Written by: Shiraz Aslam
Posted on: October 02, 2023 | 
| 中文
Team Pakistan
Zoomers (Generation Z) will never forget Misbah Ul Haq fighting tooth-and-nail in Mohali as the middle order crumbled to the Indian bowling attack. How could they forget Wahab Riaz nearly decapitating Shane Watson inside the Melbourne Cricket Ground four years later, only to be let down by lousy fielding in the ring? West Indies bouncing Sarfaraz-11 out for 105 in 2019, gives the Green Army nightmares to this day.
Team Pakistan during the 2019 ODI World Cup
Fast forward to 2023, and we feel a tad bit more confident today. For years, backstage politics had marred our efforts on the field, but the current Pakistani squad has stood firm and united against a rather fickle fan base and media. Despite mounting criticism, they have remained loyal to one another, aiding coordination in the field. After Misbah, Younis Khan and Shahid Afridi hung up their boots, our batting order entered a fragile phase. Fortunately, generational talent in Babar Azam stood up to the task and filled the massive void. Azam is well-supported by an enthusiastic and resilient Muhammad Rizwan and a classy Imam Ul-Haq.
We cannot have a conversation about Pakistani cricket without bringing up arguably the greatest fast bowling trio in recent memory. Headed by a fierce Shaheen Shah Afridi, our bowling attack has set the world ablaze with their blistering pace. Along with Afridi, Naseem Shah has rattled many a top order in the powerplay. They have been around for a handful of years, and fans have already begun comparing them to the Waseem Akram-Waqar Younis duo that put the green caps on the map. On the rare occasion where these two world-class performers falter, a reliable Haris Rauf steps in to provide a much-needed breakthrough.
Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf during Asia Cup 2023
Unfortunately, as meme culture fittingly describes it, “Pakistan cricket isn’t just therapy, but the reason why you need therapy.” The middle order remains a puzzle that the Selection Committee has failed to resolve, for they are most suitable for T20 cricket. Their inexperience and lack of exposure only aggravates the problem. With no Misbah Ul Haq-like reliability in the middle overs, disaster is likely to follow during testing times. Once Azam, Imam Ul Haq, and Fakhar Zaman head to the dugout, the wickets tumble in no time. When the top-order collapses early in the game, the team is left struggling to play out the entire 50 overs.
Imam Ul Haq and Babar Azam against Afghanistan during the recently concluded Asia Cup
Following their lackluster performance in the Asia Cup, much has been said about our underperforming spinners. Shadab Khan has been extremely underwhelming, and a shell of the world-class bowler he was groomed to become. With an expensive economy rate and a low strike rate, the vice-captain has failed to consolidate and justify his position in the squad with the ball. Muhammad Nawaz has occasionally proven to be economical but still leaves much to be desired, especially on conditions that have little to offer for the bowlers. Iftikhar Ahmed, the sixth spare bowling option, is currently the only saving grace in a weak spin attack.
Compared to England’s Adil Rashid or India’s Kuldeep Yadav, we do not possess the so-called “X factor” in our spin attack. This is especially detrimental during the middle overs of the 50-over game, as the spinners leak too many runs, leaving a tall task behind for our pace attack at the back end of the innings.
Fakhar Zaman has been out of form lately
The most controversial has been Babar Azam’s captaincy. Taking nothing away from the top-tier batsman, Azam has failed to bring home a single title, even with an in-form, united, world-class playing eleven. From electing to bowl when he should have batted to odd field placements, the skipper leaves many scratching their heads with the decisions he makes on the field. There is also a growing concern that the burden of captaincy may be impacting his performance. Indeed, he may have lost a step or two with the bat, as shown by his underwhelming outings in big encounters.
The real catastrophe struck a week ago when Naseem Shah, the front-line pacer and the only player consistently firing on all cylinders, was ruled out of the World Cup with an ill-timed shoulder injury. With Shah on the sidelines, PCB desperately searched for a replacement and added Hasan Ali, who fell out of favor following an uninspiring effort in the 2021 T20 World Cup.
Hasan Ali (center) is back in the squad after a long break
Fortunately, all hope is not lost! We mentioned Iftikhar Ahmed impressing with the ball, and we know the damage he can cause with the bat. Ahmed may be in the best form of his career, and this could be his ticket to superstardom. Abdullah Shafique received quite a few nods for his tenacious batting display against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup. With Fakhar Zaman out of form, we may have found a suitable replacement to supplement the top order in big chases. Usama Mir, Agha Salman, and Saud Shakeel are the real dark horses. They may be inexperienced, but could be the surprise package for our team, since other teams are oblivious of their talents.
Furthermore, the recent string of poor performances by our experienced players, specifically Shadab, Fakhar, and Babar have forced them to improve their performance, and they now have a golden opportunity to redeem themselves.
Team Pakistan's group photo before departure to India for the World Cup
The beauty and misfortune of the green army lies in its inexplicable unpredictability. No one knows what to expect, Babar-11 can lose a meager run chase to the Netherlands on Monday, only to march onto a comfortable victory over South Africa a few days later. They have the talent and skill, but one can only hope that nature and playing conditions favor our team.
You may also like:
