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Every time I promise myself not to expect anything from you and try to keep myself from following you, you spring a surprise and my heart flutters with hope. Only to come crashing down again...and every fall is worse than the last.
One brilliant innings from Fawad Alam, a couple of jaw-dropping, sparkling innings from Umar Akmal or a raw-energy filled spell of immaculate fast bowling from Mohammad Aamer is all it takes for expectations to rise again. I know history forbids me from taking these randomly generated glimpses of brilliance as anything but a false alarm, but I can’t really help it when I see Asif and Sami rip the Aussie batting apart, can I?
Waking up at 4.am. to watch a cricket match suddenly seems way easier than waking up for sehri. Framing superlative-loaded bulletin headlines, updating my Facebook status in anticipation of historic wins is all that I do. And what do I get in return? A gazillion dropped catches? A field-plan that looks more like children playing ring-around-the-roses than eleven men on a mission to clean-up the Australian tail? Or a bunch of batsmen already day-dreaming of plucking the stumps out of the pitch as they gift their wicket away?
It hurts more each time, it hurts so much that I shut my ears and eyes to everything newsy. So much that I delete Cricinfo from my browser’s ‘favourites’ list. So much that I vow never to watch a bright red cherry leaving Aamer’s hand again but then you go and spoil it all…
Hafsa Adil is a sports editor at Dawn.com
The views expressed by this blogger and in the following reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
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Comments (143) Closed
Jan 06, 2010 01:10pm
This only proves that the T20 WC win was only an aberration because any team that cannot chase down under 200 runs with a couple of days left, is quite frankly, lousy. Many speak of the Pakistani cricket team as unpredictable and mercurial - that they are but they are brilliant only individually and once they come together, they collapse like a house of cards.
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Jan 06, 2010 01:12pm
They give you the hope which is raised steadily raised to a level that you think that now victory is imminent than it all is dashed out in no time. This is the trait of our team. No one should be surprised because now our team has build up their reputation for hurting their fans.
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Jan 06, 2010 03:13pm
Hafsa your artical truly reflact the emotions of all the Pakistanis. After every defeat we decide to quit. Then comes some brilliant performance by an indivisual which link us again to this game and the support for our Country.
I know that cricket is a funny game but why it always happens to us. Being in a commanding position then ending up in a loosing side.
Now my new year resolutioin is not to follow Pakistan cricket any more. QUIT PLAYING GAMES WITH MY HEART.
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Jan 06, 2010 03:14pm
I have never seen a team throw away a match like the Pakistani team did in the last inning. The batting was irresponsible to say the least. With more than one day left, there was no excuse to play the way they did.
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Jan 06, 2010 03:57pm
Pakistani players does not have the temperament to play test cricket - no wonder they are world T20 champs -
Another reason why Yousaf is not in the category of Miandad or Inzi - he can't secure you wins or bats under pressure... its the 3rd time we lost match when Yousaf was suppose to just make a half century.
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Jan 06, 2010 04:13pm
I think the so called star players are destroying the game. Team selection should be merit based. Those who have failed should be replaced with more eager and energetic youngsters.
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Jan 06, 2010 04:32pm
Pakistan team plays like a local shopkeeper. I will not watch them again and waste my time. They are hopeless.
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Jan 06, 2010 04:50pm
Every time Pakistan plays cricket we develop high expectations from them. Now (today) this is an example of hoping something good but in reality we are not as good as we think. Playing in a team is more then performance as an individual but it involves team work and positive thinking. I think its time we should learn from Australians.
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Jan 06, 2010 05:08pm
The PCB is responsible for all the downfall of Pakistan cricket. The board does not provide best coaching staff at the gross root level where the budding cricketers enhance their skills and overcome the technical flaws. I am a club cricketer, but I feel I am much better technically than most of the Pakistani cricketers. They should bring an attacking captain with a young coach. Second thing, there should be no political interference in selection e.g Faisal Iqbal that guy does not know how to hold bat and how to use foot and body to go behind the ball.
It is heart breaking how Pakistan team plays. Over the years they have not produced a good batsman except Umer Akmal.
