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Progression Likely, Lots to Improve
By Tabrez Janjua for Stani Army in Pakistan Cricket
76 ViewsStrangely, there was a chance that Pakistan, the World Champions, could have been out of the tournament just 24 hours into their defence. But a relatively comfortable win against Bangladesh has erased that fear. Barring an unexpected win for Bangladesh over Australia, Pakistan can now look forward to the super-eight stages of the competition but with a lot of improvements to make.
Though the openers did very well against Bangladesh, they became unstuck against Australia, who look like a force to be reckoned with having got their selection right this time around. Salman Butt played a nice knock in the first game but, and there’s always a but with Salman, he let himself down when it really mattered. It’s fine to do well against Bangladesh but his poor innings against Australia, a game in which Butt-er fingers also dropped catch, has made his Bangladesh innings pretty much insignificant in my eyes. The question mark is still there; will Butt deliver with the bat when it’s really needed? I’ve certainly given up on him ever improving his fielding. I just feel Imran Nazir should be here in his place, as Mohammad Hafeez could quite easily have played the consolidatory role Butt is probably in the line-up for. Added to his batting, Nazir is also one of our best fielders.
Captain Shahid Afridi also needs to step up his game. Not only has his batting and bowling been poor, but so has his captaincy. Clapping the Salman Butt dropped catch is just not good enough. Imran khan would have stared at Butt until he disintegrated into the ground beneath him. These are grown men; there is no place for these niceties. Watch an Australia drop a catch and watch the reaction of the captain and bowler, and you could bet they won’t be clapping their hands.
Afridi also made a mistake by persisting with both Sami and Hafeez when they were leaking runs. I think Mohammad Asif needs to come in for Mohammad Sami, and be given his four overs up-front in which he could use the new ball to give us some high-class seam bowling. I was not sure why Abdul Razzaq was not bowling. It may be a personal choice of Razzaq’s so we cannot criticise the captain for that although it was Razzaq’s bowling that dragged us up off the floor in the last Twenty20 World Cup with some crucial wickets. Afridi needs to realise fast that he cannot rigidly stick to a game plan. Captains must be ready to adapt to conditions and any developments in play.
As we look forward to the rest of the tournament, the Australian game showed that Pakistan still have this inferiority complex when playing any western nation team. They need to change their mentality and play like Champions. They need to show that this Cup is theirs and that they are the best team in Twenty20 cricket not by luck, but on merit.
The last mention must go to Mohammad Aamer, who continues to be the shining light of Pakistan cricket. For an 18-year old to bowl a maiden 5-wicket last over in a World Cup game against arguably the strongest team, is not only a first, but probably a last. And it could only be a Pakistani kid couldn’t it?
Actually, sorry Aamer, I changed my mind. The last mention must go to Shane Watson, who is a living example that you do not have to have manners, be a decent person or be mature to be a cricketer. There is no place in cricket for swearing Shane. The “F… off” you directed at Saeed Ajmal was not only quite clearly visible, but also audible. Grow up Shane.
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May 3rd, 2010 at 3:39 pm
Stani
We only lost the match because of poor captaincy.
Afridi had lost the match even before the toss he had no Idea how much runs he wanted to allow Australia he just haphazardly wanted to finish Pakistan’s innings.
He was supposed to be an agrressive captain atleast thats what his supporters claimed when they were pushing his case.
By bowling Hafeez Upfront when Pakistan is renowned for it’s fast bowling he has made us stand with Bangladesh.
What kind of confidence is he trying to espouse in his pacers when he didn’t bowl Razzaq altogether and used Sami reluctantly and Asif who was supposed to be the best we had he is not even willing to play Good captains never take a bowler off when he is on top Sami got him a wicket of Warner in his first over but strangely Afridi took him off and gave the ball back to Hafeez.
This pitch had bounce and carry and the ball was moving a bit he didn’t tried to bowl Razzaq it’s ok if he himself gives around 9 runs an over and if Sami gives 57 runs in four overs but if Razzaq got spanked in one match he is not good enough anymore.
Butt still played a good knock he was chasing a big score and he had to go for big shots. Why the ____ are we playing Fawad Alam, people are still criticizing Butt and Misbah but when is Fawad ever going to finish a match for Pakistan or his role is to just keep on nudging and pushing the ball and make those 12 and 15′s in every match.
If we had just given 20 less runs we could have won the match but Afridi had no plan in his mind.
