Clinical Pakistan in Pink ODI

Pakistan rocked South Africa at the Wanderers……

When Shoaib Malik was seen at the toss instead of Sarfraz Ahmed, the experts and fans were struck by sheer astonishment. None knew about the status of Sarfraz and it took a while for all to know that the Pakistan captain had been handed a 4-match ban for that remark in the second ODI. Interestingly, for the International Cricket Council, apologies don’t matter. Sarfraz was quick to apologize for that interest and even in the morning, before the start of third ODI, he and Andile Phehlukawyo shook hands and exchanged friendly words. But the ICC did not bother care such things. For some, the ICC loves to be strict.

In the morning, after coming to the ground, Shoaib Malik came to know he would have to lead the side for Pink ODI at Johannesburg. He might not have been ready for such, but Shoaib is a mature and much level-headed guy and these days, he is ready to accept any challenges. When the matter is about leading the team, it was nothing new to Malik. In front of a jam-packed crowd at the Wanderers, he led the Pakistan team with distinction.         

The captain of the team had been banned. A new captain to lead with the team 2-1 down in the series. Buzzing atmosphere at the stadium with the crowd rooting for the home side and in a series, where luck has not been favorable towards the touring party; Pakistan’s chances looked bleak.

But the characteristic of Pakistan team has always been to dish out clinical performances whenever they are cornered. Whenever one thinks, Pakistan would be down and dusted, they tend to rise and shine. While the rest of the world is left wondering, what just happened?

Such things have happened many times and just when people start to forget Pakistan’s nature, they remind everyone, why they are called the most unpredictable team in world cricket.    

Malik knew Pakistan’s weakness while chasing totals, but despite knowing this, he decided to stick to logic rather than going by emotions. The track at Johannesburg was favorable for pacers and he immediately chose to bowl after winning the toss.

The impressive Shaheen Shah Afridi backed Malik’s decision by nailing Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks. De Kock was undone by a full and straighter one while Hendrick was outclassed by seaming delivery which cut back from short of a length and leg stump line to kiss the edge and fly towards Mohammad Rizwan, the wicketkeeper, who replaced Sarfraz.

Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis essayed a partnership of 101 runs, but Shadab Khan and Imad Wasim dismissed du Plessis and Amla respectively to bring Pakistan back in the match. South Africa looked to revive the memories of Durban ODI through Phehlukwayo and Rassie van der Dussen's again, but this time around, Usman Khan would not let this to happen.

In a typical Pakistani fashion, Usman set jitters in South Africa batting lineup after coming to bowl his third spell. Usman was all about seam and swing bowling of highest quality. He moved the ball in-and-out, which left South Africa reeling. Moreover, when a bowler is in the mood to crush anything on his way, one could do nothing but watch the demolition act.

A mini-Usman-Khan-twister wracked havoc at Johannesburg as the home side lost 8 wickets for just 45 runs. The collapse was similar to third Test, but this time around, Pakistan’s batting did not betray the hard work of their bowlers.

Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam did not let any accident to happen.

Pakistan levelled the series in a clinical fashion. None expected Pakistan to perform this way. Many may not have wanted Pakistan to win. Some had the slightest of hopes, while the rest did not care. But after the match, each and everyone want to know how Pakistan did it!     

Note: Thsi article has been published at Cricketsoccer on 27/01/2019 Clinical Pakistan in Pink ODI

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Jason Holder: Leading from the front

Without a doubt, Jason Holder is one of the best cricketers in the world right now…….

“England obviously have a quality bowling attack, but we've seen glimpses of what we can do against this attack. We obviously had a really good time at Headingley and fought back well in that series. And then last time in the Caribbean we did really well to fight back here in Barbados”.

“We definitely know we can perform against this attack. It's just a case of being consistent and sticking to our game plans for long periods”.

That’s what Jason Holder said before the start of the first Test at Bridgetown Barbados. In the first innings, the West Indian batting exhibited grit, but, as usual, a collapse showed-up yet again and the same was evident in the second. England bowlers ran all guns blazing and left West Indies reeling at 61 for 5. Shimron Hetmyer did the repair but his stay was also cut short. It seems, achieving consistency in batting is pretty tough for West Indies.

Holder decided to prove his words into deeds.

The tall and strongly built Bajan made the third day all his own by leading from the front.

West Indies started the day with the overnight score of 127 for 6. The lead was 339 and with 4 wickets in hand, Holder wanted to stretch the lead a bit more and establish the total command of his team. Moreover, he has to prove, West Indies can bat with authority and can be consistent.

It won’t be easy against such a brilliant English attack. The morning session was testing as the English bowlers kept things tight. Holder was tested outside off more often, while at times, the uneven bounce challenged the defence. It required resolve and obviously, solid support from another end, which Sane Dowrich provided Holder throughout the day.

“I found it very challenging up front. Jimmy and Stokesy made us play a lot of deliveries in the channel, particularly Stokes with his angle and getting the ball to leave. He was a threat all day and credit to him, he made us work hard for our runs, but it was a really pleasing day, to bat up past tea and form the partnership that we did,” Holder said.

Batting in Test cricket requires the best exhibition of technique and temperament. Especially, temperamentally one needs to be at his pristine best, when he is facing bowlers like James Anderson and Ben Stokes. Patience plays a big role in handling such tough bowlers and Holder decided to spend time at the crease and play the ball according to the merit. He gave enough time to settle at the crease and as the day progressed, the vim of English bowlers sapped away.

Their length dragged from full to shorter, as Cricviz stated, “England have adopted notably different tactics in their second bowling innings, pitching 26% full compared to 35% in the first innings and instead bowling 39% short compared to 26% first time around. This is probably a reaction to the Windies success with short lengths”.

The West Indian fast bowlers might have succeeded with short-pitch bowling, but England failed to produce results as they lacked the pace and hit-the-deck abilities. Holder and Dowrich could fetch runs with ease though midwicket and square leg region.

After one and half hours of play, there came a phase, when Holder started to flex his muscles. He batted in a manner as if none could dismiss him on Day 3 and ultimately anyone couldn’t. He targeted the spinners to score heavily. Moeen Ali was smacked for three consecutive boundaries, while a Sam Curran outswinger was dispatched for six at long-off. Then Joe Root’s part-time spin-bowling received some harsh treatment as Holder smacked him for a six to bring up his hundred off 99 balls.

