Pakistan: Cricket World Cup

#16 by okhla99

You can root for India but there is no need to forecast gloom for Pakistan. Our team is quite strong and, on its day, can easily demolish any other team.

Yaar Okhla, why do you Pakis go into the defensive mode almost as a reflex? Haven`t you read my earlier posts on this board? Let me repeat it again: I`ll be as glad if Pakistan wins the WC as I would be if India does.

#13 by goonga

Besides this its not YOU who could make Pak win.

Yaar Goonga, besides your speech, have you even lost the use of your brains? Where did I wish Pakistan ill?

I`m as much a fan of Paki team as I am of India`s. In fact, I wish one of the two to be the champions.

Pakistan didn`t win the 1992 world cup because of just two players. We won because we blended experience (Imran, Javed) with raw talent (Inzy, Wasim, Aqib, Mushy, Ramiz, Sohail). In 2003, Pakistan had too many seniors (Saeed, Inzy, Wasim, Waqar, Rashid) but few foot soldiers. There were 4 captains (or ex-captains) in this team looking over each other`s shoulders. And then there was internal politics and the shadow of match fixing.

In 2007, Pakistan has the right blend of experience and raw talent. Inzy commands respect and handles pressure exceptionally. Yousaf and Younis are excellent lieutenants. Asif, Umar Gul, Razzaq, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal and (a fit) Shoaib Akhtar can provide enormous firepower.

A laid-back captain & a superbly talented team can still win the World Cup. But even an Imran Khan can`t lead a team to victory, when 3 of its star players are injured. The fate of Pakistan`s 2007 campaign hangs on the physical fitness of Shoaib Akhtar, Asif and Umar Gul.

harish_hyd

This is w r t your #12.

Yes, as a cricket fan I would say, may the best team win the World Cup. But, at the same time, I would want MY team to win. Would I not???

You can root for India but there is no need to forecast gloom for Pakistan. Our team is quite strong and, on its day, can easily demolish any other team.

And afterall, the glorious uncertainties of cricket...

Dear Gul,

Irrespective of Inzi`s batting talent, his captiancy or leadership has left much to be desired. You have illustrated most of his mistakes, but one that speaks volumes of his shrewdness and lack of loyalty was the sacking of Rashed Lateef, the same person who literally dragged him out of oblivion. The moment Inzi realized Rashed was a liability, he had no qualms in having him dumped.

And yes, beard does matter for Inzi and his cohorts when making selection decisions. MiniMe (Mushtaq Ahmed) for Waqar Yunus is a most telling example, Shabbira the Jhatka was flown specially from Pakistan to bowl only two overs before he broke down. Why Him? Cause he now sports a flowing beard and has shared tablighee moments with team management ie Inzi.

Similarly, younger players who do not share Inzi`s religiouse reincarnation are systematically sidelined, Hasan Reza, Taufeeq Umer are just a few examples. Shoaib Akhter has on many a occassion suffered abject humiliation simply because he was the rebel, someone who chose to walk on the wild side, ofcourse that was not acceptable to the gang of beards.

In my book, Inzi`s lack of imagination or inability to take risk and responsibility has left Pakistan with limited options. Had we been testing new players in the English, WI or SA series, but Pakistan wud have found more than one player for the upcoming worldcup. Sadly, that was not to be and we (Pakis) are victims of narrow minded bigots who now have spread their tentacles into our cricketing world for that is the best forum to project their brand of Pakistan ie tablighee.

Re: # 11
BTW how well you have analyzed: 5 ommissions, 5 additions and 1x1 misplaced out of 15 team members?
I know it was ``your team`` and you are NOT forecaster but still you could include possible compbinations to lift the team which SHOULD BE main purpose of this article. I think this is the best team combination provided they could be able to execute plans.

On sports and especially cricket, chowk is just like PCB journal.

#12
thank u for your kind wishes!
Besides this its not YOU who could make Pak win.

Folks,

Forget about Akhtar and Asif playing the World Cup, they`ve tested postive....again!

Without either of them in the team, Pakistan`s chances of winning the WC appear pretty bleak.

Akhtar, Asif fail Pak`s secret dope test

As team has been announced and till the start of tournament it is:
Openers
Yasir Hameed,Imran Nazir and Imran Farhat : Hafeez, Kamran Akmal
Middle order
Younis Khan, Yousaf, Inzammam and Hafeez
All Rounders
Shoaib Malik, Azhar, and Razzaq : Afridi
Wicket Keeper
Kamran Akmal with Younis as Standby
Bowlers
Asif/Rao/ Rana Naveed , Rana Naveed, Umar Gul, and Sami : Asif, Rao, Shoaib Akhtar
Spinner
Danesh Kaneria

Note: If Shohaib Akhtar is selected, it will be at the cost of Hafeez Yasir, while one of the openers will be a stand by for the middle order.

