Pakistan will certainly be a force to be reckoned with if their middle order can inject some spark and venom to their campaign by playing enterprisingly and freely. Misbah, a long standing presence in the middle is no more there and there are young turks like Maqsood and Rizwan who must step up and announce themselves to the world. But they are not completely bereft of experience as they do have players who can guide these youngsters to realize their full potential.
Shoaib Malik
It’s hard to imagine that Shoaib Malik made his ODI debut way back in 1999 as a young and promising kid in his teens. It is true when someone says that he has not fulfilled the potential that he has but he has always been there for Pakistan whenever called upon. He is particularly good in the sub-continent where the pitches suit his style of play.
He can be a very dangerous lower order bat for Pakistan and has the ability to finish off innings in a very calm and collected manner. He is not particularly pleasing to watch but he manages to get the desired results with his punches, flicks and sweeps. He is also a very good inside out player which makes him a valuable asset when facing spin bowling.
Now that Hafeez cannot bowl, he assumes a very important role in this side as he almost always has to bowl his full quota of overs. He is a very decent off break bowler who looks to contain the batsman and force him to make mistakes. He is also a superb fielder anywhere in the circle or on the ropes where he is seen in the closing overs of a limited overs internationals.
Impact Rating – 7.5/10
Umar Akmal
The younger brother of Kamran Akmal, he burst on the scene as a prodigious talent when he was still in his teens. He made a very good start to his international career and looked set to gain his place amongst the very best that Pakistan have produced. But he is over zealous and has also got in trouble with the authorities over petty issues. Form has also deserted him but he is still their best middle order bat.
It must be mentioned that he made a blistering 94 in the last WT20 against a strong Australian side which resulted in Pakistan winning the tie and Australia crashing out of the event. He has oodles of talent and the impact that he has when in full flow is hard to describe. He has all the shots that are required but he must control his emotions and channel his positivity so that he can score more consistently.
He is also a very good fielder with a strong arm and can also stand in as a keeper if needed.
Impact Rating – 8/10
Pakistan relies more on their middle order to score the runs and they have enough personnel to do so. But they do lack consistency which is almost always the case with any Pakistani side.
This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.
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