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Jan 06, 2010 05:10pm
I was very amazed, when I heard that Pakistan has bold out the Aussies in their first innings for just 127 and I really did not watched their matches since the last world cup. but I really was enjoying this one and I did hoped that they would have shocked the world but all the players did was to remind the fact that they really are unpredictable, as they had done good job in 1st innings with both bat and bowl but they collapsed in batting department once more. Although they did ample to restrict Aussies lead to just 180. Well that for sure was chase able but what else can I say more, I am so much disheartened that I would not even check for the latest updates on cricinfo.
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Jan 06, 2010 05:15pm
Come on yaar. It
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Jan 06, 2010 05:17pm
I sentiments exactly, I have started following Pakistan cricket again and this the first time I was excited about watching some test matches. Their batting flaws were exposed in the tour with New Zealand, but they don't pose the fire power and grit of the Aussies. I can't believe that they lost the 2nd test, seems like a nightmare that I'll wake up from any moment. But you know what I'm going to keep following them and hope for some success because that's what a true fan of the sport will do.
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Jan 06, 2010 05:17pm
I can
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Jan 06, 2010 05:17pm
I am a die heart fan of Pakistan. Today full day I was restless and depressed when Pakistan lost the match. Even I did not have anything. The Pakistan team always break our heart by their performance. It hurts and surprises how their play their game. Their field placement is like an ordinary club cricket players. Their body language is total negative.
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Jan 06, 2010 05:18pm
A hopeless, horrible and careless inning was being played by the Pakistan team on the 4th day, combined with 4 simple catches dropped by a person who was wearing gloves behind the wickets. Personally I feel that Kamran Akmal or any other player who dropped catches should be penalized. This is now a classic problem of Pakistani team to give one sided matches away to the opposition, enough is enough. Coaches cant be blamed all the time, there is a thing called "Common Sense" and "Natural Instinct" which Pakistani team does not have at all.
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Jan 06, 2010 05:29pm
Hopeless romantics we will be!
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Jan 06, 2010 05:33pm
Well, its heart breaking although we can take some positive from this but after watching or actually torturing our self through fourth day it is hard really hard to have anything positive looking forward for the future.
It was just not a loss it was belief in their self to win they had bogged down Australia for three solid days mind it and when they were that close and they lost their believe, they behaved like a team which was buried down the lead of 500+ this simply is unbelievable where is the inspiration, fight and willing to win?
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Jan 06, 2010 05:39pm
Pakistan has been the most exciting team to watch given the amount of talent it has always had. This match was lost only because of dropped catches. Pakistan deserved to win this test and was overall a better side this time. Wishing you all the best in the ODI's.
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Jan 06, 2010 05:45pm
I agree, against all previous failures of Pakistan Cricket, we the notorious fans raises our hopes, and those hopes come crashing down like the house of cards :(
Yet, it all becomes much more painful when you stay up late in night to watch the trauma in making.
One thing I can't understand is the inability of Pakistan Cricket to produce one quality wicket-keeper, who can hold on to regulation catches, which is his real job, and if he can score few runs then even better!!!!
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Jan 06, 2010 05:49pm
Drop Misbah, Fawad Alam, Kamran Akmal (dropped 4 catches in an inning), Yousaf, and Faisal Iqbal, get some one like Afridi who is assertive, and go getter. This was Pakistan at its worse
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Jan 06, 2010 05:52pm
If it has happened for the first time, it would have been excusable but to repeat such silly performances again & again, warrants drastic purging of our cricket set up. It
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Jan 06, 2010 05:53pm
Test cricket is all about making the most of the opportunities presented to you. Because of the format of the game, if a team makes a mistake, the other one can punish it infinitely. This is exactly what is happening with Pakistan cricket. Also the lack of fight by the tail enders was quite appealing. Any other team would have fought till the last ball. Our tail enders wanted to hit the ball out of the ground, throwing their wicket away. This just showed a lack of fight and I am sure the dressing room atmosphere is reflective of that.
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Jan 06, 2010 06:04pm
I think Hafsa captures my thoughts quite honestly and exquisitely. it certainly is disheartening to go through it every time, but what can one do?
