As our Pakistani cricket team hits rock bottom, keeping in mind their recent T20 form, the amount of criticism hurled towards Shahid Afridi has been increasing. Before I elaborate on anything, let me make it clear, I am not a diehard Afridi fan and hence I am not here to defend his lack of consistency. Sure enough he has been making errors on and off the field and he could have definitely performed way better, but delusional Pakistani cricket fans must realise Afridi is a part of the problem and not the only problem. Being a captain of a subcontinent team is anything but enjoyable. No matter how a team loses, the biggest chunk of criticism will have to be swallowed by the skipper. It’s just something that comes as part of the package. Just look at our neighbours, they still criticise MS Dhoni for losses, despite his phenomenal success as a captain for India. A captain can set the right field, make the right bowling changes and even inspire his teammates to achieve higher success. However, a captain cannot carry the weight of 10 other players on his shoulders. There are certain things that are just beyond a captain’s control. It is not Afridi’s job to help Khurram Manzoor stay on the pitch longer than the time he took to walk to it. I mean, it’s not as if Afridi selected him and is responsible for his actions. It is not Afridi’s job to run in for Anwar Ali and bowl one decent over without getting smacked all around the park. It is not Afridi’s job to teach the so-called ‘Professor’ how to run between wickets. Believe it or not, even diving from the other side of the field to help Mohammad Sami’s misfielding is not Afridi’s job. I hate to break it down to Pakistani fans, but sacking Afridi will not change anything for the Pakistani cricket team. The problem at hand is beyond Afridi. There is a serious lack of talent. There I said it. There is a shortage of talent coming down the line. If Mohammad Aamir is excluded from the current team, Pakistan will even find it tough to win against associates. Let’s open our eyes; the problem is bigger and darker than mere captaincy issues. Until we face this harsh reality, we will never be able to fix it. Let’s focus our criticism on the system that has given up its responsibility to discover, manage and develop talent. Let’s criticise root level cricket that is slowly evaporating. Let’s focus our attention on the board that hires one bowling coach after another despite heavily paying Waqar Younis, the head coach, whose credibility is entirely built on his bowling performances in the past. One can only wonder what Azhar Mahmood will add to the bowling tips which Waqar Younis has failed to address. Instead of embracing reality in order to fix it, we tend to find the easiest target to hit. Afridi is definitely the easiest one to target while the role of Waqar Younis and company remains unquestionable. Till then, let’s keep changing captains and blaming him for our inept team and selectors. [poll id="452"]

Where is all the hysteria, the passion, the flair that once filled every Pakistani’s heart, and house, as soon as news was released of the national cricket team travelling for a major cricket series, like the ICC World T20? Since when have we started supporting our team based on their logical chances of winning? We have never won a tournament when we enter as the favourites and yet we won in 1992, and then again in 2009 when we were least expected to. We are unpredictable and it is time to support the mysterious Pakistani team once again! The beauty of Pakistani fans is that deep in their hearts they believe that even though they may be entering a tournament as underdogs, the team will rise as champions, taking the world by a storm. Imran Khan did it 24 years ago and since then we have all hoped for that miracle again. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="768"] Photo: AFP[/caption] Despite the negative build up to the event in March 2016, we should try to see the positive side of this team; they have just the right mix of players to be least expected to win the tournament. Hence, this team might just bring a baggage of surprises that we all secretly yearn for. As the T20 world cup is about to begin, the state of our fans resemble the Pakistani cricket team at the moment; low on energy and charisma. The agitated supporters cannot be blamed. While other teams prepare to peak at the right time before the world cup, our team has been doing exactly the opposite. A T20 series loss against New Zealand followed by a dismal performance in Asia Cup along with musical chairs for the opening spots in the batting order. Heck! We don’t even know if we have the right person leading us despite his 20 years of service! [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: AFP[/caption] Some of us are furious at the selectors, some are trying to keep track of Shahid Afridi’s retirement and the rest are probably as confused as our head coach, Waqar Younis. Amid all this though, we have forgotten the power of  Pakistani fans. The music, the energy, the patriotism that lit up the streets before the World Cup lifted our team’s morale more than any training session. As supporters and proud Pakistanis, we owe to the men representing our country to have faith in them. It is now that time of the cricket calendar when we embrace ourselves in green and white again. It is now time to forget the differences between us because of being Punjabi, Sindhi, Pakhtun or Baloch. It is also the time when the rich and poor stand united with their eyes glued to the screen and ears attentively listening to the commentary on the radio and praying for the same thing:

“Afridi, please play sensibly tonight!”

How do you define Shahid Afridi? Do we talk about the man who when he bats, brings an entire nation to a standstill? Do we talk about the man who when swings at the cricket ball, a whole nation holds its breath while waiting for the ball to sail over the boundary line? Do we talk about the man who with his trademark star man pose instils hope into a nation? Do we talk about the man who has one of the highest numbers of ducks in international cricket? [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Do we talk about the man who when swings at the cricket ball, a whole nation holds its breath willing the ball to sail over the boundary line?
Photo: AFP[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Do we talk about the man who with his trademark star man pose instils hope into a nation?
Photo: AFP[/caption] The list of questions are endless and the answers even longer. Simply put, Afridi is an enigma that can’t be explained, an enigma that defies all logic and belief. If you look at his stats, they will seem ordinary or even pathetic to some, especially when you compare it to the fact that he has been playing for 21 years, so what makes him so revered? What makes him one of the most popular men in the country? It’s because of his personality; everywhere you go Afridi follows you, switch on the TV and he is starring in a TV commercial, go to a store to buy a bottle of Pepsi, his face is on the bottles and while you are driving around the city, his face will be on one billboard or another. The more important question though is, who placed him on this pedestal and how did he reach this stature? Strip away everything from the man, the stats, logic and reason. What you have at the end is an entertainer and a man who gives this country hope. Each time he comes out to bat, you know he’s going to swing at each ball like a possessed man. Regardless of the outcome, everyone cheers him on because they identify with him, this is the person they want to be, the flashy arrogance, the devil may care attitude and the freedom to be himself. They see the ball as the pent up problems in their lives and they picture themselves in Afridi’s place smashing their problems out of the park. They love the escape Afridi provides them from real life, even if it is for a few seconds. Unforgettable performances Afridi is also highly respected and loved because of his memorable performances against the age old enemy, India. Who can forget the two sixes against Ravi Chandran Ashwin? The four sixes against Harbhajan Singh, the smashing century in the 99 series and his Asia cup performance against Bangladesh? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCnlVByLGPg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5nru1XbpS0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gU9UIsCjHeI Afridi has been central in some of the finest moments in history of Pakistan cricket history. He played the innings of his life during the 2009 World T20 in the semi-final and the final, as our nation reeled from a horrific attack on the Sri Lankan national team in Lahore. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] How can we forget his Asia cup performance against Bangladesh?
Photo: AFP[/caption] Our national team gave us a glimmer of hope in the darkness by lifting the trophy and there, right in the centre, stood Afridi, hitting the winning runs and making the star man pose. This memory will be etched in the brains of every cricket loving Pakistani for a long time to come. Afridi’s initial years in the team When Afridi burst on to the scene with his mind boggling century, it was in the midst of a cricketing revolution started by Sri Lanka during the '96 World Cup. Power hitters were in demand. Australia had Adam Gilchrist, India had Virender Sehwag, Sri Lanka had Sanath Jayasuriya, New Zealand had Scott Styris and Pakistan, well Pakistan was filled to the brim with them, from Saeed Anwar to Afridi to Imran Nazir to Abdul Razzaq. Afridi is the last of that generation, the last man standing and the last dinosaur, so to speak in a harsh and evolved world. The vestiges of our long gone childhood will be over, nothing but the memories of Afridi, Waqar Younis, Wasim Akram, Inzamamul Haq, Saeed Anwar and Shoaib Akhtar will remain. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="543"] The vestiges of our long gone childhood will be over, nothing but the memories of Afridi, Waqar Younis, Wasim Akram, Inzamamul Haq, Saeed Anwar and Shoaib Akhtar will remain.
Photo: AFP[/caption] The torch has now been passed onto AB de Villiers, Kane Williamson, Virat Kohli and so on; the young guns will carry the torch now. Afridi has inspired a whole generation to play cricket and arguably a whole nation in Afghanistan, for better or worse he has been the light that called out to people to try their hand at cricket. Everyone, whilst playing or watching cricket, has dreamt about being Afridi. When he plays his last match today, a legend spanning over two generations will say goodbye to us. Cricket will never see another Afridi again, a man who swung between sheer lunacy and sheer brilliance. When he comes out to bat today and swings his bat to hit the ball, it may seem as if nothing has changed, but after today’s match, the cricketing world will forever be changed. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Cricket will never see another Afridi again, a man who swung between sheer lunacy and sheer brilliance.
Photo: AFP[/caption] The age of Afridi has come to an end. [poll id="479"]