As Cricviz said, “When Jason Holder has attacked in this innings he has done so with stunning effectiveness. He has played 24 attacking shots and scored 57 runs from them, not missing or edging a single shot & making a 'good' connection with nine of them”.

The much polite innings, not so long ago, had become quite entertaining and record-riddled. Holder pulled Curran towards midwicket for a boundary to bring up his 150 and it was only the fourth time that a number 8 batsman had reached 150 in Test cricket. Holder won’t stop. Stokes was hit out of the park, Ali continued to receive rough treatment, Rashid went out of ideas and Anderson could do nothing, but watch the hapless status of his bowling unit.

A cracking boundary off Keaton Jennings brought up Holder’s maiden double ton. It was a moment to relish. He has proved, West Indies can bat with intent in Test matches. As the captain, it was up to him to show others how it was done. As the captain, it was his duty to lead from the front. So far, Holder has been performing his captainship duties with a great responsibility – be it with the bat or ball, Holder is equally effective as Cricviz suggests, “Since the start of 2018 Jason Holder averages 39.90 with the bat and 12.11 with the ball in Test cricket. The only player who can challenge him for all round contribution is Ravi Jadeja”.           

Jason Holder is the recipient of Lord Gavron award in 2009 and in 2010 he toured New Zealand for the ICC Under-19 World Cup. His steady medium-pace bowling caught everyone’s attention. Nevertheless, he was a steady batsman as well. But above all, he was someone humble, mature and enough level-headed at such a young age. He was the replacement of Tino Best in 2011 when West Indies toured Bangladesh and two years later, he would make his international debut. The next year, he would discover himself as the skipper of West Indies.

Now, that is one hell of a story!                                                                                                                     

He was dubbed a failure at first hand, except few people like Clive Lloyd, Sir Vivian Richards and Brian Lara; who invested faith in his abilities. Holder has not let his well-wishers down.  

Since his appointment as the Test and ODI skipper at a very young age during a crisis period in West Indies cricket, Holder has just improved day by day. From an unknown figure in West Indies cricket, Holder has now become one of the most impactful cricketers in West Indies. Among the giants of West Indies cricket four or five years ago, Holder was written off as someone mediocre and hopeless. Perhaps, those critics are eating their own words right now.     

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer on 26/01/2019 Jason Holder: Leading from the front

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

West Indian devastation at Barbados

West Indies revived the memories of past in the most brutal fashion……

46 all out in 1994

51 all out in 2009

77 all out in 2019

Over the years, Barbados has not given England anything to cheer for. Even though the Caribbean Kingdom is in ruins these days, England’s misery in Kensington Oval remains the same. In the post-Ambrose-and-Walsh era, either a Jerome Taylor or a Roach would gun down a strong English batting lineup only to revive the great memories of past.  

The conversation about West Indies cricket is more about their past glories rather than their present state. The past was a matter of pride and joy not only for the Caribbean cricket fans, but for the neutrals as well. You could not find anyone, who did not love the West Indies team of Clive Lloyd, Sir Viv Richards, Malcolm Marshall and Curtly Ambrose. The past calms down the heart, while the present gives heartache. But still, a West Indies cricket fan does not give up dreaming.

Bridgetown Barbados – a venue, which has witnessed some of the best exhibition of fast bowling from the giants West Indies cricket. The nature of the track suited the pacers and the batting lineup of touring teams used to sit on flaming ruins. But in the course of time, spin has taken over pace in Caribbean islands. According to CricViz, “Spin has certainly played a big role in domestic cricket in the Caribbean in recent years. Since 2015 spinners and quicks average 25 runs per wicket in first class cricket”. But still, in Barbados, the pacers tend to have the edge over pace as it remains the venue with the highest spin bowling average (41.55) in last 5 years.

No matter how slow-and-low the Barbados deck might be, the pacers would still love running in from the Malcolm Marshall and Joel Garner end and dish out rib-snorting deliveries to the batters. James Anderson and Ben Stokes enjoyed out there, but when Kemar Roach, Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph and Shannon Gabriel started to bowl – it seemed, West Indies brought back the glorious days, when sheer-pace and bounce beat the fury of hell-fire!

Kemar Roach is one hell of an inconsistent pace bowler. He is one of the most naturally talented fast bowlers, who have the ability to bowl at a deceptive pace. Inconsistency and poor fitness always undermined his abilities. And of course, one can consider him quite lucky when he escaped a serious injury following a car accident in 2014. His pace has dropped since then, but still, on rare occasions, he can be a demon and devour everything, which comes in front of him.

On a bright sunny day at Barbados, England had to face the demonish side of Roach and along with Roach; Holder, Joseph and Gabriel transformed into the same. The ship of Joe Root’s touring party sunk in no time in the Caribbean Sea.       

West Indies’ first innings ended below 300 runs and one felt, 289 was not adequate enough to challenge the might of England batting.

Rory Burns and Keaton Jennings started off with composure. Roach and Holder looked solid, but not threatening enough to provide a breakthrough. At the stroke of lunch, Jennings essayed a loose-drive and was caught at gully. The wicket was against the run of play, but England were still not bothered as their batting lineup is good enough to take a healthy lead.

Play resumed after lunch and Roach the demon cut loose.

He switched ends and dragged his length shorter and banged the ball in fast and accurate. As Cricviz said, “His length was shorter than in his first spell – 7.9m on average, compared to 6.1m before lunch, and 39.5% of the balls he bowled were shorter than 8m from the stumps, compared to 0% in his first spell”.

“Only two balls he bowled in the entire innings would have gone on to hit the stumps. A fact such as that is one that is often used as a stick to beat an opening bowler with; that they should be attacking the stumps more, pitching it up, and making the batsman play. Roach’s second spell was testament to the fact that hitting the stumps is not necessary if you can bowl with the accuracy, hostility and penetration that the 30-year-old showed today”.

