By: Mohammad Sufi Desai, Karachi Nov 09, 2013: Black Cat, All prayers and effort goes in pain. We lost the series again. South Africa beat Pakistan in 4th ODI and Win the series, although one ODI is left but it will not affect the series but still hope that Pakistan will win because otherwise, it will directly affect the rating in ODI Team Ranking.
Yesterday when I was watching the match on TV, I saw a black cat in ground. When we lost the match, I had seen that all TV Channels telecast a trigger which is “Black Cat Cut the Way of Success”! Is it true? What do you think! It’s all because of Black cat. I don’t think so. What I had analyzed tomorrow is, we lost the match due to Black Cats in our team! Here, question arises in mind of many readers that when Pakistan wins, sports analyzers did not appreciate but when the team lost everyone started to call names, teasing, etc. But I hope that you will answer your question in my article. I am not against anyone, it’s all for betterment of cricket in our country.
If we look on statistics of series, anyone can say that only few players performed. I don’t want to talk on test series because I quiet to watch test series as it is now based only for PRACTICE. In ODI’s Misbah and Shahzad is the ruler in runs. Nobody is good in bowling statistics as 2 or 3 wickets are common in match… Now what about our remaining players. Afridi, Umar Akmal, Hafeez, had they gone only for watching the match. If we look on statistics of Afridi, he even didn’t pass 50 runs in whole series and took only 7 wickets. Move on to Umar Akmal, perform in only 4th ODI, otherwise same as Afridi. Hafeez was moderate but in my eyes he not performed as team wants from him. We lost mostly our wicket in consequence, in 25 to 30 our many players went to pavilion. Our top order has almost failed. Middle order has played like Test match. In-fact what i have seen in series that our batsmen playing the spinners going back. Spinners! Just imagine????? The country where pitches favors the spinners.
Now before that I am talking about the Black Cats in team. In 2000, I remember that I went to South Africa due to educational purpose. I had seen a match in Johannesburg between Pakistan and South Africa. A South African bowler made 100 in this match but he didn’t take any wicket. The next match of that series played in Durban. I can’t imagine that the selector dropped the player!!!! Why? What was the reason? As the time passed, I analyzed their decision. He was a bowler. His main task was bowling. He made 100, it is great work but you have to take a wicket which is your duty. The main reason of telling this story that we have to judge our players like this.
All-rounders are basically of two types: Batting-bowling, bowling batting. Sachin Tendulkar, Watson, Gayle are example of first type and Wasim Akram, Irfan Pathan, Pollock are examples of 2nd type. The first thing is the main job of all-rounder while the second is part-time. 2nd job is taken for break through the partnerships controlling runs etc. The performance level is measured usually on player’s main task.
Afridi came in team as opener when he debut himself! He is only part-time bowler. We require runs from him not bowling performance. When he comes for batting everybody cheers as compare to his bowling. I think that after T20 World cup 2009, he had been selecting as people choice player not on merit. The selectors has now made clear on him that made runs in ground and made run to home! People love him, but it is not the love game! Same has to clear on Hafeez and all players especially seniors as they are playing for last many years.
Our Bowling is no doubt very strong. We have world-class bowlers. But for much we realize on bowlers. If we see the 2nd ODI, basically win by the effort of bowlers. We have to make such strategies by which bowlers can bat too like western countries i.e. Australia, England. We have to ensure all the bowlers that it is also your DUTY to maintain fitness. Here, I would like to add something that our bowlers’ line and length is not good enough. If we see the statistics of any series, about 25 to 30 runs is average of extra. So we should improve all this.
According to the rule of cricket, Host team can make pitch according to his wish. So a question has also arises why Pakistan not make the pitches as own desire. During PAK SA series, INDIA AUS were also in progress. If we see there, 300 runs are average score. But in PAK SA series, 200 runs are the average score. Why we are not taking advantage of this rule. Did our organizer not know about this rule? Or if they know then there are two possibilities that either they are sleeping or they don’t want to do work.
Pakistan is the only team in world which has BATTING, BOWLING & FIELDING COACH. But we are not getting the desire result. We have now taken the decision of Coaches. I just heard the news that Chairman PCB also said that in next few days, we take decision about coaches.
One thing hammering in my mind that why Pakistan hiring Foreign Coaches? We have world-class coaches. If PCB wants to hire the batting coach, Javaid Miandad, Zaheer Abbas (ASIAN BRADMAN), Hanif Mohammad (LITTLE MASTER) are the best choice. For Bowling coaches, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Mudassir Nazar, Sarfraz Nawaz are best choice. They can also perform their duties as fielding coach.
It is now time when selector has to play their role. Only 1.5 year left in world-cup. We have to find out more players which are talented. No doubt, Zohaib Maqsood played very well yesterday. Our bowling attack is brilliant in form of Irfan, Junaid, and Ajmal. Our main problem is openers and Middle order. After Saeed Anwar and Amir Sohail, we failed to find out good openers. We have to give chances to new emerging player. If we see Asad Shafiq and Umar Amin, they are talented but they are failed till yet to perform. We have now give chances to other new players. The other problem of team is psychological. Our team cannot perform in pressure. When we come in pressure, all goes in pain. We have to make strong our team. We have also made clear on captain and give him full authority because in my eyes our captain has no respect. In 3rd ODI, Afridi challenge the decision of wicket without coordinating the captain, even captain is not interested in review. So this shows that we have to make a power full captain like Imran Khan.
In this critical situation of Pakistan where everybody is surrounded by a bunch of problem, cricket is the only way of enjoyment. People relaxed themselves by watching it. They want to see a good cricket. They want to see a fighting cricket matches. They hate one sided matches. When our players perform like this, they become aggressive even I become when players out playing unnecessary shots. Cricket Board has to realize this and makes such policies which are favorable for country. Here I painfully said that when the chairman of PCB is a political analyzer or Chairman of Bank which even don’t know the C of Cricket, who we get our results. I must say that Chairman of PCB should be professional, who played cricket, who had knowledge about it and like that.
In last, I hope that readers get the answer that Black cat cut our way or Black Cats in our teams cuts their own way. Please comment your suggestion and answer for me.
Thank you. —- By: Mohammad Sufi Desai/Photo: PCB
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