Last night, whilst watching The Dark Knight Rises, yet again, I realised the city of Gotham has a lot in common with the Pakistan cricket structure. Batman ends up saving Gotham city. Even when he was completely down and out, he did not surrender; and if the Dark Knight didn’t give up, why should Pakistani cricket fans? In the movie, the mayor of the city was as powerless as the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Shahryar Khan, whereas the bureaucratic structure was as inefficient and incompetent as Intikhab Alam. It was natural, therefore, for every Pakistani cricket fan to look for their superhero, their Batman in order to address this downward spiral. On the eve of March 25, 2016, things began to look bleaker for Pakistani cricket after yet another poor performance during an International Cricket Council (ICC) event. This was the third time the men in green failed to qualify for semi-finals over the past three years at an ICC event. It almost felt like the collapse of Gotham; and just like its desperate residents, there was an increasing sense of frustration amongst the fans. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: AP[/caption] However, as the sun rose 10 days later, so did a new feeling of hope amongst most cricket lovers in the country, as PCB named Sarfraz Ahmed the T20 captain. As a cricket fan, I feel like I can identify Sarfraz as the superhero we were desperately searching for. As much as hope and excitement this news may have brought, there is also a need for a reality check. The harsh reality is that the sport remains to be in terrible condition in Pakistan and that cannot change overnight. But the real question is; what can we actually expect from Sarfraz as a captain in the near future? To begin with, the best thing about the Karachi-born wicketkeeper cum batsman is, just like any other superhero, he seems to be absolutely clear in his approach towards the game, which is an ideal and welcome factor in a clueless team like ours. This is one of the reasons why so many pundits were calling for the 28-year-old to be named captain. He emerged on to the scene after rising to an occasion (just like Batman did nearly every time) when he played a tournament-winning innings of 46, not-out, against Bangladesh during the Asia Cup 2012 final. At a time when the men in green were facing immense trouble with a shoddy score of 133-6 in the 35^th over, Sarfraz showed immense maturity in an innings where he hit just four boundaries in 52 balls. He then showed his mettle at Test level, with breath-taking 100’s against Australia and then New Zealand in a home series in the UAE. Through these feats, he managed to rescue his team just like Batman rescued his city. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: AP[/caption] After seeing him perform with the bat, the then head coach, Waqar Younis, tried him as an opener against the mighty Aussies in an ODI series, where he scored an impressive 65 runs off 72 balls against a strong bowling attack. His performance at the top forced the team management to use him as an opener in the ICC World Cup as well, where he once again showed that he is the right choice during a period of crisis. He won back-to-back man-of-the-match awards against South Africa and Ireland to help Misbahul Haq’s men qualify for the quarter-final. He then showed his leadership skills as he took the dark-horses, the Quetta Gladiators, to the final of the inaugural edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). This 28-year-old has a knack for making bold calls under pressure. He brought the experienced Zulfiqar Babar in during the first few overs of the innings; he then backed Mohammad Nawaz to take wickets and used Aizaz Cheema ahead of the experienced Umar Gul. He utilised Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi and New Zealand’s Grant Elliott to good effect and made sure the aggressive nature of the team remained regardless of what happened in the game. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="400"] Photo: PSL[/caption] All in all, there is a lot to be excited about when thinking about the prospect of this little fellow leading our team green in the shortest format of the game. But, is he the superhero we are looking for? Only time will tell. There are various reasons as to why people will expect bigger and better things from him, which may be unfair to him as well, but isn’t that how heroes write their story — by thriving under-pressure? By the looks of it, this story line has all the characters in order for him to emerge as our very own Batman. But just like any other superhero story, he will also have to fight against the prevailing injustice and evil. Unfortunately, the evil here is none other than the cricket board itself. [poll id="503"]

Fast bowling is obsolete now. This phrase is difficult to comprehend for every cricket enthusiast of my generation. Honestly, it was the deadly fast bowlers of our country that made us fall in love with the beautiful game of cricket, in the first place. No doubt fast bowling has always been Pakistan’s trump card. We had the best pace attack in the history of cricket spearheaded by the great Imran Khan in the 80s, Wasim Akram-Waqar Younis in the 90s and the speed star Shoaib Akhtar in early 2000s. This trio was one of the most celebrated lots of fast bowlers in the history of the game. They were lions – fighters under all conditions. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, he best fast bowling pair of all time in subcontinent!
Photo: Google Plus[/caption] Looking at the stats of the great Khan, he had a magnificent record as a fast bowler in the 80s. His unparalleled average of 19.12 in Test cricket left Caribbean greats such as Michael Holding, Courtney Walsh, Joel Garner and Malcolm Marshall, along with the Aussie legend, Dennis Lillee in the background. He inspired a generation of youngsters in Pakistan to become fast bowlers. The 90s were one of the most competitive years for cricket and can rightly be termed as the decade of bowlers. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Imran Khan - The Lion of Pakistan : he was Pakistan's most successful cricket captain, leading his country to victory at the 1992 Cricket World Cup, playing for the Pakistani cricket team from 1971 to 1992, and serving as its captain intermittently throughout 1982–1992
Photo: David Munden/Popperfoto/Getty Images[/caption] Wasim and Waqar, successors of the great Imran Khan, brought new dimensions to fast bowling by introducing fresh strategies, ploys and putting the reverse into swing. The duo bucked the Windies’ and Aussies’ trend of pitching fast and short by pitching fast and full. They breathed life in the dead pitches. Above all, they reminded everyone that fast bowling was supposed to be just that – fast. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Portrait of Pakistan fast bowlers Wasim Akram (left) and Waqar Younis during the Third Test match against the West Indies at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan. The match ended in a draw. (December 06, 1990)
Photo: Pascal Rondeau/Allsport[/caption] In my opinion, bowling strike rates are of greater significance in Test cricket than in ODIs. This is because the primary goal of a bowler in Test cricket is to take wickets and get the opposition out twice during a Test match, whereas, in an ODI, it is sufficient to bowl economically. In this particular context, if you were to compare Waqar and Shoaib with former legendary bowlers such as Lillee, Thomson, Marshall, Sir Richard Hadlee – Burewala Express and Rawalpindi Express would leave these legends behind, owing to their remarkable strike rate in Test matches, with 43.4 and 45.7, respectively. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Australian cricketing heroes Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson (pictured together in 1975)
Photo: Getty Images[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Malcolm Marshall
Photo: Ben Radford / Getty Images[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Great all-rounder Richard Hadlee played with his elder brothers in the 1975 World Cup against England.
Photo: Getty Images[/caption] Winston Churchill would have described the lack of quality in the department of fast bowling (in spite of our glorious past) as a “riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.” One probable reason is that we no longer have role models in the team like we used to, thus no one in the Pakistani crew is capable of motivating the young and determined lads. In the past, it wasn’t the coaches but the senior players in the team who mentored and nurtured young players. Shoaib Akhtar’s brilliant run-up and lethal bowling is not due to the coaches, rather inspiration from senior players. In fact, various coaches recommended that he cut short his run-up, which would enable him to prolong his career. If you look at the current bunch of Pakistan’s fast bowlers – barring Mohammad Amir, I honestly don’t see any one who puts himself out there with a certain plan in mind. Amir is in a league of his own. What I admire the most about him is his phenomenal ability to swing the ball so that the delivery to the right-handed batsmen is delayed. You rarely see such stuff. He smoothly approaches the stumps without a clown jump, (like Junaid Khan) nears the stumps, and since his wrist is firmly behind the ball, it tails back in sharply. In addition to that, he consistently tries to pitch full, invariably clocking 145 kph. We certainly have high expectations from him and he has been extremely fortunate in getting a second chance. He may still have the potential of becoming one of the greatest bowlers in the history of Pakistani cricket. However, as we have seen with the likes of Mohammad Zahid, Shabbir Ahmed and Mohammad Sami – potential or talent alone does not guarantee greatness. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Mohammad Amir
Photo: Reuters[/caption] If the art of fast bowling is to survive in the future, the International Cricket Council (ICC) needs to treat fast bowlers on the same level as batsmen. You need pitches where bowlers are able to take 10 wickets. You need bowling heroes in the game, where young boys can look up to them and say,

“I want to bowl fast just like him.”

