"The 3 T20Is in Karachi were nothing but a humiliating experience" : Fazeer Mohammed

[Abdullah719]

In his latest blog for PakPassion.net, Fazeer Mohammed writes about how the recently completed tour of Pakistan by the West Indies was nothing short of a humiliation for the visitors and why the West Indies can consider themselves lucky to have qualified for the 2019 World Cup.

With the very greatest respect and regard for the good people of Pakistan delighting over the return of official international cricket to Karachi and the manner in which they annihilated the West Indies, those three T20 Internationals were, from a Caribbean perspective, nothing but a humiliating experience, both for the way the matches themselves unfolded and for the surreptitious manner in which a team was put to together by a Cricket West Indies administration that has shown absolutely no regard whatsoever for whatever vestiges of pride and prestige are left in the team for which they are ultimately responsible.

I have actually given myself 24 hours from the third and final thrashing administered by Sarfaraz Ahmed’s men to calm down a bit and not come across as someone fixated narrow-mindedly with West Indian considerations. And of course it has to be considered that since lifting a second World T20 title so dramatically in Kolkata two years ago, Pakistan have comfortably had the measure of the champions, winning six of seven matches (three in the United Arab Emirates, four in the West Indies) before the three-in-a-row romp against a hapless side.

Still, the margin of the defeats – 143 runs, 83 runs and by eight wickets with more than three overs to spare – were depressingly one-sided, even if it afforded the tens of thousands of cricket-starved fans at the National Stadium almost non-stop celebration from the first match on April 1 to the finale on April 3, ironically, the same day of the triumph over England in 2016 at Eden Gardens courtesy of Carlos Brathwaite’s unforgettable four consecutive sixes off Ben Stokes in the last over of the final.

Brathwaite, now installed as the regular captain of the T20 team, wasn’t in Karachi along with many other prominent members of the squad who opted not to travel to Pakistan, no doubt still concerned about the security situation there.

Look, I know this is a matter that infuriates many Pakistani fans who may feel that these players are just a bunch of pampered cowards and that the incidents of violence in the country are few and far between and very much distant from the cricket environment. But you have to appreciate how these occasional attacks are presented in the Western media and how cricketers, many of them, will feel that they are financially secure enough not to have to take any risks in pursuit of the US$25,000 reportedly offered by CWI to players to participate in those Karachi matches.

This West Indies team skippered by Jason Mohammed is what we refer to in these parts as a “pick-up” side, meaning that you just take on board whoever happens to be standing in the way and available for the trip. As such, nothing can be read into the composition of the squad other than they were prepared to go given the financial incentive and at the urging of an administration required to fulfil a contractual obligation. No collection of players under the banner of the West Indies should ever be so constituted. Hopefully there will never be such an experience for Pakistan as well.

Add to that the fact that CWI said nothing about the three matches while the Pakistan Cricket Board were providing all the information leading up to the brief series and the abiding impression to Caribbean followers of the game was that this was almost a secretive operation.

While there have been many trials and travails over the past two decades, West Indians are still remembered for the flair, the brilliance and the supreme professionalism they once displayed as a matter of course on the field. That admiration extends from the Kashmir to Karachi and every other part of the cricketing world.

To see the team presumably representing the people of these tiny territories pulverised from pillar to post begs the question of the purpose of the exercise, other than to give Pakistani fans long-overdue cause for home celebration. At least there was much jubilation because the visitors didn’t offer much of a fight.

But then, that’s what sport is supposed to be – a contest. Those three matches at the National Stadium in Karachi certainly weren’t that.

In another matter, there is much relief throughout the region that the West Indies will be at the World Cup next year in England. Not celebration, just relief, because for the two-time World Cup winners to have to go through the qualification event in Zimbabwe was seen as hugely embarrassing here.

They made it, yes, but their performances were hardly convincing. In every single match there were periods of real struggle and of course in the critical fixture against Scotland, Jason Holder’s men benefited from a poor umpiring decision and then torrential rain to sneak a five-run win that confirmed World Cup qualification.

That unconvincing effort, which included three losses to Afghanistan (one in a warm-up match), leaves most West Indian fans with very little expectation for what is to come in just over a year’s time.

I’m glad I waited a day before writing this!

[MenInG]

Finally a WI pov without any extra sugar and candy!

[Markhor]

Strong words from Fazeer. WI may have fielded a weakened side but the manner of their abject capitulations reminded me of local village teams that've had one too many to drink on a Sunday afternoon.

[AFM]

One of my favorite writers and commentators. A fine successor to the late Tony Cozier.

And he is absolutely spot on. It must be so disheartening for the Caribbean folk to see iheir team in terminal decline for well over two decades now.

[Saj]

I read this imagining that I was listening to the wonderful voice of Fazeer.

I agree with him - imagine if that was the Pakistan side sent abroad to play international cricket and they lost like the Windies did - imagine the reaction.

[hadi123]

Wow. Strong words

[BunnyRabbit]

The team was put together in haste due to uncertainty of the tour even a week before the series.
Every team needs gelling to function properly as a unit. WI sadly didn't have that. In addition to that, no conditioning camp, jet lag and a new leader also added to the fact they were very poorly prepared for the series. Agreed with Fazeer, strong words, but everyone knows nothing will come out of it as has been the case of Windies for last 2 decades.

[kingusama92]

It's true.

If Pakistan was in WI's place, PP would have imploded by now.

[Asch Ali]

What’s more humiliating was that Pakistan’s squad wasn’t strong by any means.

We had 3 debutants, including one 17 year old. And at least 6 of our players in XI debuted within the last 12 months. So an extremely inexperience side

[Saj]

This from a team that did not lose a Test match for 10 years at home in a previous era - 10 years !

[MMHS]

This from a team that did not lose a Test match for 10 years at home in a previous era - 10 years !

And a home series for 21 years!!! Infact 1 series loss in NZ 1979 against 13 kiwis between 1975 to 1994!!!!

That’s the only team in history which had possession of both his me & away rubber against every Test team they played against.

[Syed1]

I read this imagining that I was listening to the wonderful voice of Fazeer.

I agree with him - imagine if that was the Pakistan side sent abroad to play international cricket and they lost like the Windies did - imagine the reaction.

That's the issue... the Pakistani public would be baying for blood, calling for heads to roll and everyone and their aunt to be fired.


I doubt we have the same reaction from the Windies public. Which means the WICB could keep farting and getting away with it.

[Saj]

That's the issue... the Pakistani public would be baying for blood, calling for heads to roll and everyone and their aunt to be fired.


I doubt we have the same reaction from the Windies public. Which means the WICB could keep farting and getting away with it.

Yes and this shows just how much Windies cricket has fallen over the years.

Such a sad state of affairs.

[Pakalulu]

At least the fans enjoyed every minute of the win.

But I agree with Fazeer.

[fawad_wellwisher]

It also shows how good the Pakistani players playing at home in conditions they are familiar with. Pakistan's ODI record would be much better if they are able to play matches at home.

[Saj]

At least the fans enjoyed every minute of the win.

But I agree with Fazeer.

Pakistani fans did.

I can't imagine the Windies fans enjoyed the experience too much.

[MenInG]

From a Pakistan point of view this was a success