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Sunday May 05, 2024

Cricket plan

The biggest positive outcome that emerged from our complete rout at the hands of Bangladesh is that our captain Azhar Ali proved to be a lion-hearted batsman who not only led from the front but also led by example. Unfortunately, he fell into the trap of the head coach in

By our correspondents
April 25, 2015
The biggest positive outcome that emerged from our complete rout at the hands of Bangladesh is that our captain Azhar Ali proved to be a lion-hearted batsman who not only led from the front but also led by example. Unfortunately, he fell into the trap of the head coach in the selection of the final eleven and opted to go on the defensive by playing with only four regular bowlers. The strategy of playing with seven batsmen backfired badly.
Now, Azhar Ali will have to learn that offence is the best defence. In Test matches you can bat for a draw but in ODIs or T20s you live and die for a victory that only comes through a plan and intents of attack and nothing else. To strengthen our batting as per the modern-day requirements of the hard-hitting game where even non-Test playing nations are easily scoring over 300 runs, we need to induct players having potential to tear apart the bowling line of our opponents in the first ten power-play overs when except for two all other fielders are inside the 30-meter circle. Moreover, lack of positive thinking, correct planning (plans never fail, we fail to plan) and a defensive mental demand immediate recall of our head coach to avoid total disaster of the ongoing tour; he should be replaced by either of the two reputed successful coaches: Mohsin Hassan Khan or Kabir Khan.
Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad
Lahore