Stani Army

So what was wrong with the Pakistan team that reached the Semi-finals of the Champions Trophy? For some reason, when the squads were named for the New Zealand games, there were some surprising names in there. But it didn’t stop there. Changes were made to the team also and the team taking the field in each of the three ODIs against New Zealand was a different one.

There was no Shoaib Malik or Rana Naved in the first ODI (not to mention Imran Nazir who wasn’t even in the squad). In the second ODI, Umar Akmal was dropped and Shoaib Malik was brought in. For today’s game, Mohammad Yousuf made way and back came Umar Akmal. Ask most Pakistan fans and very few would say we went in with our best side in any of these three ODIs.

Consistency in selection usually results in consistency in performance so why the need to make changes? These changes have basically all come about because of the conundrum that Pakistan are having with their openers. Khalid Latif, one of the openers brought in, has done very well averaging 43. His partner on the other hand, Salman Butt

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Karachi’s pitch may have killed the match but it has rejuvenated Younis Khan. His triple hundred will always be diminished by this docile track despite the pressure of chasing down a total of over 600. It shouldn’t be. Much more illustrious Pakistan teams and batsmen have crumbled on as friendly surfaces. The pressure of the situation has been too great and their strength of character too weak. Indeed, which other Pakistan batsman has threatened to score a century?

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Today, Wasim Akram’s long standing record of 502 ODI wickets was surpassed by the smiling assassin Muttiah Muralitharan. His victim, Gautam Gambhir, was Murali’s only wicket in their one dayer against India. Akram, told AFP:

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