“It was, in fact, when Roach pulled his length back that he was at his most effective. He pitched 20 balls on a good length (6m-8m) during his second spell and picked up three wickets for six runs. When he dragged his length back further, as he did on 19 occasions, England were unable to score a single run and both Moeen Ali and Jos Buttler were dismissed”.

Burns and Jonny Bairstow were flummoxed by the hostility of Roach and chopped onto their stumps. Roach then pitched one a tad full and back-of-a-length, which trapped Stokes lbw and followed it up with a blazing short-ball, which had Moeen Ali all sorts of trouble. Ali tried to half-pull one, but was caught at deep fine-leg - the pace was such that the ball went high up in the air after just a mere touch of the bat. Roach pulled his length back again. A short and sharp delivery outside offstump dismissed Jos Buttler. The demolition act was completed as Roach bagged 5 wickets for 4 runs in 27 runs.

At the other end, Holder, Gabriel and Joseph went the Roach way. They were in a destructive mood and kept on bowling with a lot of hostility throughout the session. Joe Root was undone by Holder, while Ben Foakes, Sam Curran and Adil Rashid were outclassed by Joseph and Gabriel.

Especially Holder proved that he is not just a traditional line-and-length bowler, but can be skillful when the situation demands. On Day 2, he moved the ball laterally more often and keeps the batsmen quiet by bowling on a traditional length and suddenly surprise them by keeping it up a tad fuller. Accuracy is Holder’s strength while sudden switch from good length to full is his wicket-taking funda.  

England were bowled out for 77 runs in just 30 overs.

The Barmy Army went silent. The English experts could not believe what just happened, while the West Indian fans felt, they were in dreamy land.  It was fair old whiff of nostalgia.            

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer on  25/01/2018 West Indian devastation at Barbados

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

The persistence of Ben Stokes cannot be undermined

Ben Stokes bowled brilliantly to create pressure from one and fetch crucial wickets

 The first Test at Bridgetown Barbados started off with a surprise choice by the English think-tank to omit Stuart Broad and consider playing two spinners at Barbados! Playing two spinners at Barbados is normal these days. Barbados deck is not as fearsome as the 80s and 90s, but it remains on the slow-and-low side. Obviously, you would select a team depending on the conditions, but omitting someone like Broad, who has still plenty to offer, was surely a tough call and it only happens when there are so much to choose for. England, at present, have so much talent to challenge the spot of the very best.

The discussion on Broad’s omission gained momentum, but in the meantime, Broad’s bowling partner has hogged the limelight at the fag end of Day 1 and in the morning session of Day 2. As soon as he fetched his second wicket on Day 1, Jimmy and his new-ball partner, Broad claimed a very significant landmark – the pace-bowling pair has reached 1000 wickets in Tests. And on Day 2, when he dismissed Alzarri Joseph, Jimmy levelled with Ian Botham on 27 five-wicket hauls for England – a remarkable feat.

Jimmy struggled in the morning and post-lunch session of Day 1 with his line and movement, but as the day progressed, he could exploit the persistence of someone named Ben Stokes, whose relentless effort challenged the defiant resistance put up by West Indies top-order batters.  

The start for West Indies was solid, but resolute. Kraigg Brathwaite was extremely selective while playing strokes. He would leave anything outside the offstump and play the sheet-anchor role to the fluency of debutante John Campbell, who showed positive intent by flexing his muscles.

Anderson’s new-ball partner, Sam Curran leaked runs – almost 5 an over and gradually, West Indies were taking the upper hand over the visitors. Moeen Ali dismissed Campbell, but England found it tough to challenge the composure of Shai Hope and ultra-defensive approach of Brathwaite.

Their serene progress continued even after lunch and at 126 for 1, it seemed, West Indies would end the first day in a satisfactory manner. But Stokes would not give up so easily.

In the post-lunch session, England started off with an Anderson-Rashid combination, but sadly, Hope was dominating Jimmy quite efficiently and it required a bowler to create pressure from one end and none could be better than Stokes to do such.

Stokes generated pace on a non-responsive track and maintained an attacking line to test the patience of West Indian batsmen. His use of the bowling crease had been remarkable as he at times he came wide of the crease to angled one in and then, made the ball leave away from the batsmen. With each delivery, he was giving the impression of a breakthrough.

Brathwaite, who was not offering any shots outside off, was forced to edge one towards the slip cordon at a delivery, which pitched a tad fuller than previous ones. He stayed back thinking it would leave, but the late movement ultimately ended his resistance. A change in length gave England the much needed breakthrough and Stokes’ confidence grew more as he trapped Darren Bravo an over later – it was an attempted Yorker, which moved late and Bravo had no time to counter it.

But before that, Stokes melted Bravo’s confidence with pace and short balls, followed by a wider one, which he chased without any effective results. Then he dropped pace and dished out a yorker, which left Bravo baffled.    

126 for 1 became 128 for 3 and England were back on track immediately.             

Nevertheless, it was smart bowling from Stokes, who bowled almost 16 overs from one-end without any breaks.

Throughout the Day 1, Stokes persisted with his aggression and attacking line-and-length. It always piled up the pressure from one end and created an ideal platform for Anderson to utilise. Anderson shone in the later part of the day and plucked four wickets. The limelight was on Jimmy.

On Day 2, Stokes continued where he left from. Neither the length nor the line changed and which did not let West Indies to surpass more than 300 runs. The dangerous Shimron Hetmyer was dismissed and Stokes returned to the dressing room with 4 wickets, while Jimmy bagged 5.

Stokes, as usual, displayed great character, when his team needed the most.

Surprisingly, Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid failed to make an impact on a deck, which offered assistance for the spinners. They shared just one wicket in between them.   

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer on 24/01/2019 The persistence of Ben Stokes cannot be undermined

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

The encouraging return of Mohammad Amir

The star performers from subcontinent carry a lot of expectations with themselves whenever they take the field. Automatically, they become the heartbeat of nation. Performing well becomes their utmost duty and fans can’t bear any below-par performances of their heroes. None knows such things better than Mohammad Amir, who became the poster boy of Pakistan cricket in 2009 and 2010.

Already, Amir was the next Wasim Akram and in each match, he was fulfilling the expectations of a nation; tattered by political turmoils, the war against terrorism and a deadly flood. As the expectations of Pakistani fans started to grow more, their world was shattered by one hell of a spot-fixing scandal. They could accept Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt as wrongdoers, but it was not easy for them to see Amir as one of the guilty party.

