Aotearoa vs Pakistan: The Down-Low On Pakistan
Will Yasir Shah get a chance to kiss Aotearoa turf?
A touring Pakistani Test team has rarely brought with them much excitement or buzz in my lifetime, a lifetime that has coincided with Pakistan struggling to build a highly competitive Test team. Even if they have come to Aotearoa with Inzamam ul Haq, Mohammad Yousuf or Suqlain Mushtaq, they have struggled to come to grips with extra seam-movement that kiwi pitches offer, thus making for a fairly ho-hum Test series.
Pakistan come to Aotearoa to play two Test matches and that's just simply not enough, not when a strong Pakistan side is playing against an Aotearoa cricket team that simply needs to perform (que images of New Zealand Cricket guzzling for a diet of limited overs cricket and subsequently cash). There will be a preview of this Test series, zoning in on the intriguing match up of these two Test teams, this however is all about Pakistan.
Pakistan's Test Squad: Misbah ul Haq (c), Azhar Ali, Imran Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Rahat Ali, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Sohail Khan, Yasir Shah, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Sami Aslam, Sharjeel Khan, Waha Riaz, Younis Khan.
What smacks me in the face from Pakistan's squad is their seam-bowling strength, which has them well-equipped to ask some serious questions of the kiwi batsmen. Amir is the name everyone will recognise and the whippy left-armer will likely take the new ball, although Amir didn't exactly return to Test cricket in England picking up where he left off. Amir picked up 12 wickets in four Test's and could have done a bit better if a plethora of catches off his bowling were taken, he finished the series in England with an average of 42.41 though and it'll be very interesting to see how he bounces back in Aotearoa's conditions.
England does provide a nice gauge for Pakistan's seamers as the conditions are similar and in England it was Sohail Khan who led Pakistan's seam-bowlers with wickets. Khan took 13 wickets from two Test matches at an average of 25, while Wahab Riaz took 10 wickets at 36 and Rahat Ali took 8 wickets at 50.87.
Pakistan's bowling attack will definitely feature leg-spinning extraordinaire Yasir Shah, with their seam attack will likely feature Amir, Riaz and Sohail Khan with Ali and Imran Khan to offer some depth. Amir will offer left-arm swing, Sohail Khan is a right-arm seamer and Riaz will be the enforcer used to blow the kiwi batsmen away with pace and bounce. That's a very handy seam attack that will lay a platform from which Shah can attack with his leggies, the key will be whether the Pakistan seam attack can consistently probe and make the most of conditions without allowing the kiwi batsmen to score freely, thus building pressure which will test their patience with Shah.
Mohammad Nawaz could also be selected as an all-rounder, giving Pakistan a left-arm spin option to go with Shah. Whether Pakistan play a fourth seamer or opt for Nawaz will be one of their major selection conundrums.
Sarfarz Ahmed will wear the wicket-keeping gloves and bat in the middle order, along with staples of Pakistan's batting line up Younis Khan, Misbah ul Haq, Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq. These guys go alright at batting; Khan averages 53.98, ul Haq averages 48.31, Ali averages 46.10, Shafiq averages 42.62 and Ahmed averages 43.50.
Sami Aslam is a 20-year-old opener who recently opened against West Indies in three Test's which saw him put up scores of 90, 44, 6, 50, 74 and 17 which goes nicely with an average of 41.25. Expect Aslam to hold down one openers spot with either Ali or Sharjeel Khan to partner Aslam, Khan is yet to have a taste of Test cricket and with many good batsmen to fit in, I suspect we'll see Ali open with Aslam.
Here's a possible Pakistan team:
Aslam, Ali, Shafiq, Younis Khan, ul Haq, Ahmed, Nawaz, Riaz, Shah, Amir, Sohail Khan.
There's experienced batsmen, a quality seam attack, a couple spin options and most notably, positive vibes stemming from what this Pakistan Test team has done in the past 12-24 months. They'll be eager to continue their growth as a unit and have the personnel to pounce on a weary Blackcaps team.