Written by: Waseem Abbas
Posted on: October 27, 2023 | 
| 中文
Team Pakistan after losing against Afghanistan on Oct 23
Afghanistan thrashed Pakistan by 8 wickets, their first win against Pakistan in ODI World Cup history on the 23rd of October in Chennai, India. Team Pakistan’s dismal performance was due to its timid batting approach, below-par spin bowling and mediocre captaincy, and it now appears that the men in green are virtually out of the World Cup (WC). With just two wins in five games, only a miracle can help Pakistan reach the semis; only if it wins all its next games against South Africa, Bangladesh, New Zealand and England, it stands a chance. What we have seen over the years watching Pakistan cricket is, that miracles do happen, especially when the men in green are cornered and left with no option except to bounce back resoundingly.
Shaheen Afridi after dismissing Rohit Sharma
With Afghanistan’s triumphs against England and Pakistan, the World Cup has entered an interesting phase, with all the teams in the hunt for semi-final spots. The competition level has been superb, with the defending champions standing at the bottom of the table, as all the teams have at least won a game halfway through the tournament. The Netherlands has won against South Africa, in what can be called the biggest upset of this World Cup, as Afghanistan’s wins can no longer be called upsets because it has improved by leaps and bounds as a team in the last three to four years.
Team Afghanistan
India is cruising in the World Cup campaign with spectacular performances, heralded by the skipper Rohit Sharma and veteran Virat Kohli's masterly batting, along with their bowlers executing their plans exquisitely. With five straight wins, India is assured a place in the top four, with South Africa and New Zealand trailing behind with sound chances of making it to the semis. The fourth slot is wide open, and any team can make it with their performances in the upcoming games, but Australia, Pakistan and England will be vying for the slot. Afghanistan can be a surprise entry in the semis, if it keeps its opponents shaken with its spin-heavy attack.
The World Cup has been nothing short of a run-fest, with teams scoring 300+ scores, more often than not. The Runs Per Over (RPO) in this World Cup, as of October 24, is 5.83 and the average is 34.99, which means a team will score, on average, 291.5 runs in fifty overs losing 8 wickets. The average number of runs scored by a team in an inning in the 2011 World Cup was around 220, while it was slightly higher in the last two World Cups, 278 in 2015 and 271 in 2019. The players benefiting from this run fest are mostly from India, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. The top scorer of the ongoing WC is South Africa’s Quinton De Cock with 407 runs, followed by India’s batting maestro Virat Kohli (354 runs), Australia’s David Warner (332 runs) and Indian skipper Rohit Sharma, who has amassed 311 runs at an astonishing strike rate of 133.47. Pakistan’s Muhammad Rizwan, Sri Lanka’s Sadeera Samarawickrama, New Zealand’s youngster Rachin Ravindra and South Africa’s Henrich Klassen are next in the order with 304, 295, 290 and 288 runs respectively. Klassen’s 288 runs have come at whopping strike rate of 150, which is the highest scoring rate for any batsman with 20 or more runs in this WC. In the bowling charts, Austrlia’s Adam Zampa is at the top with thirteen wickets, followed by New Zealand’s Mitchel Santner (12), India's Jasprit Bumrah (11), Sri Lanka’s Dilshan Madushanka (11), New Zealand’s Mark Henry (10) and Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi (10). Bumrah has been spectacular amongst them all, averaging marginally over 16 with the ball, while conceding 3.6 runs per over.
Virat Kohli playing a shot against NZ, on Oct 22, in Dharamshala
Team India is doing wonders in the World Cup so far, but it is the mismanagement and planned controversies that are letting down the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI). Pakistan cricket team is the main target of the Hindutva-inspired BCCI high-ups, as visas for team Pakistan were issued only three days before the first warm-up game. Most of Pakistan's journalists covering the megaevent are yet to receive their visas, with few exceptions. Meanwhile, Pakistani cricket fans were denied visas and one can rarely see a Pakistani supporter in the stands, which was disheartening for a megaevent like WC. Pakistan mulled over the possibility of boycotting the World Cup, as India had just refused to visit Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023, and jeopardized the whole event. However, Pakistan sent the team for the mega event, as India's financial hegemony in the cricketing world, because India generates 82% of ICC revenues. Secondly, Pakistan is expected to host the Champions Trophy 2025 and to make sure the event is held in Pakistan, it had to send the team to India.
Adam Zampa, the highest wicket-taker of the WC, bowling against India
Another controversy surrounding the World Cup is the scheduling of matches in venues that suit certain teams at the expense of others. For example, Pakistan’s game against Afghanistan, the team with arguably the best spin attack in the World Cup, was scheduled in Chennai, the best spin track in India. Meanwhile, its game against Australia, the team known for fast-bowling prowess and its ability to play fast bowling well, was scheduled in Bengaluru, a ground known to assist fast bowlers. On the contrary, India's game against Australia was held in Chennai, a spin heaven, versus Afghanistan in Delhi, a comparatively high-scoring venue. The results are self-evident as India and Afghanistan won their games on grounds best suited to their strengths. It is not an excuse for Pakistan's poor performance, as it should have won its games regardless of the conditions, but it is also a fact that conditions dictate results in cricket. Why ICC allowed India to decide all the venues to the advantage of some teams and the disadvantage of others, is a big question mark on ICC's integrity as an impartial body of managing cricket.
After India defeated Pakistan
Pakistan team’s director Mickey Arthur complained that team Pakistan was being booed and harassed on grounds, especially in Ahmedabad, Gujrat, and its players were being intimidated by slurs, slang words and anti-Pakistan slogans. When Pakistan captain Babar Azam was speaking to the broadcaster Ravi Shastri on the toss during its clash with India, the 1,30,000-crowd booed and shouted derogatory slogans against Pakistan and Babar. When Muhammad Rizwan, a player who had irked the Indian crowd after his tweet dedicating his man-of-the-match performance against Sri Lanka to the people of Palestine, was coming back to the pavilion, the crowd chanted "Jai Shree Ram" to infuriate him. Pakistan has officially complained to the ICC over these issues, but the Indian authorities are unmoved and the ICC is, as usual, failing to take a stand against the BCCI.
Tom Latham plays a shot against Afghanistan
It would be encouraging if team Pakistan bounces back in the upcoming games and reaches the semis. One thing is very clear, you can never write off team Pakistan, as they can defy odds and surprise everyone. The famous Nasser Hussain quote after Virat Kohli's wicket in the 2017 Champions Trophy sums up team Pakistan: "Pakistan cricket at its best: one minute down, next minute up". The hope is, although it goes against conventional logic, that Pakistan will thrash India in the semis or final, and avenge the deliberate manipulation of the BCCI in choosing the grounds, slurs and anti-Pakistan slogans.
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