Amir would suffer a 5-year ban from playing all forms of cricket. On January 29, 2015, it was stated, Amir would be allowed an early return to domestic cricket despite his original ban being due to expire on 2 September 2, 2015. Amir managed to play in the Bangladeshi domestic arena in 2015 and next year, the Pakistani fans discovered him in the national squad.

After a gap of 5 years, the biggest challenge for Amir was to revive the old days, when not only the Pakistan fans, but the world would watch Pakistan’s matches only for Amir’s bowling. But the journey had not been easy at all.

In 5-day matches, Amir discovered, he was struggling to maintain his rhythm and hit the seam appropriately. He was struggling to extract movement off the new ball and found it tough to drag the length back and move the ball late in the air and off the surface.

Moreover, the notorious slip cordon of Pakistan denied Amir since his return to Test cricket -  18 catches were dropped in 17 Test matches since Amir made his return. Those dropped catches had not only cost Pakistan, but at the same time, prolonged the much-desired return of Amir to full rhythm.

In Pakistan, the pace bowlers just crop up with astonishing regularity. In that sense, Amir’s place in the team was not guaranteed.  Still, the Pakistani think-tank stuck with Amir for two years. But Amir remained inconsistent and was dropped from the team in all three formats three formats during the home series (UAE) against Australia and New Zealand.

  

Amir played 4 Test matches at home since his return and numbers suggest, he had been frustrating: 7 wickets at an average of 56.42 against low-ranked teams like Sri Lanka and West Indies don’t do any justice towards his abilities. Again, his performance in the short-format of the game lacked the cutting edge.

But Amir did not lose heart. He went back to play in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy matches where he impressed with his skill and wicket-taking abilities: 23 wickets at an average of 13.61from last four matches last year was enough to include him for the African safari.

Pakistan’s chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq said, “Amir is a wonderful bowler and we all know how skillful he is! But since his return, he went through a lot of workload and didn't get enough time to rest. He was always in our plans. He was dropped for his good, to allow him to go back and not only rest but also work on his deficiencies”.

After the end of three-match Test series against South Africa, one needs to agree with Inzamam’s statement.

Amir might not have generated enough pace like 2009 or 2010 – a vital factor, which was required from Pakistan pacers – but with his ability to restrain South Africa from scoring freely and pick up wickets by building up pressure deserve accolades. In South Africa, Amir proved yet again, he is still the leader of the pack and whenever Pakistan needed crucial wickets, Amir was always there.

In the first innings of first Test he picked up 40% of wickets and it was the same in first innings of second Test also. In the third Test he plucked 20% of wickets and on Day 1, he was part of an inspiring comeback by Pakistan in the post-tea session, where South Africa lost 7 wickets for 33 runs. The third Test could have been a memorable one for Pakistan if the batsmen delivered the goods. But like the previous two Tests, the Pakistani batters could only deliver a poor batting display.

Amir finished the series as the highest wicket taker by a Pakistani bowler: 12 wickets at an average of 23.58, which is even better than Dale Steyn, Hasan Ali, Yasir Shah and Mohammad Abbas.

The striking thing about Amir’s bowling was his change in length. Previously, he was more inclined towards a full and good length, from where he used to bring the ball back in – obviously, he would not want them to go away because of a poor slip cordon. And for which, a middle-and-leg stump line was adopted most often. But, to bowl the incoming deliveries effectively, pace was required, which Amir has lost since his return.

In South Africa, Amir did not bother about the outcome from slip cordon, but pulled his length to short of a goodish one and stuck with a middle and off stump line while bowling from over the wicket. He was targeting the top of offstump and it paid back. Even if he lacked pace, his deliveries possessed enough venom to dismiss batsmen.  Pakistan witnessed a different Amir.

Certainly, Amir’s form in South Africa during the Test series had been encouraging. His wicket-taking abilities in SENA countries might be slightly better than UAE, but it is too early to write Amir off as an away-bowler. Amir has still a lot to offer in home conditions and one can expect Amir to improve more and more after the Test series against South Africa.

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer on 16/01/2019 The encouraging return of Mohammad Amir

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Will Pakistan forget this Test series without learning anything?

"Until and unless Pakistan decide to take foreign tours seriously and plan accordingly to win rather than maintaining formalities, their progress in Test cricket would remain stagnant"

It was a matter about when and how!

When would the batting lineup of Pakistan collapse?

How long would South African bowlers take to finish the Test?

But the spectators and experts present on the ground, did not have to keep themselves guessing about such things. With still two days left for the Test and 228 runs to get, Pakistan were not the team to dish out a brilliant run chase. Pakistan’s unpredictable nature is more evident among their bowlers rather than batsmen.

The Pakistani batting lineup melted quickly to digest yet another whitewash in a Test series in South Africa.

Of course, without Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq in the batting lineup, it would be silly to invest faith in someone like Asad Shafiq and Azhar Ali. The kind of consistency and responsibility, which were needed to show after retirement of MisYou, Asad and Ali have failed to exhibit such.

Both Asad and Ali have been playing Test cricket since 2010 and were expected to develop under Younis and Misbah. But so far, they remain as flat-track-bullies, who shows their sparks on rare occasions away from home and earn accolades to establish their respective places in the team. A break follows after touring SENA countries and within this break, all forget about the past.

Azhar has played 73 Test matches so far. 5669 runs at an average of 43.27 could be regarded as something good. But that average goes down whenever Ali batted away from home. He averages 37.41 on foreign soil and when the matter is about playing in SENA countries, apart from Australia- where he averages 81.20, the numbers are not so satisfactory: 16.00 against South Africa, 29.68 against England and 29.42 against New Zealand.  

The numbers are not chummy in case of Asad as well. His overall batting average is 38.94 from 69 Test matches – a frustrating number after playing Test cricket for almost eight years. It did not go down further as the flat decks at Middle East helped a lot. But away from Middle East, Asad’s journey has not been rosy: In England, he averages 36.5, 32.08 in South Africa, 23.28 in New Zealand and surprisingly, his average is slightly better in Australia than his actual average: 39.83.   