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Jan 06, 2010 06:06pm
I wanna know the answer that why it happens again and again and again.
Why they just throw it away.
I think pakistan team is a a bunch of talented individuals which can show their brilliance alone and not whole as a team
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Jan 06, 2010 06:36pm
With diabolical fielding, irresponsible batting, no game plan, no passion to win, rather than to embarrass the country and those who love the game, is it not better for the team to return home than to continue with the series.
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Jan 06, 2010 06:51pm
Why can't they play 20/20 and assume that test cricket is just another 20/20 game with 2 innings.
Plus, remove 2 of them out of the team (Misbah and Faisal). I believe Faisal is only there because he is a relative of Miandad. Well, Miandad was a class, his relative is just bringing his name down. If you want to practice, then practice in local club.
I am sure Malik will score few runs as he's been out of the team for quite some time (that's the way with Pak team, look at Sami and two openers).
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Jan 06, 2010 06:53pm
I gave up my night's sleep even the night before giving a lecture in the morning to watch the debacle that happened last night. I feel like such a loser to be a Pakistan Cricket lover because what this team has been doing everytime they get close to winning should clue me in by now to just give it up and spend my time on something less heart breaking. To top it all off, I even had nightmares about the game all night and couldn't sleep well. I am so close to just giving up on cricket all together. These people get tons of money to just play for themselves and not as a team for a country that needs some ray of sunshine amongst the dark clouds we are under. Shame on all of you.
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Jan 06, 2010 06:58pm
Well..I would suggest you a dont-care policy ;) You may sure watch them play but expect anything - forget about it :D
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Jan 06, 2010 07:00pm
If Pakistan cannot win under 200 runs to score with one and a half days they should quit playing cricket or do something by coaching them to have patience in batting not throwing away wickets like Misbah, Faisal and Kamran Akmal. enough is enough with Misbah he should be sent home why Jawad and Rauf was sent back it should be Misbah to be sent home and we desperately need to change the wicketkeeper (Kamran) dropped 4 catches in second inning he should be rested and gave some other a chance.
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Jan 06, 2010 07:02pm
This Humiliating defeat of pakistan reminds me of the pain that i underwent when India lost to WestIndies and threw away a golden opportunity of winning an historic test series few years back. India got bowled out chasing 120 runs ! This pakistan defeat is so ridiculous and unbelievable. We dont often have aussies on the mat. Pakistan had them and floored the test match that was almost in their pocket.
Regards,
Muthu.
India.
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Jan 06, 2010 07:04pm
I was a die heart cricket fan but from today onwards I have made a promise not to follow anymore.
I request our team selector's to please do whatever is required to make a standard and name for our nation.
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Jan 06, 2010 07:05pm
Consistency is the key. There is no passion to win and make bowlers work to get our wickets.
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Jan 06, 2010 07:15pm
I have followed the match ball by ball and cannot come to terms with the final result. Last night was full of night mares, all fans wanted was a convincing victory which seemed imminent. Now it hurts so much that my whole life looks hopeless.
We need to get Younus Khan and Shoaib Malik back. Will someone send Javaid's nephew and Misbah home, please?
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Jan 06, 2010 07:16pm
I think we need a couple of good batsman. The team is not bad we just need to take out Misbah, Faisal, Malik, and Salman butt.......... and clone Umar Akmal.
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Jan 06, 2010 07:19pm
Drop the openers, drop Faisal Iqbal and please drop Misbah. Please! Get new people in because I am sure they perform better then these four. This is not the best what out country has. There are definitely better and more talented players out there. I can bet on it.
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Jan 06, 2010 07:26pm
It would be better if Razzaq, Afridi, Imran Nazir, Yasir Hammed and people like Asim Kamal get a chance in the team.