Lord’s Cricket Ground is the home of cricket and it’s every cricketer’s wish to be able to play and perform exceptionally at this historic venue. The incentive to perform well at Lord’s is having your name written on the honour board, which is erected inside the pavilion of the cricket ground. How can a cricketer have his name included in that list? Simple, a batsman has to score a century and a bowler has to take five wickets in an inning or 10 wickets in a match. There is a long list of players on this board, but unfortunately, the world’s greatest players such as Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Javed Miandad, Imran Khan, Shane Warne, Curtly Ambrose and Wasim Akram have not had a chance to get their name up on this particular board. This board also has some surprising names written on it. Personally, for me, the most surprising names were Nasimul Ghani of Pakistan and Ajit Agarkar of India. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Nasimul Ghani
Photo: ESPN cricinfo[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Ajit Agarkar
Photo: Cricket 52[/caption] Pakistan has played 14 Test matches at the Lord’s ground, including yesterday’s match. In the previous 13 Tests, 11 players earned the honour of having their name engraved on the Lord’s honour board. Pakistan began a new Test series against England on the same cricket ground yesterday. This is a vital Test series for Pakistan, not only to set a certain momentum, but to restore the pride which was shattered six years ago at the very same venue. Three players were accused of spot-fixing and were subsequently banned and jailed for their crime. One of the accused players, Mohammad Amir, is back on the Pakistan team and has resumed his career from the same place where it had ended. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Pakistan's Mohammad Amir.
Photo: AFP[/caption] After the spot-fixing fiasco in 2010, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) handed over the reins of our cricket team to the skipper, Misbahul Haq. Within six years, he transformed the team into a forceful Test unit. Pakistan is currently at the third position in the ICC Test ranking and Misbah has played a pivotal role in our team attaining this great ranking. Misbah is the longest serving Test captain of Pakistan, and with 20 victories to his name, he is also the most successful captain in Pakistan Test history. A few weeks ago, Misbah, along with the team, left for their England tour. England, a place considered intimidating not only because of the tough playing conditions, but also because of the presence of hostile media. Misbah had seriously been contemplating retirement before this tour, but was persuaded by the chairman of PCB, Shehryar Khan, to continue playing. Misbah has had to face numerous critics about his playing style and age, but he has proved them wrong with his fitness and impeccable skills. That’s exactly what he did yesterday. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="380"] Misbah-ul-Haq celebrates his century on the first day of the first Test.
Photo: AFP[/caption] He walked to the crease when his team was struggling at 77-3. He decided to take the responsibility of swerving his team towards a decent innings. He built a partnership with Younis Khan and then Asad Shafiq, and helped his team’s total to rise up to 282. In the process, he also completed his 10^th Test century (the first in England) and celebrated by doing 10 push ups. The story behind this is that he had promised the army folks that he would do 10 push ups for every century he scored. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGw5K8wX5vU The century at Lord’s, that even on the first day of the Test match, made Misbah the 12^th player from Pakistan to have his name written on the Lord’s honour board. Pakistani players who have had their names written on the Lords honour board prior to Misbah are Khan Mohammad, Javed Burki, Nasimul Ghani, Hanif Mohammad, Mudassar Nazar, Mohsin Khan, Waqar Younis, Inzamamul Haq, Mushtaq Mohammad, Mohammad Yousuf and Mohammad Amir. At the age of 42, he became the oldest Test captain to score a century in Test cricket. Prior to Misbah, this record was held by Bob Simpson of Australia. He has the ability to do the unthinkable. Before the start of this Test series, a few Pakistani names were rumoured to go up on the Lord’s honour board, but Misbah’s name never came up. Captain cool wronged his critics once again by scoring a brilliant century. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Bob Simpson
Photo: PA[/caption] Misbah has had an unfortunate past in his Test career, where he faced a four year break during his peak years. But since his return from this break in 2007, he eventually became an integral part of the Pakistan Test squad. He, along with Younis Khan, carry the burden of Pakistan’s batting line-up on their shoulders. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Misbah is not dictatorial, yet commands authority.
Photo: AFP[/caption] Scoring a century at Lord’s at the pinnacle of his career is a great achievement for Misbah. This will further strengthen his status as a legend in Pakistani cricket. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Scoring a century at Lord’s at the pinnacle of his career is a great achievement for Misbah.
Photo: AFP[/caption] As all good things come to an end – so will Misbah’s career – ­but the legacy that Misbah will leave behind, will prove to be an arduous task for his successors to carry forward.

The dilemma of selection is nothing new for Pakistani cricket. Our selectors have always had difficulties in choosing the right players for the right formats, and whilst some players went on to cement their place permanently in the team – others weren’t lucky enough to prolong their careers. One could argue that they were dropped rather unfortunately, and after being dropped, they somehow disappeared from the international arena. Here is a list of some promising players that could have been stars for the men in green. 4. Yasir Hameed In 2003, a young batsman emerged onto the international arena and broke records in his first and only Test match at the age of 25. The ever so elegant Yasir Hameed became the second man in Test cricket history to score a ton in each of his innings on their Test debut. His scores of 170 in the first innings and 105 in the second ensured a comfortable victory for Pakistan against Bangladesh. He even bagged a well deserved Man of the Match award. A solid batting technique coupled with the ability to score runs in quick time made him a prime candidate for opening the batting for his national side. The man from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa went on to score some valuable runs for the Pakistan cricket team, in Tests and ODIs. His initial exploits in the shorter format of the game were impressive, and he forged a superb combination with Imran Farhat at the top order. One can recall their superb effort against New Zealand in 2003 (at home), when the pair put up a record of four consecutive centuries; a rare sight these days. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Yasir Hameed
Photo: AFP[/caption] His positive approach and fluid timing remained, but somehow he lost his cool temperament and failed to score big on many occasions. He did get plenty of good starts and chances but threw them away almost every time. Yasir played 25 Test matches for his national side, averaging just a touch over 32. His limited over career lasted for an even shorter time as he averaged just 36.8 over a span of four years. Now 38-years-old, Yasir Hameed still plays first-class cricket but one can argue that his time with the national side is all but over. Yasir will definitely be remembered by cricket fans as the one that could have been for Pakistan. 3. Shabbir Ahmed Standing at six feet and five inches, Shabbir Ahmed is a fast bowler from Khanewal. He had the skill to trouble batsmen with his ability to extract bounce on almost dead pitches. He showed great promise during his time playing international cricket. Not only did he equal the Pakistani record for the quickest 50 wickets in Test cricket (alongside Waqar Younis), he also managed to convince  critics to compare him to the great Glenn McGrath. His lanky bowling action from close to the stumps ­– much like the great Australian – allowed him to stick to a tight wicket-to-wicket line. Shabbir Ahmed announced his arrival in Test cricket with an impressive eight-wicket haul against Bangladesh in Karachi, on a track that offered no assistance to fast bowlers. What was most impressive about Shabbir, however, was his great control over bowling a line that ensured a blockage in the flow of runs. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Shabbir Ahmed
Photo: ESPN Cricinfo[/caption] Shabbir was brilliant when he made his debut in the shorter format of the game in 1999 against West Indies. He picked up an impressive three-wicket haul (two of them coming in his very first over) giving away 52 runs in his 10 overs. He continued to perform in the longer and shorter formats, managing impressive averages of 23.03 and 36.12 respectively. His career came to a standstill when he was reported for an illegal bowling action against England in the summer of 2005. Shabbir Ahmed managed comebacks after his time off, but was never the same and inconsistency became his enemy. 2. Yasir Arafat Perhaps one of the greatest assets for a top quality team in modern day cricket is an all-rounder who can score quick runs when needed and trouble the batsmen with a great variety in bowling. Yasir Arafat was one such character who was perfectly suited for modern day cricket, perhaps, that was his only undoing – the fact that he was born in the early 80s and not the late 90s. He is an all-rounder of typically Pakistani ethos – ideal for the attacking mood of the limited-over’s formats. Yasir made his Test debut in the winter of 2007 against India in Bangalore, where he started alongside the likes of Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami and still managed to make his presence felt since he bagged an impressive seven wickets and contributed 44 runs with his bat in the first innings. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Yasir Arafat
Photo: Twitter[/caption] Arafat remained in and out of the national team because he failed to make an impact in the 50 over format. When his international career came to an end in 2009 – which was somewhat premature – he proved himself a staple of the English County circuit, sharing his talent around six counties. After that, Hampshire signed him for their T20 campaign in 2015. He proved to be a splendid death bowler in the Big Bash League and gained his reputation overseas as a T20 great. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBGSPie3REQ His variety of slower balls, cutters, yorkers and his ability to hit the ball out of the park made him the first choice in the shorter format of the game. But, like many others, he could not perform to his fullest for the men in green. Come to think of it, he could have been the next Abdul Razzaq. 1. Asim Kamal One of Pakistan’s most underrated batsmen, Asim Kamal was a middle-order batsman tailor-made for Test cricket. His resilient approach and the ability to nudge the ball around for runs made him a solid middle-order batsman. Asim showed promise as soon as he got his first call up in Test cricket, making an impressive 99 against South Africa on his debut. His fluent cover drives often kept the board ticking as he continued to impress even after his debut. His notable contributions were an impressive 87 against the mighty Australians and 91 and 73 against India in matches where wickets kept tumbling at the other end. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Asim Kamal
Photo: Twitter[/caption] His consistency slipped in the following months and he spent a three-year exile from the squad. He was the subject of contentious debate among several selection committees and captains before finally earning a recall during the home series against Sri Lanka in 2009 where he failed to impress the selectors. Asim’s exclusion may be unjust, but he should have only himself to blame. After his exclusions, Asim claimed that he had been wrongly dropped from the squad, and instead of proving a point to the selectors in the domestic circuit, he chose to protest. It is safe to say that Asim could have been a world class Test batsmen had he performed consistently, but luck wasn’t on his side and to add to that, he himself, chose the easy way out. Either way, Pakistan lost a potentially good Test cricketer.

