Many times after a humiliating loss or defeat in a major tournament, people ask, “How did this happen?” The answer is never simple, and it usually stems from many different factors. Some are because of unfair selections, some are because, despite the hype, the team never had the needed talent. Some are because of poor tactics.
All of those humiliations, losses, and defeats have one thing in common though. They were all clear for some time, and no one took any action to halt the problem. We ask now directly to people in the PCB, do any of you have the guts to put your career on the line and make changes? Or will you pretend after the World Cup defeat how you were always against it?
The Shadab Issue
We learned from the Afghanistan series that Shadab was seemingly back in form. This notion, however, has been proven completely wrong. Bowling an array of full tosses and half trackers, Shadab was both expensive and toothless in the Asia Cup. He picked up the wicket of Rohit Sharma in the game against India, but even that was against the run of play, and a loose shot by Sharma, rather than anything done by him.
With his shocking record since 2021 of averaging 78 against the bigger teams, someone in the PCB needs to take action. Whether it be throwing Abrar to the wolves, or bringing in Usama Mir, this can not continue. If it does, and Shadab stays as cold as he has been, Pakistan’s World Cup Defeat is all but certain.
Fakhar is out of form
An in-form Fakhar is one of the most dangerous batsmen in the world. However, he is not in form. He has not been for some time. Picking Fakhar for the World Cup would be picking based on reputation. It may work, it may not. But if he is not picked, the replacement needs to be thought through. Imam is a lock for now in the team, but if he is partnered by Abdullah Shafique, Pakistan will have a top 4 that can not accelerate well.
They may do well in some games against the smaller teams and might be solid against the bigger teams, but they will not be match-winners. With a middle order with more questions than answers, this is a huge problem. Will anyone in PCB have the guts to go for an attacking replacement instead of Shan Masood or Abdullah Shafique? An out-of-form Fakhar or a Shafique-Imam combination makes a World Cup defeat almost certain.
Pace balance
Shaheen, Rauf, and Naseem are the best in the business, or among the best. Naseem is out injured, and Rauf can not bowl with the new ball. What then? Zaman Khan was tried, and he did well in the death, but he can not bowl upfront. Wasim Jr is good in the middle overs, but awful with the new ball.
Do you go for someone like Hassan Ali or Mohammad Amir who have been frozen out in the wild but can at least bowl at the death? Or do you continue picking bowlers who are one-dimensional, very good at one part of the game, but useless in other parts? Whatever it is, if Pakistan does not pick an all-over bowler to replace Naseem, they will make a World Cup defeat certain. Fahim, Zaman, or Wasim Jr. may be good backups, but neither cut it with the new ball.
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Strike Rate and Pakistan’s top order
This is not something new to be gleaned just from this series. But it is something that has been apparent for some time. Pakistan’s top order plays its way and does not deviate whatsoever from it. Like the bowling, they are too “specialized”. They will play the way they play, regardless of match situation. This state of affairs can not continue.
It is not a lack of ability, but a lack of willingness to attack. When Fakhar is out of form and slow, why then can Imam not at least try to attack the bowling? When Rizwan is batting with Babar, why can one not attack more? They do not lack the skills, they lack the willingness to try. Someone has to make it clear this is no longer acceptable.
Selectors, PCB, take action
We do not ask to sack Babar, change the team completely, or do something equally drastic. But at least make some of the changes needed. This team has had the same weakness for too long. Is it just that all middle-order players in Pakistan are terrible or is that the top-order just needs them to slog from the start and that is impossible? Is it that we have no one with all-round bowling skills, or is it that Babar won’t rest Shaheen, Naseem, or Rauf no matter what? Whichever it is, making no changes and going with the status quo is the coward’s way out. Take action. For Pakistan Cricket.
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