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Jan 06, 2010 07:34pm
Hafsa you took the words out my mouth. This is exactly how I feel about the Pakistani team. However their analytical skills have not properly developed and they cannot completely comprehend what the situation requires. I will never forget their faces when they walked out of the dressing room on the fourth day. It was obvious that they were 100% confident that they will still lose the game. Shame on Mohd. Yousuf for becoming on one of the worst captains in the history of the game. And if Misbah had any self respect he would have insisted on Fawad Alam staying and instead he should have gone home. I think they should thank Misbah, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal and work on rebuilding our team for the future. I was so sad and disappointed yesterday that I had night mares.
Khurram Ibrahim
(Houston, USA)
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Jan 06, 2010 07:38pm
Pakistan cricket team broke lots of heart. After 14 - 15 years we had one chance I mean once chance and we didn
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Jan 06, 2010 07:54pm
Worst performance from our team. We didn
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Jan 06, 2010 07:54pm
Another unbelievable loss.
On my comments after the conclusion of the Melbourne loss I have said that Pakistan cannot win matches without the catches. Everyone has to believe that now, the custodian of the wicket has also got his hand slippery Kamran Akmal squandered three catches of the centurion Hussey (134 runs out of our lead of 176) leave alone the others who are still in catch practice mode in a real test match like a joke is going on, and why we are still forging ahead with Misbah I don
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Jan 06, 2010 07:58pm
I think Pakistan is most talented side. But they need someone like Dhoni or Ganguly who can make these young players more organized.
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Jan 06, 2010 08:13pm
Pakistan Team is a champion in loosing in a royal fashion. If someone wants to write a book on how to destroy and loose a game when you are at 77-3 at tea on the fourth day chasing a target of 176 this is the match they need to reference. I cannot imagine how will our players explain what happened in Sydney- I am just so curious to hear our captain
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Jan 06, 2010 08:25pm
I don't understand what goes in the head of a Pakistani Cricket fan. I blame Cricket to be one of the leading causes of killing all other sports in Pakistan.
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Jan 06, 2010 08:25pm
Very well written Hafsa, I promised myself never to watch Pakistan Test cricket ever again. How could they loose this match. It boggles my mind! Trap Australia at 80 for 8 on the third day and go on and loose the game on the Fourth. Only Pakistan is capable of doing so.
Please bring in Shahid Afradi as the captain of all three version of the game and Rashid Latif as coach (we do need a dedicated fielding coach). The change has to come to give new life to this team. It is dead for now!
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Jan 06, 2010 08:43pm
Whoever said that Pakistani team was unpredictable? All I have seen consistently over the years is losing one game after another. Very predictable!
It seems the odd victory comes at a time when all the other teams let Pakistan win.
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Jan 06, 2010 08:45pm
Pakistani team was unpredictable and mercurial in the days of Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Waqar, Abdul Quadir etc. Now a days with these players, team is quite predictable and using the same adjectives in both cases is a type of unjust to the former.
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Jan 06, 2010 08:47pm
Well, we are paying the price of T20 win, as we are good at the fast game but when it comes to a long version, tactics and waiting and judging the adversary, we just do not have the patient to hold on and fight, Australia is one of the best test side and they are very good in test cricket and for decades they have the superiority and to beat them we need a plan and without the plan it is impossible, so until we realize that our team have a talent and the will but wrong people on the driving seat so good luck and we continue to suffer!!!!!!!!!
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Jan 06, 2010 09:14pm
The article by Hafsa Adil is a true reflection of my feelings. This loss has hurt me
tremendously. Anything in life is not achieved just by sheer skill, you need focus, attitude
and pride. I didn
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Jan 06, 2010 09:16pm
It's very disappointing to see Pakistan loosing a match after taking a big lead in the 1st innings. Real culprit are fielders, especially Kamran Akmal. Even Pak team has still good bowlers, they must improve batting and fielding.
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Jan 06, 2010 09:17pm
I couldn't agree more with the writer, having gone thru same feelings and emotions.... I was depressed the whole day at work. Today, I promised myself never to watch cricket again, but can I really refrain myself?
Kamran Akmal must go as a wicketkeeper, he should be allowed to compete only as a batsman.
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Jan 06, 2010 09:26pm
It is sad and made me very angry, how we lost. I will not loose hope though, we can come back by making three changes.
1) An aggressive confident captain.
