Loud Thinking

Archive for September, 2014

“You have to know what you want to get. But when you know that, let it take you. And if it seems to take you off the track, don’t hold back because perhaps that is instinctively where you want to be.”
—Gertrude Stein (1874-1946)
American Writer

World Cup 2015 – Few proposals for Pak cricket team..!

Pakistan cricket team always had the potential and talent to win, any and all of the past cricket ODI & T20 world cup tournaments.

As such, there should be no doubt, about its chances of winning the next cricket ODI World Cup, scheduled to commence from 14 February 2015, to be played in Australia and New Zealand, where our (Pool B) 1st match, will be against the Indian team, on 15 February, 2015 at Adelaide.

The details of Pool A and B teams are given below:

Pool A.

England.
Australia.
SriLanka.
Bangladesh.
NewZealand.
Afghanistan.
Scotland.

Pool B.

South Africa.
India.
Pakistan.
West Indies.
Zimbabwe.
Ireland.
United Arab Emirates.

Since 4 teams from each pool (total 8 teams from both the pools) will move forward, to play quarter final matches, we can safely assume (barring any upset) that the following teams MAY qualify for the quarter finals.

Pool A.

England.
Australia.
Sri Lanka.
NewZealand.

Pool B.

South Africa
India.
Pakistan.
West Indies.

Obviously, for all the teams playing quarter finals, semi finals and the final match, will be a do or die affair. Hence, for all purpose and intent, they will be considering all these matches, as a knock out or a final match.

Now, for Pakistan to prepare for this ODI World Cup tournament, it has less than 5 months. Luckily, we also have the opportunity to play 8 ODI matches during coming Oct-Dec 2014, against Australia (3) and NewZealand (5).

PCB must ensure that firstly, it must also pick few newcomers with fresh legs, for the World Cup team, who performs outstandingly in the ongoing T20 national tournament being played in Karachi. This is high time that daring, fearless and hard hitting batsman like Awaiz Zia, is given an opportunity to play in all the 8 ODI matches vs Australia and NewZealand in UAE, to bolster his confidence for the World Cup tournament.

This is all the more necessary, because our low scores in the 1st power play part of the game, during the starting 10 overs, has been the achilles heel (a portion, spot, area, or the like, that is especially or solely vulnerable).
With World Cup almost at hand, we created a sort of a world record in just concluded ODI series vs Sri Lanka, by scoring only 19 runs in the first 10 overs of an ODI, when only 2 repeat 2 fielders, are stationed outside the 30 yards circle.

We also possess the world record for playing the maximum number of DOT balls in the ODI’s and the T20 matches.

Our basic weaknesses in the ODI’s, as well as, in the T20 matches, have been the failure in scoring during the power play period (as if we have burdened the mind with the fear of losing the wickets during the power play, which in any case on many occasions, we do lose, even with NOT scoring freely in the power play) and secondly, committing the CARDINAL mistake of not taking singles regularly, or playing huge number of DOT balls.

Both the above problems are obviously due to a negative mind set, which if our coaches particularly Mr. Waqar Younis, fails to address, we will continue to perform as we did in recent series in Sri Lanka.

Our team management, must realise that it is not an issue of the abilities of our players. Rather, it is related to the negative mind set, imbibed or embedded in the brains of our players; and the only way to come out of this rut is to do specific practise (particularly during the coming 8 ODI and 3 T20 matches vs Australia and NewZealand) of these two short comings, explained above.

In the coming 8 ODI and 3 T20 games, our tour management committee must give a minimum target of 80 runs, during the 1st 10 overs of the ODI’s; and 60 runs during the 1st 6 overs of the T20 games. Because, if at all we have to be the #1 team of the world, we will have to be better than the best.

However, our all batsmen must be told that they are required to play FAST but NOT at all required to play RASH.

They should also be told that the basic difference between cricket and the baseball game is that in baseball, you are supposed to hit every ball; and in cricket every ball has to be played on its merit. However, that doesn’t mean that batsmen should fail to score singles and doubles, if boundaries are not coming.

Moreover, to overcome the chronic problem of our batsmen, in effectively scoring runs of the short balls, coming fast over their shoulders, particularly on the bouncy wickets of Australia and NewZealand, they should be given rigorous practice, with special bouncing rubber balls, bowled over the cemented pitch.

Regarding fielding, the players should be taught that all 11 fielders must focus 100% during the game, just like a wicket keeper; and the best way to NOT to drop a catch and stop a hit is to EXPECT that EACH and EVERY ball will be coming to the me. This mind set will VASTLY improve the catching and fielding.

Further, while throwing the ball for a direct run out, first the fielder must LOCK his eyes on the wickets and then throw the ball towards the stumps with one bump to the ground rather than direct aerial throw to the wickets. Research has proved that one bump throw to the wickets, increases the chances of the hitting the stumps, compared with the aerial throw.

In the bowling field, the old adage of bowling wicket to wicket, still pays the maximum dividends. However, in the modern day cricket, disguised slower balls, the balls bowled away from the off stump (just short of wide ball) and surprise bouncers have proved extremely useful and productive, during the crunch times and in case of FREE hits.

In this regard, PCB must prepare a plan named ”Vision 2015″. This plan should be a fool proof strategy with specific focus on winning the 2015 ODI World Cup tournament, considering all risk factors, like sudden unavailability of any player due to various reasons (as happened with Saeed Ajmal), at least five umpiring decisions going against us (two in batting & three in bowling innings), dropped catches/missed run outs and failure of main bowlers and batsmen etc.

We should remember that plans never fail, we fail to plan. Moreover, the PCB “Vision 2015″ must state that “You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win.”

Best of luck to the Pakistan cricket team….you can do it…you can win the World Cup…just believe in the fact that InshaAllah, you will be the world champions..!

@Muhammad Sarwar, Sir, seen in the light of your last nights ARY TV interview, isn’t it the highest degree of duplicity and hypocrisy on the part of a man, known for his integrity and standing for the principles of honesty and justice?

Come on Mr. Sarwar, before stating that you are not at all resigning from the lucrative and charming post of the governorship of Punjab, you should have at least also stated that your interview was fake and you uttered all that non sense, while you were out of senses.

Mr. Sarwar, you can be-fool some of the people for some time, some of the people for all the time, but you can’t be-fool all the people for all the time.

Also remember, if you lose dignity (if at all there was some), you lose every thing.

Pervaiz Rasheed has said that PTI JALSA at Karachi, was a MUK MUKA with MQM.

My reply:

Sir Jee, why are you taking so much tension of the PTI JALSA of 2.5-3 thousand people gathered by IK in Karachi?

Take it easy Sir Jee and be ready for another mammoth PTI JALSA in Lahore.

“It’s not that everything will be easy or exactly as you had expected, but you must just choose to be grateful for all that you have, and happy that you got a chance to live this life, no matter how it turns out.”

— Author Unknown

Go Nawaz Go

Slogans raised today at Seoul Asian Olympic Games during Pak vs China, hockey match..!

This issue is now getting serious and out of hand for the PMLN government.

My face breaking retort to Bilawal Zardari’s Tweet:

@nayyarahmad: @BBhuttoZardari @PTIofficial @ARYNEWSOFFICIAL @ImranKhanPTI @ShireenMazari1

NRO politicians have no right 2 say anything about establishment.

Today, my heart and mind says that the party of the looters and plunderers in Pakistan is over…courtesy brave ladies and gents of Karachi, specially my salute to the blind, polio affected and aged ladies on wheel chairs..!

Just Do It…!

Karachi has done it..!

Today Pakistanis have turned the tables in Karachi in favour of the true change and public rule under Imran Khan..!