Surprise, surprise! Or not actually. Another year, another Test series, another ball tampering accusation, but fortunately for us, not another countryman. To be perfectly honest, I was kind of relieved that this time around, it wasn’t a Pakistani cricketer at the end of a cricketing controversy. In fact, not one but two tampering incidents have been making some serious news waves recently. One links the South African cricket team stand in Captain Faf du Plessis while the other involves his Indian counterpart, Virat Kohli. During the second Test match against the Aussies in Hobart a few days ago, the Proteas captain was clearly seen in a video footage eating a candy and simultaneously licking his finger and then shining the red ball. After a three hour long International Cricket Council (ICC) hearing which was held at the Adelaide Oval on Tuesday, the skipper was found guilty and fined 100% of his match fee, but luckily dodged suspension of any sorts. Also, three demerit points have been added to his disciplinary record. If he reaches or crosses four demerit points in the next two years, Plessis will likely face match suspension and a possible ban. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Faf du Plessis charged with ball tampering.
Photo: AFP[/caption] The South African cricketer might have evaded the suspension, but his persistent denial of any wrongdoing by not accepting the verdict has taken this saga to another level. Disappointed with the decision, Plessis insists that he has “done nothing wrong” and ball tampering and ball shining are poles apart.

“Ball tampering, that is something that is wrong — picking at the ball, scratching,” Plessis said in a media conference in Adelaide. “Shining, all cricketers would say is not in that same space. It’s something all cricketers do and I think there will be a lot of emphasis on where the game is going.” “I still completely disagree with (the verdict)… I felt like I’ve done nothing wrong. It’s not like I was trying to cheat or anything, I was shining the ball. It’s something that all cricketers do. Our mouths are always full of sugar, I think it’s such a grey area in the laws of cricket.”

“It’s ludicrous really. Much ado about nothing. The whole ball-shining thing with something in your mouth has been going on for ages”. “I don’t know how you police it. How you say what is allowed and is not. What kind of sweets or drinks (can players consume) during the breaks?” He added.

“It’s like making a mountain out of a mole hill.”

The latest news is that the World Cup opener Nasir Jamshed has been arrested alongside a bookie by Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) in London. By the time this blog is published, one can only imagine what other new developments will have taken place. As is now common knowledge, Sharjeel Khan and Khalif Latif are already in hot water. There are also suspicions casted on other players, including Mohammad Irfan, who is currently under investigation. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Nasir Jamshed.
Photo : BCCI[/caption] I would normally take anything the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) says with a grain of salt, but PCB official Najam Sethi is adamant that the evidence is damning. It certainly seems to be so with the arrest of the former Pakistani opener in the United Kingdom. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Sharjeel Khan struck 16 fours and 9 sixes in his innings.
Photo: AFP[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Khalid Latif (L) playing for Pakistan against England.
Photo: AFP[/caption] So the question is, how did we get here, again? Who is to blame? How did these cricketers not learn their lesson after Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif, and Mohammad Amir became a national embarrassment? [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Salman Butt plays a shot in a domestic tournament.
Photo: AFP[/caption] Well, clearly, the corrupt are to be blamed primarily, but it’s time we took some of the blame onto ourselves. We are an emotional nation; our thought process is dictated more by sentiment than reason. The fixing scandal has hit Pakistan in a big way at least three times, and not once has this cancer been treated in a surgical manner. And the problem lies with us. When Pakistan loses, we call for the heads of everyone involved with the team, and when Pakistan wins, there is disproportionate joy. Take for example how the local Twitter sphere reacted when the tourists won the second One Day International (ODI) Down Under. Pakistanis berated Ian Chappell for suggesting that their team not be invited back, sadly letting one ODI victory wash over three Test losses. That this joy was disproportionate became evident when Pakistan lost the rest of the games in the series. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Cricket Australia[/caption] Unfortunately, it isn’t just the fans, but Pakistani sports writers as well, who fall victim to sentiment. I recall when I questioned the hero worship Wasim Akram was always receiving, a couple of sports writers grew offended and asked me on private message not to raise the subject. This brush-it-under-the-rug attitude is exactly why we keep returning to this position. Let’s look at things factually. Wasim Akram was accused of match-fixing by several fellow cricketers. One of them, Ataur Rehman actually testified against him in court. Later, reports started to appear that Rehman was being pressured by threats of violence, and he recanted his testimony. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Wasim Akram.
Photo: AFP[/caption] Justice Qayyum headed an inquiry into the corruption and banned Salim Malik as well as poor Ataur Rehman – a bowler with a terrible record who was apparently picked angrily by the captain over the selectors for only one imaginable reason. He also fined Akram but didn’t take stricter action. Later, he explained:

“For Wasim, I had some soft corner for him. He was a very great player, a very great bowler and I was his fan, and therefore that thing did weigh with me. Two things – one, I didn’t want that the cricket should be deprived of his participation, and the other was that I didn’t want that towards the end of his career... he should be banned or something like that. My idea was not to find people guilty and then punish them. It was more of a case where I had to do something to put an end to the practice in future. What had happened had happened. You couldn’t turn the clock back but you had to make sure they wouldn’t repeat what they were doing.”

In a world where there are numerous issues to be addressed, we get carried away by unnecessary matters a little too often. This is evident through the recent case of Sarfraz Ahmed’s off-the-record comments on the absence of Urdu reporters in a post-match press conference. Ahmed made these comments after Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka in a nail-biting match due to heroic efforts by the captain himself. Even in his wildest dreams, Ahmed could not have imagined being mocked over something so insignificant, let alone becoming a trolling trend on social media. Most of our Pakistani cricketers do not have a strong grip on the English language and being able to speak in English is by no means a measure of one’s intellect. It is about time people realise that these players’ fundamental job is to play cricket, not to speak fluent English. Ridiculing our players over their English-speaking abilities is not acceptable because English is not our mother tongue. But putting English aside, one can question whether our players’ ability to communicate in Urdu is good enough? The truth is that even when some of our players are spoken to in Urdu, they do not have appropriate answers and usually end up becoming a part of unnecessary controversies due to their statements. However, let’s understand that cricket is still a game which is played by nations which once were under colonial rule or a part of the Commonwealth, so its association with the English language is natural, contrary to other sports. As a matter of principle, if a player is not able to communicate in English, no one has the right to mock him. On the contrary, I also do not subscribe to the views that these players are just meant for playing cricket. All said and done, I personally believe these cricketers are the ambassadors of their respective countries and have to communicate with the international media, answer their tricky and at times pinching questions, in a language understood by most. We actually become complacent when we subscribe to the views that these players are not supposed to know how to speak in English. It may not be their fundamental job, but it should at least be considered a part of their job. Yes, many may not readily agree with this idea, but cricketers cannot be blamed for this because most of them hail from humble backgrounds and do not have educational opportunities. That’s where we should question our educational system and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Why is it that our education system isn’t able to produce enough individuals who are skilled at sports and have enough education and finesse to communicate on international platforms as well? Most of the international cricketers are not necessarily graduates, because this sport demands copious amounts of time and energy. Unfortunately, numerous cricketers from the subcontinent have to give up their education after Matriculation or grade 12, but how is that we see so many Indian cricketers being able to communicate effectively in English? PCB is equally responsible for not grooming our players and providing them with crash courses during their off-seasons so that they may learn the aforementioned skills. PCB has enough money to throw on the board of governing members, however, when it comes to grooming our players, it acts extremely miserly. So if we accept the idea that these players are not necessarily required to speak in English, we are letting many people off the hook, especially PCB and our education system. The story does not end here. We already have only a few cricketing resources that represent Pakistan on international fronts such as Rameez Raja, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. Former Indian cricketers easily outweigh us in this department and it is our lack of English-speaking skills which has led to our absence from the International Cricket Council (ICC) forum. The ICC is also primarily responsible for tweaking various cricketing rules, and resultantly our players tend to miss out. Only a handful of our big names have made it to superior platforms after their departure from the cricketing field. Unfortunately, we as a nation have not yet realised the significance of having our voices heard on international fronts. A presser from Virat Kohli will help substantiate my point. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5e5qn5_i-would-never-do-that-on-the-cricket-field-kohli-cricket-2017_sport Interaction and communication between players helps them learn new skills, strategies, and gain mental composure. For years, various international stars have benefited from other team players by imparting their valuable experience, so if we become complacent in our approach of not learning this language, our players will be reluctant in communicating with cricketers from other countries. We need to revisit our understanding and pressurise PCB to draft an effective policy on this matter and implement it, otherwise the mocking will continue to surface time and again. Keep in mind that this mocking was not about Ahmed, it was actually directed towards Pakistan. The sooner we learn, the better it will be for us in the long run.

