I for one am glad I didn’t get too carried away by Pakistan’s day 2 second innings recovery as they would have inevitably let me down having raised my hopes. And so it proved, as another batting collapse saw them go from 285 for 1 to 320 all out in their second innings. This left Sri Lanka needing 171, and with their tales up they ran through comfortable winners in the end, getting there in just 32 overs with 7 wickets in hand.
Pakistan’s 2nd innings recovery did nothing but raise even more questions as to why the 1st innings performance was so bad, and despite the 2nd innings collapse, it was this 1st innings total which cost in the end. Had they scored even a hundred more, they would have fancied bowling out Sri Lanka for less than 270 on a 4th innings pitch.
So, where did it all go wrong? Pakistan’s 2nd innings collapse all started when Sri Lanka took the new ball and the Pakistan batsmen just did not have an answer. The Sri Lankan’s did bowl well but questions will be asked of the Pakistan batsmen, particularly the early to middle order. Though Misbah was unlucky to be given out today, he will be under pressure for the last Test having made just one 50 in four innings this series. His other scores were just 7, 0 and 3. The captain has also a lot to answer for with poor decision making throughout. I have long questioned the purpose of a reverse sweep and today you could see why as Younis gave his wicket away, triggering the collapse. The list below of our middle order’s performances in this series so far, does not make good reading:
Younis Khan: 25 – 3 – 0 – 82
Mohammad Yusuf: 112 – 12 – 10 – 6
Shoaib Malik: 38 – 0 – 39* – 6
Misbah Ul-Haq: 56 – 7 – 0 – 3
Kamran Akmal: 31 – 6 - 9 – 3
It’s about learning from mistakes; Pakistan repeated their mistakes (three batting collapses in two Tests) and Sri Lanka did not. But what is behind this? Is it the will to win? Coaching influence? Mentality? Professionalism? If it is, then it’s clear why Sri Lanka should beat us every time.
For the neutral, Test cricket is well and truly alive and for the Pakistan fan, Pakistan Test cricket is also well and truly alive. It’s not too much to suggest that we should be 0-2 up in the series, or 0-1 at least. But the reality is that Pakistan now find themselves 2-0 down, an unassailable lead in the three match series giving Sri Lanka their first series win over Pakistan on home soil.
I’d still be a Pakistan fan though, just don’t ask me why.
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July 14th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
Loyalties with the team dont go easily mate. Disappointment could tread in on losses, but the optimism and faith in the team doesnt go away.
July 14th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Yes, well said Sam. It’s also got a hint of that pleasure pain theory about it, and at the same time, it’s the reason why a mother would still love her drug addicted criminal of a son. I’m not saying the Pakistan team are drugged criminal…..or that I gave birth to them, of course.
July 14th, 2009 at 5:21 pm
I can sense the disappointment TJ on this loss…When India lost the series down under in 2007-08 i was so peeved that i left blogging for good…
i have felt that in this moments when your team loses, you feel (you in general context)more attachment to the team and the passion multiplies even more…
July 14th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
“I’d still be a Pakistan fan though, just don’t ask me why”
Well how many other fans go through the kind of emotions that we go through? The Pak team gives us reason to smile, be proud, cry, get excited, get frustrated, panic, get angry, pull our hair out, jump up with joy, laugh, party like one country, curse, abuse, praise, and what not…
That is more drama in 1 cricket team than any Bollywood movie can give us…
Why wouldn’t we be fans?
July 14th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
Sam,
You shouldn’t have stopped! It can be therapeutic. What was your blog called? It’s good to have an opinion and discuss it with others. This is part of the reason I write. I’m not the best writer in the world but it’s always important to have an opinion otherwise we just become zombies who follow others ideas and thus can be easily and unknowingly indoctrinated.
I know a few people who, when sitting around, are all mouth about cricket but when I tell them to come on Stani and discuss it they chicken out.
How did you feel about India’s T20 world cup performance then? You a fan of T20?
