Are we ever prepared for World Cup?

ISLAMABAD: There is hardly any World Cup in which Pakistan was well prepared and sent the team without controversy since 1975. But, we are the nation with short memories and often forget the events of the past. The problem with our cricket board and team is genetic. Thus, what is happening with the present team is nothing new particularly for those who know our cricket structure where there has never been any accountability.
Once again we are not prepared for the World Cup and send an imbalance unit with too many officials. So, if we return without qualifying the quarter final, there will be hue and cry. The atmosphere has already built up after we lost crucial match against West Indies. But, we must show some patience and wait for the final outcome of our remaining matches.
Infect, we have started the postmortem before the death. It’s already a clinical death but Pakistan still have three more matches. It’s an old story of Pakistan cricket, its management and players. Therefore, mere change of face may not solve the problem of our cricket. We need structural changes as blame game will not serve any purpose.
Pakistan will play Zimbabwe, South Africa, UAE and Ireland and need to win all the four and that too with good margin. South Africa is one of the best prepared teams and are among the hot favourits along with co-host Australia and New Zealand. The other two teams have already shown that they are capable of causing the upset. So, unless we keep our reputation of the most unpredictable team alive, our chances of qualifying in the next round look very difficult.
But the accountability should not start from the present cricket board, as we need to analyse, what happened from 2011 to 2014, from the resignation of Shahid Afridi after 2011 World Cup to frequent changes of captain, manager and coaches, within PCB. England is the other team which is facing a similar kind of situation but we need to learn from Australia, New Zealand and even India.
A fair probe can also look towards our disadvantages as a nation. For the last several years, Pakistan has been without a home ground and home crowd. The nation, which is the victim of terrorism and events like Peshawar has also affected minds of our sportsmen. Misbahul Haq is perhaps Pakistan’s first captain who will retire without leading the team against any foreign teams in Pakistan. The uncertain situation is also bringing psychological effects on players’ mind. We have to look what happened with other sports like Hockey and Squash.
Therefore, while our performance needs strong scrutiny, we must keep in mind if cricket dies down in Pakistan, it will only help the negative tendencies in the society. Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif was right when he said while addressing after the National Hockey Championship that “revival of hockey as national game” should be among the national priorities. Similarly, Pakistanis love cricket and that love should not die with a few bad performances.
We also need to understand the big loss we suffered in 2010 when Salman Butt, Muhammad Aamir and Muhammad Asif were banned. Their presence could have made the difference in 2011 World Cup. Than what happened with another key bowler, Danish Kaneria? Did our cricket board handle all these cases on merit? The loss of Umer Gul, Saeed Ajam, Muhammad Hafeez and Junaid Khan was perhaps the last nail in the coffin of whatever preparation we had made for the World Cup. Till six months back, no one knows who would lead the team in the World Cup, Misbah, Afridi or Hafeez? All this badly affected our preparation and the responsibility goes to the team management, board and to the players as well.
Another important factor needs to be addressed is the fitness of the players. Why they cannot control their diet. Why in all world cups, we faced fitness problems whether it is with Imran Khan, Waqar Yunus or Wasim Akram. Remember, what happened in the Banglore quarter final? Why we always struggle to find right combination? Why our batsmen are always vulnerable while playing balls going outside the off stump. Importantly, why our cricketers are getting too undisciplined as they are spending more time on “commercials,” than on their fitness and training. All these are crucial questions.
I have been watching and listening to all those former cricketers, experts and ex-officials of PCB who remained associated with the team one way or other. Have we ever prepared for the World Cup? Has there never been question mark on our selection prior to the World Cup? Even during the successive World Cups, in the past, there were performances, which had not been questioned like Pakistan’s defeat against West Indies in 1975 and in 1979 as the two matches Pakistan could have easily won. What happened in Lahore in 1987 when final over was given to Saleem Jaffer whose own selection was questionable.
Was the selection of 1992, the only time we won the World Cup was on merit and did we really played well in the tournament except the Semi Final and the Final?
I still remembered the controversy In 1992 when Imran Khan was not ready to take master batsman Javed Miandad but due to media hype, his name was included. This time, it was Yunus Khan, one of the best in test cricket but perhaps a liability for One Day Internationals. This controversy would have regained had we not qualified for the semi final thanks to half point we got due rain affected match.
So, Misbahul Haq, in my opinion is a captain without a team or a team without a captain.” Knowing the kind of team he is leading he announced his retirement from One Day cricket prior to the World Cup.
World Cup is not over. We are still not out of the race, if we win all our all the four matches. This is our last hope. But the fact remains that we are looked as one of the most imbalance and ill-prepared teams of the tournament which so far has not even scored 250 runs whereas even the UAE team has scored 285.
But, cricket will not end with the World Cup. Yes, it could have brought smile on our faces, if we have won or had lost after fighting hard. We almost surrendered, both against India and West indies. So, give team a moral boost and keep rest till they return.
Remember, these are some of the bad years of our history. We are in a stage of war and we are the worst victims of terrorism. In such a situation we have to lift and back our team. But, that does not mean that those responsible for this disaster should be spared or pardoned. Some heads need to be rolled. Media must raise question over performance and management but should not create hype, which could threaten the life of cricketers. We must have patience and tolerance. After all, T20 World Cup is not far.