Loud Thinking

Archive for the ‘Cricket’ Category

Ahmad Shahzad scored 30 runs in 32 balls (full 5 overs & 2 balls) with 3 fours and 14 dot balls.

Umar Akmal scored 24 runs in 26 balls (full 4 overs & 2 balls) with NO boundary and 7 dot balls.

Both of them consumed almost half of the innings (58 balls or 9 overs 4 balls) and ensured our team stood no chance of victory vs the NZ’s team.

Earnestly and sincerely, it is hoped that it was not the case of sabotaging the game and Ahmad Shahzad ensuring that Waqar Younis is sacked as a revenge, because Ahmad Shahzad was dropped from the Asia Cup’s team, reportedly on the demand of Waqar Younus: and Umer Akmal taking his sweet revenge for the snub he got from Shahid Afridi, on his approaching IK, for promotion in his batting order.

Few mistakes of Shahid Afridi and PCB which brought disgrace to the nation..!

1. Awfully misread the Eden gardens pitch.

2. Wrong selection of playing eleven, which was packed with pacers.

3. Wrong batting order allowed Sarfraz (4 down) only 6 balls and Hafeez (5 down) 5 balls to play.

4. Afridi (8 runs in 14 balls) who came 1 down played with the lowest SR of 57.14

5. Although, M Amir who bowled with the best economy rate (3.66) among the 12 bowlers of both the sides, yet he was not allowed to bowl his full quota of 4 overs.

6. Afridi with economy rate of 6.25 bowled his full quota of 4 overs.

7. Sami who took maximum 50% (2 out of 4) wickets was taken off & only bowled 2 overs.

8. When off spinner Shoaib Malik was called for bowling he was not given a slip fielder, particularly for the left handed batsman Yuvraj Singh.

9. Umar Akmal was not sent 1 down.

10. When Sharjeel (70.83) and Shahzad (89.28) were batting slowly, no instructions sent to push the accelerator.

11. Shahid Afridi’s refusal to include Salam Butt proved dearly to the Pakistani team (as our openers failed to perform as per the expectations) reportedly on personal reasons.

12. The chairman PCB’s decision to appoint Shahid Afridi captain in advance for two years also proved highly faulty and damaging for the team.

13. The chairman PCB also made an extremely poor decision of making two serving and contracted players as advisors on the BOG, which caused more chaos in the PCB.
14. In order to save his own skin, the worthy chairman PCB, started blaming the coach and captain, even during the period our team’s matches are being played, in the on going tournament.

In view of the foregoing, the Patron in Chief PCB, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, must immediately dissolve the entire PCB set up and give a chance to the head of the new PCB, to take all hiring and firing decisions, rather than the old PCB management taking any further steps, which turned everything to dust, it touched.

Respected Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Sahab,

اسلام و علیکم

Sir,

I invite your kind attention towards the fact that not the troops (players) but the generals (our cricket team’s leadership & PCB management) let the Pakistani nation down, in the worst possible manner, in the cricket match played last night in Kolkatta.

This disaster has not happened overnight, it is the culmination of many years incompetencies of the PCB’s nincompoop leadership.

Sir, now the time for inquiries and commissions is over. Otherwise also, to expect from the PCB, to inform about its own failures, is like asking an accused to be its own judge.

The Pakistani nation can not further bear unending and continuous humiliations and insults, in cricketing arena, especially from the Indians, who are our arch rivals, in every field.

Sir, as such, you are requested to immediately repeat immediately, dissolve the entire PCB set up, for the sake of your own and your government’s image and prestige.

It is also suggested that a reputed and highly successful person, who also possesses a great passion and understanding of the glorious game of cricket, may be assigned the task of raising the cricket of Pakistan, from its ashes.

With kind regards and best wishes for your upcoming visit to the United States, where you may kindly ask President Obama, to fulfil the American promise of allowing direct PIA flights to to their country; and also to visit Pakistan with his family.

Yours truly,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

My observations dated 2 March, 2014.

Victory in the Mother of all matches..!

Allah Blessed Pakistan with a miraculous victory over India at FatehAllah, Bangladesh.

Heartiest congratulations to the entire Pakistani nation and all the cricket lovers world over, on winning a cliff hanger of a match against India.

Ultimately this match turned into an Afridi Vs India affair.

The last six of Afridi reminds us of Javed Miandad’s last ball six many decades ago at Sharjah Vs India.

Nothing unites our nation like sports.

Sports has the power to change Pakistan…it has the power to inspire.

It has the power to unite Pakistani people in a way that little else does.

It speaks to the Pakistani youth in a language they understand. Sports can create hope for the entire Pakistani nation, where once there was only despair, lawlessness, hunger, poverty, drugs, suicide bombings and alarming increase of suicides, due to the economic hardships.

It is more powerful than government in breaking down the menace of terrorism which has blown the country to the smithereens.

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad.
2 March, 2014.

When a team has entered the arena, fear is its biggest enemy; and positivity, its biggest weapon.

