Stani Army

Coach Waqar Younis has said that fielding will be a priority in the upcoming games against South Africa in the UAE. With the pre-tour camp placing particular emphasis on fielding, and coach Ijaz Ahmed holding the specific title of fielding coach, it does seem that a lot of time and effort is being given to improving the players’ fielding once they are in the international side. But what about what happens before that? What about the youth systems, the academies, the domestic sides? Are they getting this kind of help and attention too? By the time the players make it in to the international side, bad habits would have already set in. Surely it makes sense to tackle the fielding issue much earlier in a player’s development? How much improvement is it possible to see in a cricketer once he’s made it this far?

Pakistan street cricket - Waiting for a bat and a bowl

Yet the introduction of youngsters has seen some fielding improvements in the national side, but that is just mostly through athletic ability rather than good fielding technique. Some of the youngsters are still found wanting every game. There are signs that they are trying though. In the recent One Day series’ in England, we saw Umar Akmal take the field in football boots

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We did mention on Stani Army that Umar Gul would be missed at the Twenty20 World Cup, and today he showed just why. At the end of the 17^th over, Australia were still in it with Michael Hussey still at the crease. On came Gul for his 3^rd over and cleaned up the dangerous Hussey with a superb yorker that seemed to move both ways. At the end of that over, in which Gul also took the wicket of Tim Paine, the game was effectively over. Once again he has shown why he is the best Twenty20 bowler in the world.

But what gave the bowlers something to bowl at was the superb innings from Umar Akmal. With Pakistan missing Mohammed Yousuf, Younis Khan and Misbah Ul-Haq from their squads, the talk before this tour was of the younger Akmal having to step up to the mark. He has certainly started off very well, with an innings of class, filled with a complete range of strokes. Hopefully there will be more to come from him.

Shahid Afridi also had a good game in the field. Though he failed with the bat, he bowled at his attacking best, took two very good catches and made the right bowling changes at the right times. His decision not to risk Shoaib Akhtar for a 3^rd over was a strong and correct one.

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