Q,
There’s something strangely enjoyable about it. My football (soccer) team, West Ham United, are very similar to the Pakistan side. They take their fans through thick and thin, have natural local talent and play an exciting form of the game but always underachieve – same as Pakistan. It’s strange how I came to support both but I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Plus, defeats make victory that much sweeter. How boring must it be to win all the time?
July 14th, 2009 at 11:34 pm
“How boring must it be to win all the time?”
I have no idea, my team never does that
July 14th, 2009 at 11:41 pm
Q, good answer…even though you should be asleep!
July 14th, 2009 at 11:46 pm
Neend aati nahin.. saari saari raat …
July 14th, 2009 at 11:57 pm
Right, whatever Lassi it is that you are drinking, enough is enough.
(email me the name of it…ahem)
July 15th, 2009 at 12:07 am
I don’t think you want it.. the Pakistani batsmen had it and we know what happened to them!
July 15th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
It’s tough to be a Pakistani cricket fan, just at the moment you give up on these b******* they perform like world beaters and when you are most confident of their winning they disappoint you in the ugliest way.
As I said before what ever the odds are for Pakistan team it performs quite the opposite there is a hint for everybody. Either it is factionalism or something else but this is not normal three collapses in two test matches is a bit too much to digest for me.
July 15th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
Wasim,
Over the years, I’ve learnt to take it in a more relaxed manner as I found there was no point me beating myself up about it. The players just don’t care if they lose but are happy to come home to a heroic welcome, collect awards money and do interviews with their sunglasses on.
They should interview them now and tell them to explain themselves.
July 17th, 2009 at 8:53 am
Pakistan’s two defeats at the hands of Sri Lanka has been a shambolic performance. In both matches Pakistan found themselves in a commanding position, in the sense that they were ready to seal victory but made some school boy errors especially when batting. Psychologically I feel there was a lapse of concentration in the batting department but at the same time Sri Lanka bowled very attackingly and was able to exert a squeeze of pressure on the Pakistani batsmen.
With the exception of Fawad Alam’s sparkling emergence it must be gloomy times in the touring side’s camp. The final test is now a “dead rubber” so the board should take the opportunity to experiment with the line up in order to find some sort of winning combination and restore pride and confidence for both players and supporters.
July 17th, 2009 at 10:56 am
Maz,
I think we need to put out our strongest team as though it is just a three match series, a white wash is a white wash. The Lankans will probably experiment a little which will mean that if they still beat us, it will be even more embarrassing.
I agree, it must be very gloomy. How they will lift themselves I do not know. Maybe another youngster will have to step up and show the way.
July 17th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
TJ
The way Yousaf, Misbah and Malik batted in the last match any first class player in Pakistan could have performed better than them I am not a fan of Faisal iqbal but even he could have stayed on the wicket and have performed well, I really wish if the bench consisted of better players but I think Razzak and Faisal should play in the next match.
July 17th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Just to prove a point to some of these players that they are indispensable.
July 17th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Read as not indispensable.
July 17th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Wasim,
I tend to agree with you. I’m not the biggest fan of Iqbal either. The problem is, if we do drop the ‘untouchables’, we should do it for a game that matters rather than this dead rubber. Reason is so that the ‘untouchables’ don’t just think that the only reason they are dropped is because of it being a dead rubber.
You know what will happen then? They will start hating the captain and cause immature feuds.
I’m slightly upset with Yusuf. He of all should be grasping his chance having been in the wilderness for a while.
July 17th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
The curse of nelson has been a superstitious theory which has been raised in this Lords test. A wicket has occurred several times when a score has reached the palindrome figure. This reminds us all of the former international umpire, David Sheppard and his hopping movements whenever the landmark had been silenced.
July 17th, 2009 at 10:35 pm
Maz,
I just posted again and it vanished! I did the Name/URL option but it’s not working for me. I’ll ask Q if he can help.