Despite the 4-1 defeat handed out by India to Pakistan, I don’t believe all was bad. Here are my thoughts: Bowling: I thought Asif, Gul, and Iftikar and, to an extent, Arafat did well considering neither one of them have 10 ODI matches of experience. In particular, I thought Asif were exceptional and Gul was threatening in the 3rd ODI. I was tired of hearing how much Pakistan missed Shoaib in the bowling department. Yes here’s their front*ine bowler but the experienced bowlers, Sami, Rana and Razzaq, didn’t bowl too well in the series. They should have led the youngsters.
Batting: I’m afraid this is merely a group of well talented batsmen without any true direction. They went through far too many batting line-ups that no one has a clear role on this team. The top 6 or 7 changed order far too frequently. Here’s what I think they need to do to add some stability for the time being. Keep Afridi at 6. I know everyone keeps referring to Kanpur when he opened but his bat is better served further down the order towards the end. When batting first, he can add quite a few runs at the end and he can be very useful when chasing towards the end.
Younis Khan and Shoaib Malik at 3 and 4 respectively. They’re both good bats and can carry the batting fairly well. Inzimam to open. I think Inzi has no choice but to lead the batting at the open with Salman Bu**. Too many combinations have tried and failed and I think it’s time for him to lead right from the top. Fielding: There’s something wrong if your players can’t take seemingly routine catches. Dhoni was dropped near the boundary and the ball went for four. Talk about stabbing yourself in the back. There are too many examples of poor Pak fielding that Woolmer and PCB should hire a fielding coach to show these players the basics.
First of all the man of the series award to Bob Woolmer for playing Younis Khan at no7. Also what was considered were his decision to use Faisal Iqbal and Imran Farhat as Super subs. Keeping all that in mind Bob Woolmer fully deserves this recognition. Sami and Rana get Lifeline awards for coming in to bowl at crucial times and giving the Indians runs. Whenever the asking rate went over 7 Rana Naved and Sami were there to help us out. Sometimes Rana gave more runs. Sometimes it was Sami. There was a lot of healthy competition but in the end they both deserve this award.
And I think every Indian should thank them for their kindness. Infact I think Naved Rana deserves a standing ovation. Even in the last series he was the main donor when India hit 350 in Karachi. Arshad Khan gets the best supporting cricketer award for his good efforts. I didn’t get to see much of him but whatever little we saw we were all impressed. Mohammed Yousef might have got this award but Arshad Khan nicked it. Inzaman Ul Haq gets a special achievement award for being fit enough to play in the one dayers. If Younis had been captain India might have lost.
Also this award was given for not bowling Shoaib Malik enough. For interfering with play. And bringing on Razzaq when India had already won the matches. A big hand for the big man. Also please note all the runs he gave in the field and all the runs he didn’t run for. Pak are better at TEST matches currently between the two teams. Pakistanis can accept that India is better in the ONE DAYERS at the moment. Also Pak under19 team is better than India under19 team. Why is it hard to accept this. I think the Indian fans find it hard to accept Pakistan are a better test team than them.
In the battle India crumble under the pressure, whereas even when Pakistan were 39-6 they showed great character and the young bowlers helped Pakistan to rip through the "best batting line up in the world". Inzy: Shuffles too much, moves his right foot beyond off stump to get into position. Any bowler like Irfan who brings the ball in could trap him LBW. Shoaib Malik: 1) A very bad hooker of the ball. Ask Sreesanth to bowl short, he is gone. 2)Have three slips and a gully and let Sreesanth bowl an outswinger. He would give a catch at slips. Kamran Akmal: Flashy on the off side.
Have a point or a silly point. He is out caught. Younis Khan: Technically the best. He like Inzy shuffles too much. An inswinging bowler would get him out. Afridi: Keep bowling. He gets himself out to some silly stroke. Pakistan should be proud of those two. They were the only two players in the Pakistani team I as an Englishman really admire. Younis Khan always talks sense and his reading of the game is absouletly superb. Not to mention the energy he brings to the game. I remember in the last ODI when the ball was deflected by his bat while he was running for two he ran after the ball, picked it up and gave it back to India. Thats the kind of spirit he plays the game with.
Abdul Razzaq is a real fighter. Whether he has the bat or the ball in his hand he always tries and gives 100% and is one of the most underrated players ever. If he was an Indian he would have become a superstar there. Nasser Hussain said this on the Straight Drive programme, do people agree with this? Nasser Hussain said that although India have a bigger following, they did not possess the level of raw talent that Pakistan possesses. He said this after the Test series with England last year and during this ODI series even after Pakistan lost.
I agree, Pakistan and India have the most raw talent, but the cricket authorities just don’t know how to nurture this raw talent as well as the Aussies and the English. According to both Nasser Hussain and Imran Khan, if the Pakistan and Indian cricket boards were to nurture the talent in the same way the Aussies and England do then Pakistan and India would dominate cricket as Brazil and Argentina do football.