Why world # 3 ranked Test team is world # 9 ranked ODI team?

How strange it is that Pakistani cricket team is ranked among the world’s top three in the Test matches version of the game, but it is ranked in the bottom three of the ODI version of the game.

The world # 1 Test team of South Africa is # 4 ranked ODI team and the world # 2 Test team of Australia is # 1 ranked ODI team.

However, the world # 3 Test team of Pakistan is # 9 ranked ODI team of the world.

In fact, among the Test playing nations in the ODI rankings, we are the second last team of the world. Only Zimbabwe’s ODI team is ranked below Pakistan.

Since, more or less same players play the same way, the both versions of the game, the only reason which comes to mind about the problem with the Pakistani team, in its poor performance in the ODI version is that they just can’t play the ODI games, in its modern style, with aim in the mind of scoring above 300, 350 or 400+ runs in 50 overs.

Our world records of lowest score & average in first ten overs and world record of playing highest dot balls clearly/visibly points towards the faults, which if improved, can easily transform our same team into the top 5 ODI teams of the world.

However, this milestone cannot be achieved with openers like recently turned timid Ahmad Shahzad or afraid of playing moving ball outside the off stump, Muhammad Hafeez.

Moreover, players like Shoaib Malik and Asad Shafiq will always be an impediment in the top notch performance of our ODI team.

Actually, our team needs two or three more fearless batsmen like Sarfraz Ahmad and Awais Zia.

Currently with ONLY one Sarfraz Ahmad, it is not for nothing that we are 9th ranked team in the world.

In fact, the PCB chairman who approves the team and selectors who originally selects the team, must not do this ZULM or cruelty with Pakistani team by selecting utterly undeserving players like Shoaib Malik, Asad Shafiq, Muhammad Hafeez and Ahmad Shahzad; and keeping out true ODI material players like Umer Akmal and Awais Zia.

The Chairman PCB must note this fact that cricket is a tremendous team game. And just one misfit player can disturb the balance of the team.

Furthermore, our selectors have proved that they don’t select players with an eye on future, by not giving a chance during the recently concluded Zimbabwe series, to the newly selected dashing batsman Mukhtar, to allow him to gain ODI experience and confidence under the home conditions.

In our ODI team we have four misfit players, which clearly reflects the fault lines and dismal results of being white washed by the teams like Bangladesh and defeat Vs the West Indies team in the World Cup, by a HUGE margin of 150 runs.

If we have to qualify for the champions trophy (don’t forget we came last in the 2013 champions trophy), our team should be selected on the principle of horses for courses; with no place for spent cartridges.