How vital is the ‘keeper?

How vital is the ‘keeper?

Pakistan saw at least two vital and easy dismissals drop out of their hands thanks to shoddy wicket-keeping from Kamran Akmal. Andrew Strauss’s straightforward caught-behind chance in the fifth over could have proved much costlier than it did. The second chance that he missed was one of the easiest stumping opportunities one can recall. Here, Paul Collingwood had walked such a long way down the crease that had Kamran caught the ball in the second attempt, even then he would have been able to knock the bails off. However, it was not to be and so a vital chance to break England’s best partnership came and went. Collingwood was on 48 then and he is still batting on 77 while Pakistan continue their search for a breakthrough.

This is not the first time Kamran Akmal’s ‘keeping has cost Pakistan so heavily. Who doesn’t remember Sydney 2010? Is Kamran’s experience and batting prowess really so important for Pakistan that he cannot be replaced by another ‘keeper? Should he play as a specialist batsman? And if he is replaced then by who?

Pakistan need to find answers to these questions fast or the series will slip out of their hands…

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266 Responses to “How vital is the ‘keeper?”

  1. Yasir says:

    Nothing is proven yet. So why people are blaming??? win or loss is the part of game but it doesn’t mean we see the things in the way other wana show. Be a united nation and as a responsible Pakistani we should support them till the picture is not cleared. What shown in movies is one sided & those pics are fake. if there is something true we should cover the issue rather than highlighting because in the end the country name will be affected. There should be judiciary action against the victim. unfortunately worst politics has build up in people mind we should grow up & find the root cause. “No one think for Pakistan”. the greediness has demolished this country by suffering form such mentally disease people.

  2. sajid says:

    lol shoddy wicket keeping ?

    ask mr mazaher majeed if sydney was shoddy wicket keeping or shoddy imaan

    BAN THEM FOR LIFE

    I WOULD RATHER WATCH PAKISTAN LOSE A THOUSAND TMES HONESTLY THEN WATCH THESE GUYS PALY AGAIN

    will cancel my subscription to sky until they are all gone

  3. chal reddy says:

    As the wicket keeper for pakistan he should keep the wickets and also the honor of a nation

  4. Ahmed L says:

    Can someone tell me, what happen to Sohail Tanweer???

  5. Waqas Mirza says:

    Cricket is a mania in this region.This is injected by a only professional among eleven known as “keeper”.
    He is the one who shouts during a battle to encouage the players and boost up for thier morals.
    Unfortunately,by political inclusion in our cricket we can’t provide chance others than AKMAL.He just thought himself in the match due to which players looked untidy or felt relax in crucial period of matches.

  6. Waqas Mirza says:

    Wicket-Keeper is a person who stays alive other team members by encouraging them.If his performance
    is not uptodate then, how will he boost moral of other players?

  7. Ajaz Rahmatullah says:

    Salman Butt should lead the team as a fighting leader and open the innings instead of chicken out.Yasir Hameed should come as one down.Sarfraz Ahmed should be brought back as Keeper who is a better keeper and batsman than Kamran Akmal.
    Give an opportunaty to players on merit and not on influence or favouritism.MohsinHasan Khan ,Ijaz Butt and Yawar Saeed should be immediately releived from PCB before they further destroy Pakistan Cricket by their dictatorial decisions.

  8. Jawaid Hasan says:

    It has become a common concern to all cricket lovers that Kamran Akmal should be releaved from international cricket. He has caused so much embarrasments to the country by dropping easy catches on crutial moments. I suggest he should rest now.

  9. dr muhammad khaleel siddiqui says:

    Pakistan cricket teams is doing the same mistake again and again , and never admitting or correcting, believing and trusting the same kind of mental blocks repeatedly and repeatedly producing bad results, selecting wrong individuals and groups for a task and regretting as usual, crossed bat techniques are applied where a simple straight bat push could be more effective,specialist keepers are ignored at the cost of better batsman cum mediocre wicket keeper, provinces are favored in selection and merit is ignored, heroes are pushed to retire and menows are sent to defend the pride.
    Same old trends follows again and again.

  10. BringThemIn says:

    Here is should be test team (based of performance)

    Khurrum Manzorr (70 runs not out in last inning against Australia in Australia, very good domestic season)
    Fawad Alam (Scored 168 runs as an opener in his first test inning but he was demoted to number 6 in next test, he contained average of 56 in domestic, excellent fielder and team player)
    Younis Khan (by default)
    Mohd Yusuf (By Default)
    Yasir Hamid (excellent record as same as Asim Kamal)
    Asim Kamal (scored 9 fifties in 12 matches, what else need it? )
    Sarfraz Ahmed (WC) (Best wicket keeper behind the stump, he is also contained good batting record)
    Raza Hasan (OF Spinner)
    Mohd Amir (BY default)
    Asif (By Default)
    Omar Gul (need to watch)
    Tanweer Ali (97 wickets in 10 matches in Quaid-e-azam trophy, best bowler of the trophy this year)

