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Credit Aussies, But Mistakes Were Made
By Tabrez Janjua for Stani Army in Pakistan Cricket
47 ViewsPakistan’s Twenty20 World Cup semi-final loss took Australia’s domination over Pakistan to 12 wins in a row in all formats. Whilst a lot of credit must be given to the Australians for their performance in the semi-final, I disagree with Pakistan Coach Waqar Younis who said “I don’t think we went wrong anywhere. We did a good job, but you’ve just got to give credit to the Australians….I thought we bowled pretty well”. I know that it is our batsmen that usually lose us games and not our bowlers, so we cannot be too critical of them. But some of the bowling in defending 191 in the semi-final was brainless. Even up until the last four overs, just two reasonable overs from four would have made it almost impossible for Australia to come back from and win the game. Yet both Aamer and Ajmal were guilty of bowling the wrong line and far too short. Saeed Ajmal was trusted for the last over as he had done a very good job when Pakistan were in a similar situation in the game against South Africa. Ajmal thought he’d proceed in doing the same thing whilst failing to realise he was bowling to Michael Hussey. Short, and to middle and leg, Hussey just picked him off for sixes. Ajmal should have realised after his first delivery to Hussey that the way to go was full and wide to the off side, but that would have meant thinking for himself.
In general, Pakistan did not deserve to retain the World Cup even if they had squeezed into the semi-finals. Every team had either stayed at the same level from last time or improved, apart from us and maybe India. A major part of this was the loss to injury of Umar Gul before the tournament, leaving the pace department really weak. The performances of Abdul Razzaq with the ball, and Mohammed Sami did nothing to soften the blow from the loss of Gul. Razzaq started off the short and slow six balls from the beginning of the innings and was frustratingly poor, ending up giving 22 runs of just two overs. I think it is time up for both him and Sami.
With their run of defeats against the Australians, and the manner of the latest defeat, Pakistan will be left mentally scarred for some time to come. But they must show the positiveness they showed in their semi-final batting, and not fear the Australians but emulate them.
Hats off to Hussey, Mr Bevan+
Michael Hussey: Six machine
And now to give credit where it’s due: if there ever was a batsman in an innings who looked like he could do what ever he wanted, it was Hussey in the semi-final. Each time it got critical and he needed a six, he got it. His batting manner very much reminds me of Michael Bevan, though Bevan didn’t hit as many big boundaries. Credit must also go to Cameron White. Without his innings, Hussey’s improbable task would have been made an impossible one. White dragged Australia back into the game and Hussey duly finished it off as Mr Cricket showed us that he was also Mr Six-at-will.
Shane Watson’s Woes
By now you may be getting the impression that I don’t like this guy, and you’d be right. His swearing, and constant moaning at the umpires when he himself was bowling wides was really irritating. Watson has a history of behaving like a petulant child of course. How people see him as an all-rounder I do not know. His bowling was found out, quite beautifully, by England in the final, and soon, his batting will be too. The most pleasing thing was when he was knocked over by Haddin when they both went for the same catch. Forget picking him up, Haddin did not even look back at him so it just proves that not even his team mates like him. Watson needs to appreciate how fortunate he is. People like him need to be called to account so that the game does not slowly slip towards one where officials and players are pressured, abused and disrespected.
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May 18th, 2010 at 10:03 pm
Stani
Yes mistakes were made and it is also true that the way Hussey was batting at that moment it seemed as if he was possesed by some super natural spirit and nothing could overcome him.
I think that Afridi’s captaincy through out the tournament was poor his lack of trust in some players crippled Pakistan team.
I always say that anyone can become wise after seeing the results so it would be unfair to say that anybody else instead of Ajmal would have been a better option in the last over, but what surprised me the most was that Afridi who walks up to a every bowler after every delivery was no where to be seen when both of his ace bowlers were getting spanked, clearly shows he mentally lost it at that stage thoughts of fear of losing the match and anguish for his bowlers overtook his brain. He should have slowed down the proceedings by calling a team meeting and should have tried to slow down the momentum.
The true leader lifts up the morale of his team mates after a loss or when the chips are down, Afridi didn’t do any of those things, he was quick to point finger at Ajmal for the loss in the post match interview, before the last over was bowled Ajmal was the best bowler for Pakistan in that match and in the whole tournament for Pakistan, you have to give confidence to your players so that they don’t suffer emotionally.
