No Shahid, it's not your fingers that are the problem, it's your brain

Pakistan have come full circle. From being the best team in international Twenty20 to looking like an amateur, disjointed club side as they surrendered to defeat in their second Twenty20 against a well drilled England. Bowled out for 89, their lowest Twenty20 total yet, Pakistan continued with their batting woes that were so evident in the recent Tests. The wrong team selection and lack of planning and execution in addition to the batting troubles, means the upcoming five match ODI series doesn’t look as if it will be much of a contest.

Whilst they added Mohammad Hafeez to the team, persisting with Fawad Alam meant that the team selection was still wrong. Fawad’s shot on dismissal showed that he had learnt nothing from two days ago. No balance, no technique, simply awful. Since they aren’t bowling Fawad, they could have gone in with Azhar Ali, a proper batsman, with the added benefit of him getting a sighter of the white ball before he is thrust into the in the ODIs, first of which is this Friday.

Today, much hinged on captain Shaihd Afridi’s innings as he came in with Pakistan three down for 20, with plenty of overs left (16) to recover and set a decent target. Yet Afridi failed to recognise the importance of his wicket and played an utterly foolish shot. The look on coach Waqar Younis’ face on Afridi’s dismissal said it all. You cannot be a captain of an international side and play as carelessly as that. It’s becoming more and more evident that he will not be the one to lead Pakistan cricket out of this mess on the field. I wouldn’t be surprised if he leaves the One Day fold as abruptly and selfishly as he did the Test one.

The thing that most irritated me about Afridi today was his response to one of Ian Ward’s questions after the game. Ward asked: “What do you say to those Pakistani supporters who are so disappointed because it means so much to them?”, Afridi replied: “They are supporters so they should support us”. Really Shahid? What reason have you given for us to support you recently? We have some of the most loyal fans in cricket who have suffered a lot of heartbreak that such a unpredictable side on the pitch, and inept board off it, gives, yet that is his view on us? Even today, when an embarrassing defeat was a certainty, the Pakistan fans in the crowd, on this wet windy day, many of them fasting, could still be heard shouting ‘Pakistan Zindabad’. Yes it’s our job to support Shahid, but when will you start doing your job?

Pakistan needed to pounce on the Sri Lankan openers early on and that’s exactly what Mohmmad Aamer and Abdul Razzaq did. Tillakaratne Dilshan was peppered with short balls from Amer and fell going for his trademark scoop shot. Had he heeded the warning of our fellow Stani Q at Well Pitched, then Dilshan would have known not to attempt that shot in the final. Before they knew it, Sri Lanka were 32 for 4, thanks mainly to Abdul Razzaq (3 for 20). There was also some very good captaincy from Younis Khan who crucially kept a slip in place, and slightly wide, for the wicket of Mahela Jayawardene, who had been in excellent touch. Though now in trouble, they were given a life line with captain Kumar Sangakkara making a steady 64, and constructing a crucial partnership with Angelo Mathews (35). The two had managed to drag their team off the floor and and set a very tricky 139 for Pakistan to get.

It was certain that Pakistan had to play the type of innings that they were not known for. Wickets had to be kept in hand whilst the run rate had to be steadily maintained. Kamran Akmal and Shahzaib Hasan duly obliged, knocking the ball around and getting boundaries at vital points. In the 8th over, Akmal fell and in came Shahid Afridi. He started off cautiously, having the youngster Shahzaib at the other end. Shahzaib hit two crucial fours off Mendis before he fell in the next over to bring Malik to the crease. The two men that did it for Pakistan in the semis were now at the crease as they went along steadily picking up singles. As Pakistan fell behind the rate, then came a crucial over in which Afridi decided to attack Murali, hitting him for a six, a four, and getting 14 off the over.

Nerves began to settle as Malik and Afridi went back to intelligently picking up the singles and not allowing the rate to rocket whilst keeping wickets in hand. As the rate began to increase once more, another big over was required and that man Afridi obliged once again. His victim this time, Udana. As with Murali, Afridi hit him for a six and then a four off consecutive balls in an over which went for 19. Seven runs were now needed off the next 12 balls and Pakistan did it with 8 balls to spare to cue pandemonium around Lords. It was great to see the players run onto the pitch and prostrate down to show humility and to thank Allah. At a time of such great achievement when they could not have been blamed for feeling that they were floating on air, they kept their feet on the ground.

It was a great achievement for a country which is being torn apart by international terrorism and the ineptitude of its own and other leaders. This will bring some cheer into the lives of the Pakistani people, something others should not be offended in witnessing but should appreciate through understanding what the Pakistani people have been through. This was a wonderful gift for a colourful and hospitable nation who fully deserve their success.

It will certainly be a late night here in London with ecstatic Pakistan fans already on the streets blowing horns and waving flags. Let’s just hope they keep on the right side of the law!

Thanks to all the neutrals for their support and mubarak to my fellow Stanis.

Stani Army! Pakistan Zindabad!