Certainly, you don’t expect such an average number from two of the batsmen, who played around 70 Test matches. Apart from a sparkling performance from the bowlers, it is very important for the batting lineup to shine as well. And when you have batsmen, who have played more than 50 Tests, the expectations remain high.

But in the 3-match Test series against South Africa, the experienced men in the post-MisYou-era hardly could create an impact. As the numbers suggest, Ali had contributed 5% of total team runs while Asad just 14.32%.

It would be too much to expect from the likes of Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood or Babar Azam to steer the ship through troubled waters. These batters are still not experienced enough and it was the duty of Ali and Shafiq to guide and shield rather than exposing them against the red-hot South African bowlers.  Neither would I like to criticize Sarfraz Ahmed’s batting as because, his job in the team is not as a specialist batsman, but wicketkeeper and captain mostly. Certainly, I should not expect someone to smash hundreds and double hundreds each time while he walks out to bat at number six and seven. It is the job of your experienced campaigners.  

Babar’s dam care batting against Dale Steyn and Shan Masood’s unexpected composure might be something to cheer, but overall, Pakistan’s batting had cut a frustrating figure in South Africa.

Since the Test series started in Centurion, Pakistan bowlers had been inspiring. Most of the times, they challenged the experienced batting lineup of hosts. But they were let down by the poor batting display. The scenario would have been different in Johannesburg, if the Pakistani batting clicked in first innings. Even if Pakistan could post 262 runs in their first innings, they would not have been chasing 381.

Batting in SENA countries not only require technique, but the willpower to fight against all odds. Sadly, the current Pakistani batsmen, especially the senior ones, lack the fighting spirit immensely.

Obviously, since the heavyweights of past left in 90s and mid-2000s, a tour in South Africa for Pakistan remained a place for formality – just go there, play the way you like, then return home with so-called positives and learn nothing. People will forget in course of time!

 Such a mentality would never help Pakistan to evolve. Until and unless Pakistan decide to take foreign tours seriously and plan accordingly to win rather than maintaining formalities, their progress in Test cricket would remain stagnant. And that is where the captain of the team needs to inspire. But sadly, Sarfraz has failed to inspire his men in Test cricket so far. 

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer on 14/01/2019 Will Pakistan forget this Test series without learning anything?

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Pakistan shine at Johannesburg from nowhere

Pakistan changed colour at the Wanderers to maintain the reputation of being unpredictable…..  

It’s a new Test match. It’s a new day. But still, even the greatest expert of the game cannot predict, which Pakistan team they might see. Such is the impression, which exists among fans and experts about team Pakistan. The word, unpredictable is being used more often whenever Pakistan is playing. At times, it seems, Pakistan is predictably unpredictable and there is no special pride about being so much unpredictable. But just when you have started to get bored with Pakistan’s unpredictability, these Pakistanis would strike like a rumble of thunder to leave you stunned – you are not allowed to get bored while watching Pakistan in action.

The Johannesburg deck had been a belter and bat-first-type-wicket. The stand-in captain, Dean Elgar won the toss and immediately chose to bat first. On Day 1 and in the morning session, the South African tracks assist the new ball bowlers a lot. Even though, the wicket at Johannesburg was one the flatter side, till it had the spice to make the new ball move in and away. The Pakistani new ball bowlers – Mohammad Abbas and Mohammad Amir – tried to exploit the early morning moisture, but could not reap a rich harvest as because, they erred on line and length.

 Even though, Abbas enticed Elgar to poke at one outside off by pitching one further up to draw first blood, but still, the indiscipline of Pakistani pacers made batting look easier on such a flat wicket. According to CricViz, in the first 18 overs, only Faheem Ashraf was able to induce 39% false shots and made the batsmen play forward in 79% of cases. But apart from Faheem, the rest, pitched the ball on the shorter length and wider of offstump –  the runs came thick and fast.

 Aiden Markram went on the back foot with the utmost comfort and executed the cut shot with great joy. Whereas, Hashim Amla scripted the backfoot cover drives at ease. The 126-run stand came up so quickly, it seemed, Pakistan would have a long and tiring day at the Bull Ring.

After the departure of Amla and Markram, Theunis de Bruyn and debutante Hamza Zubyr piled on the agony – South Africa were dealing with boundaries – Sarfraz Ahmed, the Pakistani captain, searched for inspiration, but his bowlers were letting him down.

At tea South Africa were 226 for 3, with de Bruyn and Hamza well settled at the wicket to post a massive total on Day 1. But in the post-tea session, Pakistan changed their colour like they always do. In a typical Pakistani way, they dished out a bolt from the blue!

Amir, Abbas, Hasan Ali and Faheem; all of a sudden transformed into demons. As if all of them were so much hungry that they would devour any strong batting lineup twice in a given day.

They pitched the ball on a full and back-of-a-length more consistently and moved the ball better than previous two sessions as CricViz says, “In the first two sessions Pakistan’s quicks pitched 47% on a good line & length & found 0.57° of swing; since tea that has increased to 58% & 0.84°, increasing false shots from 10% to 22%”.

Most importantly, the Pakistani pacers could exhibit the reverse swing – an art, which is hardly evident among Pakistani pacers these days. The old ball moved late in both ways and created doubts in the minds of the batsmen.

Hasan Ali has a wicket to his name as he traps Vernon Philander in front and South Africa are 249/7 now

Abbas started it by pitching one full and straight, which reversed and trapped de Bruyn plumb in front. Then, another Amir late-swing kissed Temba Bavuma’s edge, while leaving him away after pitching in-and-around the middle-and-off-stump. In the twinkle of an eye, South Africa were 238 for 5 and it became 244 for 6 when Amir banged a similar delivery to Hamza who could not understand whether to play or leave the ball and edged to Sarfraz Ahmed.

Pakistan were on a roll and when they rediscover their mojo, they become an irresistible force.

Pakistan clawed back into the game in a typical Pakistani fashion.

The experts could not understand what just happened. The crowd was left guessing about Pakistan’s style of play. While Pakistan captain Sarfarz led his team back to the dressing room with a smile on his face.