2) New choice of wicket keeper and fielding coach.
3) Policy of non performing players to start more competition in the team. It was three years ago we had a discussion of getting a new wicket keeper but we are still at the same position.
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Jan 06, 2010 09:27pm
I think Pakistan cricket team should stop playing cricket after what happened in the second test match against Australia. Dropping three catches by the wicket keeper is shameful. I still do not understand who made Mr. Yousuf the Captain. He should have not been in the team to begin with let alone a Captain. The second test was within our grip, but show-off and just show-off disappointed millions to say the least. The bowlers did a superb job, but the fielding was abysmal.
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Jan 06, 2010 09:40pm
Awesome post.
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Jan 06, 2010 09:52pm
Week captaincy, Shameful wicket keeping, poor batting technique threw this match away like many before. Kamran Akmal, Salman Butt, Faisal Iqbal, Misbah, Kaneria. Only strong leader like Shahid Afridi can restore discipline and confidence and bring about the change in approach. That
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Jan 06, 2010 09:56pm
Oh man. I can feel your pain and anguish.. I gave up on watching and playing cricket after their 1999 world cup loss. It
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Jan 06, 2010 09:58pm
Why are we surprised?
The optimism for Pakistani cricket has been shattered for a while now. It is difficult not to let loose a chuckle every time someone brings up the word "raw talent".
It has become a mere joke. Maybe one day they can step up, and follow through with the "raw talent". Maybe one day they can step up and prove to their fans what cricket is all about. Then, just maybe, we will have hope in them again.
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Jan 06, 2010 10:14pm
It was simple terrible cricket from our heroes. It looks our players can do only one thing correctly, that too only to a little extent. Faisal and Misbah are somewhat okay in catching, but alas they seem to have forgotten how to bat. I need not talk about Akmal, simply atrocious. Why are we still keeping him the test squad in spite of his repeated failures. We better keep him as a batsman and make him earn his perks through his batting heroics alone; atleast the poor man will be relieved. Yousuf post match presentation was comic. Come on, you are captain of great team, once the Imran was taking your place. Guys, there are millions at home and abroad longing for consistent good cricket from you. Please consider it. At least make genuine attempt. Look at Australia aggressive and smart.
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Jan 06, 2010 10:19pm
We are not the team we once were or the team we should have been. Yet again infighting against Younis, he proved his mettle by the world cup. Yet the likes of Shoaib Malik rebelled and got him out. Yousuf might be a good batsman but not a good captain he forced the selectors to bring in misbah. See for yourself his average for the series so far. Faisal Iqbal is hardly a replacement for Younis. Only bright spots are Umar and Aamer. Time to bring in better replacements.
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Jan 06, 2010 10:22pm
You expressed all my feelings what I couldn
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Jan 06, 2010 10:29pm
I, for one was confident that they won't win this match if Australia give them 160-170 run chase. I wasn't surprised at all with their performance.
Please stop expecting any thing from our Cricket team.
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Jan 06, 2010 10:39pm
Pakistan team once again proved that they have no potential at all, whatsoever.
One of my colleagues said to me, "You guys are a country of a 170 million people, can't you find a better wicket keeper than Kamran Akmal".
Better luck next time!!!
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Jan 06, 2010 10:48pm
Shameful performance that let the whole nation down in the Test Match arena yet again.
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Jan 06, 2010 10:49pm
My University cricket team would have done better than that for sure.
It felt like no one in that team knows what cricket is batting was disastrous and fielding was utter crap. However bowling had its moments.
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Jan 06, 2010 11:03pm
I didn't have the capacity to read a serious commentary on what Pakistani did today. but this article hit the spot just right.
Humor might help in healing.
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Jan 06, 2010 11:14pm
Our team finds new and interesting ways to plumb the depths of mediocrity. The pain never stops.
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Jan 06, 2010 11:16pm
It again proves that Pakistan team can concentrate only for max 20 overs under pressure. Any good performance in between is an abberation.
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Jan 06, 2010 11:16pm
For the first three days we fooled ourselves, the fourth was reality. Well Hafsa, keep faith and I know one day....
