In our latest opinion piece, we focus on the star performers of the Asia Cup for Pakistan.

by Shayan Siddiqui (11th March 2014)

The Asia Cup Final may have been a disappointment for Pakistan, but it’s hard to argue that the best team didn’t win the tournament. Sri Lanka won every match they played and their match-winners came to the fore in the tight contests against India and Pakistan. They performed quite clinically in the Final and after Lasith Malinga’s opening burst on that pitch, it was always going to be a tough ask for Pakistan to come back and win.

Despite that loss though, there were plenty of positives for Pakistan, particularly in the batting department. In three quite significant run chases against the hosts, Sri Lanka and India, they succeeded twice which is certainly rare for a Pakistan team. Umar Akmal was probably the biggest revelation, producing some consistency to go with his enormous talent, as he finished the tournament with 253 runs at an average of 84.33. His 74 off 72 balls in the opening game against Sri Lanka almost pulled off an unlikely win, while his unbeaten century against Afghanistan rescued Pakistan from potential embarrassment. He hit the winning runs against Bangladesh as well as a quick fire 50 in the final, proving that he is capable of seeing the innings through until the end, something he has often been criticised for in the past. It’s up to Umar now to maintain that level of performance and continue to produce the sort of innings we all know he is capable of.

Not far behind Umar Akmal was Fawad Alam, whose return to the Pakistan team could hardly have gone any better. Fawad played just twice in the tournament, but scores of 74 off 70 balls and an unbeaten 114 off 134 balls should result in an extended run for the left-hander from Karachi. More impressive than the numbers though, was the manner in which he compiled his innings. The headlines may have been taken by a more illustrious colleague in the run chase against Bangladesh, but the way Fawad paced his innings to perfection left us in awe. It was something we hadn’t seen from a Pakistani middle-order batsman for a very long time, perhaps since the days of Inzamam, although Fawad certainly wins in terms of running between the wickets! A few days later, in the final, Fawad became only the fifth Pakistani player to score a century in an ODI batting at number 5. His partnership of 115 off 78 balls with Umar Akmal in that game was a joy to watch, with aggressive running interspersed with timing and eye-catching strokes. It may have been a glimpse of Pakistan’s future middle-order.

And how can we forget about Shahid Afridi? He had a quiet tournament with the ball (3 wickets at an average of 75), but he certainly broke all sound barriers with his remarkable batting against India and Bangladesh. He came in to bat against the arch-rivals with 46 needed off 39, which later became 9 off 3 with one wicket remaining. Two balls later, Afridi had written his name into India vs Pakistan cricketing folklore. No-one would have thought his 34 off 18 balls would be surpassed in the next game, but that’s exactly what happened as Afridi produced an even more stunning performance against Bangladesh. This time, he arrived at the crease with 102 needed from 52 balls, a required rate of almost 12 an over. Nine balls later, that required rate had dropped to 9.3 as Afridi smoked five of those deliveries over the boundary rope in a monstrous display of hitting. He fell for 59 off 25 balls, putting Pakistan within reach of their biggest ever run chase, and Fawad and Umar Akmal did the rest.

A mention must go to Mohammad Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad who both found form at various points in the tournament. Shehzad averaged over 45 with a century and a fifty to his name, while Hafeez’s 75 played a crucial part in Pakistan defeating India. Misbah was twice run out for 0 but also scored two important half centuries to prove that he’s still needed by his team, and Mohammad Talha impressed in his three games, picking up a couple of very important wickets against India. Saeed Ajmal was, of course, his usual brilliant self.

With the World T20 commencing in Bangladesh next week, some of the squad members have had some excellent experience going into the big tournament. However, looking even further ahead, this Asia Cup may mark a turning point for Pakistan. Their bowling has always been a strength – it may have its off days but it can generally be relied upon to deliver. It’s the batting that has been Pakistan’s Achilles Heel for as long as one can remember, particularly when chasing, but there were signs in this tournament that may change. Mohammad Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad performed well, but it was Umar Akmal and Fawad Alam that were the real revelation. That pair could do wonders in Pakistan’s middle order for years to come with both batsmen seemingly complementing each other perfectly. Plus, Shahid Afridi certainly isn’t going anywhere if he can keep hitting sixes for fun.

Has the run chasing conundrum been resolved? Let’s hope so.

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