It was good that Pakistan captain lost the toss today and got a feel of how his current team would fare batting second. If Pakistan makes a few changes in their team and batting line up, they are capable of chasing down any score. Pakistan should elect to bat whenever they win the toss, but they should be well prepared to chase down if they lose the toss and have to do the chasing. It is good for Pakistan team that they had a loss midway through the league stage. They could not have afforded to lost a game at a better occasion than today. The collapse for good has come in the league stage rather than in the knockout stage. Pakistan team though should learn a few lessons from this game and should not repeat the same mistakes in the games to come if they had to bat second in the wake of losing the toss.
There are certain changes Pakistan has to make and some reforms they needed to reinforce. First and foremost, they need to change their opening pair at the top. Kamran Akmal should open with Mohammad Hafeez. In my earlier columns I wrote that Kamran Akmal is not effective in the middle order. He is best either down the order or as an opener. Pakistan can drop Ahmad Shahzad for Wahab Riaz or Junaid. A pinch hitter can be promoted to bat at #3. There have to be at least two batsmen separating Yunis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq. Pakistan cannot effort to have both Yunis Khan and Misbah coming after each other in one day game especially when they are chasing a big score. I would have liked a bit more imagination from the Pakistan management or Pakistan captain.
Umar Akmal or Afridi or both should come between Yunis and Misbah. What a waste of talents like Umar Akmal and Shahid Afridi at 6 and 7. Umar Akmal can win Pakistan a game on his own if he bats for at least 25 overs. Misbah should rather bat at #6 as he is capable of switching gears according to situation. If lot of wickets fall Misbah can stay at the wicket letting other batters play their own game. Or if needed he can himself capable of hitting big sixes coming down the order. Pakistan should identify the best spot for their batsmen. Umar Akmal can also be an asset as an opener is shorter formats of the game.
Shoib Akhtar has gone back to his old ways in his second spell in this match against New Zeeland. He is at his best when he bowls good line and length. Whenever he bowls short, he goes for lot of runs. Shoib Akhtar will be liability if he bowls short. If he cannot improve on his biggest weakness in all these 10 years, it is pity on Shoib and the people concerned. I distinctly remember it was Shoib Akhtar's short bowling that provided momentum to the Indian innings in the quarter final of World Cup 2003 against Pakistan. Shoib Akhtar bowling short stuff and Sachin and Sehwag fully capitalizing by just guiding those fast balls to the audience is a memory etched in everybody's mind. Shoib Akhtar should totally avoid bowling short. I have never seen Shoib Akhtar picking a wicket on a short stuff. The best batting line up for Pakistan would be as follows.
1. Mohammad Hafeez
2. Kamran Akmal
3. Yunis Khan
4. Umar Akmal
5. Shahid Afridi
6. Misbah
7. Abdul Razzak
8. Umar Gul
9. Wahab Riaz
10. Rehman/Saeed Ajmal
11. Shoib Akhtar
There are certain changes Pakistan has to make and some reforms they needed to reinforce. First and foremost, they need to change their opening pair at the top. Kamran Akmal should open with Mohammad Hafeez. In my earlier columns I wrote that Kamran Akmal is not effective in the middle order. He is best either down the order or as an opener. Pakistan can drop Ahmad Shahzad for Wahab Riaz or Junaid. A pinch hitter can be promoted to bat at #3. There have to be at least two batsmen separating Yunis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq. Pakistan cannot effort to have both Yunis Khan and Misbah coming after each other in one day game especially when they are chasing a big score. I would have liked a bit more imagination from the Pakistan management or Pakistan captain.
Umar Akmal or Afridi or both should come between Yunis and Misbah. What a waste of talents like Umar Akmal and Shahid Afridi at 6 and 7. Umar Akmal can win Pakistan a game on his own if he bats for at least 25 overs. Misbah should rather bat at #6 as he is capable of switching gears according to situation. If lot of wickets fall Misbah can stay at the wicket letting other batters play their own game. Or if needed he can himself capable of hitting big sixes coming down the order. Pakistan should identify the best spot for their batsmen. Umar Akmal can also be an asset as an opener is shorter formats of the game.
Shoib Akhtar has gone back to his old ways in his second spell in this match against New Zeeland. He is at his best when he bowls good line and length. Whenever he bowls short, he goes for lot of runs. Shoib Akhtar will be liability if he bowls short. If he cannot improve on his biggest weakness in all these 10 years, it is pity on Shoib and the people concerned. I distinctly remember it was Shoib Akhtar's short bowling that provided momentum to the Indian innings in the quarter final of World Cup 2003 against Pakistan. Shoib Akhtar bowling short stuff and Sachin and Sehwag fully capitalizing by just guiding those fast balls to the audience is a memory etched in everybody's mind. Shoib Akhtar should totally avoid bowling short. I have never seen Shoib Akhtar picking a wicket on a short stuff. The best batting line up for Pakistan would be as follows.
1. Mohammad Hafeez
2. Kamran Akmal
3. Yunis Khan
4. Umar Akmal
5. Shahid Afridi
6. Misbah
7. Abdul Razzak
8. Umar Gul
9. Wahab Riaz
10. Rehman/Saeed Ajmal
11. Shoib Akhtar
