If we summarize the performance of the recent match of Pakistan then we can have better plan for the remaining tournament.
1. Tournaments like world cup cannot be won without having match winners. Pakistan is blessed with few real match winners. But they have defensive policy at times and inclusion of Abdul Rehman is an evidence of the same. Abdul Rehman is an orthodox left arm leg spin bowler who does not have a great range of variety; neither has he had an attacking attitude. His task is to save runs, not to take wickets. Such bowlers can never play a vital role in team’s victory. And when a batsman in good form plans to play big shots, he starts playing against such bowlers who neither have verity, nor the attitude. He must be replaced by a match winner and fighter like Saeed Ajmal who can be expensive but will surely be a match winner as he did (with exception of Hussy’s inning as it his day)
2. To me, asking a run-saver like Abdul Rehman for 2nd attack was a sin. I am unable to understand why Afridi and Waqar made this plan. A medium pacer like Razzaq can move a new ball and can be beneficial in early overs. He can get wickets if batsman makes a mistake and even if he does not, Razzaq can save runs. (History shows the same for both, Rehman did not save runs but Razzaq did, in previous matches).
3. Offence is the best form of defense. You have to have an attacking attitude and plan if you want to win the game. You need to make attempts of taking wickets even if the batsman is playing his best shots. None of the Pakistani bowler, including Shoaib Akhter, tried to hit the stumps in last 7 overs. They tried to save runs which is a tested and failed policy.
4. Collapse in batting was a display of lack of planning and attitude. Waqar, Afridi, Younis and Misbah had ample time in dinner to make a plan. Pakistani players lost their heart in bowling and never came back. Collapse in last 5 over does not mean we had lost the match. 302 was a fighting total and could be defended even if we had 10 runs/over in last 10 overs but we had to have wickets in hand which we lost early on.
5. Pakistan still has best bowling side. Umar Gul was outstanding with ball and bat, he must be appreciated. Abdul Razzaq showed that he should be moved to number 6, in place of Afridi.
6. Afridi is always lacked resources at the end of the inning, he need to rethink what to do and how to save bowlers like Umar Gul, (Ajmal) and himself till the end. Gul, Afridi and Ajmal have potential to restrict any batting side with their aggressive attitude and variety of bowling.
7. There is lot more like Kamran’s wicket keeping, fielding collapse and other stuff to write on however I believe it is part of the game. We drop catch, make errors in fielding, have habit of losing openers’ wickets but we are famous for the fight back and always do that. What we lost yesterday was; the trust on our Never-Give-Up attitude, we are famous for and the bowling attack which was not used properly and which did not show resistance.
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