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Jan 06, 2010 11:22pm
I thought hey they will do it but no cannot chase 170 odd!
Shows the 20/20 excuse doesn
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Jan 06, 2010 11:27pm
We all Australian Pakistanis were so excited by the youngsters and the way balled out Australians. After long time we were hopping that now Pakistanis are in position to beat Australia, But our excitement and hope all went down with poor captaincy, poor fielding and unprofessional approach of our team. We were always there to support them, traveled from different states and cities leaving our work and businesses just to cheer up our team and give them support. But we came back with shame not that we lost but the way our team given away the match they already won.
There was no professionalism and team spirit in our batting.
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Jan 06, 2010 11:29pm
I sat through the capitulation before lunch yesterday, and as soon as Australia reached 150, it was game up for Pakistan. Why would you set the field back to a number 8, and someone who you had already dropped three times. Everybody knows that Hussey and Siddle were basically starting fresh, so the events of the previous day did not count. If Pakistan had attacked with men around the bat, I can safely say that the most Hussey and co would have scored would have been 50 more runs, if that. We are Pakistan, we do not do defense, our strength has always been our bowling and we attack. If we had stuck to this core belief, we would have had a smaller target to chase, and we would have chased it successfully as the Aussies would have been down. Instead we went into defence whilst letting the Aussies gain confidence that they could defend the target. Where is the fight that we expect.
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Jan 06, 2010 11:47pm
This match was rigged. They should investigate all the players. From the start of Day 4, you can see the game was thrown. Field settings were not attacking which almost anyone in their right mind knows should have been attacking. Kamran Akmal needs to go if he cannot learn to keep to Danish. The Pakistani batsmen, all of them, need to be investigated for playing as if the 4th day of a Test match with one day to go was like an ODI or a T20 match. You can easily chase down 175 runs by rotating the strike and picking the bad balls. Why on earth were they slogging? I believe examples need to be made of these players so that future ones do not make the same mistakes. Until accountability comes in the problems are not going to go away. Oh and make Misbah rest until he regains his form.
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Jan 07, 2010 12:17am
Like Hafsa said, I have long given up any hopes of Pakistani cricket team ever wining any decent game. But then the last game was different.
Living in Australia and seeing Pakistani attack destroying Australian batting line, was one of the very rare positive news that ever relates to Pakistan. All Pakistanis here supported their team and the team raised their hopes to a level where victory was almost theirs.
But then on the 4th day our team did every thing possible to distance themselves from a possible victory. Kamran Akmal spear headed the charge by dropping every catch or even shouting his famous
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Jan 07, 2010 01:23am
Hafsa, A Very well written article. As being an Australian I can feel the pain every Pakistani Sport loving Fan may be going through.
Now cricket has been slowly moving off the radar to an almost diminishing point. We need new minds, new blood, and new talent with the help of today
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Jan 07, 2010 01:39am
I can't believe what Intakhab Alam was doing sitting on his behind doing nothing? He should be the one fired first. His experience is no good if he doesn't provide any advise to the captain. This Pakistani team lacks batting and catching practice. The management of the PCB should be handed to recently retired players so they can make some bold decisions.
Before each test series every player has to join a camp to practice catching and fielding. Pakistan has very good fast bowlers at the moment so the batsmen should have no problem playing fast bowlers as they can always practice and improve their batting skills against them. Only practice will make this team stronger.
The tail ender
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Jan 07, 2010 01:58am
It's a shame on Pakistan's Cricket Team. I live and work in Australia and all my colleagues had two words to say about the team. Match Fixing.
It's a disgrace from Pakistan Team.
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Jan 07, 2010 02:06am
Two days less than 200 to get and to loose sad. But what else does one expect when the openers are dealing in fours run rate 5 per over" a bunch of batsmen already day-dreaming of plucking the stumps out of the pitch " Hafsa you hit the nail on the head.
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Jan 07, 2010 08:15am
Well,
It was very very disappointing end. I did not follow the match but in my office every one was in touch one way or the other. Second last news I heard about match was that Pakistan was in very comfortable position to win it but last news was shocking I literally surprised that how could Pakistani team manage that end. over confidence, confusions, politics, match fixing, lack of training and at the end lack of the realization that whole country's expectations are attached I don't know what they lack, some times I suspect they lack everything.