Yet again, the pacers have brought Pakistan back to the game. Now, it’s up to the Pakistani batsmen to put up an inspiring show on Day 2.   

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer on 11/01/2019 Pakistan shine at Johannesburg from nowhere

Thank You

Faisal Caesar                 

Pakistan should play to win at Johannesburg to restore confidence

South Africa tour and horror shows are synonymous

Pakistan’s journey in South Africa, so far, has been termed as a ‘horror tour’ and is this is not the first time that Pakistan’s tour of the Rainbow Nation has been such. In 1994-95, 1998, 2002-03, 2006-07 and 2013; all of them had been. Except for 2013, the rest of the tour not only witnessed some below average batting and bowling displays, but at the same time, a buzz was created off the field, which hampered the image of Pakistan cricket.

Saleem Malik lost his captaincy after that eventful tour of South Africa and Zimbabwe in 1994-95, Rashid Latif went into hibernation after the 1998 tour, the rift between Wasim and Waqar was evident during 2002-03, while Shoaib Akhtar’s arrogance in the dressing room in 2006-07 only earned shame for Pakistan.  In 2013, the off-the-field issues were off, but on the field, the performance was dismal. Thankfully, Pakistan hierarchy kept the faith in Misbah-ul-Haq and stability remained within the team.

This time around, the mood in the dressing room seems down and obviously, after losing at home against New Zealand, digesting back-to-back defeats don’t help in boosting the morale. Mickey Arthur, the head-coach did not hide his dissatisfaction about the irresponsible batting performance of some of the senior batsmen in the team during first Test.

An upset dressing room

According to Grant Flower, “Mickey had some strong words with the players; there was quite a bit of honesty from him. I think the guys were a bit shell-shocked, but they've heard Mickey, everyone knows he can come down harshly on the boys at times. But sometimes that's needed and the guys needed to be told a few home truths. Mickey won't be the first or last coach to do that. If the guys do have strong character, they'll bounce back from it and take that as a challenge”.

But Mickey Arthur and co were surprised to know, how dressing room conversations got leaked. As ESPNcricinfo said, “Evidence of a breakdown in the morale of the camp further emerged following stumps on the second day, the one which oversaw a Pakistan collapse that all but put them out of the game, with a dressing room leak reporting coach Mickey Arthur had lost his temper with the players, in particular giving some of the batsmen an earful. Although the PCB later issued a statement denying Arthur so much as became angry, there is little doubt he did make his displeasure known, with Flower saying the real problem was the incident being leaked to the media”.

Flower stated, “We don't know who it is [the leaker]. But they've got to look at themselves in the mirror. It should never happen. On tour, it's all about teamwork, you're supposed to be a family and trust each other. But I've been with the team over four years and there have been constant leaks all the time. It's nothing new for me, so it doesn't really come as a surprise”.

Flower’s words in front of the media had been mature enough and he balanced things well. No new stories cropped up after this like previous tours and the team went out in second Test to prove a point. Despite the words of Grant Flower “Have seen happier dressing rooms than Pakistan's currently” ringing in the ears of Pakistan fans, they invested the faith in the same batting line-up, which collapsed twice in first Test.

But the performance was the same. On Day 3, the Pakistani batsmen scored runs, which boosted their personal stats, but it failed to create an impact as South Africa sealed the series comfortably. What Pakistan required was resolve to take a healthy lead, but throughout the series, this has been missing from senior batters, except Shan Masood,who is the find of the series so far. Moreover, neither Pakistan bowled with an aggressive intent to test Proteas batting lineup.

It’s not the end of world, still

2-0 down. The moral is down. Sarfraz Ahmed and the selectors are in an enormous pressure. But Pakistan should look to rediscover themselves in Johannesburg. An inspiring performance at the Wanderers would do Pakistan a world of good to boost their confidence. But for this, they need to rethink about their strategy.

Pakistan need to change the batting order and give opportunities to some fresh faces, who deserve a place. As for example: Mohammad Rizwan. Rizwan has been in a splendid form and it is quite surprising that Pakistan still have not tried this guy in the middle order. So far, Rizwan has notched up 825 runs in his last 14 innings across first-class and List A cricket at an average of 92. They include scores of 141 not out, 98 and 73 against the England Lions, and 105 and 116 not out against New Zealand A. Technically and temperamentally, Rizwan is competent enough to face the heat of South African pacers.  

In a middle order, which lacks solidity, Rizwan can add a lot of composure. And to include Rizwan, Pakistan need to make a choice between Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq. Both of them have failed to prove a point, except Imam, coming up with a half-century at Centurion, otherwise, both of them looked out of ideas against South African pacers.  

Why not try with Azhar Ali and Shan Masood as the new opening pair. Masood would be ideal choice and Ali - though has failed to deliver so far, but his experience would still be needed – can rediscover himself as an opener, because he averages 47 as an opener and 44 in the middle. Rizwan can come out at number 3, Asad at 4 and Babar at 5. And at number 6, Pakistan need to fit in an all-rounder.

In fact, Pakistan have someone like Faheem Ashraf in the side to play the role of a genuine bowling all-rounder. In Centurion and Cape Town, the absence of a fifth bowler was evident and what Pakistan required was a seamer, which Faheem could have provided. Again, he is a good batsman as well.    

Yasir Shah’s poor show might let Pakistan think to try with Shadab Khan,but it would not be smart enough to ignore a bowler who had just broke an 82-year old record and possesses an astonishing ability to fetch wickets. Yasir deserves another chance. Meanwhile, Mohammad Abbas can be rested and Hasan Ali can be played to add some cutting edge to the attack. It seems Abbas is still not fit enough.

Conclusion

“For the last Test, we need to bat like we did in the second innings here in Cape Town, we have nothing to lose. We need to be positive. But we also have to take 20 wickets otherwise we can’t win,” Sarfraz said such after losing the second Test. Indeed, Sarfraz needs to be positive and also, his team needs to show – they are ready to fight and are not afraid of the South African tracks and bowling attack.

India lost first two Tests in South Africa last year. But they did not give up and came out with a lot more positive intent at Johannesburg. It was an epic fight back by Virat Kohli’s men at the Wanderers on one of the toughest decks of last year. India did not lose their hunger to win, but were courageous enough and gave their best shot on a tough track and won, which uplifted their confidence.  