Well Yousaf and Younis also emerged when Inzi was there in team so its just Asim and Misbah were not upto mark!
Yousaf is very respectable in team and nation since he established in the team regardless of his conversion. Same is true for Danish so again if beard did a trick then Asim must be regular team member.
In short, the problems concerned in article are not particularly due to current team, in fact theres nothing new about team in this article: these problems are in team for last ten years and mainly board and officials are responsible for not planning and managing. They were real culprits; few are gone and some still enjoying there. No body blames as they now when ever there is any issue only players are to blame.

To me, Inzi got team together in critical times. I would say he might have gone by now but then our team would be like WI in last years. He is not as good as other individual lead talents but he served in difficult times.

It is quite easy to enjoy fame and resign at any time like others did in this team but to do some thing better for team is harder. Inzi could not bring team higher but he managed enough to avoid any crash.

For world cup, we have a couple of consistent performer teams like Aus and SA but talent of SL, NZL, and WI will be spark during the cup. ENG, PAK and IND are very unpredictable so lets see on that day who will rise as it’s the game of just ONE DAY.

Aw c`mon....surely this isn`t the best analysis of Pakistan`s prospects to emerge from across the border...this is something that a 12-year old would come up with for a school homework assignment.

Having said that, articles on cricket are doomed on chowk anyway. So I wonder abut the forum.

Ijaz?? Man what are you smoking?????????????? Must be some great stuff to make you high enough to write this analysis.

HP,
Thanx for your comments.
I began writing this article during Pakistan`s tour of England. It was Pakistan`s lacklustre performance during a loosing string that was alarming. The big guns were not firing and finishing job was left to Razzaq etc. This was followed by the Oval Episode in wgich Pakistan conceded the match. Though many conspiracy theories came up, Zahher Abbas in a recent interview clarified that the bycott was solely Inzi`s decision. Later there were also rumours that Inzi would be dumped. The faultlines were amply revealed during the ICC trophy.

My premise is the same as your obsevation, ``I hope he does not meet the Younis and Wasim fate. Both played one too many world cups``. and this is the teaser of my article.

Plz also cary out another snap study. In pakistan cricket, how many players have retired immediately after a world cup? You will conclude amazing facts including emergence of rising stars just after; youngters who were held back because confidence was reposed in old horses who failed to run the course.

harish,
I am not being unfair. I am just trying to point out a reality and I may be wrong. I agree that we have highly talented youngsters, but in todays competetive environments, talent alone performs in fits and starts. Players are to be groomed and made battle hardy for consistancy. In Pakistan this grooming unfortunately, does not come from the structure but through international exposure. Thats where all the wrongs begin to take place.

Cheerios

# HP doing geo-political analysis ;-)

I don’t follow cricket a whole lot but I do have some theories about the world cup and since Ijaz is down on Inzi, I will add my two cents about inzi.

The reality is that Inzimam should have retired from one day at least a year ago. However, looking at the Pak team that we have now, his not retiring may actually help Pak team out.

In big matches like the world cup any batsman who can give two good innings of 75+, in the whole tournament is probably worth keeping. If Inzimam can give one 75+ performance after the prelim round he would justify his selection. Ijaz can go back and test my theory. Barring couple of Aussies, I don’t think there is any batsman from any other team who has given more than two better performances in any world cup (outlier possible). This goes for the bowlers too. Any bowler who can take 3+ wickets in two matches would more than justify his selection.

Now if Inzi’s performance comes in a winning effort, then that is sonay pay soohaga….
I think he is still better than two Razzaqs in current form and perhaps even 1 ½ Afridi.
I hope he does not meet the Younis and Wasim fate. Both played one too many world cups.

Given the current form and considering the West Indies wickets, where scoring quickly would be difficult, my predictions for the world cup.


Semis
Aussies, England, South Africa fourth place would go to Pakistan/India
Final- England vs. Australia.

63% chance Aussies winning it in the end. Aussies have batsmen who can really give more than two better performances in the tournament and that will win them the final. Though no one knows how their bowlers would perform in WI conditions but they are still better than Pakistan, India and New Zealand bowlers put together.

Having said that, the Paki team is such an enigma..they have the best talented players in the world, probably better than the Aussies have..yet they`re rarely cohesive..