Technical we have a very good team right now but I would suggest that they go through regular psychological session as part of their training to inculcate professionalism all the other things which help you stand on winning side.
It was sad but not least. And for cricket followers don't be so emotional its just a game, I am sure the bounce back.
GOD bless Pakistan cricket team.
GOD BLESS PAKISTAN.
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Jan 07, 2010 03:00am
I can't believe this poor showing from Pakistan, I promise not to waste my resources any more watching Pakistan cricket atleast as long as wicket keeper Kamran Akmal is with the team, I don't blame him any more as our management is so lust less and corrupt that they don't know how to select a good team. I wish other good prospect has a fate like Kamran Akmal so they can get a fair chance.
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Jan 07, 2010 03:30am
A team that has no consistency can never be termed a great team. Pakistan is as unpredictable as the English weather. Pakistan can never get back to the glorious days of the 2 W's. The current crop are immature with just flashes of brilliance. It is unfathomable to compare the likes of Amer, Sami etc the Waqar, Wasim or Imran. PERIOD.
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Jan 07, 2010 03:30am
It's a shame. Being so close to win and just gift it away!!!
In my views, Pakistan team is better off limiting itself to playing 20/20!! I simply can't understand why a player like Kamran Akmal isn't dropped despite of making so many blunders and causing us so many matches including the last one! And this is not the first time, he has been let go previously on various occasions by the PCB/team captain for reasons unknown!
I don't understand why don
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Jan 07, 2010 03:32am
This loss has once again like so many times before given us the signal to make some radical changes within the team and Cricketing set up. We must move fast, players such as Misbah, M. Yousaf, Shoaib Malik and other seniors are given rest. Umar Akmal or someone else made Captain, and groom the youngsters. I don
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Jan 07, 2010 03:32am
I totally agree with you Hafsa. There was no plan what so ever. You just expressed all my feeling. When will they come and play together as a team.
Only god can help them, it was a really sad moment
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Jan 07, 2010 04:42am
Same activities I did for our teams, just hoping that our team was near to winning position after 15 years. I woke up early to watch the match and continue following the score though cricinfo.com in my office but all hopes turned down by the team.
I agree with Maqbool, they are brilliant as individual they perform individually after every 2 or 3 bad performances that's why 4 or 5 players like Misbah, S Malik, K Akmal, S Butt and etc. are continuously playing in Pakistan side. In result team won only one test match in last 2 or 3 years.
Selectors should put these players aside for some matches and introduce some youngsters to prove themselves. So with the combination of youngsters and some senior players team could perform well.
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Jan 07, 2010 04:46am
Congratulations to Australia for snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. Great stuff....so typical of the Aussies.
I read a news piece yesterday "Yousuf backs Kamran despite drops" on Cricinfo.com wherein Yousuf justified Kamran's place in the team because of his batting capabilities rather than his wicket keeping abilities.
Take this result into perspective...if Kamran would have caught Hussey, Pakistan would have won the match yesterday itself. Then Kamran, as a batsman was not required. Thinking alternatively, if Kamran as a batsman would have played sensibly with his younger sibling, Pakistan still would have won the match by 3-4 wickets.
Atleast hope that now the Pakistan team management would accept the importance of having a good WK instead of a below average one and more, should they bear with Yousuf as captain.
Cheers, Ajit (an Indian)
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Jan 07, 2010 04:53am
Match started late on Sunday morning at around 8:30 PST and when I saw Sami giving hard time to Aussies I SMS my boss "Pakistan on fire". By the end of third day I was not thinking about the second test match I started thinking about the series. I was telling every one that Pakistan has the best bowling attack in the world, I even started praying for Imran Farhat and Faisal Iqbal (they are the least deserving players in the team).
