The team management will face a serious headache while picking the final eleven for the ODI matches. Unless Younis Khan wants to push the selection of a certain player the following players make to the final eleven.
1- Imran Nazir
2- Nasir Jamshed
3- Younis Khan
4- Mohammad Yousaf
5-Shoaib Malik/Misbah Ul Haq
6- Shahid Afridi
7-Kamran Akmal
8-Abdul Razzak
9- Umar GUL
10- Mohammad Aamer
11-Saeed Ajmal
I think Pakistan should give the opening combination of Nasir and Imran a longer run and should allow them to settle down, unless Younis Khan wants to push the selection of Fawad or Rana Naveed or wants to play both Misbah and Malik in a match the team composition will be as above.
I don’t think Rana Naveed can make any impact in a 50 over game, his bowling will be a burden and Pakistan doesn’t need his batting he might get a game at the end of the series in place of Razzaq but out of the two Razzaq will get preference. Unfortunately Unless Kamran Akmal opens with Imran Nazir there is no room for Fawad Alam, Younis won’t be able to drop Malik for Fawad. Fawad again will have to sit out and he might get a game only if the openers failed and Younis decided to open with Akmal. There is a tie between Misbah and Malik , I think Misbah is out of form and will be sitting on the bench through out the series.
The selection of this team will determine the courage of Younis Khan because if he tried to drop one of the openers to make room for Misbah it would expose his cowardice.
Younis whenever gets a chance he brags about how he want to emulate Imran Khan, but so far he is just trying, he hasn’t been bold enough on many occasions he needs to drop the under performing players regardless of their seniority and should support and guide youngsters.
Pakistan’s ODI team
Younis Khan (capt), Imran Nazir, Nasir Jamshed, Mohammad Yousuf, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal (wk), Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Aamer, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Abdul Razzaq, Umar Akmal, Fawad Alam, Rao Iftikhar Anjum
PCB is going to announce Misbah as the T20 captain so probably it will be hard for Younis to drop him, I guess Fawad and Umar Akmal will have to sit out the only way one of these guys can play if Saeed Ajmal is dropped which I think will be a stupid mistake, Pakistan do not need to go with four regular bowlers just to play some out of form batsmen( or dead woods as Ramiz calls them).
Why can’t these seniors be rested? I think Misbah Yousaf and Malik even Younis everybody should be made to sit out at least one match each and Fawad and Umar both should be given equal chances in their place.
SriLanka won the tour ODI match between SriLanka A and Pakistan by 15 runs batting first SriLanka scored 348 runs Pakistan in reply scored 333.
After this match Younis Khan’s selection problems have compounded even more, Umar Akmal scored a 76 ball century while batting at #8, Fawad Alam scored 85 off 95 balls, Misbah Ul Haq, Younis Khan and Kamran Akmal continued their miserable form scoring 16,17 and 7 respectively.
Both the new openers Imran Nazir and Nasir Jamshed scored ducks in their first match.
Misbah will have to make way for Yousaf and one of the openers will have to make way for Shoaib Malik.
Younis will also have to make room for Mohammad Aamer, Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal. Rao Iftikhar and Rana Naveed will not make it to the final eleven but it will be hard for Younis to drop Razzaq who took four wickets and also scored 56 runs off just 29 balls.The only way Younis can play Razzaq if he drops either one of the two Youngsters or Shoaib Malik, if Younis chose to drop Fawad or Umar it will be a great unjustice to those guys and might dishearten them, I think Shoaib Malik being an all rounder he should only be competing with Razzaq and Afridi both of whom are firmly holding to their place in the team.
1- Imran Nazir
2- Shoaib Malik
3- Younis Khan
4- Mohammad Yousaf
5-Umar Akmal/Fawad Alam
6-Shahid afridi
7-Kamran Akmal
8-Abdul Razzaq
9-Umar Gul
10- Mohammad Aamer
11-Saeed Ajmal
I would still want to give the openers another chance and allow them to settle down but if Younis plays both openers than he won’t be able to play Umar Akmal or Fawad. It’s a tough task for Younis hope he selects the team on merit and not on seniority.
Stani
Younis is trying to emulate Imran Khan he brags about it all the time but he is not following Imran’s most important trait as a captain nobody was indespensable for Imran, if you want to saty in the team you will have to deliver otherwise Imran wasn’t afraid to replace any senior with a newcomer.
Misbah is a good player I am not saying to drop him forever but he should be rested until he regains his form.
Stani
Kamran Akmal might open in place of Nasir Jamshed to make room for Misbah but I don’t think Razzak will be dropped for Rana, and honestly Razzaq is a better player and because of his performance in the T29 cup it will be extremely hard for Younis to drop him the only way Rana can make his way into the team if Razzq fails in the first two Odi’s.
But that’s my assumption you know nothing can be predicted about Pakistan team’s selection.
I would drop Jamshed from the starting eleven but only to squeeze both Misbah and Malik in. This way, Nazir and Akmal can open.
I would maybe even swap Razzaq with Rana yet I’m relatively happy with the team you suggested.