Pakistan played the Asia Cup in June 2010 and did not qualify for the final. Next, was the tour to England. Pakistan faced Australia in 2 T20s (and won both) and 2 tests in England. Shahid Afridi left Test captaincy after losing the first test. Salman Butt was made captain for the second. The test series was drawn 1-1. Then Pakistan faced England for four tests. The series was lost 3-1 and everyone knows the "shenanigans" for which the tour is famous. The T20 series was lost 2-0 and the ODI series 3-0.
Pakistan flew to Abu Dhabi to face SA. Greenshirts lost the ODI series 3-2 but surprised everyone by drawing both Tests under the captaincy of Misbah-ul-Haq.
Pakistan travelled to New Zealand next. The T20 series was lost 2-1 but the Greenshirts showed composure and won the tests 1-0 and the ODIs 3-2. Next assignment was the World Cup 2011. Pakistan surprised everyone by qualifying for the semifinal after beating Sri Lanka, Australia and West Indies. India spoiled Pakistan's party and Greenshirts headed home after the semifinal.
Next was the tour to West Indies. Pakistan lost the only T20 but won the ODI series 3-2. The first test saw Pakistan's trademark collapse. Chasing 219, Pakistan were bundled out for 178. The second test was won by Greenshirts and series ended 1-1. Shahid Afridi had some concerns with the management and Waqar Younis and he quit captaincy after the WI series. Misbah ul Haq was made captain for all three formats.
Pakistan won all their games on the tour to Zimbabwe. Waqar quit coaching after this series.
Next was the series against Sri Lanka in the UAE.Mohsin Khan was installed as an interim coach. Pakistan won the tests 1-0, the ODIs 4-1 and also won the only T20. Pakistan travelled to Bangladesh where they won all the games.
England came to the UAE to face the Greenshirts. They were humiliated in the test series where they had no idea where the doosra of Saeed Ajmal was spinning. Pakistan took the Test series 3-0 but the ODI series saw a total reversal and Pakistan lost 4-0. The 3 T20 series ended 2-1 to England. PCB felt Misbah was not the perfect T20 captain and Hafeez was installed as T20 captain. Dav Whatmore was made coach and Mohsin Khan was removed, although he had done wonders as coach of the team.
Pakistan went to Bangladesh to play the Asia Cup 2012. Pakistan won the final against Bangladesh (although they were beaten by India in league games).
Next was the tour to Sri Lanka. Pakistan drew the T20 series 1-1, but lost the ODIs 3-1 and the tests 1-0. Australia came to UAE in September 2012. Pakistan lost the ODI series 2-1 but won the T20s 2-1.
Next was the ICC T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka. Pakistan showed impressive form by beating Australia but lost the semifinal to Sri Lanka.
A small series was scheduled in India. Pakistan showed great skill in the entire series. Although the T20 series was 1-1, a great innings by Mohammad Hafeez was about to win it for Pakistan. The Greenshirts manhandled India in the ODIs 2-1 but it could easily have 3-0 had Pakistan's batting shown some strength in the final ODI.
The tour of SA proved horrible for Pakistan as they were whitewashed 3-0 in the tests. They won the T20 1-0 but were beaten again in the ODIs 3-2 due to lacklustre batting performances.
ICC Champions Trophy also was dreadful for Pakistan as they lost all three group games and went out of the tournament.
The tour of West Indies was beneficial as Pakistan won the ODIs 3-1 and the T20s 2-0. But the following tour of Zimbabwe was marred by poor batting of the Greenshirts. Pakistan lost an ODI in the series but won the series 2-1 to match with the T20 win of 2-0. Unfortunately, a test was also lost after a collapse and the series ended 1-1.
South Africa faced Pakistan in UAE in October 2013. Pakistan won the first test but a batting collapse meant the series was tied 1-1. The ODIs were lost 4-1 although it was closely contested. Pakistan blew off two ODIs. The first one was lost by a single run and the fourth one saw a batting collapse while cruising on 239-5 while chasing 270 odd. The T20 series was also lost 2-0.
* Pakistan have tried being consistent. First giving Waqar Younis a reign of 2 years. Then Inzimam a reign of 4 years. Shoaib Malik had a reign of almost 2 years and now Misbah has been the captain for almost 3 years in tests and 2 in ODIs. But we haven't seen huge performances from the team during these consistent eras as well. Yes, there have been strong performance like against India and England in tests, but they are soon forgotten due to poor shows in the following series.
* Changing captains does not work. From 1999 till today, Pakistan has had 13 captains.
* It does not matter whether the coach is foreign or local. Mohsin Khan did great work with the team, something Geoff Lawson and Dav Whatmore haven't been able too. Pakistan did win under Woolmer but there are no major world events to brag about.
* Interestingly, Pakistan won the T20 World Cup under Younis Khan who was made captain just 5 months prior to the event. The coach in the series was Intikhab Alam.
* The domestic structure was changed from departments to regions in 2007 apparently after the advice given by Imran Khan to Dr. Nasim Ashraf. Cricket greats say that cricket has been effected badly by this change. I'll say, cricket wasn't touching heights before the change either.
