8
Win Mustn’t Paper Over the Cracks
By TJ for Stani Army in Pakistan Cricket
As I watched Ijaz Butt, the Chairman of the PCB, stand at the after-match presentation ceremony, there was a discernible difference between his appearance after the first twenty20 against England and the second one. After the first one, you could see the worry on his face as he tried to both listen in on what the captains were saying whilst sifting through the many excuses in his head as to why Pakistan had not won a single match ten matches in a row. At the second presentation ceremony, he looked as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders as he stood there with his head held high.
Yes, Pakistan managed to win something eventually but this win must not paper over the cracks like wins such as this have done so in the past. The management, coaching and captaincy issues still remain, not to mention the fact that we still are yet to find a settled opening pair and a reliable middle order.
Abdul Razzaq: Single handedly stopped the run of Pakistan’s 10 straight losses in all forms
What was obvious in both Twenty20s was that they followed a pattern which has become synonymous with Pakistan’s recent performances in that they found themselves in winning positions only to relinquish their hold on the game. But for the brilliance of Abdul Razzaq in the second Twenty20, this pattern would have continued for eleven straight games. Once again, it would be easy to use this as an excuse that only a few tweaks are needed here and there but you don’t lose ten games in a row if your problems are small and easily fixed.
One interesting call which came from the guys at MTJAG, was to make Abdul Razzaq captain. Before you dismiss it, consider the fact that none of our current candidates are obviously suitable and the problems we have had in bringing back the same old faces to take over as captain in the past. Would a new face in the role be a better option? Certainly, he seems respected among the players and is increasingly becoming a vital cog in the Pakistan team since his return from the ICL. It was his call-up to the World Twenty20 team which coincided with Pakistan’s up-turn and eventually lead to us being crowned World Champions. Could Razzaq be the perfect candidate to build a new team around? Many of you may have noticed his reaction after he bludgeoned the ball for six to take Pakistan home in the second Twenty20. It was the reaction of a determined and hungry man as his after-match comments clearly showed: “I was telling Fawad we should win this one. I was saying ‘you can, you will’ and we did”. Certainly, we could do with more of that attitude from all of our players.
Shoaib Malik also showed some intelligent batting although his bowling has a lot to be desired. It’s frustrating that Malik does not show this with his bat regularly enough. Someone else that also impressed and took his chances unlike in the past, was Fawad Alam. If we are to go with the ‘out with the old and in with the new’ route, then guys like him
A West Ham United flag (background) draped over the stands in Dubai
will be an integral part of the rebuilding process. With only six members of the World Cup winning squad out in Dubai, and the suspension of annual player contracts, it is clear that no one is certain of their places. With the Twenty20 World Cup around the corner, Pakistan needs to reorganise quickly if we are to defend our crown as Twenty20 World Champions.
Finally, I’d just like to send a shout out to the West Ham fans that watched the games out in Dubai and were spotted in the stands with their West Ham flags and banners. Come on you Irons!
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February 23rd, 2010 at 11:39 pm
Stani
Razzaq has some mental issues, he has always been a better cricketer than Malik and Afridi but just because of his personality never gets appreciated at that level.
The other two players very cleverly manged their careers,both Malik and Afridi are in the team are not genuine allrounders but they were smart enough to focus on their dominant skill and they always get selected because of it.
Afridi is always reluctant to bat higher and Malik is always reluctant to bowl and sometimes even bat because they don’t want to expose the weaker part of their game.
Razzaq on the other hand never managed his career properly, I believe if he had paid a little bit more attention to his batting he could have played many more matches and his stature as a player in Pakistan team would have been much higher. He could have played in test and Odi’s just as a batsman there are a lot of other players in Pakistan team who play in tests and Odi’s as batsmen but they are not even half good as Razzaq.
February 24th, 2010 at 4:15 am
Excuse my ignorance but why wasn’t Razzaq available for the Australian tour. From an outsider looking in, Razzaq has always appeared to be a quality cricketer. I attended the sydney test; the T20s and a few ODIs in Australia and it was apparent Pakistan were lacking quality. why wasn’t he used? No doubt there’s an unnecessarily complex and beaurocratic reason.
February 24th, 2010 at 7:16 am
Dingo
Razzaq was dropped after poor performance in the Odi series in SriLanka and Abu Dhabi, he wasn’t selected for the test series in New Zealand and Australia and later on he announced that he was injured and made himself unavailable for Odi series and T20′s in Australia.
February 24th, 2010 at 3:07 pm
Razzaq’s 30, got a ____load of experience at the international level at all the formats, and just seems to make things happen. He seems to have a calm personality, and of course I’m just pulling ____ out of my arse here – he seems to be the kind of guy who won’t buck under pressure, and possibly allow the “bigger” batsmen/bowlers their spotlight and not fight for it.
He also has that option of vaporizing someone with that icy-cold stare should things get out of control.
What am I missing ?
February 24th, 2010 at 3:53 pm
Wasim
Good analysis. Yes I have noticed that about his personality. But those kinds if people are generally very driven, inwardly. And I agree that Malik and Afridi have been more clever than Razzaq but this is why we should promote him because no one likes a smart-arse, and certainly Malik and Afridi have tried to be on a number of occasions. We need an honourable man to take lead.
Dingo
I do think he has been messed around a little whereas others have been given much more of a chance and been persevered with. After our ICL players had cancelled their contract with the league, the PCB didn’t exactly jump at the chance of bringing Razzaq back into the fold. His late call-up to the World Cup squad, which was only because of an injury (to Arafat I think), is only proof of how he was mishandled.
Great name
Vick
Your analysis over at MTJAG, when you compared him to the likes of Tendulkar, even surprised me. Certainly, if his career was to follow the same path it has done in the past, we will look back at a wasted talent in my opinion.
Medication?
February 25th, 2010 at 5:33 am
I’ve got a strong dose of stani army dot com on a daily basis dude. Trust that should be enough medication, or is that the cause?!
February 25th, 2010 at 2:37 pm
Vicky
Yes, I have asked myself this philosophical question many-a-time before; what does one do when the cause is the cure? (quote me on that…ahem)
May 3rd, 2010 at 8:49 am
great post as usual!