Pakistan played like they did not believe [merged]

[161]

Good article by Osman. He gets right to the heart of the matter - it was a total lack of self belief that lead to this unimaginable debacle.


Pakistan played like they did not believe

Never at any point did Pakistan believe they could win this Test and for that alone they deserved the sorry fate that befell them at the SCG

Osman Samiuddin at the SCG

Pakistan's grip on this Test was going the minute they took a 206-run lead in the first innings. This morning, with Australia effectively 80 for 8 they knew they had lost it. Hollywood rehab clinics have fewer mental frailties than this side.

Like in Melbourne last week, never at any point did Pakistan believe they could win this Test and for that alone they deserved the sorry fate that befell them at the SCG. Publicly Australia spoke yesterday as if they could win this. Pakistan, publicly and privately, only wished they could win this.

The morning session was bizarre and instructive, possibly the worst session of leadership of a side in such a dominant position. Sides giving up 200-plus leads in Tests had only won five times ever after all. But Mohammad Yousuf thought Michael Hussey was Bradman and Peter Siddle that Bradman of tailenders, Jason Gillespie, and that Australia were 700 for 3. Effectively they were 80 for 8, Hussey had been dropped thrice and Pakistan began with eight men on the boundary. A more winning lost cause is difficult to conjure.

Yousuf has surprised people with his leadership here, but today was the worst of him; defensive, unimaginative, sluggish and unwilling to take risk. Inzamam-ul-Haq's beard is there and maybe the worst of his captaincy spirit was also floating around. From there, whatever the chase, the writing was being written on the wall.

And then nothing matters in these chases for Pakistan; people talk of flat pitches, overhead conditions, surviving the new ball and playing out the old. But the only thing that matters is that it's them. They could be chasing 90 on cement, with a tennis ball and in 45 degrees heat, but this batting line-up will find a way to get out for less. Who the opponent was didn't really matter. They were called Panickstan here once, long ago. A regurgitation is in order.

Three times this year they have done it - in Sri Lanka, in New Zealand and now. This will hurt the most because it isn't every day that you dominate Australia, any Australia side, for three days and lose on the last. Australia, any Australia side, still know how to win and more importantly they know how not to throw matches away. Their players are brought up doing it. Peter Siddle's innings is shining testament to that ethic. Pakistan's tail presents a sorry contrast. Pakistan know simply how to play well every now and again, not to win, or avoid losing. That might never come and if it does it will take time.

The Test was lost at many other stages and that is the wretchedness of Pakistan's cricket that they could've won it still. They should've shut out Australia with their first innings, instead batting like lemons and not posting an insurmountable lead. Yousuf keeps talking about how much Twenty20 cricket is destroying Pakistan's batsmen and with the kind of batting seen here - not least his own dismissals - it is a persuasive argument.

Kamran Akmal dropped the Test four times himself through the second innings. He has been better this last year but he should've been dropped a few years ago; if he keeps getting selected, there is every chance now and again this may happen. His batting was crucial in New Zealand, but it's been ill-judged here. Misbah-ul-Haq, Faisal Iqbal - should they really be in this line-up?

And yet still it boggles the mind. It will do for many days. Knowing all this, feeling all along that they may lose this, to see it play itself out as it did is deeply affecting. To watch such an implosion, from such a position, can break you. Who knows what living it can do. Still the question: how have they lost it? Everyone knows but nobody understands, least of all the side itself.

[Thank God It Is ME]

Very true!!! Pakistan had no conviction in their play if they can beat Austrelia. Mindset needs to be changed.

[Desire]

thats sums it up. there was no purpose in their play

[161]

Ian Chappel also offers up his criticism .. and he doesn't hold back !

http://www.cricinfo.com/talk/content...ia/442732.html

[90MPH]

What must they be thinking at Pakistan's defensive tactics.

The aggression and attacking style from Pakistan has simply disappeared.

[Desire]

Originally Posted by 90MPH What must they be thinking at Pakistan's defensive tactics. The aggression and attacking style from Pakistan has simply disappeared.

only imran khan made our team aggressive. The players who were around during imran's time were attacking and are all retired. so we are back to past.

[kamranO]

Originally Posted by Desire only imran khan made our team aggressive. The players who were around during imran's time were attacking and are all retired. so we are back to past.

