The Greenshirts are among the top two ranked teams on the ODI ranking list and heading into the World Cup knowing that stakes are too high. But are they capable of living up to their billing by starting as one of the favourites for the title?
Certainly not, Pakistan will start the World Cup as one of the outsiders as well as a team which has been grossly mishandled in its preparations for the 50-over-a-side event where the requirements remain totally different from that of Twenty20 cricket.
Pakistan surely is one of the most unsettled teams in the global event when it comes to marshaling its charges for hundred overs a day game.
Those pinning high hopes on the No 2 team of ODI cricket must keep in mind that during the last one year, team managers’ focus has not been on raising a competitive outfit for the World Cup, rather the emphasis was placed more on carrying the day no matter what the cost may be.
The training methodology has been in sharp contrast to what we have seen in the preparations of other top teams including Australia, England, India, New Zealand and South Africa.
The five visibly stronger and fully prepared outfits had set their eyes on the World Cup’s preparations from the very beginning of 2023, resultantly these already stronger teams attained a maturity level required for such a big event.
In Greenshirts’ case, managers at all the levels never pay any heed to make calculated efforts needed to raise a formidable outfit.
Though we have been No 1 and No 2 sides, we don’t know yet which opening pair would best suit Indian conditions for ODI format and what actually should be the batting formation for the pitches on which we are to play our matches.
Pakistan certainly is one of the stronger bowling sides around but the injury-prone pace battery sane Naseem Shah now looks far away from gelled and ready for this mega event. When it comes to picking the spinners for the World Cup, everyone has different options for the best combination.
Unfortunately, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has handed over the reins of national team to the totally raw coaches and managers.
Mickey Arthur who is calling all the shots while staying away from the team as most of the times he preferred a low-rated English County to a national team that has a history of making its mark starting from nowhere.
Everyone knows what Arthur has done to Derbyshire, he has literally sunk the team to a new low by coaching the outfit to the bottom of Division II this fall -- a worst position it has ever achieved.
Moreover, the team management has been handed over to an individual who has already made several bloopers for Islamabad United during 2022 season.
Though on paper, United were the strongest outfits going into eighth edition, the team’s handling was never an ideal one during the season where United deserved to reach the final if not to achieve the third title.
Admitted that Pakistan are capable of springing a surprise with the talent buzzing to achieve more all the time but in modern day cricket it is not the talent alone that helps a team attain a competitive level.
Picking the right talent at the right time and then grooming it with quality coaching and consistent exposure is what a top brand of cricket management requires.
Does anyone remember what happened to Indian cricket in the recent past when Ravi Shastri was calling the shots in Indian coaching he never ever honoured the exceptional talent Shunmahan Gill possessed.
Once Raul Dravid took over, he made Gill a permanent member of the Indian team. Following initial hiccups, the youngster could be termed as the best Indian batsman for ODI cricket and in some cases even better to that of Virat Kohli.
In Pakistan cricket, neither the selectors have that eye which could judge the real talent at the right age nor does the coaching staff have the ability to help groom a talent to a level of international cricket.