Disturbing sign’s

Disturbing sign’s


They stretched SA to the last drop of their blood and would have won adulation and respect from their opponent even if they lost the test series, 1-2.

Is it the same team?

Not quite. Looking at their last years performances in ODI, format. One could see it coming. Shock and awe sessions started when they lost embarrassingly to their bitter rivals, India 1-4. England a very mediocre side in this version managed to lose by 2-3 and then returned the favor in Nat west trophy with a shock 3-1 win over Pakistan.

A comfortable home series against West-Indies, just delayed the inevitable. But a rude awakening before the World-Cup was their in store for them. After all they worked so hard and long for it so what’s the surprise if they are inspiring so many “Ooh,” “Ah” and “##%*”. “IODAX” is not the solution an eager sponsor maybe.

If one is ready to calm down that towering inferno building inside, and ready to look with respect the grocery and furniture in the house then maybe a little analysis will explain you the systematic disintegration and the gore.

Hidden tiger: sorry for messing up the title of the classic movie. A tiger crouched and hidden is supposed to numb you with its sudden ferocious appearance. To tighten the noose around the target lambs (openers) are fed to them. Having tasted blood hunted start assuming the role of hunter and when tiger does make an appearance it just manage to look like an overgrown lamb.

A second look at the tale will make you realize that “Tigers” have surrounded themselves with lambs so the enemy has whetted his blood thirst and when “Overgrown lambs” will make their appearance no bloody battles will be fought.

Even If you are too frustrated to go around the bush with Tiger and lambs, one can not still escape writing on the wall. They say “Gangrene has set in” to incurable. I call it “cowardice has set in” and its petty much incurable as well.

I can bat, I can bowl. Show me “Those” pitches I am ready to roll: Afridi and Razzak are dream come true for a defensive mind. Afridi has never bothered to prove his critics wrong but Razzak decline has been both disappointing and shocking. Equally disappointing (Not shocking) is the “Think tank” blind faith in them. Can we even call them all rounder’s.

Razzak performance with bowl is akin to a fire brigade van searching for water. Frustration is a meek expression and I have run out of them to describe Afridi batting.

So, can you take them for their batting or bowling alone? A thoughtful “Hmm” will be the answer rather then and a firm “Yes” or “No”.

“No” why? well, one in all probability and both on further calculation might find themselves in the final eleven. Not because there is a possible solution in store of their limited worth. But, thanks to the limited vision of our management. Such was the dedication and blind faith in these two that specialist were hardly considered though we have a bright spot in Abdur razzak. There is no hitter in sight to take care of late overs.

ODI’s are meant for batsman. We have a wonderful “Trio” but I dare say that on their current batting style, form, fitness (Inzy) they are more suited to slow pace of tests then furious pace of ODI. Someone has to take charge of fielding restriction in the Initial overs. Forget unleashing fury of runs on the opponent we unleash terror in the dressing room with a familiar 30 for 2.

Yes Razzak, has and can help us in those late overs but to accommodate him Malik has to go. Somewhere to fill holes in our batting our bowling has suffered. 4 specialist bowlers need to play. We leak too many runs and then try to chase them with half-baked batsman with disastrous results. Pakistan best chance is that two out of three strike bowlers Asif, Akhtar and Gul to remain fit and available.

A miracle will see all of them being available So that we can restrict the opposition. Batting is a serious concern here and I am not even talking about fielding. Shorter version of the game is increasingly becoming faster and modern. Our batting strategy and certain batsman look too old.

Thanks to our management we are too late to do something about it as they are still busy messing around the batting order. Our only decent chance is two openers who can play out initial overs with decent score. Number three has to be one of the “Tiger” assault must be planned for the old ball and at least one among our "visibility disabled" discover vision and god in time. Still we will have a decent chance and “Decent” here has been exaggerated.

Fight_club

Very well written exactly what I said its not just one ODI (this one) we have been staring down the barrel for quite a while and getting worse if anything else.

in 2003 before the world cup, pakistan had a similliar series against RSA, they continue again and maybe the results will be the same!

Till the day we understand that bits and pieces are not going to win us any major tournaments we will never be consistent.

how would you describe SA's bits and pieces players??

if the captain and the coach don't have a clue to how to use their bowlers, how to play batting order, when to place pressure and when to make the fielding changes .... then certainly even excellent players like Inzimam & Yousaf look oridinary ... very ordinary.

Contrary to popular belief, i think it was just one ODI. Our planning was lacking, bowling attack was depleted, and most of the players did look like deers caught in the headlight, but we shouldnt be too demoralized with the loss. This same team was doing very well about a year ago and i'm not counting them out of the WC. Just like players, teams also have 'bad patches'

I would definitely replace rana(cheif culprit today) and sami with gul and akhtar. Maybe replace younis & razzaq too. If there is someone to replace them.

we tied England 2-2. Didn't lose 1-3.

error is regretted. thanks for bringing it.

I think it is more a failure of the domestic structure and poor management by PCB . Pakistan does not have enough talent to compete against the best . While teams like South Africa and Australia rely on professionalism , discipline and a professional structure that breed new generation players , the Pakistani midset is still that of 70's and 80's where individual brilliance was relied on to get favourable results .. I think after Inzy is gone , there will be an even bigger lacuna and the under belly will be further exposed like never before