We get delighted with one win forgetting all previous losses while a bad performance sends the nation into mourning
Pakistanis are very emotional people, especially about religion, politics and sports. For cricket, their craze touches a very high note; we get delighted with one win forgetting all previous losses while a bad performance sends the nation into mourning.
Pakistan cricket team started the England tour with a memorable win in the first Test at Lord’s and ended the trip with a record nine-wicket win in the only Twenty20 International.
Pakistan lost the ODI series by 4-1, hurting people so much that they demanded replacing Azhar Ali with Sarfraz Ahmed. And the comprehensive success in the T20 game made this demand louder.
It was the first match for Sarfraz Ahmed as the T20 captain and as was expected, "Sarfraz ne dhoka nahi diya".
Pakistan’s young guns outclassed England. Sarfraz used his bowling resources very well to restrict England’s power hitters to 135.
The wicketkeeper-batsman took over the T20I captaincy from Shahid Afridi, who stepped down following Pakistan’s early exit in the World Twenty20 in India.
Sarfraz has played 22 T20Is and scored 291 runs at 29.10 with two half-centuries. He was the captain of the Pakistan Under-19 team which won the World Cup in 2006. Sarfaz also showed his leadership qualities during the first edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL) earlier this year when he led Quetta Gladiators to the final.
After losing the first four ODIs, Azhar Ali & Company won the last One-Day International against England. It was their first win after eight consecutive losses against full member teams.
Pakistan last won against England in Abu Dhabi last year.
Under Azhar’s leadership, Pakistan played 24 ODIs, won only nine and lost 16. The defeat against England was the fourth ODI series loss under Azhar.
According to some reports, Azhar agreed to quit captaincy on the condition that he would not be expelled from the ODI team, but later he changed his mind and informed the management that he would not quit.
Three different captains was not a great idea from the PCB. Most of the international teams have two captains, one for Test matches and one for ODIs and T20Is.
Pakistan coach Micky Arthur wants aggressive approach from all the players, especially the skipper. The coach says he wants hard-hitting batsmen who can provide flying start in the first power play and at the end finish the game successfully.
According to the coach, Pakistani players are playing ODIs with an outdated style due to which their chances of direct qualification for the 2019 World Cup are bleak.
He has asked players to play brave cricket "as we have nothing to lose".
Playing a large number of dot balls is the main concern of batting and head coaches. The players lack the art of rotating the strike. Our batsmen either hit the ball or they block it.
Pakistan players are continuing with the 1990s strategy of keeping wickets intact and hitting later. But that strategy stopped working a long time ago and it certainly does not work in 2016. Capitalization of first power play fielding restriction provides the foundation for a big total. The weight of dot balls openers accumulate adds to the burden on those who come after them.
Pakistan were one of the first teams to follow Sri Lanka’s Jayasuriya and Kaluwitharana trend of attacking from the top. Saeed Anwar was one of the genuine greats of the game.
Attacking openers are the need of the hour and Sharjeel Khan at least fills the space of one opener.
Sharjeel smashed 152 off just 86 balls against Ireland and hit 59 runs off just 36 balls against England.
Sarfraz proved his batting skills in the ODI series against England as he scored 300 -- the most by a Pakistan wicketkeeper in any ODI series. He surpassed Umar Akmal’s tally of 253 runs in the 2014 Asia Cup. Born on May 22, 1987, Sarfraz earned fame when his under-19 team beat the arch-rivals India in the Under-19 World Cup final in 2006.
Pakistan were bundled out for just 109, but they reduced India to 6 for 9 and finally bowled them out for 71. With that Pakistan became the only team to defend the title in the history of the Under-19 World Cup.
Very next year, when wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal sustained an injury, Sarfraz was selected in Pakistan ODI team which toured India in 2007. He made his debut on November 18 in Jaipur.
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