So as I conclude, Pakistan get ready to play their 2nd ODI in South Africa. I hope they win the series.There are rumours of Waqar Younis joining the team as coach after the board fires Whatmore. But bear this in mind, changing captains, boards or coaches won't help Pakistan cricket. It will stay the way it has for the past 14 years.
Pakistan flew to Abu Dhabi to face SA. Greenshirts lost the ODI series 3-2 but surprised everyone by drawing both Tests under the captaincy of Misbah-ul-Haq.
Pakistan travelled to New Zealand next. The T20 series was lost 2-1 but the Greenshirts showed composure and won the tests 1-0 and the ODIs 3-2. Next assignment was the World Cup 2011. Pakistan surprised everyone by qualifying for the semifinal after beating Sri Lanka, Australia and West Indies. India spoiled Pakistan's party and Greenshirts headed home after the semifinal.
Next was the tour to West Indies. Pakistan lost the only T20 but won the ODI series 3-2. The first test saw Pakistan's trademark collapse. Chasing 219, Pakistan were bundled out for 178. The second test was won by Greenshirts and series ended 1-1. Shahid Afridi had some concerns with the management and Waqar Younis and he quit captaincy after the WI series. Misbah ul Haq was made captain for all three formats.
Pakistan won all their games on the tour to Zimbabwe. Waqar quit coaching after this series.
Next was the series against Sri Lanka in the UAE.Mohsin Khan was installed as an interim coach. Pakistan won the tests 1-0, the ODIs 4-1 and also won the only T20. Pakistan travelled to Bangladesh where they won all the games.
England came to the UAE to face the Greenshirts. They were humiliated in the test series where they had no idea where the doosra of Saeed Ajmal was spinning. Pakistan took the Test series 3-0 but the ODI series saw a total reversal and Pakistan lost 4-0. The 3 T20 series ended 2-1 to England. PCB felt Misbah was not the perfect T20 captain and Hafeez was installed as T20 captain. Dav Whatmore was made coach and Mohsin Khan was removed, although he had done wonders as coach of the team.
Pakistan went to Bangladesh to play the Asia Cup 2012. Pakistan won the final against Bangladesh (although they were beaten by India in league games).
Next was the tour to Sri Lanka. Pakistan drew the T20 series 1-1, but lost the ODIs 3-1 and the tests 1-0. Australia came to UAE in September 2012. Pakistan lost the ODI series 2-1 but won the T20s 2-1.
Next was the ICC T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka. Pakistan showed impressive form by beating Australia but lost the semifinal to Sri Lanka.
A small series was scheduled in India. Pakistan showed great skill in the entire series. Although the T20 series was 1-1, a great innings by Mohammad Hafeez was about to win it for Pakistan. The Greenshirts manhandled India in the ODIs 2-1 but it could easily have 3-0 had Pakistan's batting shown some strength in the final ODI.
The tour of SA proved horrible for Pakistan as they were whitewashed 3-0 in the tests. They won the T20 1-0 but were beaten again in the ODIs 3-2 due to lacklustre batting performances.
ICC Champions Trophy also was dreadful for Pakistan as they lost all three group games and went out of the tournament.
The tour of West Indies was beneficial as Pakistan won the ODIs 3-1 and the T20s 2-0. But the following tour of Zimbabwe was marred by poor batting of the Greenshirts. Pakistan lost an ODI in the series but won the series 2-1 to match with the T20 win of 2-0. Unfortunately, a test was also lost after a collapse and the series ended 1-1.
South Africa faced Pakistan in UAE in October 2013. Pakistan won the first test but a batting collapse meant the series was tied 1-1. The ODIs were lost 4-1 although it was closely contested. Pakistan blew off two ODIs. The first one was lost by a single run and the fourth one saw a batting collapse while cruising on 239-5 while chasing 270 odd. The T20 series was also lost 2-0.
Conclusions:
The purpose of this circumlocution was not to bore you, but to make you understand that it is not just a lack of consistency that has left Pakistan cricket in the state that it is today.* Pakistan have tried being consistent. First giving Waqar Younis a reign of 2 years. Then Inzimam a reign of 4 years. Shoaib Malik had a reign of almost 2 years and now Misbah has been the captain for almost 3 years in tests and 2 in ODIs. But we haven't seen huge performances from the team during these consistent eras as well. Yes, there have been strong performance like against India and England in tests, but they are soon forgotten due to poor shows in the following series.
* Changing captains does not work. From 1999 till today, Pakistan has had 13 captains.
* It does not matter whether the coach is foreign or local. Mohsin Khan did great work with the team, something Geoff Lawson and Dav Whatmore haven't been able too. Pakistan did win under Woolmer but there are no major world events to brag about.
* Interestingly, Pakistan won the T20 World Cup under Younis Khan who was made captain just 5 months prior to the event. The coach in the series was Intikhab Alam.
* The domestic structure was changed from departments to regions in 2007 apparently after the advice given by Imran Khan to Dr. Nasim Ashraf. Cricket greats say that cricket has been effected badly by this change. I'll say, cricket wasn't touching heights before the change either.
So as I conclude, Pakistan get ready to play their 2nd ODI in South Africa. I hope they win the series.There are rumours of Waqar Younis joining the team as coach after the board fires Whatmore. But bear this in mind, changing captains, boards or coaches won't help Pakistan cricket. It will stay the way it has for the past 14 years.
No comments:
Post a Comment