Pakistan’s youngsters played like lions and they roared with every catch, with every throw, with every wicket and above all, with every run
He told the media that Pakistan doesn’t have talent and the youngsters aren’t good enough to take the country forward; the young members of the Pakistan T20 squad replied to Shahid Afridi’s ‘insulting statement’ in a way they knew -- by blasting away the opposition in style. Pakistan’s youngsters played like lions and they roared with every catch, with every throw, with every wicket and above all, with every run, as if telling Afridi to get his facts right the next time he is asked for an opinion.
Pakistan’s limited overs squad -- especially the one that played in the only T20I on tour -- is comprised of mostly youngsters who were denied proper chances thanks to the person who claimed to be the ‘best amongst the rest.’ Now that he is no more part of the Pakistan side, let me tell you why Boom Boom thought he would never go bust: He was the best player in the team that he selected (he had a say in selection); he decided the batting order, the bowling changes and above all, where the players fielded. Naturally, in order to hide his aging reflexes, he batted wherever he wanted in the lineup, opted to bowl usually after the power play and fielded where he thought the ball might not come. That’s how he became invincible in his own mind, that’s why he prolonged his career.
Thankfully, Pakistan cricket team is on a roll now, especially after the last two matches. Just like a new nation emerged from the clutches of Great Britain in 1947, there is a new team that emerges from the same place, 69 years later. With Sarfraz Ahmed -- a clean cricketer with a spotless reputation -- at the helm, one thing is certain that no corrupt player would be able to play in the side. Only those who prove their mettle would be selected and when they’ll see their captain give 100%, they will play for Pakistan, not for their place in the side. Players with below par performances would be dealt with because the head coach Mickey Arthur has by now learnt that there is ‘more than meets the eye’ when it comes to Pakistan Cricket team and he has shown the players that he will not prove to be a pushover like Dav Whatmore.
There are a few people who must be held accountable for their decisions that cost Pakistan victory in England? Who was responsible for sending a half fit Mohammad Irfan in place of a half fit Mohammad Hafeez? That person must be held accountable because while one couldn’t bowl despite playing as a bowler, the other couldn’t bat and bowl despite being known as an all-rounder. Would a bowler have refused Imran Khan, Wasim Akram or even Misbah-ul-Haq citing cramps as the reason? No. Mohammad Irfan’s refusal not only painted a bad picture of Pakistan cricket abroad but also shocked the head coach who was seen on the balcony, fuming.
Then there was the person who kept Khalid Latif away from the ODI squad and just made him warm the bench in T20 Internationals. He turned the match on his head with his 4 fours in an over off Chris Jordan and that sent an invisible message to the English dressing room. The match was never the same as both the Pakistani openers scored runs at will and reminded of the batting of Saeed Anwar and Aamer Sohail against India in the quarterfinal of World Cup 1996.
So where do we go from here? Pakistan will play the West Indies next month and will go Down Under afterwards and if we continue to depend on these youngsters, things will surely turn out for the better. Even if they lose, they will lose like lions and not like cowards which was the way the Azhar Ali led-squad was behaving, before being steered towards the right path, the path to victory.