If the 90s era of Pakistan cricket was known for something, it was talent… wasted talent. For a side that carried match-winners like Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar, Mushtaq Ahmed, Saeed Anwar, and Inzamamul Haq, to name a few, there was woeful underachievement. Sure, Pakistan won the 1992 World Cup, but with the retirement of Imran Khan soon after, the team went in a downward spiral. Thanks to constant in-fighting to allegations of match-fixing to backstabbing politics within the squad, Pakistan didn’t win nearly as many Test series and limited-over tournaments as they should have. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="533"] Pakistan celebrate in triumph after winning the 1992 World Cup despite not being favourites. Photo: ESPNcricinfo[/caption] Nothing exemplified this more than Pakistan’s tour to South Africa in the mid-90s, where during an ODI tri-series that Pakistan dominated in the first half, all hell broke loose after some cricketers blew the whistle on match-fixers, after which Pakistan crashed in the tournament. One of the cricketers respected for his stance on match-fixing was Aamir Sohail, a gutsy left-handed batsman who could on his day be more explosive than the more naturally gifted Saeed Anwar. After Sohail won the hearts of the public for his brave attitude on and off the field, some rumors began to spread in the media about his hot-headedness in the dressing room. Many didn’t give credence to these reports until Pakistan played India in the 1996 World Cup quarter-final in Bangalore, where Sohail was suddenly made captain after Akram pulled out of the match due to an injury. Here, India hammered Pakistan when they batted, setting Pakistan a target of 288 in 49 overs, which in 1996 might as well have been 350. Apparently, Pakistan faced a lot of abuse from the Bangalore crowd, including threats of violence, and when their turn came to chase, the atmosphere was so tense that you could feel it through your television sets. At the time, Pakistan was regarded to have the best ODI opening batsmen in the world, and the duo of Sohail and Anwar began to show why they had that reputation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XF6hK4M4JuE The two made mincemeat of the Indian attack, and by the time Anwar fell at 84, Pakistan had an incredible run rate and it looked like easy sailing for the visitors. Unfortunately, cooler heads did not prevail. At a point when singles, doubles and the occasional boundary would have taken the team home, Sohail did the unthinkable. After smacking Venkatesh Prasad for a boundary on the offside, he taunted the seamer by pointing a finger at the direction he wanted to hit him next. Now, Sohail was in a bind. Seeing red, he tried to force himself into an unnatural position to play the shot, missed the ball, and was clean bowled in a humiliating fashion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhs6FP7L8H8 Sohail’s antics put the rest of the team under pressure, though to be fair, at 113-2 they should have still coasted. Ijaz Ahmed and Inzamam needlessly holed out to aggressive shots when all was under control, and by the time Javed Miandad and Saleem Malik came to the crease, the duo were far over their prime to lift the run rate after rebuilding cautiously. Interestingly, Sohail had been criticised for not handing over the captaincy to Miandad when Akram abruptly pulled out, though more on that later. When Sohail was made captain, reports in various papers claimed that he was growing paranoid. When the team lost under his captaincy, he accused the star talent of undermining his leadership by deliberately under performing. Some fans sympathised with Sohail, while others felt he was turning into the boy who had cried wolf and now saw wolves everywhere. I suppose that if Sohail was paranoid, one can empathise in the sense that except for a few, most of the star players accused by cricketers like Rashid Latif, Basit Ali, Sohail, and Ataur Rehman were still playing. But a picture of Sohail indeed being temperamental, impulsive, and paranoid had begun to take shape. After the disastrous World Cup in South Africa in 2003, Sohail was appointed chief selector and began to settle scores. Many of the former greats were forced to retire, and not given the send-offs the public expected. Again, this could have stemmed from the fact that Sohail had never seen justice delivered against the alleged match-fixers in his day, but some fans found his behaviour to be vindictive. It wasn’t until Sohail began to share his views as an expert on television that fans got a true taste of his personality. In the commentary box with other former cricketers, national and international, Sohail came across as rude, abrasive, and frankly, quite obnoxious. Sometimes, when the team under-performed, Sohail would make thinly veiled hints at match-fixing, though without an iota of evidence. Again, as a former whistle-blower who had to bear the indignity of playing with the cricketers he had spoken out against, it is possible to explain some of the paranoia, but Sohail was taking things too far. This is why I am not at all surprised by Sohail’s attack on new captain Sarfraz Ahmed after Pakistan beat Sri Lanka in their crucial group match. Here, responding to Ahmed’s decision not to dedicate the team’s victory to Miandad, which he was well within his rights to do, Sohail indirectly accused the side of their games through foul play at the hands of “facilitators”. Rightly, a storm was raised on social media for Sohail’s ridiculous comments. The statement reeked of pettiness and jealousy. Even former Indian cricketers came to Pakistan’s defence, with Sourav Ganguly terming Sohail’s words “stupid, ridiculous.” Sohail then appeared on a video with someone called Muhammad Shuayb to clarify, except his clarification came across as non-sensical damage control. Sohail claimed that when he said “facilitators” he actually meant the administrators of the game, who had deliberately played the semi-final on a slow used track so that Pakistan would have an advantage and potentially meet in a final with India, perhaps to generate more revenue. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dat-GJw19fk Of course, this was just more “stupid, ridiculous” stuff from Sohail. If he is claiming that the hosts England did this, then it doesn’t make sense since the side was ravenously hungry to finally win a big ODI tournament. If Sohail says that it was ICC’s plan to sell tickets for a Pakistan-India final, then why doesn’t the organisation do this every time? Why not give Pakistan home advantage everywhere? Perhaps what Sohail doesn’t realise is that the decision for this semi-final to take place on the used track was taken a year ago, so the ICC couldn’t have possibly known. No, it seems more like Sohail shot from the hip once again about match-fixing, and later tried desperately to save face. Strangely, Sohail was triggered by the situation with Miandad, yet in the fateful 1996 match, he paid no heed to the batsman’s appeal to be given a greater leadership role or to be sent at number three in the pivotal game. While Ahmed’s comments about former cricketers being harsh could be a bit naïve, criticism after failure is to be expected, there is truth to the fact that most Pakistani cricketers come on TV with axes to grind. With no other employment to speak of, it seems that former cricketers can’t see the difference between criticism and constructive criticism, especially since being angry pundits plays into their brand. It is a pity how cricketers can transform into angry vomit spewing ‘experts’ within a short period after their retirement. From Mohammad Yousuf to Shoaib Akhtar, former players who themselves often cost their sides because of their own poor performances now take to TV with whatever vitriol resides in their hearts. The lack of empathy for their comrades only points to petty jealousy, or an attempt at gaining popularity on TV post-retirement. In times like these, it is bittersweet to see Indian stars be more supportive of the Pakistan team than former Pakistan cricketers themselves. In spite of the political friction between Pakistan and India, both Ganguly and Harbhajan Singh came to Pakistan’s defence. What’s more, Virat Kohli gave a wonderfully gracious speech after losing the final. Here is the quote taken from Cricinfo,

“I want to congratulate Pakistan, they had an amazing tournament, the way they turned things around, speak volumes for the talent they have. They proved it again, they can upset anyone on their day, disappointing for us but I have a smile on my face because we played well to reach the final. Credit to them, they outplayed us today in all departments. This is what happens in sport. We can’t take anyone lightly but they were more intense and passionate on the day. With the ball we could have had a few more wicket-taking opportunities. We tried to do our best, but even with the ball, they were aggressive, we didn’t show any resistance apart from Hardik, whose knock was outstanding. (Bumrah no-ball?) Small margins can be massive but we’ve only lost a game of cricket, we need to move forwards and learn from our mistakes. The pitch was consistent throughout, we backed out strengths but weren’t good enough.”