May 3rd, 2010 at 4:08 pm
Amazing over from Aamer, but I’m afraid it made little difference.
And those dropped catches! Eeep, Stani … what a different match it would have been had Watson not been dropped …
But, yeah you should go through unless Bangladesh beat us. That may happen – it has before although not in T20 – but it’s unlikely.
See you there.
May 4th, 2010 at 2:24 pm
Wasim
Maybe I’m being a bit harsh on Butt. He needs to realise his role in
the batting line up though. He cant just go hell for leather because
firstly that’s not his job, and most importantly, he’s not that kind
of player. He can play positive of course, like he did against
Bangladesh, but not in a reckless manner. We were in that game for a
long time and had it been for just one of top order batsmen staying a bit
longer, our lower order really could have taken us closer.
Our pacers, Sami in particular, need to get their length sorted out.
Some of the short stuff had me tearing my hair out.
I was actually quite surprised how bad Afridi’s captaincy was.
As for Fawad, he just doesn’t have the physique for this role I’m
afraid. In my view, he’d be back-up in our ODI and Test sides at best
at the moment. Definitely not in the t20 side. I think I’ve seen enough of him.
Sid
I think at the half-way stage and even up until the last 5-7 overs of the game, it was Aamer’s 5-wicket maiden that made it a contest. Had it not been for that then I think we would have been chasing something nearer 210 and that would have been game set and match from the outset of our innings. In the end it turned out not to be close but I think that Aamer over kept us in it.
Watson must be the luckiest cricketer out there. The guy is so jammy. I don’t think he’s technically sound at all. Any decent bowler would have him.
I think your guys are the ones to beat though.
May 4th, 2010 at 6:34 pm
Stani
Butt was chasing 191 he had to play the shots, no batsman can score in every single game I think players like Umar Akmal, Razzaq and Hafeez and Fawad will have to lift their game up.
Afridi is not thinking clearly, first he has to set a target on which he has to bowl out any particular opposition and will have to use his bowlers accordingly, it seems that at times as if he was just using his bowlers randomly without any plan his mind. Secondly he has to make sure how he is going to use Razzaq if he is only going to come in to bat in last 2-3 overs and not bowl at all we don’t need him. Razzaq should come one down if we lose one opener earlier within the six overs. If Razzaq has to play only as a batsman then he will have to bat higher.
We need to get rid of one batsman and play one more regular bowler, the batting is alright we need to lift our bowling up if we can restrict the oppositions on a lower score even with one less batsman we can still win the match.
I think Umar Akmal should bat lower.
Afridi should play Rahman for Fawad and Asif for Sami in the next match if Pakistan gets one.
The three pacers should bowl 2 overs each in the first six overs and the middle eight should be bowled between Afridi, Hafeez and Ajmal.
May 4th, 2010 at 9:33 pm
Wasim
Some very good points, particular the Asif for Sami and Rehman for Fawad swaps, and Umar Akmal batting lower. I would go with all of those. Thy may persist with Fawad because of gis fielding in comparison with Rehman.
If Razzaq is playing only as a batsman then we’re a pacer short, and neither is he good enough to be there only as a batsman. If they were going to do that then they could have just gone with Shahzaib or Nazir from the outset.
Umar Akmal needs to start using his brain. Martin Crowe said he’s going to be the next great Pakistani batsmen but he needs to start showing some intelligence to bat at the position he is otherwise he’ll just end up the type of batsman his older brother is. I hope he has more class than Kamran.
Unless the pitch is like the one England/Ireland played on today, then we should not employ our spinners in the opening 5 overs.
May 4th, 2010 at 10:01 pm
Nice write up Stani and some good points Wasim
, read all the stuff from you two.
I shall write more when I have some more time on my hands.
I am ignited with T20 WC and exam fever at the same time !
May 5th, 2010 at 1:44 am
Stani
Rumours are that either Fawad or Razzaq will be dropped for Asif in the group 8 matches if Pakistan qualified.
I don’t think it should be Razzaq Afridi only bowled him 2 overs so far in the tournament and judged him useless this is the same guy who won us our last T20 and won us the last T20 WC with his bowling. Afridi doesn’t know how to use him.
Fawad is a useless player down the order we don’t have his space up the order he should get a tie with Umar Akmal and not Razzaq.
