Pakistan cricket was licking its wounds, after a morbid World Cup showing in southern Africa, when Rashid Latif was handed over the reins of captaincy nearly three months ago.
A review committee was constituted to find out the causes behind the horrendous campaign and as a subsequent eight senior players — among them Waqar Younis, Wasim Akram, Inzamamul Haq, Saeed Anwar and Saqlain Mushtaq — were shown the door by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Aamir Sohail was installed as the new chairman of selectors and entrusted with the task of initiating a rebuilding plan with the World Cup 2007 in mind.
Another significant modification was the return of Javed Miandad as the national coach for another term after two uncomfortable tenures. Surely, for the sake of Pakistan cricket, it was considered the best possible move in every sense of the word.
The victory in the quadrangular tournament — Sharjah Cup — in April last was eulogized by all those who matter in the PCB. The chief selector was naturally delighted to have launched the dawn of a new era on a successful note.
After all, everyone just wanted to forget the World Cup shambles and didn’t mind it was a pitiable Zimbabwe team that a ‘new-look’ Pakistan side clobbered in the Sharjah final.
Shoaib Akhtar, warned by the PCB chief shortly after the World Cup to improve his behaviour if he aspired to regain place, was back in the headlines when he was allegedly found guilty of ball tampering in the last league fixture of the triangular series in the relatively unknown Sri Lankan town of Dambulla.
Shoaib was lucky to get away leniently with only a two-match ban by Gundappa Viswanath, the genial Indian batsman who earned appreciations for his sportsmanship during an illustrious playing career. A more authoritative match referee would have preferred a much tougher penalty on the temperamental fast bowler.
Despite known for his deleterious demeanour, Shoaib was first of the World Cup casualties to make a comeback but his enforced absence meant that New Zealand managed to clinch just their second one-day trophy with a four-wicket triumph in the Dambulla final.
In that background, Pakistan left for England on a tour that was described as vital for some of the players’ future, notably Shoaib.
Inconsistent selection policies meant that despite his technical flaws Imran Nazir replaced the promising Taufiq Umar, who had all but cemented a permanent spot.
The pretext of Imran being recalled was that he had become a ‘popular’ choice in the eyes of Aamir Sohail. The former Pakistan skipper heaped praise on the enigmatic batsman as if he was a world-beater.
Nobody has the guts to realize that Pakistani batsmen are generally sitting ducks in conditions where the ball deviate appreciably both off the pitch and in the air. This was very true of their failure in Dambulla where extravagant seam movement exposed them brutally time and again and only once Pakistan had managed to cross 200 in five matches.
To top it all, they recorded the lowest total (116) against New Zealand in a league match during the Sri Lankan tri-series.
There are obvious shortcomings in the current squad, especially in batting and fielding areas. At The Oval, the second match of the NatWest Challenge, Pakistan lagged in all three departments. In a most forgetful match from Pakistan’s point of view, England triumphed most emphatically. One had the vision of vibrant Australians taking on Pakistan.
After serving the ban, Shoaib Akhtar, not for the first time, cared less when it mattered most. He simply lost his cool and went about his job as if he had a date with the speedometer.
Marcus Trescothick played one of those innings which is rare from an Englishman. From the onset he targeted Shoaib in particular, whom he clattered to the boundary at regular intervals. At the other end, inconceivably, Mohammad Sami emulated his senior partner by spraying the ball all over the place and suffered.
The tall left-hander could not had chosen a better time to get back in his groove after a torrid winter tour of Australia and a modest World Cup. He raced to a remarkable half century in 37 balls with 48 of the runs coming in boundaries.
Vikram Solanki was a silent spectator while Trescothick blazed away merrily to a 55-ball 86, sprinkled with 16 fours and a brace of sixes, in an opening partnership of 109.
England reached their target with an astonishing 28 overs to spare, having scored at a rate of 8.59 runs per over.
In the day-night opener at Old Trafford, Pakistan owed the two-wicket victory to the promising Mohammad Hafeez. This youngster was thrown in at the deep end quite unexpectedly when everyone doubted his selection in the first place for the Sharjah Cup. But it goes to Hafeez’s credit that he had shown glimpses of becoming a decent all-round cricketer. A capable opening batsman, the 22-year-old Sargodhian is a handy off-spinner and a fine fielder.
Hafeez is fortunate to have earned his Pakistan colours in the presence of Miandad. He can only hope to improve his game if he is wise enough to follow the coach’s instructions and tried to become arrogant like most of compatriots.
Luck deserted Pakistan in the Lord’s decider. Having asked to bat first after a rain-delayed start, Pakistan wobbled to 61 for four. Imran Nazir set the tone with an outrageous stroke to the first ball he faced from Andrew Flintoff.
Abdul Razzaq, who was not in the original squad, made the selectors eat their words for sidelining him with a blistering 64 off 53 deliveries as Pakistan garnered 91 runs off the final 10 overs.
England won because Pakistan let them do so. Trescothick again stood tall with a contrasting display compared to his Oval blitzkrieg. He survived a run out chance before he had opened his account and several other narrow shaves, notably against Shoaib Akhtar, who now looked a totally different bowler and bowled his hearts out.
Cricket being a strange sport was unkind to Shoaib. He could have easily picked five wickets and won the series for Pakistan. However, he just about saved his future career by dynamic Lord’s effort.
Trescothick scored a match-winning century but he would be the first man to concede that England were extremely fortunate at Lord’s. Hafeez blotted his otherwise impeccable tour when he floored a sitter at mid-wicket after Trescothick had reached 35. Razzaq, the bowler, was naturally livid at that squandered opportunity.
Rashid after taking two blinding catches and having led the side astutely throughout the tour, then reprieved Trescothick by dropping a regulation chance off the desperately luckless Shoaib Akhtar with England still 32 short of their target.
Michael Vaughan could not sought a better start as England captain with a side that was short in experience. England blooded three new players — Jim Troughton, Anthony McGrath and Riki Clarke — and had a mere 305 caps compared to Pakistan’s 856 before the start of the series.
Pakistan still need to overcome several weaknesses in their cricket before the home series against Bangladesh, South Africa and New Zealand. Batting is as venerable as it has been in recent years.
Indications are that the redoubtable Inzamamul Haq is now almost guaranteed a comeback because he is still regarded as one of the best batsmen. He may had gone through a wretched period in the World Cup but there’s no doubt about his stature. After all, form is temporary but class is permanent. A blend of youth and experience is an ideal recipe for success.
Pakistan cricket was licking its wounds, after a morbid World Cup showing in southern Africa, when Rashid Latif was handed over the reins of captaincy nearly three months ago.
