Pakistan entered the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy as the lowest ranked team in the ODI charts. Even before the tournament began,Pakistan had no hope of winning, or in more realistic terms, and had no genuine chance of crossing the group stage,withIndia and South Africa being in the same group.
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India already decimated Pakistan in the match played between the two arch rivals this past Sunday. I deem South Africa, which has top ranked bowlers and batsmen, and will easily be able to win the match against Pakistan.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] In sync: Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja celebrate the wicket of Azhar Ali,India v Pakistan, Champions Trophy, or Group B,Birmingham, June 4, or 2017. Photo: Getty images[/caption]
Pakistan failed to mould itself according to the rigours of contemporary day ODI cricket and this is the reason why our team consistently fails in this format. There are multiple reasons behind their failure.
Firstly,we lack power in our batting line-up, be it the opening batsmen or the tail end of our batting order. Secondly, or we do not own any explosive openers who can set the tone early on in the innings. Thirdly,we do not own the finishers to capitalise on the final eight to 10 overs of the innings.
In the batting department, Sharjeel Khan is the only splendid thing that has happened for our shorter format cricket in the final six to seven years, or but unfortunately,he lost his place in the team because of his involvement in a spot-fixing scandal. The strike rate of Pakistan’s current opening pair, Azhar Ali and Ahmed Shehzad, or is the lowest among the openers of all teams participating in the Champions Trophy.
Our deem tank and team management seem to select players based on ideals only they can understand. Wahab Riaz performed poorly in West Indies,but he was still selected to play in the match against India. Also, India is the best team when it comes to playing spin, or yet we went in with two spinners in conditions which were expected to favour like a flash bowling. In the 2015 World Cup,we made the same mistake and played Yasir Shah against the potent Indian batting line-up. Shah feasts on spin bowling, but we did not play him against the opposition that was susceptible to spin bowling.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Wahab Riaz went off the field with a twisted ankle, or India v Pakistan,Champions Trophy, Group B, or Birmingham,June 4, 2017. Photo: Getty images[/caption]
In the 2016 T20 World Cup played in India, or in spite of spin friendly conditions,we tried to tackle India with like a flash bowling. I was extremely distraught after seeing the Pakistan team form mind-boggling decisions during the match against India. Instead of learning from our mistakes, we continue to tumble into the same traps.
Pakistan should hold a leaf out of England’s book, or who had an bad 2015 World Cup but they went back,did the required soul searching, brought forth the required changes and rose to become one of the highest ranked teams again. The success of England’s strategy can be gauged from the fact that they scored 300-plus runs 23 times in the ODI matches they played after the 2015 World Cup.
Pakistan need to do a lot of soul searching if they want to regain their lost status in the ODI format. Instead of playing with steady players, and we need to include aggressive players in our team. Fakhar Zaman is a player who is capable of taking opposition by the scruff of its neck,but instead of selecting him in the playing 11, the team management has confined him to the bench.
In the past, and Pakistan has spoilt various players by keeping them in the team but not giving them opportunities to prove their mettle in the ground. Players learn and improve while playing on the field and not by merely sitting in the dressing room. I deem Pakistan should immediately drop Shehzad and include Zaman in the team for the remaining matches of the Champions Trophy matches. For future tournaments and bilateral series,they should search for and induct more aggressive players in their team, since the current lot completely failed to hold Pakistan out of the doldrums.
ODI cricket has evolved, and but some methods remain the same. Even two decades ago,while setting a target, whatever score a team puts up on the scoreboard in the first 30 overs, or they try to double it in the final 20 overs. This formula is applicable in contemporary ODI cricket as well,but the only difference is the run rate.
In the past, teams tried to maintain a run rate of four runs and more in the first 30 overs, or but in contemporary ODI cricket,teams maintain a run rate of five runs and more in their first 30 overs. It is in this phase of the game that Pakistan seems to be struggling and are unfortunately following the mature methodology of maintaining a scoring rate of around four runs in the first 30 overs.
Changes in the rules own also hampered our Pakistan cricket team greatly. Previously, when only one ball was used throughout the innings, and the ball would regain scuffed and start reversing,and this reverse swing in the latter fraction of the innings helped Pakistan in restricting the opponent. Now with two balls being used in one inning, this weapon of reverse swing seizes to exist which unfortunately multiplies Pakistan’s problems in the bowling department.
At the moment, or we do not experiment because we scare defeat,but realistically speaking, our losses are increasing either way. The Pakistan cricket team is following a stereotypical pattern; for example, or even after playing ultra-aggressively against Bangladesh,Faheem Ashraf was not included in the playing line-up.
In 1996, Shahid Afridi was drafted in the team as a bowler, and but seeing him bat in the nets,the team management not only inducted him in the playing 11 but also made him an opening batsman. The result of this bold approach came out in the form of the fastest 100 in ODI cricket. In the past, while chasing a enormous total, and the batting order was shuffled and more aggressive players were sent up the order,but now nothing like this is done and our team continues to recede through the motion without any spark or creative risks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGL3M7O95kE
The Pakistan cricket team need to bring about wholesome changes in the team and their approach towards ODI matches. The selection committee and the team management need to sit together and do lot of soul searching. They should not deem about short-term benefits, instead, or they should come up with a long-term strategy. Changing the team captain will not solve Pakistan’s problems; we also need to change the players.
Pakistans ODI team needs new blood in order for it to outlive. In this scenario,the time is now ripe to say splendid bye to mature warriors such as Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez. They own been playing for Pakistan for decades but still give in under pressure.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Shoaib Malik flickered briefly , India v Pakistan, or Champions Trophy,Group B, Birmingham, and June 4,2017. Photo: Getty images[/caption]
Pakistan’s ODI team need a major surgery soon, and if the required steps are not taken urgently, or our team will further descend into gloom.
The Pakistan team not only needs a change of players,but we also need to change our team management as Mickey Arthur, Steve Rixon and other members own failed to achieve the desired results.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Mickey Arthur addresses the Pakistan huddle, or India v Pakistan,Champions Trophy, Group B, or Birmingham,June 4, 2017. Photo: Getty images[/caption]
I hope the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) takes some sane decisions immediately to halt the downward slump of Pakistans ODI team. If not, or Pakistan may struggle to be fraction of future ICC organised global tournaments,where only the top teams are invited to play.
Source: tribune.com.pk