Why We’re Shocked

Our effective exit from the World Cup, shocking in that it was confirmed but four days after the curtains were raised, will no doubt be the subjected to endless post-mortem deliberation by experts of all variety, mostly the arm-chair type. Pundits will dissect the make-up of the team, expound on the tactics employed, and, as a logical conclusion, perhaps call for the axing of the coach and the captain. After all, it is unacceptable that we, proud Pakistanis with memories of silverware acquisition still very vivid, should be dumped out of the party so ignominiously!

I suppose it’s only logical that the brickbats should be as forthcoming as were the bouquets. We didn’t question our supremacy when we went all the way in ’92, even though it’s arguable that, had NZ not played without incentive, Pakistan might have not made it as far as the semi-final. We were champions and that proved that we were the best in the world.

So now that we’re the first team to be dumped out, the same ‘logic’ would dictate that we’re among the worst, and that is a bitter pill to swallow, indeed.

This needn’t be the case, however. Our national cricketers deserve more than to be held to such fickle standards. They deserve to be treated as professionals; not demigods on which we hang our every hope and dream, and even, perhaps, pin our egos. The fact of the matters is that we had one bad day at the office, which could happen to anyone. It was just our ill fortune that the Irish on St. Paddy’s Day hit well above their weight – and how! – and we performed as, we are apt to, well below our potential.

Are there areas of our game that need looking into? Sure. The perennial Pakistani inconsistency that hides itself only against India was paraded again—as was the sorry fact of our lack of blue-blooded openers. But none of this is news, and it would take a strong dose of wishful thinking to believe that these gremlins weren’t going to spoil the party any given day.

In our loss to the Windies, we played as well as we could, but were outplayed. Ruing that loss would make about as much sense as regretting rain. And had Ireland not tied with Zimbabwe- another anomaly of the rarest kind – we’d still have a chance, albeit slim, of making it to the next round. Fate had it in for us too!

There’ve already been reports of mobs calling for not only the resignation but even the death of the Inzi and Woolmer. (The sad news just in suggests that some of their wishes have come true!) – this despite the fact that the Pakistan team has, under their guardianship, risen to number three in the world rankings! This baying for blood is indicative of a mindset that is volatile, unforgiving and needlessly aggressive. Then again, it’s not unlike the way Pakistan performs on the field.