    There is a tie btw yasir hamid and asim kamal, who ever perform well should in the team.
    they can replace any other injured or out of batsman. But we should this team support as we did for Akmal Brother, Malik, Afridi, Umar Amin, Azhar Ali and in past Misba. they did not perform well but they always in the team

  11. shuaib says:

    Keeper…important….nay. What are couple of drop catches and missed stumping chances between friends. Remember keeper, shoaib Malik and captain are part of the group who took an oath on Quran to stand by each other. Mark my words, as long as this group is at the helm of affairs, Fawad Alam does not stand a chance.
    cheers

  12. david says:

    chill out friends let us see what happens in second test match
    Pakistan team also needs a good psychiatrist what credentials does waqar younis have as a coach and ejaz ahmed being a batting coach is shame on all batting coaches of world.
    bye

  13. Spin King says:

    What a policy is this that the top spinner drop and relived from the duty immediately after one unsuccessful test match…and the wicket keeper who is the main cause of the defeat in the past several matches still holds the place. LOL!!!

  14. KickHimOut says:

    Kamran has a world record of dropping catches. He dropped more chances than he had taken. remove him out from all type of cricket. His brother also start following him. Umar Akmal did not score in his last eight innings. WHO IS SUPPORTING BOTH BROTHERS?????

  15. Truth says:

    Who is behind Kamran Akmal?
    Find him, impeach him and kick him out from the PCB forever.
    He is also very active in grouping. Kamran should replace by Sarfraz Ahmed. Omar Akmal should replace by Khalid Latif. Shaib Malik should replace by Asim Kamal. Azhar Ali should replace by Yasir Hamid. Imran Farhat should be replace by Khurrum Manzoor.

  16. waqas says:

    I dont know how Muhammad Yousuf can join the team because he had not make an appeal against his indefinate ban, he announce his retirment how could he join the team unless he is clear from his allegations.

    If Kamran Akmal had not dropped catches and missed stump chances the situation would have been different,he should axed from the team as he is a not consistent batsmen so he should not also be selected as batsmen only.

    The board was preparing Sarfraz Ahmed as backup of Kamran Akmal but now his is also ignore I dont know what these people has in mind.

    • Arshad J. says:

      You are right, but every thing is screwed up by Mr. B. Kamran Akmal should only play in ODI and T20s. As far as Yousaf is concern, PCB has no choice and along wit that it should recall Younis. Mr. B should stop interfering in selection committee’s matters. He only played couple of Tests and that also he was selected on SAFARASH. He does not know management.

    • Nyati says:

      You do have a point, but we do need the experience of the likes of Yusuf and Yunus.
      Better to drop the bygones than humiliate ourselves.

  17. RashidMoinSalimDujonGilschrist says:

    I was watching old videos of pakistan cricket team against australia, west indies and saw how rashid latif, moin khan were keeping behind the wickets and taking catches onto first slip.
    AND
    Kamran akmal drops catches which comes directly into his gloves. Those players whose catches he drops, go on to make fifties or hundreds, it costs alot to Pakistan and we eventually lose.

    It would have been a different story if Kamran Akmal scored consistently….hence no reason for him to be part of the team.

    Also Sifarshi Malik, Umer akmal should be side lined and only included in 20-20…

    Thanks

    • kamal Beg says:

      I totally agree that Malik and both the Akmal brothers should be side lined. In my eyes Pakistan has to make 4 changes for the second test against England.

      They should replace Danish, Malik, Umar Akmal and Kamran Akmal with Raza Hasan, Zulqarnain haider, Yousuf and anybody but Malik.

  18. Naeem Husain says:

    I agree with Mr. M.Aejaz one hundred percent. But why axed Kaneria? It was the batting that failed. Pakistan has no problem in the bowling department. Insated of axing Kaneria the wise guys in the selection committe should have send back all recognized bastmen back to Pakistn for not performing to the test standard. Why make Kaneria a scape goat all the? Kamaran Akmal killed Kanaria’s cricket by dropping catches and stumping chances. Period! I am amaze that theBoard and incompetent selectors just cannot see that picture clearly and yet they determine to to point finger on one poor hard working minority player who is give more than his fellow player particularly bastsmen. Pakistan need selectors who posses a quality of judgment and can perform a fair selection with no preference. Just the talent. Pakistan is full of talented cricketers give chance to the talented one regardless their ethnic background. Get rid of these so called selectors. Kaneria is being criticised for giving away 171 runs for 1 wicket. But what about the bastmen who combindingly cannot produce 171 runs for Pakistan. Think about it.

  19. irtizz khan says:

    mr mir jafar of cricket let me know to the public whether selection of raza hasan and yousuf is on merit? answer again no, this is only favorism, chief selector has no character of acceptence of such selection, if he has selected to come forward on media defend yousuf, why such player is selected one time has left cricket and join icl then board has beared expenses to release from icl, again he has shown retirement from cricket, one time he claims i will never play cricket ramzan, now in entire ramzan he will be at england for cricket, mr yousuf, has shown characterless acitivities i m openion selection of yousuf is totally against the merit as he is out of cricket from six month, only one man man of crisis mr l;younus khan was deserve for selection unfortunate he does not belong from his party or affiliation

  20. AMK Canada says:

    It is interesting that all of us have forgotten a fine ALL ROUNDER Mr. HAMMAD – he played in under 19 cricket championship. What a performance by him, especially with the bat – immaculate. Check it out.