We should remember that plans never fail, we fail to plan.

Players have to be told that “You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win.”

If Pakistan bats first, target for 1st 6 power play overs must not be less than 80 runs, for which out of the any two batsmen on the pitch, one must be given the license for brutally going after the bowling, in a sensible manner and style of Chris Gayle, which he displayed last night during the match vs England.

The analysis of West Indian innings reveal (as detailed below) that even if very high total is not accumulated in the first 6 overs of power play, a big target can be comfortably chased, after the first 6 overs, if there is no panic, due to fall of wickets; and the accelerator is further pressed, with absolute calmness in mind.

The more you are calm and composed, the chances get better, for achieving seemingly impossible targets.

1 – 6 (PP6 Overs) 55/1 Average 9.16
7-11 (5 Overs) 48/1 Average 9.60
12-16 (5 Overs) 66/2 Average 13.20

The above statistics also defeats the myth that if only 2 fielders are out in the circle, only that is the period, to score maximum runs.

The strategy for bowling should be simple; analyse the areas of weak points of the batsmen where he normally gets out, or plays dot balls; and keep line and length in those areas.

Moreover, the fielding should also be placed where batsmen plays his maximum shots.

Any target in the T20 second innings can be achieved on the philosophy that, if they can do it, we can do it.

So, the secret of success is the self belief imbibed in the minds of the players, which removes every other thought from their brains, except that I CAN DO IT.

Heartiest congratulations to the Pakistani players and its management, for a resounding victory over the Bangladeshi cricket team, in the 1st group match of the ICC T20 World Cup 2016 tournament.

Nothing succeeds like success, but champions never remain satisfied over their performances; and always strive to take their game to the next higher level.

Pakistani batting must not become complacent over today’s performance, as they will be facing at least 10 times more lethal bowlers during the next 3 games of the group matches.

Pakistani players must pull up their socks, improve over their weak points like reducing the dot balls (35 dot balls or almost 6 overs were played by our batsmen, which must be brought down to 20 or less dot balls, if our team has to be the world champion); if openers get out in less than 4 overs, Shahid Afridi must come one down, Sarfraz & Imad Wasim should come above Shoaib Malik.

Moreover, our team needs enhanced intensity in bowling: and fielding also needs increased commitment, in view of the different level of competition expected in the ensuing matches.

We also bowled 4 wide balls as against only one wide ball received from the BD bowlers.

In a nut shell, for winning the remaining matches of the tournament, we have to play more efficient, smart and intense cricket in all the four areas of planning & strategy, batting, bowling and fielding.

Good luck for the green shirts..!

1. @SAfridiOfficial
Entire nation is behind u and Pak team. It is nation’s wish, desire, prayer & gut feeling that our team will b victorious.

2. @SAfridiOfficial
u will have to lead with example & himself bat with responsibility.

3. @SAfridiOfficial
No bowler can get u out if u ONLY play grounded shots.

4. @SAfridiOfficial
U can only demand with your batsmen to play with responsibility if u yourself don’t get out on irresponsible shots.

5. @SAfridiOfficial
Control your urge for airy shots and show your aggression on grounded shot boundaries.

6. @SAfridiOfficial
If u can’t control your urge for airy shots then open the innings 2 have minimum chances of getting caught in power play.

7. @SAfridiOfficial
Remember you must retire on a high & U must hate the stigma of retiring as a failed captain & player.

8. @SAfridiOfficial
For u 2 give memorable performance u will have to CHANGE your style of airy shots.

9. @SAfridiOfficial
Einstein says definition of INSANITY is doing an action again & again without change & expecting a different result.

10. @SAfridiOfficial
Pl restore some sanity & lead fm the front & by example. Entire & total responsibility rests on u & your batting NOT bowling.

11. @SAfridiOfficial
If u return as a victorious captain generations of your generations will live with their heads held high.

12. Finally, please inform your players that cricket is not base ball, where you hit in the air; every ball; but the biggest cause of our defeats in ODI and T20 matches are the world record maximum number of DOT balls. Moreover, there is a big difference between batting madly and batting aggressively, like there is a vast difference, in driving rashly and driving fast. Aggressive batting means NOT playing more than 20 DOT balls in an innings. Further, our team’s motto should be “All for one, one for all”.

Need of the hour – Immediate revamping of the PCB..!

Respected Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Sahab,

اسلام و علیکم

Sir,

I want to urgently inform you about the public anger, utter disappointment and frustration, about the government of the day and the PCB, after our cricket teams continuous pathetic performances in the ongoing Asia Cup, particularly, in the last nights’s disgusting & humiliating defeat, handed over to our team, by the Bangladeshi cricket players, in the Mirpur stadium, Dhaka.

All these continuous series of cricket debacles are happening due to the total and collective failure of the PCB’s top management in developing the game on merit, forward thinking, checks and balances, accountability and transparency; which ironically consists of not one, but three chairmans namely M/S Shahryar Khan, Najam Sethi and Shakeel Sheikh; who are designated as chairman PCB, chairman executive committee and chairman cricket committee respectively.

