Loud Thinking

Posts Tagged ‘misbah ul haq’

It is absolutely the right time to fully appreciate PCB and Pakistani cricket team for basically two achievements. Firstly, for winning the ODI series against India 2-1 and secondly, for completing a very sensitive tour, absolutely incident free.

Now, this is also very appropriate time for the PCB, to finalise its short and long term future plans, with regard to the policy of categorising players for the teams for Test’s, ODI’s and T20’s. This is necessary, because Pakistan will be competing for Test Championship, Champion’s Trophy, T20 World Cup and the ODI World Cup, all within next 36 months.

So, with an eye on the future, the PCB planning should focus on such potential players, who have the capacity or who can be groomed to have the capacity, to deliver for Pakistan, in the days to come. We should not waste time, energy and money on such players, who are past their prime and per se wants to continue playing, just for selfish reasons; but they are practically blocking the future of up coming and young players, for an indefinite period.

In this connection, PCB recently, took a difficult, bold and wise decision of dropping Shahid Afridi from the ODI version of the game. While, not taking anything from the past contributions of Shahid Afridi, PCB’s decision was very progressive and forward looking, but in my opinion, was still a bit late. National interests must not be compromised for personal wishes.

Now, again the time has come to select the players for the different versions of the game, on the basis of talent and capacity of the players, with prime objective of INVESTING in future. PCB should adopt a policy of bearing with the failures of the fresh lot with patience, rather than pursuing with old horses, who have even lost the strength, to easily hit sixes or even boundaries to reasonably good bowlers, or take three or four runs without being exhausted, on a slightly bigger grounds.

According to my observations, PCB must think about the future of the following players in a very rational manner.

1. Misbah ul Haq. He is not at all capable to play till the 2015 ODI World Cup. Even now, he is over age and not capable of steering the team out of a crisis situations, in front of WORLD CLASS bowling, particularly against out of sub-continent teams. So, why not to groom a fresh batsman instead of MUH and on the other hand, give the captaincy to Muhammad Hafeez, for gaining the experience for the coming Champions Trophy and the ensuing ODI World Cup?

2. Younis Khan. Our selectors took a retrogressive action in recalling him from the ODI retirement. Even his presence in the team today in the 3rd ODI, couldn’t save Pakistan from a mere 10 runs defeat against India. His selection for the Indian tour has cost us heavily, in not giving experience to a youngster. He should be decently thanked for his services and let him not block the future of any budding batsman. PCB should not be so callous with the new generation of batsmen, that retired batsmen be made to come in their way. If PCB had recalled Muhammad Yousaf or even Inzamam ul Haq, may be, they would have scored runs more than the newcomers, but then we can’t and must not live in the past, under any circumstances. For that matter, if India lost the ODI series against Pakistan, no heavens have fallen. Similarly, if we had lost to India with fresh legs, it would have been a gain of experience, rather than winning with recall, of retired persons.

3. Kamran Akmal. Just like Shahid Afridi (who can still be selected for few more weeks and months for his bowling abilities) Kamran Akmal is a spent cartridge; and to continue with him is in fact, deceiving ourselves. He may still give some performances against mediocre bowling, but against world class bowlers, his batting is absolutely UN-DEPENDABALE. As far as his wicket keeping is concerned, it is OK. However, there is no shortage of young generation of agile wicket keepers and hence, further continuation with Kamran Akmal, is like living in a fools paradise.

4. Shoaib Malik. There is no doubt that he was past his prime many months ago. He has reached a stage, where its impossible for him to perform against quality bowling, particularly in ODI and T20 versions of the game. If we argue that he performed well in domestic level, then the selectors should be told that domestic level performances are for the new players. International players are judged on their performances against foreign teams. These are two separate criterions for the different levels of players. If the selectors still wants to retain some old horses, for Test matches for some time, then PCB management shall be the better judge. However, these old players must not be used in a way to stop the career of the budding players.

5. Umar Akmal. He was touted in the past to be a player with immense talent. However, he has proved wrong all his fans and well wishers. In fact, he is the most UN-DEPENDABLE batsman in the team. Not to play him is a risk. However, to play him is a bigger risk. While batting, he is a very risky person for the batsman at the other end. Moreover, mostly his shot selections are very poor. He never puts a price on his wicket. Also it looks that in his failures, there is a big hand of his head coach. Somehow, this man looks a fit case for sending him to a psychologist, for making him a person with some sense of responsibilities and strong mental power, who should be able to focus on teams goal achievement. Till such time he is transformed into a mature person, Umar Akmal seems to be an utterly misfit player in the national squad.

Heartiest congratulations to Pakistan on an unbelievable (3-0) white wash of English cricket team at the Test cricket series 2012 played at UAE. 

No doubt it’s an epoch making historical victory, achieved with Kind Blessings of Allah, sincere guidance of new PCB leadership, sheer hard work and disciplined game of Pakistani cricket team led by its able captain Misbah ul Haq and it’s tour management, led by the coach Mohsin Hassan Khan. It looks we are watching a miracle in our dreams. 

Now it is high time that ICC must facilitate Pakistan and lend it’s helping hand, in holding international matches in Pakistan, without any further delay. 

Thank you Pakistani cricketers you made us proud. For us,  it’s joy which is more than winning the world cup. Keep up your good work.

Change in the game of cricket is here to stay, whether we like it or not. T20 and ODI’s are definitely going to churn out more and more money, for all connected with the game. Now, there is no use criticizing the evolution process. 

Adaptation is the secret of success. Building a Test team is no rocket science. One has to be just one step ahead of the competition. Just closely watch how England and Australia are focusing their time and energy, on keeping at top level, in Test format of the game. Moreover, until and unless the sub-continent players are given rigors of sessions of fast and bouncy pitches, with special bouncing balls, to expect our batsmen to perform better than their opponents, is to live in a fools paradise. 

Although, Pakistan is not a very strong team against the world No.1 England yet, they did not leave anything to chance and asked English players to practise for months in India and South Africa, to prepare and practise for the conditions, nearest to the UAE pitches. 

As they say, practice makes one perfect. And for an ordinary person, it will not be difficult to predict the outcome of the ensuing Pakistan Vs England encounters in UAE, particularly when Misbah ul Haq is a known defensive mind. Last day his comments posted on ESPN Cricinfo removed any doubt about his negative attitude towards the game.

Quote.” It is better to win playing safe than attack and lose.”

On the same web page was posted an advice of famous Indian captain Saurov Ganguly, for Sachin Tendulkar, quoted as below.

Quote” I will tell him, if he thinks about defending, he must try some other sport.” Unquote.

As Viv Richards said “Cricket is a mind game.” And as Imran Khan said “playing for a draw is the best recipe for defeat.” If the objective of any captain, before entering the ground, is to wait and see, rather than nothing but a win, how can he marshall his players to the victory? In cricket you have to impose your agenda, on the opponent team. You have to create opportunities, like they say you have to create run outs. At times you have to snatch victories from the jaws of defeat. In any sport, one team wins and the other loses. There is no harm in losing if you give a good fight. The only objectionable thing is the abject surrender.

Now, someone must tell Misbah that famous saying, quote” In any fight, if a dog is given to lead the lions, all lions will die fighting  like a dog. However, in any fight, if a lion is given to lead the dogs, all dogs will put up a fight like a lion, irrespective of the outcome of that fight.”Unquote.

Misbah should be told that offense is the best defense.

It looks Misbah has already surrendered the series, even before a ball was bowled. Anyway, we should pray for the success of our team, as miracles do happen.