But you look at Afridi’s whole domestic career as a captain he quickly becomes aloof after the loss there were many tactical errors made by him through out the tournament and Pakistan were lucky to reach the semi finals.
He is again publicly demanding to axe some senior players which is wrong. We played Sami, Fawad, Lateef these guys were Afridi’s most trust worthy guys what was their performance why is he not talking about them obviously he is trying to get Misbah and Razzaq axed from the team. So if based on this tournament we are going to axe Razzaq then what about Asif? He wasn’t even considered good enough to be in the team. And by the way which Pakistani bowler didn’t get punished?
I think if we kept on axing players after every series we very soon will not be able to field 11 players on the ground. I know Misbah and Razzaq have approached time of retirement but show me their replacement first.
From the first day in the tournament Afridi was reluctant to use Razzaq, why? Didn’t Mitchel Johnson, Dirk Nannes, Zaheer Khan, Dale Steyn and several other good fast bowlers got spanked in a couple of matches.
The problem with Afridi is that he is too Afraid to lose therefore he doesn’t trust his players, take an example of Sami, I can assure you if YK or Malik were leading the team Sami and Asif would have played in more consistently, Afridi couldn’t handle these bowlers he didn’t knew how to handle his bowlers.
This is the main reason he has never been able to beat Sialkot Stallions in RBS t20 because he doesn’t have the leadership in him.
May 18th, 2010 at 11:56 pm
Wasim
Afridi made too many mistakes in the tournament to analyse completely. Seems to me that our captain, and players for that matter, seem much more child-like and irresponsible than the captain and players of the other sides. I honestly cannot think of another captain that would clap and encourage his player after he had dropped a catch. I haven’t been impressed with Waqar’s body language and utterances, whilst Ijaz has hardly been seen, and even less heard.
Afridi did get criticised by one of the commentators for walking up to the bowlers at every delivery. When that happened, my immediate response was no, he’s doing the right thing because that’s what our lot need, someone in their ear. As you mentioned, it proved to be correct as he stopped doing it for some reason for those crucial semi-final overs. I agree with you, the situation got the best of him, as it did with Ajmal in the last over. He is still a class bowler, I must stress. He says he’s heartbroken but this experience will make him stronger and better.
I don’t think Asif was given a fair chance. He should have been picked from the start. We do not have any better to replace Misbah at the moment and Razzaq should stop bowling in my opinion. He’s slowed too much yet still bowls the length he did when he was faster and is now getting spanked. He should concentrate on his batting.
Generally, we were chopping and changing far too much throughout the tournament for my liking. We should have been the ones more ready and settled than anyone since we had no players in the IPL but it seemed we were the opposite. I think England kept the same team all the way through apart from bringing in Bopara when Pietersen went home for his new-born. They even left out Anderson, their best bowler, and persisted with Siodebottom when he had a few bad overs.
May 19th, 2010 at 7:24 am
Actually Watson was trash all tournament.
May 19th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
Vim
From a purely cricketing standpoint, he is highly over-rated in my opinion. How he opens the batting is beyond me. It was only because Phil Hughes had a bad time of it in England, where he was bounced and swung out on seam friendly conditions, that Watson got his opportunity. His bowling has no cunning or variation to it and his batting is full of lucky breaks. He will soon be found out.
As for his behaviour; I remember his parents clapping in the stands when he score a century against Pakistan when they were on their recent tour of Australia. I can’t help thinking how embarrassed they must feel watching every time he behaves like a spoilt child on the field. What he did against West Indies when he dismissed Gayle I think it was, was just shameful for a grown man.
May 20th, 2010 at 7:30 pm
An interesting post over on Well Pitched.
http://www.wellpitched.com/2010/05/which-was-most-painful.html
I think its between the last two!
May 21st, 2010 at 4:10 pm
Cricket Bats
Yes, I think you’re right. I know SledgHammer rightly raised the issue of the most recent ones being more fresh but I think it’s one of them. The Australian Semi-final may just pip it for me. It was draining and depressing. I still can’t believe it.
May 24th, 2010 at 3:25 pm
Look on the bright side, it is probably the best game of 20/20 ever!
May 25th, 2010 at 6:24 pm
Yep, and there had to be a loser I guess. Just a bit miffed why it is Pakistan that tends to be the one propping up theses records and great achievements most of the time.