Pakistan and Sarfraz badly need a victory to get themselves going this year. And thus, they should take inspiration from India’s victory last year.    

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer on 07/01/2019 Pakistan should play to win at Johannesburg to restore confidence

Thank You
Faisal Caesar 

Shan Masood gives Pakistan hope

“Had Sohail not been injured, Masood might not even feature in the team. But that’s how Pakistan cricket has been since they started off their journey. In Pakistan, great performers emerge  unexpectedly. Certainly, mysterious world of Pakistan cricket”

Be it Javed Miandad or Inzamam-ul-Haq or be it Younis Khan or Misbah-ul-Haq, one thing these masters always ensured and which is a balance between the top and middle order. Even though there was a certain Mudassar Nazar, Mohsin Khan, Amir Sohal or Saeed Anwar; at the end of the day, the security was always ensured either by Miandad or Inzamam and when Pakistan entered into MisYou era, their job became tougher than Javed and Inzi as because Pakistan were not blessed with an Anwar or Mudassar.

Misbah and Younis had to display the best of resolves under pressure and ensure the utmost balance between the top and middle order. Obviously, Pakistan enjoyed some memorable moments courtesy of Younis and Misbah. Their departure definitely created a vacuum and it was up to Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq to carry on the legacy, but none of them seems to possess the ability to instill composure when the batting order is under a threat.

At Centurion and Cape Town, what Pakistan needed the most, was resolve in the batting order. While the expected batters frustrated, someone named Shan Masood stood up boldly to face the challenge. In fact, this guy was not expected to feature in the first XI, but at Centurion in the first Test, he came out to bat at number 3 and since hen until the third day of second Test, Masood has been able to cut an impressive figure.   

A knee injury ruled Haris Sohail out of the first Test and even during the South Africa tour in 2013, Sohail was ruled out due to an ankle injury. He came back to the Test side after a brief break due to several injuries, but failed to create an impact. While, Masood has been scoring runs consistently in the domestic arena and challenged the spot as an opener as Pakistan hierarchy is continuously asked about the credibility of Imam-ul-Haq’s place. 

Those who follow Pakistan cricket regularly, to them, Masood is not someone unknown. Five years ago, the world first came to know about Masood who smashed a brilliant 75 runs by scripting scintillating strokes against South Africa in Abu Dhabi, which impressed many and when his hundred at Pallekele helped Pakistan to win a Test series in Sri Lanka in 2015, it was thought, Pakistan’s search for  better opener is coming to an end. But like the so-called talented customers of the past, Masood showed signs of inconsistency.

Since that eventful hundred at Pallekele, his scores read: 2, 1, 54, 1, 9, 21, 59, 7, 16 and 21. James Anderson, Shannon Gabriel and Rangana Herath did not give him any respite and his technical abilities came under scrutiny against quality bowlers. He lost his place and for the last 14 months, he would work harder on his shortcomings.

“The biggest thing for me has been that I’ve played a lot of cricket (while being out of the team). I know we undermine domestic cricket a lot, but I’ve gone back to domestic cricket and played a lot of games,” Masood said while talking to the media.

“What also helps is that after a very long time, we had a few good A tours. We played NZ, England, the Australian team,” he added.

He said, “As a cricketer, you just want to play more and more games and that’s the only way you will get better. As much work you do outside the field, it doesn’t matter until you go inside and perform. That’s what will give you the experience to take on international cricket”.

In Abu Dhabi in 2013, Shan’s tendency was to pivot on the front foot from the word go and the boat came down in a rather angled way – technical fragility, which don’t trouble on flat decks.  But as soon as a quality bowler notice this, you have no way to escape. Masood learned this through the hard ways.  

At Centurion and Cape Town, one could notice how well Masood prepared himself to face the most volatile attack in the world on testing tracks. Playing with hard hands and relying on back foot stroke-play are a must to fetch runs in SENA countries. But the Pakistani top and middle order batsmen played shots as if they were playing in the Middle East. They were easily peppered by the short balls and anything bowled around the offstump line, kissed their outside edge – knowing your offstump and leaving the ball are a part and parcel of five-day batting, which Pakistan forgot.

But Masood has been a different batsman altogether. Batting at number 3, he did not rush, but first of all spent time at the crease to get adapted to the situation and his back lift, which came straight in line with the keeper and confidence on the back foot helped him to get behind the line of the ball earlier than other batsmen of Pakistan team. He could defend the ball better against the back-of-a-length deliveries bowled by Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Duanne Olivier and Dale Steyn. He watched the ball better by keeping his head down while defending and whenever he thought of executing strokes, he played with soft hands.

As long as Masood stayed at the crease, it always seemed Pakistan have hope and today at Cape Town he was instrumental in scripting a hundred-run stand with the swashbuckling Aad Shafiq.  It built a solid foundation for the rest to capitalize. Asad and Babar fired, but Pakistan were only able to take a slender lead and take the Test to Day 4.

There would be more analysis about Shafiq and Babar’s counterattacks, but many would forget the solidity of Masood, which has been the bright spot in Pakistan’s batting amid disaster. He is proving to be the vital cog, who can maintain the balance between top and middle order in future.

Had Sohail not been injured, Masood might not even feature in the team. But that’s how Pakistan cricket has been since they started off their journey. In Pakistan, great performers emerge unexpectedly. Certainly, mysterious world of Pakistan cricket.    

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer on 06/01/2018 Shan Masood gives Pakistan hope

Thank You
Faisal Caesar 

Pakistan’s bowling lacked extra bit of pace

Hard luck, yes, but it cannot hide Pakistan’s average bowling display……

Pakistan started off the day brightly. Mohammad Abbas dismissed Hashim Amla early, while the other pacers displayed the attacking intent, which was required to defend such a meagre total. Even though, Pakistan have a great history of defending such totals, but one thing for sure, the current bowlers lack the cutting edge away from home, which their past masters possessed.

