Counting on miracles

We lost the T20 series to England by four to three. While two of our three wins were very narrow, England beat us comprehensively in their four victories. From our consecutive losses to Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup to our series loss to a rather weak England team, it is quite evident that our batting lineup is brittle, with the middle order folding most if not all the time. Our team comprises multiple openers, but none of them is able to bat lower down the order.

I have seen the likes of Asif Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Haider Ali, and Khushdil Shah more times than I can count. I am unable to recall a time when most, if not all, these players clicked or batted at a level that was commensurate with a world-class team. Our batters seem utterly unable to handle short balls and quality spin. However, our team management and coaches are adamant that this was the best team available. I wonder how we will fare in the World Cup in Australia with this team, where the pitches are guaranteed to be fast and bouncy. Another weak department is our fielding, which is inconsistent and below par. With the World Cup around the corner, we seem far from being prepared. It appears that, yet again, we will be relying largely on our bowling, prayers, and miracles.

Raja Shafaatullah

Islamabad