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Unity and depth

Osman Samiuddin marks Pakistan out of ten

Osman Samiuddin
Osman Samiuddin
02-Feb-2006
A second successive home series win and another one over a team ranked second in the ICC Test table. By winning in Karachi without the services of Inzamam-ul-Haq, Pakistan beat India for the first time in a full series since 1987, and did so with the type of spirit and unity that has characterised this side under Bob Woolmer. With players like Faisal Iqbal and Mohammad Asif playing crucial roles, the series also highlighted the depth of talent within the Pakistan squad at the moment.


Mohammad Asif castles Sachin Tendulkar as Pakistan close in on victory at Karachi © AFP
9.5 Younis Khan
If it's India, it must be Younis. Over 500 runs again, two big hundreds, two fifties and captained his side astutely for the Karachi win. Loses a half a point for dropping a catch and getting out first ball on a seaming pitch but otherwise, more than anyone else, Younis demoralised the Indians with his running (and clapping) and hardly looked like relenting.
9 Mohammad Asif
In Karachi, Asif produced as incisive a spell of seam bowling as has been seen in Pakistan for some time, moving the ball in, out, up, down and working out the cream of the Indian top-order. Additionally, he bowled long spells and rarely flagged for pace and, crucially, his accuracy, which helped in Faisalabad. It's been said for two months that he is the most improved pace bowler in Pakistan; we know it now.
9 Kamran Akmal
If his centuries against England and India at Lahore (incidentally, the fastest by a wicketkeeper batsman) were special then how do we classify his epic at Karachi? Simply, it will rank as one of the best seen in this country. Dropped a catch but was more than efficient otherwise and did also open and score a fifty. Seriously, seriously special.
8.5 Abdul Razzaq
He gave, in Karachi, the most influential Test performance of his career, reminding everyone that some time ago, he was one the most promising allrounders on the scene. He took big wickets, scored runs when they were really needed and was a strong claimant for the match award. After a couple of indifferent years, this could be the boost his career needs.
8 Mohammad Yousuf
Scored runs for fun at most times and was as responsible as Younis for deflating the Indians. His form here, and against England, suggests the impending responsibility of being the team's most senior batsman is sinking in.
8 Shahid Afridi
Mr. Consistency? As scary as it sounds Afridi, with over 300 runs, two centuries and a fifty, was a model of efficiency. Naturally, with a strike rate of 121, his efficiency inhabited a different plane to the rest of the world.
7.5 Inzamam-ul-Haq
A low-key series as dead pitches and a bad back confined his role and influence. A typically controlled century at Faisalabad, notable for his battle with his own fitness rather than the Indian bowlers in the second half of it. But his back will be closely monitored from now till the World Cup in 2007.
7.5 Faisal Iqbal
The third coming and, hopefully, one that will seal his place in the squad. He was talented we knew and all the beauty of his backfoot game was on display in his important maiden Test century at Karachi. The timing of his knock, with Inzamam's back trouble likely to leave a middle-order gap often enough, is pretty good too.
6 Shoaib Akhtar
Will curse the wickets he was given but still managed to put in a couple of vicious spells. Didn't have the results to show but at key moments, as in Faisalabad and the start of both Indian innings at Karachi, he rattled the Indians. And, whisper it, but he's now played six Tests in a row without breaking down.
5.5 Imran Farhat
Worked his way back into national reckoning as an opener after a year out, and managed to impress with a fifty in the second innings at Karachi. But his dismissal to loose shots in both knocks also highlights why he was dropped in the first place.
5 Shoaib Malik
Truncated series leaves the question of his potential as opener still unanswered. Scored a fifty at Lahore where others hammered hundreds but, with Farhat back on the scene, competition is heating up.
4.5 Salman Butt
Hugely disappointing series on such flat tracks, with one fifty, an average of 24 and numerous loose dismissals. Sri Lanka will be an important series for him.
4.5 Danish Kaneria
The first series in a year and a half where Kaneria hasn't played a major part. Bowled a tight spell to Dravid and Laxman in Faisalabad, and wasn't needed in Karachi.
3 Mohammad Sami and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan
To differing extents both men have been overshadowed by Asif. While Sami's dropping may be longer-term Rana, on the back of the England series, is still likely to play as a third seamer when needed. But that both men are on the sidelines highlights just how rich Pakistan's pace-bowling resources are at the moment.

Osman Samiuddin is Pakistan editor of Cricinfo