Hollywood, Bollywood, the West End and Broadway – everybody knows that nothing sells better than a true underdog story. And when it comes to the tag of ‘underdog’, only a few have worn it so frequently and with such relish as the Pakistan cricket team. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Pakistan with the Champions Trophy. Photo: Getty Images[/caption] Before the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy final, few could have predicted what would unfold. In a tournament packed with surprises, viewers could be forgiven for wondering whether Pakistan had reached their peak. But doubt Pakistan at your peril. As Sarfraz Ahmed tore across the outfield, arms outstretched in joy, Pakistan wrapped up their first 50-over trophy triumph in a quarter of a century. As with that famous win in 1992, the brilliance of a left-arm fast bowler made the difference with the ball. It was fitting that Mohammad Amir’s road to redemption should lead him here, emulating the aggression and skill of Wasim Akram in his pomp. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Mohammad Amir takes flight after picking up a wicket, India v Pakistan, Final, Champions Trophy 2017, The Oval, London, June 18, 2017. Photo: Getty Images[/caption] Amir has been dogged by controversy in recent years, a feeling all too familiar to Pakistan team visiting England. But this finally felt like true vindication for Amir, the realisation of his world class talent when his side needed him most. This was a coming of age for the young bowler, and for a Pakistan team proving all the doubters wrong. But it was not just on the pitch that Pakistan’s brilliance was told, but also off of it. The performance of the fans from the subcontinent made a tournament that could have appeared irrelevant into a non-stop carnival. The final perfectly encapsulated the romance of the sport, Indian and Pakistani fans danced together, and scenes of friendship and humour dominated social media. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] 'Nuff said, Champions Trophy 2017, India v Pakistan, Final, Champions Trophy 2017, The Oval, London, June 18, 2017. Photo: PA[/caption] And yet while so many were surprised by the result, students of cricket will have looked at this game at the Oval and known that Pakistan are a team you can never write off when visiting South London. The Oval made history this summer when England met South Africa on July 27^th. It was the 100^th Test match to be hosted by the ground. This remarkable feat has only been matched by the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Sydney Cricket Ground and Lords. Since the first Test was played at the ground in 1880, no touring side has enjoyed a better win ratio at the ground than Pakistan, who have won an imperious 50% of their games. Their matches at the ground are characterised by defying expectations with bravery, ingenuity and skill. As wonderful as Amir’s performance was, Pakistan seamers have been giving batsmen nightmares at the Oval since their first visit to the ground in August 1954. In a now familiar scenario, Pakistan arrived unfancied, with a strong side England expected to sweep them away. But England had not reckoned with 20-year-old Pakistani seamer Fazal Mahmood, who took 12 wickets in the match and shocked the cricketing world and condemned England to a 24-run defeat. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="434"] Fazal Mahmood of Pakistan bowls, Cambridge University v Pakistan, tour match, Fenner's, 12 May, 1954. Photo: PA[/caption] If their first visit prophesied the many spellbinding bowling performances yet to come from Pakistan swing bowlers at the Oval, the 1967 meeting between England and Pakistan was significant for the partisan crowd that packed in to watch the game in South London.

England dominated and would go on to win the game, but Asif Iqbal, batting at nine, produced a stunning batting performance to keep the tourists in the contest. He struck a 14^th boundary to move to his first Test century, and in incredible scenes the match had to be stopped for five minutes as hundreds of Pakistan fans ran on to the pitch and lifted Asif into the air.

Pakistan is quite notorious for producing bowling sensations in the cricket world. While Pakistan’s batting department has not been able to produce quality batsmen on consistent basis, its bowling unit has maintained its tradition to stun the cricketing world with its sheer quality. They consistently churn out bowlers, both fast and spinners, who create havoc at the top stages of cricket tournaments. Keeping up with the tradition, Pakistan has given the cricket world another bowling sensation in the form of Hasan Ali. He is currently ranked at the top by the ICC, based on his recent stellar performances. There are certain accomplishments that have led to Ali being the talk of the town these days. From just 18 ODIs in 2017, Ali has taken 45 wickets at a strike rate of 20.3, and an outstanding average of just 17.04. These figures have made him the highest wicket-taker of the year. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="428"] Hasan Ali exhibits his trademark celebration, Pakistan v Sri Lanka, 3rd ODI, Abu Dhabi, October 18, 2017. Photo: AP[/caption] Moreover, he recently became the quickest Pakistani bowler to reach 50 ODI wickets. He achieved this landmark in just 24 matches, breaking Waqar Younis’s record of 27 matches. He is also the joint fourth-fastest to achieve this feat, with only Ajantha Mendis, Ajit Agarkar, and Mitchell McClenaghan ahead of him. As far as his comparison with Younis is concerned, Ali is off to the right start. His strike rate of 20.3 in 2017 is equal to that of Younis’s in 1990. Also, in the list of best ODI bowling averages for Pakistan in a calendar year (minimum 150 overs bowled), only Younis’s average of 12.63 in 1990 lies ahead of Ali’s 17.04 in 2017. What makes Ali quite threatening is his ability to take consistent scalps in the middle overs in ODIs. He has bowled two-thirds of his overs between 11^th and 40^th overs, taking 59% of his wickets (33 out of 56). He averages only 19.33 in this period, topping the list of players who have bowled at least 100 overs between 11^th and 40^th overs (against top nine teams) since the start of 2016. The second-placed player, Imran Tahir, averages 25.82, which makes Ali’s average 34% better than Tahir’s. During the same middle overs, Ali strikes once every 26 balls when other bowlers have found it hard to keep that number below 35. Furthermore, he is quite adept at restricting runs too. His economy rate of 4.50 during middle overs exhibits his exceptional ability to choke batsmen when they are trying to build their innings in the middle overs. After the fourth match of the recently concluded ODI series against Sri Lanka, Sarfraz Ahmed said that Pakistan has the best bowling attack in the world. Hence, one thing that needs to be mentioned here is Ali’s role in Pakistan’s burgeoning bowling attack in recent years. Between January 2014 and December 2016, Pakistan’s pacers averaged only 39.57 in ODIs, only ahead of Zimbabwe, UAE, Kenya and Canada. However, Ali has boosted this average significantly in 2017. He has single-handedly moved Pakistan to the top, making Pakistan’s average of 25.61 the best among pacers from the top nine teams in 2017. Ali has claimed around 46% of the total wickets for Pakistan in 2017. If we exclude his figures, the other pacers in the team managed a mediocre average of just 33. Moreover, Ali was also the key factor in Pakistan’s triumph in the Champions Trophy earlier this year. He took 13 wickets in the tournament, and earned the Player of the Series award. Ali has definitely given his captain a reason to boast about Pakistan’s bowling attack. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Hasan Ali takes a lap of honour, India v Pakistan, Champions Trophy, final, The Oval, London, June 18, 2017. Photo: Getty[/caption] Although these numbers have propelled Ali to the top of the ICC rankings for ODI bowlers, what these figures do not show is his athleticism in the field. He is one of the nimblest fielders in the Pakistan side. Furthermore, although he has earned most of the accolades for his performances in ODIs, he is equally frightening in T20Is. In just 12 T20Is, he has swallowed 18 batsmen at an average of 20.11, and a strike rate of just 14.2. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Hasan Ali took 3 for 23 in the first T20I, Pakistan v Sri Lanka, 1st T20I, Abu Dhabi, October 26, 2017. Photo: AP[/caption] This is certainly an impressive start to one’s international career. The aforementioned figures have made Ali one of the rising stars in world cricket, and an inspiration for millions in Pakistan. While Pakistan maybe the most unpredictable team in the world when it comes to its performance, one thing is quite predictable now, the “explosion” celebration is here to stay.