THE AGRESSION START FROM ABDUL HAFEEZ KARDAR THEN IT GO TO FAZAL MEHMOOD KHAN SARFRAZ NAWAZ ALL THEY WERE LEGENDS THESE ARE SIMPLY RETARDED PEOPLE.

[RexRex]

A truly pathetic and spineless performance.

[shabbu1]

That was pretty much the decisive factor.

Fair enough there was some atrocious catching, particularly from Akmal which cost us a lot of runs, But...

When MoYo set out that horribly defensive field in the morning session, you could tell he didn't believe his team could bowl out a tailender, let alone win the test. I think this very well might of demoralized the quicks.

Such frailty of the mind! It was demoralizing to watch

[Savak]

Yousaf as captain has got to pay the price for this loss. His defensive captaincy has cost us the match, and pride as well. What is pissing me off is that he isnt even acknowledging his mistake. The man is a complete misfit for the job, just because we dont have any other clear cut options doesnt mean he should continue to lead, sorry. Appoint someone else who can learn.

Its been really shocking to see that since 2003, all the captains who came barring Younis Khan were just tactically not up to the task.

[ShehryarK]

Originally Posted by 90MPH Imran, Wasim, Waqar, Miandad... What must they be thinking at Pakistan's defensive tactics. The aggression and attacking style from Pakistan has simply disappeared.

Eh!??!

Waqar was there today.

He was part of the think-tank that came up with the tactics - they were adopted right from the word go ie were based on the official plan that the whole think tank designed last night and this morning. The tactics remained the same throughout the first session, despite many drinks breaks. They remained the same after Lunch too. Proven that they are ALL responsible - this wasn't something Yousuf dreamed up on the hoof on his own.

Hence, Waqar carries as much blame as Yousuf and Intikhab. And maybe more than Yousuf, since the coach is meant to be more "experienced" as compared to a novice (and maybe average) captain... and he also has more time on his hands to come up with tactics etc whilst the captain is busy in the minutae of the on-field stuff.

This thread is a lame joke.

[cricket_fever]

What was Waqar doing when Yusuf was planning on how to set his field? Did he not advice him?

The truth is clear, the ppl of the past are now history, what we have with us now is a retarded XI, what the future holds for us is still a mysteryyyy...

[Wazeeri]

Waqar was as unimiginative as Inzimam, Malik and Moyo. He was the first of the defensive captains after a line of aggressive men such as Imran, Miandad and Wasim.

[90MPH]

Originally Posted by ShehryarK Eh!??! Waqar was there today. He was part of the think-tank that came up with the tactics - they were adopted right from the word go ie were based on the official plan that the whole think tank designed last night and this morning. The tactics remained the same throughout the first session, despite many drinks breaks. They remained the same after Lunch too. Proven that they are ALL responsible - this wasn't something Yousuf dreamed up on the hoof on his own. Hence, Waqar carries as much blame as Yousuf and Intikhab. And maybe more than Yousuf, since the coach is meant to be more "experienced" as compared to a novice (and maybe average) captain... and he also has more time on his hands to come up with tactics etc whilst the captain is busy in the minutae of the on-field stuff. This thread is a lame joke.

Why on Earth should Waqar be blamed as much as Yousaf ?
His job is to coach the bowlers, not to keep telling the captain what to do.

I tell you what is a joke though - Its your constant defending of Yousaf. Its sickening.

[ShehryarK]

Originally Posted by 90MPH Its your constant defending of Yousaf. Its sickening.

Constant defending? Hardly. I have been critical of him whenever it has been warranted, today and many times prior too. He's no angel and as I have repeatedly said, on balance, is an average captain. You obviously need new glasses if you couldn't read that.

I just find the knee jerk party-baazi of most people on this forum bizarre - they are either in the YK camp, or (very few) in the MY camp, or (mostly) in the SKA camp. So whoever leads their camp, is a virtuous angel who can do no wrong and is the best thing since sliced bread... and everybody else, especially the one they perceive as a 'threat' to their camp, is Evil Personified.

This infantile gangsterism amongst Pakistani fans (many of whom are adults, sadly) would be funny if it wasn't so weird'! Why can't we support them all when they do well, and be critical of any and all when they don't? And if we are being critical, do it with decorum, decency and in a manner that reflects well on us and our country? Its not as if our shouting from rooftops or beating our chests like baboons will overnight transform Yousuf into Imran Khan, or Afridi into a decent Test player, or Younis into Michael Vaughan. It won't.