Akmal, The Crisis Man

[Mr. Wicket]

Bumps' date=' there's stats and then there's stuff beyond stats. Who cares if Akmal is rubbish beyond the subcontinent? In the marquee series that matters, he is Pakistan's Sehwag and Kumble rolled into one.[/quote'] But could part of that be due to the fact that Akmal will always do well in India/Pak series, because tests between the two are almost always played in locations where tracks are fairly placid and batsman-friendly for the most part? I'm not denying that his record against India is very good, but I suspect that would change if India/Pak games were contested in conditions that were a bit more bowler-friendly. [For that matter, the most bowler-friendly tracks I've seen in recent India/Pakistan series were at Lahore in 2004, and at Delhi last week. At Lahore, Akmal made 5. At Delhi, Akmal made 30 and 21. Give him tracks that suit his game, and he'll deliver. Don't, and he can't adapt.]

[MundaPakistani]

But could part of that be due to the fact that Akmal will always do well in India/Pak series, because tests between the two are almost always played in locations where tracks are fairly placid and batsman-friendly for the most part? I'm not denying that his record against India is very good, but I suspect that would change if India/Pak games were contested in conditions that were a bit more bowler-friendly. [For that matter, the most bowler-friendly tracks I've seen in recent India/Pakistan series were at Lahore in 2004, and at Delhi last week. At Lahore, Akmal made 5. At Delhi, Akmal made 30 and 21. Give him tracks that suit his game, and he'll deliver. Don't, and he can't adapt.]

Karachi 2006.

[Mr. Wicket]

Karachi provided a pitch that aided the new ball early on, and did little more. At Lahore, there was often something in it for the seamers. At Delhi, the swing/seam bowlers benefited early, and then there was a fair bit later in the game for spinners. In Karachi, the ball did a fair bit when new and then batting became a lot more facile as the game went on. Seeing off the new ball was the only thing of note in that game - something Pakistan did very well in the second innings. Both India and Pakistan got poor starts in the first innings and ended up making fairly moderate totals. In I2, Pakistan had an excellent opening stand that let their middle order build on it in much more placid conditions where the ball did little. In India's second dig, they again started poorly losing 3-4 wickets to the new ball (as they did in the first dig) - which is what hurt them. Karachi was bowler friendly compared to the two wickets served up before that in the series... but that's about it.