The inherent problems of the PCB are that it’s top brass is totally out of sync with the modern day demands of the game; and the organisation has three power centres, run by the three chairmans detailed above.

Sir, the nation not wrongly, also thinks that Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Sahab, being the Patron in chief of the PCB, has not made the right choices of all the personnel appointed in the PCB and its board of governors.

Sir, enough is enough and action is better than inaction. As such, it is never too late to correct the course, for the sake of the image and prestige of our beloved motherland, called The Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

Kindly immediately bring these long series of cricketing disasters to an immediate end, heaped upon the nation by the PCB, continuing from the debacle in the ODI World Cup 2015, then the most insulting white wash during the last BD tour, then continuous defeats from the teams of Sri Lanka, England and NZ, as there is no need to wait for further set backs, during the coming T20 World Cup: by forthwith dissolving the entire PCB set up; and giving the reigns of the PCB to some dead honest, clean, educated and world renowned corporate experienced cricketer/person who must possess forward vision, to rebuild the PCB from its ashes; and make the PCB a world class professional set up, soonest possible.

Else, please don’t expect a defective, obsolete and redundant factory (PCB) to produce a product (players) to compete in the world arena.

Best Regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Sahab,

اسلام وعلیکم

Sir,

Today, our team just did not miserably got defeated against India; but it was an abject surrender against the Indians, again witnessed by us, after the surrender of 1971 at Dhaka.

Sir, this disaster was not a one off happening.

Since, you appointed Mr. Najam Sethi and later on, Mr. Shahryar Khan at helm of affairs of the PCB, our team is on an unending downward slide.

Sir, ever since day one, I have been informing you the abysmal conditions at the PCB, without any action from your honour.

Sir, now enough is enough. The buck obviously stops at the top. Kindly rethink your policy of giving free reign to your appointed men at PCB, which also includes all the members of the governing board.

Sir, Now the water has crossed over the heads.

Sir, it is not the high time but the highest time for you to immediately dissolve the entire PCB; and appoint non-political world class professionals, to run the PCB on corporate level.

Sir, a faulty factory can never produce a perfect product, which you have seen personally in the PCB’s case.

Hoping that in the national interest, you will not spare personalities, for the sake of image and prestige of Pakistan.

Best Regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

I gave my team as below, on 9th February, 2016 and the PCB selectors announced national team on 10th February, 2016.

The following players may be considered for the Pakistani Squad.
1. Muhammad Hafeez (Captain and opening batsman).
2. Awais Zia (Most hard hitting left handed swashbuckling opening batsman in the country, who can take the attack to the opposition and turn the tables in the first 6 power play overs).
3. Baber Azam (He is an all rounder and excellent fielder who can also confidently open the innings, if required).
4. Sharjeal Khan (He has the advantage of being a hard hitting left handed batsman, who can also open the innings).
5. Umar Akmal (Vice Captain. He must not be sent below one down. Also the standby wicket keeper).
6. Sarfraz Ahmad (Wicket keeper. He must not bat below two down).
7. Imad Wasim (One of the best all rounder in the country, who is an excellent fielder, as well).
8. Anwar Ali (All rounder and an excellent world class fielder. He can also be used as an opening batsman as per requirement of the situation).
9. Zulfiquar Baber (Best turner of the ball. Left arm spinner).
10. Muhammad Nawaz (An extremely promising 22 years All rounder, basically a left handed orthodox spinner and LH batsman).
11. Zafar Gohar (21 years young very agile in the field, slow left arm orthodox and reasonably reliable left handed batsman).
12. Shahid Afridi (He deserves inclusion in the team on the basis of his spin bowling and his excellent track record against the Indian team).
13. Muhammad Amir (Highly talented LH pacer. An asset for any team in the world).
14. Junaid Khan (Left arm pacer, who has recently rediscovered his magic. Extremely talented player).
15. Bilawal Bhatti (Right arm pacer who can bat reasonably; well fit for the T20 format. Moreover T20 game is not Wahab Riaz’s cup of tea and BB is more fitter than Umar Gul, as well. Further, BB is preferred over Muhammad Irfan, due to Irfan’s poor fielding abilities and below Muhallah level teams batting abilities).
We should not be afraid to repose trust in the young generation players named above; and also not be shy of changing the captain at this late hour, because even Australia has today, changed its T20 leadership for the T20 World Cup, by replacing Smith with Finch.
Best of luck for the Pakistani cricketers.

Official Pakistani Squad:

Shahid Afridi
Mohammad Hafeez
Shoaib Malik
Mohammad Irfan
Rumman Raees
Wahab Riaz
Mohammad Nawaz
Babar Azam
Iftikhar Ahmed
Mohammad Amir
Umar Akmal
Sarfraz Ahmed
Imad Wasim
Anwar Ali
Khurram Manzoor

In my team there were no places for:

Shoaib Malik
Muhammad Irfan
Rumman Raees
Iftikhar Ahmad
Khurram Manzoor