    If the Akmal’s, Shoaib, Omar Amin and Azghar Ali and the likes of it have been given a chance more than once and still perform dismally, why not give this fine tall well built with a successful proven track performance at least once? I believe he was included in one of the squads after but never a chance to play and now I do not see his name anywhere since. He was praised for his performance by all of the reputable commentators and we were convinced and happy to know that Pakistan has found another young and budding Talent like the quick left arm bowler Mr. Amir.

    It goes without saying, at the end of the day in Pakistan ‘it is not what you know, it is who you know’.

    I urge all those poor performers to come out openly just like Afridi and step aside and make room for pure TALENT to save Pakistan’s respect in the world of Cricket! Of, Yes, BTW, this should include MR. IJAZ BUTT, he should definitely BUTT out once and for all. Also, after the BUTT exists, make sure we do not get another such duplicate or a CLONE!

    BTW – do not despair, there is good news, today, every other Cricket Team in the world would like to play Pakistan ASAP, because if any world record which needs to be created, it is easily possible – play Pakistan Cricket Team – Shame on Us!

  21. shaoib says:

    First and only step need of time, is

    Fire the PCD Chairman Mr. Ijaz Butt immediately

    • Waseem says:

      Yes you are right if young blood is needed it should be brought into the PCB management :) By the way who will fire mr. Butt???????

  22. Naeem says:

    Making K Akmal a vice-capt was a silly choice, considering his form in Oz just a few months back…..he deserves to be rested or dropped having cost us crucial moments in the last 6 months.

    With regards to Kaneria, after the 2005/6 season he’s never looked too potent. Agreed he could have had more wickets in Oz if it were not for Akmal and possibly 1 guaranteed in the 1st Inns, but his overall bowling (length and penetration) didn’t suggest more chances would be coming his way in the 3 tests this summer.

    If you compare him with another top class spinner, none of them has played the amount of games in county cricket like he has for Essex in the last few years. Technically you become a little lazy, as you compensate your natural technique for additional/necessary workload – he hasn’t kept fresh or helped himself.

    Having played in England for so many years, he didn’t show any of that experience in a relatively inexperienced line-up…….Akmal hasn’t helped but isn’t the main downfall for Kaneria as a potent bowler.

    Younis has clearly not apologised to Ijaz Butt, in a country, where power is everything….i’m not sure what Younis is trying to achieve? Though he might be making an honourable stand but to what end…….in a country where nepotism is rife, surely, saying ‘sorry shouldn’t be the hardest words’.

    • saad says:

      In my opinion, I do agree with Naeem, kamran akmal is not performing well since long and due to his bad performance results are there, I cannot understand why he is there as we have some very good and young wicket keeper but due to politics kamran akmal is still in team, why we are not including another wicket keeper and give them chance to play test cricket , one day finally we have to call new wicket keeper, if we need replacement we can not bring another wicket keeper overnight, my suggestion is to replace kamran akmal immediately due to his poor performance, as merit is the only qualification to be in the team, we should be fair to play a game .

  23. Mansoor Ali Khan says:

    i think Kamran Akmal is not good for test cricket. he should be a part of team in limited overs cricket he did well in that but for test matches we should find a good keeper whose first pirority is to do well behind the stumps and bat as well.. dont go far just look at the performance of england keeper his hundred prove vital in the 2nd innings and we cant deny the fact that these days we need a keeper who can bat as well and bat well too but first he should be a good keeper.
    and we also missed the senior trio Yousuf Younis and even Misbah. inclusion of these three makes the team strong. i hope our cricket management thinks about the country not about their benefits.

  24. Naeem says:

    Not playing Test cricket (whether home or abroad) is very limiting especially when hoping compete abroad and against a settled and well drilled side like England.

    With the Oz fiasco and punishments not being thought out, we have barred our best batsman and not examined the reason for failure. Akmal’s Test career should have been addressed after that debacle, yet we’ve found him not only still playing but also a vice-captain! Again, in this Test match he dropped vital catches which was duly punished by a 200 run partnership and made it an uphill task from then on……

    We ask so much of our bowlers to bat and ball, yet we never expect the same from our batsman or fielders?

    I’m in favour of changing the old guard and injecting youth, but the question has to be asked whether you can compete with such a strong Test side like Eng with such an inexperience middle order and at what risk……4-0 or 3-0 drubbing could mentally scare the young players for future assignments? One of the two Ys needs to be brought back and Kaneria’s position needs to be reconsidered.

    I fear the Pak changes will only be considered after the 2nd test…..

  25. kamran khan says:

    “GOOD NEWS for Pakistan”

    My age is 27, through my life i never heard this news.
    I don’t know how and why we are here in this world.

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