With the backdrop of yet another Pakistani success in UAE, PakPassion.net spoke with Basit Ali, the former Test cricketer from Karachi, to discuss what had gone right for the team in this series.

 by Suliman Baig

27 October 2011

 

Pakistan's continuing good form which has now been reinforced with comprehensive Test/ODI/T20I victories in UAE, is drawing plaudits from most experts of the game. 

 With the backdrop of yet another Pakistani success in UAE, PakPassion.net spoke with Basit Ali, the former Test cricketer from Karachi, to discuss what had gone right for the team in this series.

 Basit gave a lot of credit to the Pakistani captain, Misbah-ul-Haq, for bringing the team together during a testing time period. “All the credit must be given to Misbah. He has been performing very well - Misbah has brought the team together. He's made the senior players feel comfortable and the unity is the main reason for the success of the team in all the formats. Misbah is a very straight forwarded person and that's the sort of leader the Pakistani team needs right now.”

 Overall the series against Sri Lanka was filled with positives, but there were a couple of players that really struggled to make a mark. Shoaib Malik and Abul Razzaq, making a return to the team after some time, failed throughout the series. The two were once considered by many to be vital members of the limited overs team but their dip in form and perhaps even the loss of some ability has raised questions about their inclusion in the team. Basit, however, is not ready to give up on these players yet. “Pakistan does not have an all rounder that is ready to replace Abdul Razzaq yet. We don't have an automatic replacement for Adul Razzaq” said Basit. 

 Shoaib Malik also failed to impress the fans and critics alike. He struggled at the crease in all of his innings and looked fairly out of form. Many questions were raised when he was given a spot in ODI team ahead of young players like Asad Shafiq. But Basit Ali believes that Shoaib Malik can prove his doubters wrong once again. “Shoaib is a quality player. He seems to be really low on confidence right now but that can all change with one good innings. I believe he'll be back to his best form if he is persisted with. Pakistan must persevere with Shoaib Malik”.

The question still remains as to how long a run the captain and coach are willing to give to a struggling player, whilst young players wait for their turn on the bench. 

 Basit also spoke highly of the immensely talented yet inconsistent Umar Akmal. Umar was not selected for the Test team against Sri Lanka because the coaches wanted him to learn from his mistakes. He came into the ODI team and delivered a mixed bag of results. Once again, he showed his immense ability but continued to make the same mistakes at crucial points. Basit, for his part, remains positive about Umar's future. “Players like Umar Akmal need a lot of confidence to get going. I think he needs to bat up the order because he has all the shots in the book to succeed. Ideally, I'd like to see him bat at number three with Younis Khan and would like Misbah to come in after him.” While many question Umar's ability to adjust to the longer form of the game, Basit remains confident. “I think Umar Akmal needs to be in the Test team as well because he has the talent. All he needs is a boost in confidence.”

 Pakistan's spin bowlers were outstanding throughout the series, with Saeed Ajmal leading the way. Saeed confused the Sri Lankan batsmen throughout the matches and climbed his way to the top of the ICC bowlers' rankings in ODIs. Basit Ali was pleased by Ajmal's performance. “I have always rated him very highly. He has been a great bowler for the past couple of years. I'd like to congratulate him on his achievement and am genuinely happy to see him succeed. He's a quality bowler and will do well in the future as well.” 

 Pakistan will leave the UAE and head to Bangladesh for an extended tour. The national selectors have decided to retain the winning squad from the Sri Lanka series for the tour of Bangladesh. Many saw this tour as an ideal time to test young players but Basit differs from those views. “I think that the squad picked for Bangladesh is a good one. It's very important to have a combination of youngsters and senior players. Pakistan need to win the series so they can continue to climb in the rankings. A combination of youth and experience gives you the best opportunity to win. We can't have a team full of young players because they need guidance from senior players.” Although Basit seemed satisfied with the squad selection, he mentions name of two young players who could have been chosen. “Raza Hassan and Bilawal Bhatti are two young players that could have been tested. It's a fine squad overall but those are two additions that could have been made.”

 

Pakistan commence their tour of Bangladesh with a T20I game on 29th November, 2011.