Batting collapse, batting collapse, batting collapse, batting collapse, batting collapse, and batting collapse – no, this isn’t my failed attempt at rapping, but rather, an apt summary of Pakistan’s performance against New Zealand thus far. Pakistan have indeed upset many fans as the series progressed, but their unwillingness to learn from their mistakes makes it easy to summarise their performance in one breath. We all saw what happened; therefore, dissecting their batting troubles is like beating a dead horse at this stage – it won’t help. If Pakistan’s performance in ODIs was a video tape being played at normal speed, then the first T20 was the video played in fast forward. Nothing changed, except that the Pakistani team found even faster ways to throw wickets and end the misery of the fans sooner rather than later. I am equally hurt by Pakistan’s losses and am not taking this as an opportunity to apply salt to our wounds. However, I am not here to provide a list of the usual excuses either – different conditions, bouncy pitch, weird weather, new country, long flights, and so on. New Zealand has thus far dominated us fair and square. Our batting has been horrendous and our bowling has been average in both formats. It is as simple as that. Now, we may choose to learn from our mistakes to avoid such losses in the future, or continue to paint the wrong picture to deceive ourselves. The problem lies in the approach we now take towards the game, which at the moment is unclear and ineffective. Pakistan was once known for its bold moves. We unleashed Shahid Afridi at a time when T20s didn’t even exist; it made little sense but we did it anyways. Wasim Akram was given the new ball at an adolescent age, and we watched him create magic with it. Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar were ordered to go for the kill, while Javed Miandad was trained to be a fighter each time he went out to bat. We were different back then. We were fearless back then. Fast-forward to 2018, and now Pakistan has become the lost child of the cricket world. We are timid, we are shy and we are afraid to try something new. We have been slapped with humiliating defeats in Australia and New Zealand within the past 12 months, but instead of learning and growing better, we have grown immune to the pain and offered excuses to get away. Pakistan, what has happened to you? We want to play aggressive like we once used to, but then we burden our batting line-ups with inning builders and low strike rates. We desperately look up at Fakhar Zaman to provide our batting some impetus, but we are too afraid to induct more Zamans in the line-up. Sarfraz Ahmed is our latest star, with the Champions Trophy title under his belt. However, why he is hiding so low in the batting order is anyone’s guess. He has the ability, skill and talent to open for Pakistan and lead from the front, yet he chooses to sit back and watch his team lose in the same fashion, day in and day out. Even when Ahmed showed a moment of bravery by trying Faheem Ashraf as an opener in the fourth ODI against New Zealand, he was quick to doubt himself and sent Ashraf back down the order after one failure. Imagine if Imran Khan had lost trust in Akram’s ability and had done the same after one poor spell! The Champions Trophy was a fairy tale, something conjured right out of Disney world. It was spectacular and will always be cherished by the nation. However, it doesn’t hide the flaws that we have been developing over the years, including a defensive mindset and a lack of ability to make bold decisions. Ahmed cannot change the fate of the team by yelling excessively behind the stumps. He can only change the fate of the team by learning from their earlier mistakes and making the hard, yet necessary decisions. He can even use England as a case study. England completely transformed their team when Eoin Morgan took over, because they realised their old approach was outdated and a new approach was a must if they were to progress as a team. If I could suggest anything to Ahmed, I would advise him to have a clear vision and make the tough call to drop players that start a dot ball marathon in the middle of the innings. Given that we have already hit rock bottom, with a whitewash in ODIs and a humiliation in the first T20, how can trying a new approach and new players be any worse?

The recent ball tampering scandal – SandpaperGate, as it is being colloquially referred to – continues to emanate shockwaves in the cricketing world. Both Steve Smith and David Warner have ended up losing their leadership roles, and have also been banned for one year each. Further, Smith has been declared ineligible for captaining Australia for two years, whereas Warner has been declared the same for life. In addition, both have also been banned from playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL), which will literally burn a hole worth millions in their pockets. While young Cameron Bancroft has also been banned for nine months, David Lehman, the “aggressive” coach, remained largely unscathed, but did end up resigning after Smith’s conference. Besides the ban itself, the level of abuse and vitriol these three players have faced is unprecedented. Smith was virtually treated like a petty criminal at the Johannesburg airport on his way back to Australia, while both, the global and the Australian media, have been scathingly critical of the trio. https://twitter.com/ESPNcricinfo/status/978989992805650432 https://twitter.com/bhogleharsha/status/979294065425637376 https://twitter.com/ImRo45/status/979329253693992965 This unprecedented level of criticism has made me question if the punishment is justifiable and proportionate to the crime these players committed. Even before Smith’s press conference, I felt the response was too harsh. After seeing his heartfelt and tearful apology, however, I was moved by his sincerity and regret. https://twitter.com/abc730/status/979283165968703488 https://twitter.com/richard_conway/status/979332536026517506 No matter how hard I try, I cannot agree with the general reaction; for these punishments, particularly which the Australian Cricket Association (ACA) has accorded, are completely out of sync with what has been the standard. Several major factors, particularly the public furore – both from the Australian public and the rest of the world – has affected the decision-making process. Moreover, the outcry over the supposed leniency by the International Cricket Council (ICC), which has handed a one-match ban to both Smith and Warner, has also played a role here, as this put pressure on the ACA to hand down stricter verdicts. The moment the ICC announced its verdict, there were cries of too much “leniency” from many former cricketers, as well as from the general population. Graeme Smith compared it to a slap on the wrist. On social media, I saw posts drawing analogies with the five-year ban on Mohammad Amir, claiming how the standards in both cases were “different”. https://twitter.com/Ram_Guha/status/978454537160638465 https://twitter.com/MazherArshad/status/978699510523269121 https://twitter.com/harbhajan_singh/status/977911377447677953 In reality, the ICC decided fairly, and the punishment was in sync with previous cases. One simply has to examine the level of severity of previous  offenses falling in this category in order to reach this conclusion. In 1994, Mike Atherton was found guilty of ball tampering, and was merely fined £2,000. In 2000, Waqar Younis was suspended for one game and fined 50% of his match fee after getting caught ball tampering. In 2001, Sachin Tendulkar was suspended for one game, but was later cleared by the ICC of all wrongdoing. In 2004, Rahul Dravid was merely fined 50% of his match fee, despite there being video evidence of his crime. In 2005, the famous pitch tampering incident, which was caught on camera, resulted in Shahid Afridi getting banned for one Test and two ODIs. In 2010, Afridi was once again suspended for two T20 matches, after biting the ball to “adjust” the seam. Ironically, the current South African captain, Faf du Plessis, has also been sentenced twice. In 2013, he was fined 50% of his match fee when it was proven he had been rubbing the ball against his zipper. In 2016, he was fined 100% of his match fee after it emerged he had used mint to shine the ball. All the aforementioned incidents prove that the punishment given to the Australian trio by the ICC was in line with the precedent. The claims that the punishment has been too lenient are unfounded, especially when subjected to empirical scrutiny. Further, comparing this to the five-year ban on Amir is also wrong, because ball tampering is a totally different kind of offense. What Amir did was completely immoral, as spot-fixing is a crime involving financial corruption. In other words, ball tampering is a far less serious offense, and is also very common. One cannot compare apples and oranges here. https://twitter.com/harbhajan_singh/status/979421911678513152 https://twitter.com/HDean0/status/978392708237660160 In reality, the outrage has perhaps more to do with the way Australians play their cricket, which has ended up alienating them. They are undoubtedly an outstanding team, who play aggressively and ruthlessly. Their on-field behaviour, however, is characterised by sledging and constant intimidation of their competitors. These tactics may help them win, but at the same time, they also earn them a lot of animosity all around the world. The ACA was also under a lot of pressure from the Australian public and media, who felt the team had embarrassed the nation. Over the years, the Australian team has acquired a legendary status amongst Australians, a fact mentioned by the Australian Prime Minister as well. Such a status is often more fragile because of extraordinarily high expectations from the public. The comments made by the prime minister in the immediate aftermath of the scandal merely aggravated the situation and unleashed the fury of the public and the media. https://twitter.com/GautamGambhir/status/979353660730888193 https://twitter.com/JimWhite/status/979276366490292224 The anger, though justified to an extent, was nonetheless disproportionate to the crime committed. Further, as time went on, the bandwagon effect on social media brought the actual severity of the crime into the background, while mob behaviour and public shaming took over. As Shane Warne expressed himself; a sentiment with which I am in complete agreement,

“We are all so hurt and angry and maybe we weren’t so sure how to react. We’d just never seen it before. But the jump to hysteria is something that has elevated the offense beyond what they actually did, and maybe we’re at a point where the punishment just might not fit the crime.”

“one of the good guys and he’s just been caught in a bad place.”

