australia.
Claiming the Pakistan selectors had told him they wanted to try younger players in the ODI series, Younis said he had told the PCB not to select him for the Test series either.
“Don’t select me, not even in Tests,” Younis told the media. “I sacrifice my future. I am saying a simple thing, if they are saying that youngsters are future of ODIs, then where is the future of Pakistan in Test cricket? Don’t select me in Test matches and make (young players) the future of Pakistan in Test cricket too.”
Younis’ withdrawal from the Test line-up could prove a fatal blow for Pakistan, whose batting is weak and unpredictable. The side’s ability to post competitive totals has hinged on the contributions of Younis and 40-year-old middle order batsman Misbah-ul-Haq.
Amid frequent batting collapses and the constant off-field turmoil which follows the Pakistan team, Younis has been a wonderfully reliable performer.
Over his past 24 Tests, he has accumulated 1993 runs at 54, including seven centuries. Although his record is inflated by cashing in against minnow sides Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, he remains a valuable Test player.
Without Younis steadying the batting at number four or Ajmal spinning a wizardly web, Pakistan could well crumble. The intense focus on Hafeez and Rasool will not help their cause.
The circumstances are fortuitous for Australia. Given their past struggles in Asian conditions, they would have faced a huge challenge to overcome a Pakistan side boasting Ajmal and Younis. The circumstances now suggest Australia should be robust favourites to trump Pakistan in both the Tests and ODIs.
Australian coach Darren Lehmann has allayed fears that skipper Michael Clarke and rampant paceman Mitchell Johnson may not to fit to play in the UAE. Johnson pulled out of the Champions Trophy due to a rib injury and Clarke is recovering from a serious hamstring injury.
Their presence in the Test side would help to cover for the losses of pace spearhead Ryan Harris and veteran all-rounder Shane Watson, both who will be absent because of fitness issues.
Coming off a rousing summer during which they first vaporised England 5-0 at home and then upset South Africa 2-1 away, Australia are perfectly placed to improve their poor Test record in Asia.
Slycstart
Guest
I rate the 2003 team higher than the current side because they had a strong mentality (losing Warne last minute & dropping established players who had won the 1999 World Cup e.g Steve Waugh). But even that team had a few close calls during the tournament (Andrew Symonds match saving innings against Pak springs to mind) but they peaked for the final against India. That was a superb performance! The current team has the ability to do the same and create their own history. I wish the team well!
Nudge
Guest
Yep your right their Ronan. I think I was getting a bit carried away. Perhaps I'm just getting a bit too excited that the cricket season kicks off properly in a couple of days
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
It is a fantastic side Nudge but I reckon Australia's batting lineup circa 2003 was the best ever: 1. Gilchrist 2. Hayden 3. Ponting 4. Martyn 5. Lehmann 6. Bevan 7. Symonds
Nudge
Guest
Amazing team in our conditions. I'll go as far to say that would be our best one day team ever. I suppose there is no McGrath or Warne but at least our best batting team ever.
Nudge
Guest
Wow that is an amazing Pakistan team. For memory Imran khan had them playing for each other and their country, which they probably haven't had since he retired.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Finch could probably bat anywhere from 1-6 in the order but he has had such startling success as an opener - 4 tons from past 21 matches - that I wouldn't move him. He and Warner shape as a sensational long-term opening pair.
Don Freo
Guest
Finch could be a very interesting finisher, a LA Hussey. His speed at rotating strike and turning ones into twos...combined with his power hitting might serve us better there. Watto can open.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
I think problems 1) and 2) are not nearly as pronounced on home pitches where Australia's attack is more effective and touring spinners come onto the bat much more nicely than they do on slow foreign decks. As for 3) Clarke is brilliant at managing his body as we've seen with the fact he's only ever missed ONE Tests through injury. I have a feeling this World Cup could be his ODI swansong so expect him to be cherry ripe.
Tom from Perth
Roar Rookie
Good team. How good is that top 4? The three main issues in Australia's short form game, as I see them, are: 1. Bowling, particularly at the death; 2. Batting against spin; and 3. Poor captaincy if Clarke is not playing. You could argue that we're prone to collapses as well, but generally they're caused by spin. Also, if Clarke's playing and you have Haddin, Faulkner and Johnson at the end hopefully collapses aren't as much of an issue. If Marsh plays instead of Maxwell then he seems to be good at stopping the rot in short form games too. As far as the World Cup goes, 2 and 3 shouldn't be an issue. The only thing that concerns me is the bowling. I'm glad you've got McKay in there, we need that experience and consistent line and length. We can't really afford an expensive bowler like Starc when one of our all rounders is a strike bowler (Maxwell/Marsh) and your spinner is a reasonably aggressive one (compared to say Doherty). Fortunately Johnson has been very economical in the last year, and a fit Watson is economical too, as is an in form Faulkner. If the bowling steps up I see us winning.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Australia are strong favourites with the bookmakers to win the World Cup and so they should be. There only looks to be four teams who are good chances of winning it - Aus, SL, India and SA. SA look their biggest threat on paper but they have been like weak-kneed children in any limited overs match that counts. SL and India are both great ODI sides but, India in particular are not at all suited to bouncy decks. Sri Lanka cope better but they don't have a fraction of the pace firepower Australia have. This is a seriously formidable lineup: 1. Warner 2. Finch 3. Watson 4. Clarke 5. Bailey 6. Maxwell/Marsh 7. Haddin 8. Faulkner 9. Johnson 10. McKay 11. Lyon
Slycstart
Guest
Yes that is quite a difference in quality for Pakistan. I'd really like to see Australia win this series and the World Cup next year on home soil. A big challenge!
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Pakistan are always a smoky in limited overs tournaments but it would be a massive, massive upset if they won the World Cup. Granted they won it in Australia in 1992 but they had an incredible side with 6 of their all-time greats - Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Inzamam ul Haq, Javed Miandad, Saleem Malik, Mushtaq Ahmed. Plus the second tier players - Aamer Sohail, Rameez Raja, Ijaz Ahmed, Moin Khan - were all good cricketers who would walk into the current Pakistan side.
Slycstart
Guest
Good points Ronan. But even though I'm an Aussie cricket fan, I don't think we can ever rule out Pakistan. They seem to play well under internal pressure all the time and they still have the ability to win the World Cup on Australian/NZ soil. They did it before, but I was too young to see it unfortunately. Looking forward to the current series though, especially the test matches!
Don Freo
Guest
There's rarely been more competition for spots in an Aussie side. No player will miss his opportunity. I expect pakistan to be monstered and games will only go more than 3 1/2 days if Australia bat first...allowing them to bat for the first 2 days.
Armchair Expert
Guest
I still remember Afridi's 5 wicket debut against Australia in the late 90s.
Tom from Perth
Roar Rookie
That's a good question. I hope he's still in.
Nudge
Guest
If we win the toss they won't get near us, if we lose it, it's game on
Silver Sovereign
Guest
I think the pakkys will be fine. Australia has a habit of not performing against average spin. and their pace bowlers and young batsmen are solid too
Simoc
Guest
Pakistans problem is that they don't get enough international cricket at test level. They have always been competitive before but they were always playing tests regularly before. A lot harder now for them to be competitive though they undoubtebly have the talent pool there.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
It's a pity Afridi didn't play more Test cricket he could have been a hugely valuable player for Pakistan. He doesn't seem suited to Tests yet in 27 matches he averaged 36 with the bat, including five centuries, and took 48 wickets at 36. Those matches were spread out over 12 years. If he'd had a long run at Test cricket I reckon he could have averaged 40 with the bat and low-30s with the ball.