ICC Cricket World Cup 2019

FlawlessThaw

most 'know it all' poster
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For those who think NZ deserved to qualify and the rain didnt have an impact.
It's had a major impact on NZ and Pakistan for sure, I also don't think NRR should have been used to decide the placings with a Head to Head a much better way to decide it.
 

KM

I’m afraid I just blue myself
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Is there really no better opener than Fakhar in Pakistan?
 

The Man Himself

asked for a tagline change and all I got was this.
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Safrax said best there is no way you are making 400 on a pitch and bowling a team out for 50 on the same pitch.
Sanjay on the other hand says it best when he says nothing at all.
 

hasanejaz88

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Is there really no better opener than Fakhar in Pakistan?
The guy still averages 45. One poor series and he's suddenly shite? It's like people have 1 month memory and don't remember he scored an amazing 138 against England in his previous series.

Guptill has had a much worse world cup, should New Zealand replace him?
 

Raees

Pythagoras in Boots
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Babar is class. One of the best ODI batsman for sure.
 

AshRK

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Babar is class. One of the best ODI batsman for sure.
Completely agree and the scary part is he can improve even more. I hope Pak selectors do not throw a fit if he has one or two poor series. He should be the fulcrum of Pakistan's batting. Imam is also decent and can be trusted going forward and same with Fakhar. They need to find a good replacement for Hafeez and Malik and their batting is set for the next WC.
 

hasanejaz88

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Completely agree and the scary part is he can improve even more. I hope Pak selectors do not throw a fit if he has one or two poor series. He should be the fulcrum of Pakistan's batting. Imam is also decent and can be trusted going forward and same with Fakhar. They need to find a good replacement for Hafeez and Malik and their batting is set for the next WC.
Our top 3 is as good as it has been since maybe the days of Anwar-Sohail-Ijaz and the current 3 are much better combined (no opener can be better than Anwar). No need to change either in the near future.

For Hafeez and Malik, we need to look at the young players coming through domestically like Saud Shakeel, Khushdil Shah and Saad Ali and maybe also more experienced players like Iftikhar Ahmed (who can also bowl off-spin like Hafeez) who have been performing well for a very long time. There are plenty of people available to take over, I'm not one of those pessimists who think there isn't any talent in Pakistan. There is, you just have to give them a chance and groom them.

I think we also try Aamer Yameen as a hitting all rounder.
 

KM

I’m afraid I just blue myself
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The guy still averages 45. One poor series and he's suddenly shite? It's like people have 1 month memory and don't remember he scored an amazing 138 against England in his previous series.

Guptill has had a much worse world cup, should New Zealand replace him?
That's the problem with guys like you. Watch feck all cricket and think just looking at stats from Cricinfo is okay.

Remove Zimbabwe from the record and his average goes down to 35 which is definitely not good enough for any team's opener. If you think that's a good enough for a top order batsman then good for you. Zimbabwe didn't even qualify for this world cup.
 

Skills

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Completely agree and the scary part is he can improve even more. I hope Pak selectors do not throw a fit if he has one or two poor series. He should be the fulcrum of Pakistan's batting. Imam is also decent and can be trusted going forward and same with Fakhar. They need to find a good replacement for Hafeez and Malik and their batting is set for the next WC.
You can't have your top order composing of 2/3 of Babar Azam and Imam Ul Haq. It's just way too slow.
 

AshRK

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You can't have your top order composing of 2/3 of Babar Azam and Imam Ul Haq. It's just way too slow.
I won't call them too slow. Babar has a strike rate of 85 plus and from what I have seen of him, he knows how to accelerate his innings. Yes they may not be your Jason ROy/Bairstow or even Sharma/Kohli but their top 3 is pretty decent and should be least of their concerns. The problem for them starts and ends in their middle order. Sarfaraz is just blocking one spot and doing nothing, Hafeez and Malik are spent force. Haris Sohail is ok but nothing special.

I still think this Pak side is decent and actually had they used some brain they would have qualified for the semis. Their loss to WIndies killed their WC.
 

KM

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Simon Doull criticising Pakistan's approach. I don't think it's fair but anyhow.
 

FlawlessThaw

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I would be so livid if an England opener scored a run a ball hundred in such a situation
Not sure what you do in this situation to be fair besides make sure you win the game. Let's be honest the only way they would have got the result they needed today is if Bangladesh were taking a fall.