During the series against World XI last year, I wrote on Ahmad Shahzad. Roughly nine months have passed and here I am writing about the same person again. He was playing selfishly back then and now he is allegedly playing with substance abuse.  The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not officially stated the name of the cricketer involved in the doping test, however, they have confirmed that there was someone who tested positive. Reports have been surfacing that this “mystery man” is Shahzad. To be honest, it would not be a surprise if this turns out to be true. Not much will change with this, except that Shahzad would have found a new way to disappoint us all. https://twitter.com/TuahaSohail/status/1009479241321385984 T20 was the only format Shahzad somehow managed to crawl his way back into after being dropped out of each format in turns. How was he able to earn a comeback to the T20 squad is a mystery in itself because we saw no improvement in him whatsoever since the last time he was dropped. Nevertheless, even his place in the T20 lineup was hanging by the thread but it couldn’t hold onto Shahzad’s mishaps any longer after he allegedly tested positive in a doping test. https://twitter.com/humihere/status/1009501709822021650 The substance has not been confirmed as yet, however, some speculations claim that it was marijuana. Even though it is pretty shameful to see Shahzad reportedly indulge in such activities, his abysmal performance on the field probably still ranks higher in the shameful category. https://twitter.com/ZAbbasOfficial/status/1009485872880857088 I would still credit Shahzad for his creativity. It takes a genius to find a new way of getting dropped after his millionth comeback. Those impressed with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ability to come back to life in Terminator have surely not followed Shahzad’s comebacks into international cricket. The immortal nature of Shahzad’s career in the national side would even put Schwarzenegger to shame! This time Shahzad thought it would be nice to mix things up a little. Getting dropped due to lack of performance is too mainstream. He did that already time and again without facing much trouble for finding his way back in. Allegedly consuming substances that he has full knowledge of being prohibited was far more appealing to him. No wonder Shahzad’s initial shots were missing the fielders in his last outing. Usually, he plays an extravagant shot only to find the fielder within the circle with utmost precision. The drug effect probably helped disturb his accuracy in finding the fielders. https://twitter.com/Hasaansaif/status/1009728539036454912 On a more serious note, if this is true, Shahzad hasn’t only let the nation down but himself as well. Like Umar Akmal, Shahzad never did justice to his talent. He broke into the side at a fairly young age, played some picture-perfect shots and impressed us all in no time. Then he got compared to Virat Kohli. It all went downhill from there onwards. Besides trying to mimic Kohli’s look on the field, Shahzad never reached the same heights of success. The comparison with Kohli started off in real terms but turned into a joke soon after. Shahzad was still struggling to hold onto his place in the team by the time Kohli was captain of the Indian side. Each time Shahzad got dropped from the side, the expectations were that he would work extremely hard to get one more chance at living his dreams. https://twitter.com/emclub77/status/1006922525434089472 The rumoured use of marijuana leaves doubts over how serious Shahzad is about his own dream. Maybe Waqar Younis wasn’t far off when he mentioned that he “worked hard on them but unfortunately the passion is not there” when referring to Shahzad and Akmal in his report prior to resigning as the head coach. How can an individual indulge in any activity that carries the risk of being banned when he is already on the brink of being left out in the team’s future plans? https://twitter.com/ArfaSays_/status/1009504923917176844 Younis might not have left fond memories as a head coach for Pakistan but his final comments on Shahzad and Akmal were spot on. Shahzad’s lack of remorse over his unfulfilled potential is evident. Instead of cherishing each opportunity he got to play in the national team, a dream for millions in Pakistan, Shahzad has put little thought over being banned from international cricket when he apparently consumed the substance that had “prohibited” written all over it. This could possibly be the end of the road for Shahzad’s career, although, I won’t bet a penny on him for not making a comeback. The love story he has shared with the PCB selectors has been a loyal one. He could be back in the squad the very day the ban is over. However, for Shahzad to reach his full potential, he must be forced to toil hard in domestic cricket. I know he is the favourite child of the selectors for a long time but if Fawad Alam can rot in the domestic circuit for years despite performing, then Shahzad can certainly spend some time learning to value the golden opportunities life has presented him. https://twitter.com/Asad_slapstick/status/1010995584994545665 I wish I could write about the loss Pakistan would have to bear by losing Shahzad but he made sure in his entire career that it will never be the case. An average of 26.4 in T20s and 32.5 in ODIs mean we won’t be missing out on much. For Shahzad’s sake, if he is banned, I hope he uses the time off to do some soul searching. It’s never too late to fix your mistakes within the same lifetime. https://twitter.com/AqeelSays_/status/1009553063609323520 On the bright side, looking at his performances now, we won’t be screaming “what are you smoking?!” at our television screens. He might have cleared that up for us.

Pakistan needed 22 off 20 balls with three wickets in hand against Afghanistan. How Pakistan got themselves into that situation is a whole other story, but at that moment desperation had kicked in. World Cup dreams, pride, honour and reputation were all hanging by a thread for Pakistan as a defeat at the hands of Afghanistan, handcrafted by Pakistan’s players, seemed inevitable. Out came Wahab Riaz with a fractured finger to rescue Pakistan on a pitch that offered turn from the east coast to the west. This sounds exaggerated, almost like something out of Bollywood’s lacklustre flicks, but it’s not. This wasn’t like one of Salman Khan’s heroic scenes, with 20 cuts before the best shot is taken. This was Wahab, with an actual injury on his right hand and with only one shot at saving Pakistan before all hell broke loose back home. ­ The first ball Wahab played was a dot, leaving the equation at 22 runs off 19 balls. This was a man who was never meant to be in the middle of this mess but got called in at the last minute. The very next ball, he smashed a four through the covers and everyone in the stands heaved a sigh of relief. In the penultimate over, Wahab was back on strike with the equation looking even more worrisome – 16 runs needed of 12 balls. Feeling the desperation for a boundary, he swung his bat so hard that had he connected, the ball would have needed an air hostess to fetch it, but he didn’t make contact. However, he hit the fourth delivery in the over, and millions of hearts in Pakistan skipped a beat as the ball hung in the air. But as soon as it landed in the stands, the stadium erupted. All that pressure was released after just one burst of exhilaration. [caption id="attachment_85047" align="alignnone" width="600"] Wahab Riaz of Pakistan in action.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_85066" align="alignnone" width="600"] Imad Wasim is congratulated by Wahab Riaz after scoring the winning runs.[/caption] Wahab’s match-winning contributions are often overshadowed by his statistics. But one must remember that trying to define a cricketer is a muddled task. Many become overly reliant on statistics, but these figures are just numbers that lack a narrative. They can make an ordinary player seem exceptional and a match-winner seem ordinary. Numbers don’t tell the whole story. Wahab’s 15 from nine balls won’t change his average or his strike rate, but for Pakistan, those 15 runs were as precious as gold, if not more. Many would say that Wahab’s ability to get boundaries in the most desperate times is sheer luck, but I call it character. He is a player every team should aspire to have. Not because he can swing the ball like Wasim Akram or crush a toe like Waqar Younis, but because he is a fighter. He is a man that gives it his all each time he steps out to play on the big stage for his team, even if it means having to pitch in with the bat because his teammates have failed, yet again. [caption id="attachment_85064" align="alignnone" width="600"] Wahab Riaz celebrates the wicket of Mohammad Nabi.[/caption] Like any other player, Wahab can have a bad day with the ball, but I know that as a fan I’ll always be satisfied with his effort and his passion. The same can’t be said about the other players that have shared the dressing room with him. Describing Wahab using statistics would be an injustice. In order to truly understand who Wahab is you need to see him run in, you need to see him single-handedly take on the opposition, and you definitely need to see the pain in his eyes when catches go down on his bowling after all the effort he has put in. Once you have seen all that, then let me know if the numbers still hold any meaning. Wahab doesn’t deserve to be on the losing side whenever he plays because he is a true team man that would risk it all to get his side over the line, even if it means sustaining more injuries. That’s Wahab for you – a soldier, a fighter and only then a bowler. Ironically enough, Wahab, who has saved the day for Sarfaraz Ahmed, Mickey Arthur and Inzamamul Haq many times during this World Cup, was initially told that he was not part of the team plan for the tournament. Therefore, for him to come back, put those comments behind him, and play so well is sensational. [caption id="attachment_85067" align="alignnone" width="600"] Wahab Riaz celebrates after dismissing Jonny Bairstow.[/caption] Whether Pakistan qualifies for the semi-finals or not is a different story altogether. All I know is that Wahab is a hero and he has fought like one throughout this tournament. If the Pakistan team can learn anything from Wahab then let them learn his never die attitude. The fans do not demand anything else. We all know that one team has to lose, but if they go down fighting like Wahab then there never will be any complaints. For his story to have a fairy tale ending, Pakistan would have to win the World Cup because this is most likely the last time we will see him in action on this stage. For all the memories he has left us with, it would make me extraordinarily happy to see him lift the cup before he wishes us goodbye. This is our last chance to appreciate him, after misunderstanding him throughout his career as a bowler that just leaked runs. Wahab, we are sorry for not believing in you, but you are a champion. Bring the cup home for Pakistan! [poll id="791"] All photos: Getty