The funny thing is Sami gave 57 in 4 overs and still gets Afridi’s confidence but Razzaq is out after giving only 23 runs in 2 overs which any bowler can give during power plays.
There is no need to play Sami and Asif together, Afridi should be decisive, Asif, Razzaq, and Aamer can do the job for Pakistan in the pace department, Asif and Razzaq won’t give more runs than Sami that is for sure so why sacrifice a batsman.
If Pakistan wants another bowler they should play Rahman instead of Fawad, Rahman can also bat so it won’t affect our batting much.
May 5th, 2010 at 2:48 pm
Maz
Thanks.
Wasim
This would be my line up, in order, for the remainder of the competition.
Kamran Akmal
Salman Butt
Mohammad Hafeez
Misbah-ul-Haq
Umar Akmal
Shahid Afridi
Abdul Razzaq
Abdur Rehman
Mohammad Aamer
Saeed Ajmal
Mohammad Asif
Bowling: Open with Aamer (2 overs) and Asif (4 overs). Razzaq (2) will replace Aamer on one end whilst Asif bowls out. Then I would bring the spinners on, Afridi, Ajmal, Hafeez or Rehman (minimum 8 overs between them), whilst retaining the option of Razzaq (2 left) and Aamer (2 left) for the end overs. If any of the pacers are expensive, the spinners can take more overs in the middle/end, obviously adjusting here and there according to the game. It really is simple as that and Afridi does not need to complicate it.
May 5th, 2010 at 5:39 pm
Afridi was left optionless but to bowl Hafeez actually and quite frankly. Razzaq was not going to bowl for whatever related reason so unless Pakistan wanted to use the crappy Fawad Alam with all due respect to him as a batter and fielder, they had 5 bowlers and all of them had to complete their 4 overs at some stage, therefore Afridi bowled out Hafeez early on in order to get it out of the way!
I also defend Afridi’s tactic to applaud Salman when he dropped the catch. I am not trying to cover up and be Mr “Niceguy” or something but that’s the spirit and unity to play the game and is for the best. That’s the way a team will remain united and less divided as we have unfortunately seen over the winter, they support each other in good and bad times is the best way forward and in general is a good way to go about proceedings. Yes, they are international professionals and there is a certain amount of expectation upon them to deliver the goods, but one has to remember that they are human beings as well and make mistakes like anyone else. Shouting and looking at them aggressively will only be a helpless ploy and makes the players feel uncomfortable if anything.
TJ is totally correct about Umar Akmal, he has an abundance of talent, but that solely is not enough to succeed at the highest level on the international stage as Ian Chappell mentioned on commentary, he gives his wicket way carelessly far too frequently and needs to use the thing between the airs as Boycs would say. I like him and support him for this ability, but he needs to develop his game further in order to make him the “finished article”. He is also unwilling to listen to others and is indiscipline too, this needs to change.
Fawad Alam is turning out be a waste of space. By all means we could always bring him on as 12th man to boost the fielding but I would prefer to see Hammad Azam in action. Agreed 100% about Asif, his potency and ability to make things happen could be destructive up front, he is a must play. Aamer is on a roll, 5 scalps in two games, whoever selected him for their fantasy league has got top value!
Assuming things go according to plan, it seems there will be no upset this year like there was over the last couple of times at the ICC World T20 and indeed WC, the likes of Kenya and Ireland in the 50/50 in 2003 and 2007 respectively and Australia early preliminary elimination in June 2009 in the UK and WI in 2007 T20WC. So the super 8s this year are shaping up to be as follows.
I hate this typical Pakistani mentality of the match against BD is gonna be fixed so Pakistan is eliminated… what baseless assumptions from ill mannered ppl ….. Australia also have to win the match in order to ensure their qualification to round 2 of the tournament !
Group E
Pak
NZ
England
RSA
Group F
WI
Aus
SL
India
It’s more open than I initially thought!
May 5th, 2010 at 6:50 pm
:O Aus 57/5 time to cry
May 5th, 2010 at 9:07 pm
All izz well…. Pakistan are through comfortably in the end…
Take on England tomorrow
Comeon Mushy
May 6th, 2010 at 12:25 am
Pakistan is in a relatively easier group. It will be clear tommorrow if Afridi is a complete akhroat or has some sense and ability to learn from his mistakes.
Stani
I completely agree with your line up but I suspect they are going to drop Razzaq and won’t play Rahman.
Maz
Yeah Come On Mushy be a patriot.