Pakistan won twice in South Africa and on both occasions, pace and cultured batting mattered very much. At Durban in 1998 and at Centurion in 2007, Shoaib Akhtar’s raw pace determined the fate of the Test matches to a great extent. Shoaib was at his menacing best on both occasions and in a matter of time, the Proteas batting line-up of Jac Kallis, Graeme Smith, Andrew Hudson, AB de Villiers and co fell apart. It was one hell of a bowling spell, which is still one of the most favourite stories among Pakistan cricket followers.

Before Shoaib, the pace and guile of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Imran Khan helped Pakistan to win matches away from home. Pace has always been a part and parcel of Pakistan bowling attack. But in the course of time, that pace has gone missing among the modern day Pakistani pacers. One could experience the flavor of the glorious past in a certain Wahab Riaz, but he is history now. The likes of Abbas, Mohammad Amir, Shaheen Afridi  or Hasan Ali does rattle the stumps or fetch wickets, but not at an express pace.

The ghost of Centurion revisited at Cape Town as another soft signal by the on-field umpire for the close catch of Temba Bavuma was turned down when South Africa were 149 for 4 and it could have been 149 for 5, but whether Pakistan attack had the cutting edge to dismiss a gritty Faf du Plessis or a fluent  Quinton de Kock remains a moot question.

Temba was still shaky, but Abbas, Amir or Afridi failed to exploit due to lack of pace. Even, an out of form Faf could cope easily and later on went on to end his lean-patch by scoring a hundred.

Just targeting the body by bowling short does not script hostility, but to unleash such, an extra bit of pace is required.

The Pakistani pacers did hit the deck hard and dragged the length shorter, but neither their deliveries had that extra bit of pace to rattle the timber nor that threat to put chills down the spine. The Pakistani pacers, later on, adjusted their length to a bit full and back-of-a-length. The results did come, but after the match had gone out of the grip. At least one or two pacers were needed to clock around 140-145 kmph on a consistent basis.   

With the deck showing signs of uneven bounce and helpful to exploit the reverse swing, the Pakistani pacers failed to exhibit one of their favourite weapons since the late 70s. They bowled full, but sadly, contrast swing is not reverse swing and reverse swing can’t be executed if you bowl around 130-135 kmph.

The uneven bounce at Cape Town should have been helpful for Pakistan’s premium wicket-taker Yasir Shah, who has proved lethal in such conditions at the Middle East and in England as well. But, surprisingly, his legspinners were comfortably swept and negotiated by Bavuma and Faf.

Yasir loves to stick to his plans and doesn’t like to get out it and try some variations – mixing up the googlies with some quicker and straighter ones. Mushtaq Ahmed, while bowling that match-winning spell at Durban in 1998, utilized the uneven bounce smartly – bowled a bit quicker and dished out the googlies to the astonishment of South Africa batters. But, today, Yasir cut a frustrating figure.       

The third umpire’s decision was a piece of hard luck, but it cannot hide the average bowling display by the Pakistani pacers and spinners on a Cape Town deck, which demanded wickets if Pakistan bowled a bit quicker and varied their deliveries.  Certainly, this deck is not one of those where a team can take a lead more than 200 runs.

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer on 04/01/2018 Pakistan’s bowling lacked extra bit of pace

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Pakistan batsmen fail, yet again

For the third consecutive time, Pakistan batting failed to exhibit character……

It was not surprising to see the grass on the Cape Town pitch. In South Africa, the tracks are expected to be suited to pace and swing bowling and being a tourist, you have to be prepared to face the heat. South Africa won the toss in second Test and invited Pakistan to bat first on a greenish deck. Despite losing the loss, Sarfraz stated,  he would have batted first on this deck, which sent a message to the opposition camp that his men are ready for the fight.  

The same old story  

But as soon as Pakistan came out to bat, it was the same old story. Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada and Pakistan’s new nemesis Duanne Olivier moved the ball around and banged the short ones at will, which left Pakistan top-order at bay.  The outcome was probable. Five wickets went down, even when the Test match did not gain momentum – the South Africans were celebrating quite casually as they know very well, these batters are nothing but show ponies on the flat decks in the Middle East.

Poor technique and temperament, yet again

When you write about Pakistan touring away from the desert, even if you don’t wish to use the words technique and temperament, still you cannot but use them as because Pakistan batters of present times lack them horribly. It is easy to dismiss the deck as “not ideal for Test matches”  or “very tough,” but last year, it was on such sort of tracks, on which Virat Kohli and his fellow colleagues fought back. What the likes of Virat and Cheteshwar Pujara did was, trusted the basics of batting more. Whereas, Pakistan, in the third consecutive innings, failed to do such.

Astute footwork, occupying the crease and trusting the defence matter very much if a team wish to fare well in South Africa. And only on two occasions, these factors clicked for Pakistan and they went on to win a Test in 1998 and 2007. Mind you, those tracks were as tough as this one. Obviously, the bowlers were the heroes back then, but they had the back-up of batsmen. At Port Elizabeth in 2007, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Younis Khan and Kamran Akmal weathered the storm with sheer grit, while in Durban in 1998, Azhar Mahmood and Saeed Anwar produced some superb quality stuff to become part of an epic victory.

But on rest of the occasions, Pakistan batting had been below-par and the tradition continues. The Pakistani batsmen cannot just rely on backfoot stroke-play, execute shots with a straight bat, drop the wrists against shot balls and leave as much as possible to spend time at the crease.

Basic things…… boring to repeat and boring to read. But they are extremely important.

Shan tried, Sarfraz overcame a lean-patch, but they weren’t enough

At 54 for 5, under-fire Pakistani captain came at the crease to join Shan Masood. Shan held one end firm, while Sarfraz threw his bat at everything. Some scratchy boundaries came n to ease the pressure, but just when a partnership started to develop, Masood was dismissed and which exposed the tail. Sarfraz decided to curb his attacking instincts and decided to trust his defence and back foot stroke-play, but his batting was never out of nervy stuffs – tentativeness outside off was evident. His half-century did not convert something big  – the temptation to work one away outside off might have worked earlier, but not always a safe option. Sarfraz left the scene, and Pakistan folded for just 177 – a respectable total after being left reeling at 54 for 5, but never enough to pose a threat to South Africa.   

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer on 03/01/2019 Pakistan batsmen fail, yet again

Thank You

Faisal Caesar