Looming white wash in Bengal..!

How to avoid the Bengali whitewash?

The biggest positive from the 1st ODI match of Pak vs BD played on 17 April, 2015, was that our captain Azhar Ali proved to be a lion hearted leader, who not only led from the front, but also led by example.
However, unfortunately he fell into the trap of the head coach, in selection of the final eleven, and opted to go on the defensive, by playing with only 4 regular bowlers. The strategy of playing with 7 batsmen backfired so badly that we not only lost by a huge margin of 79 runs, but also got out in just 45.2 overs.

Now, Azhar Ali will have to learn that offence is the best defence. In test matches you can bat for a draw, but in the ODIs or T20s, you live and die for a victory, which only comes in plan of attack and nothing else.

I am still of the opinion that to strengthen our batting, as per modern day requirements of the hard hitting game, where even non Test playing nations are easily scoring over 300 runs, we need to induct players having potential, to tear apart the bowling of the opponents, in first ten power play overs, when all the fielders (except only two persons) are forced to stay inside the 30 meter circle.

In this regard, AWAIS ZIA must be immediately sent to Bangladesh to open the innings with either Sarfraz Ahmad or Azhar Ali.

Furthermore, the wrongly and undeservedly selected Saad Nasim must be called back (no harm in correcting the error of judgement of the selection committee) and he should be replaced with a specialist batsman, who is also touted as the most talented batsman of Pakistan, namely, IMAM UL HAQ. It is being recommended precisely for the reason that after consecutively failing to bat 50 overs in the 7 World Cup matches, our team again failed 8th time in a row, to bat full 50 overs.

Our selection committee also erred in selecting Saeed Ajmal, just on his name and didn’t consider the fact that taking wickets over 45 degrees arm bend is much easier than bowling and taking wickets or containing runs with an arm bend of under 15 degrees. Today Saeed Ajmal bowled one of the worst spells of his life, when he gave 74 runs in 10 overs. Not only this but he got hit for 3 out of 6 sixes (50%) and 8 out of 35 fours (22.85%). Our selectors also failed in NOT selecting highly talented pacer Imran Khan, for the Bangladesh tour.

If corrective action is not taken immediately, don’t be surprised by our white wash from the Bangladeshi team, in not only the ODIs, but T20 and Test Matches, as well.

However, the selection committee deserves kudos for their find of Muhammad Ramzan, who looks an excellent future prospect for Pakistan. Best thing about his batting was the middling of his shots with his bat.

Moreover, the lack of positive thinking, correct planning and defensive mentality (proved by the fact of playing with 4 bowlers) demands immediate recall of our head coach, to avoid total disaster of the ongoing tour; and he should be replaced by either of the two reputed successful coaches namely, Mohsin Hassan Khan or Kabir Khan (who successfully coached 2 international teams i.e., Afghanistan and the UAE teams).

نہ سمجھو گے تو مٹ جاؤگے اے پی سی بی والو
تمہاری داستان تک نہ ھوگی داستانوں میں

Tags: My Views