As I sat watching Pakistan choke once again in the 2nd T20 against the South Africans (the original chokers), I thought to myself, how can consistency be made a forte of Pakistan cricket (some might say that they are losing consistently, but lets not go there). The answer came to me fast: You can't.
If we analyze Pakistan's performance in the last 15 years we can fairly say that consistency is alien to Pakistan cricket team.
We start with 1999, a year when Pakistan's team had greats like Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhter, Waqar Younis, Inzimam, Yousaf, etc. The only difference between the team then and now is that the team won Sharjah cups which at times took place twice a year. Unfortunately, Sharjah Cup doesn't take place anymore. Many people refer to Wasim-Waqar era as the Golden Era of Pakistan. Please! Pakistan people only remember those years fondly because its been too long and because Pakistan beat India alot in those yeas.
Pakistan started the year by defeating India in India but then lost the next match with wickets falling like 9-pins. Series Ended 1-1. Pakistan did come back to beat India in the badly construed Asian Test Championship and won the Championship by beating Sri Lanka in the final. Pakistan also went on to win the Pepsi Tri-series in India. But before we get all patriotic, let me clarify that Sri Lankan and Indian teams in 1999 were skeletons of what they are today. Both had some star players but they lacked coordination and lost many times to Pakistan. In April, Pakistan won the Sharjah Cup but due to differences Coach Javed Miandad was removed. Pakistan went into the World Cup (under Coach Richard Pybus) in England as one of the favorites. Pakistan had a good world cup winning all games in Group stage (except Bangladesh, but we all know what was going on there). In the super-6 stage, we lost to South Africa and India and only qualified for the semifinal by beating Zimbabwe. After comprehensively downing New Zealand in the Semis, Pakistan were drubbed for 132 by Australia in the final of the 1999 World Cup. Richard Pybus was removed. Say hello to inconsistency.
Pakistan rehired Pybus later in the year and Pakistan won another Sharjah Cup but were severely beaten in Australia where they lost 3-0 in the test series and also lost both finals of the Tri-series.
Heads rolled after the defeat. Pybus was shown the door and Wasim Akram was removed from captaincy, placing the reigns in the hand of Saeed Anwar. The Board (which itself was changed 3 times in as many months) wanted to "introduce young blood" and many youngsters were given a chance in the series against Sri Lanka. Result: Pakistan lost ODI series 3-0. Pakistan went on to lose 2 games in the Test series before Saeed Anwar gave up captaincy and Moin Khan was made captain and Javed Miandad was named the Coach. Moin won his first test making it a 2-1 in the Test Series for Pakistan.
Pakistan went on to win the Sharjah Cup (this was a real achievement since they beat SA in the finals), the West Indies ODI tri-series (but were beaten 2 times by the West Indies) but lost the WI test series 1-0 (thanks to Umpire Billy Doctrove). Then Pakistan won the Asia Cup in June. Next was the tour of Sri Lanka where Pakistan won the test series 2-0 but were hammered in the tri series (also including South Africa) and could not even win a single match.
Pakistan went to Singapore in August to play a short tri-series featuring South Africa and New Zealand. Moin was injured so Waqar captained the side. Pakistan won both league games but were beaten by South Africa in the final. Next was ICC Champions Trophy in Nairobi in which Pakistan lost to New Zealand in the semifinal.
-- To be continued
If we analyze Pakistan's performance in the last 15 years we can fairly say that consistency is alien to Pakistan cricket team.
We start with 1999, a year when Pakistan's team had greats like Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhter, Waqar Younis, Inzimam, Yousaf, etc. The only difference between the team then and now is that the team won Sharjah cups which at times took place twice a year. Unfortunately, Sharjah Cup doesn't take place anymore. Many people refer to Wasim-Waqar era as the Golden Era of Pakistan. Please! Pakistan people only remember those years fondly because its been too long and because Pakistan beat India alot in those yeas.
Pakistan rehired Pybus later in the year and Pakistan won another Sharjah Cup but were severely beaten in Australia where they lost 3-0 in the test series and also lost both finals of the Tri-series.
Heads rolled after the defeat. Pybus was shown the door and Wasim Akram was removed from captaincy, placing the reigns in the hand of Saeed Anwar. The Board (which itself was changed 3 times in as many months) wanted to "introduce young blood" and many youngsters were given a chance in the series against Sri Lanka. Result: Pakistan lost ODI series 3-0. Pakistan went on to lose 2 games in the Test series before Saeed Anwar gave up captaincy and Moin Khan was made captain and Javed Miandad was named the Coach. Moin won his first test making it a 2-1 in the Test Series for Pakistan.
Pakistan went on to win the Sharjah Cup (this was a real achievement since they beat SA in the finals), the West Indies ODI tri-series (but were beaten 2 times by the West Indies) but lost the WI test series 1-0 (thanks to Umpire Billy Doctrove). Then Pakistan won the Asia Cup in June. Next was the tour of Sri Lanka where Pakistan won the test series 2-0 but were hammered in the tri series (also including South Africa) and could not even win a single match.
Pakistan went to Singapore in August to play a short tri-series featuring South Africa and New Zealand. Moin was injured so Waqar captained the side. Pakistan won both league games but were beaten by South Africa in the final. Next was ICC Champions Trophy in Nairobi in which Pakistan lost to New Zealand in the semifinal.
-- To be continued
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