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Jan 07, 2010 05:10am
Brilliant piece Hafsa. You've very shrewdly described the feelings of the millions of Pakistan cricket fans. But if we look at it, its typical Pakistan! They will bowl you out for 127 but won
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Jan 07, 2010 05:23am
Pakistani team is only good at playing 20 over matches or a 50 over match. But in the test cricket, they are no good. Real cricket requires lots of skills and Pakistani team does not have them.
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Jan 07, 2010 05:36am
Nice Article but once thing must be said that these Pakistani players are never learn from their mistakes.
A question should be asked from them. That is, 'Are they proper sportsmen?'. They are just not physically and mentally tough enough to play at the international arena. The only thing that they have is talent and they fail to use it intelligently.
Things will never change unless we get some young selectors and people running the PCB. We should also get rid of all old horses such as Misbah & Yousuf. Players like Faisal Iqbal and others who have always failed in the international arena should never be brought back to the side no matter how well they perform at domestic level as they are just not good enough.
Finally PCB should hire a fielding coach.
All in all just like all other fields of life in our country, the sports is also going down. We thought that hockey and squash can let us down but at least cricket will be one sports that will always keep us happy & alive. But they let us down again.
How many times have I made an agreement with myself that I will never ever watch Pakistani cricket again but I can't help it as I am a Pakistani and I would like to see my team doing well.
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Jan 07, 2010 07:12am
I promised myself to never visit the webpage of cricinfo.com or even cricket websites until Pakistan team does something impressive in Test cricket! And that too against the likes of Australian team.
Just to let you all know that Pakistan lost 4 recent test matches (excluding the Melbourne Test) in such a manner that they were in the winning positions. They could have easily improved in the ranks of Test Cricket.
But no! I forgot that the team I was supporting was Pakistan team.
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Jan 07, 2010 05:39am
There is no good news for such a long time for us Pakistanis from the world of cricket.
Pehlay aati thi har baat pay hansi
Ab kissi baat par nahin aati.
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Jan 07, 2010 05:49am
Nothing new they do it all the time drop catches give their wickets away, and have no Faith in them self, how can you win you got to have fighting spirit and not killing spirit.
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Jan 07, 2010 05:57am
Dear Pakistan!
The cricket team is playing with our emotions.
Saqlain Jaffry
Australia
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Jan 07, 2010 06:29am
They have always done this. They have always lacked consistency. And the fact that they only played tests in the sub continent on dead pitches didn't help the cause either. And when will we start getting rid of players who have been getting chances to play for years. They never give any match winning performances.
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Jan 07, 2010 06:29am
What you expect is not always a return.
They need to repair batting. Bowling or fielding that
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Jan 07, 2010 06:33am
Lack of Professionalism...!!
Our team players must play like professionals.
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Jan 07, 2010 06:41am
What a disappointing performance.
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Jan 07, 2010 07:10am
I miss killing instincts of Imran, Wasim, Javed and Waqar.
Even till end they have the attitude, that they can do it, they showed us on numerous occasions and pulled back victories out of no where.
And current batch give victories away, when we have it in our grasp.
It all in the attitude!!
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Jan 07, 2010 07:37am
The fields set by Yousuf in the morning defy comprehension. The Aussie tail could have been cleaned up within a half hour, but it appeared as if Pakistan wanted to lose after being in a position where a loss was unthinkable.
But I'm afraid the reaction to the loss will be worse than the loss itself. There are already cries for firing Yousuf, team management, etc. Why does Pakistan always suffer, always too late, by replacing players instead of developing them? Great captains are not born great, but grow into that role.
On the other hand, many experts have said that it appeared that Pakistan was actively trying to lose the match, and I agree. It makes me wonder if the match was fixed by bookies in the last evening. This is something the PCB should investigate.
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Jan 07, 2010 07:50am
Get rid of Faisal Iqbal and replace him with Fawad Alam. A good coach of fielding is the demand of the day.
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Jan 07, 2010 07:55am
What a share they have brought to us.
Almost every one is there have more than 6 years domestic or international experience but they acted like a club team players even a Club will do better
Time has come to move the old faces from the team and look for the new faces.
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Jan 07, 2010 09:16am
Nice article.
Losing to me was not a shock though it would have been a cause of heart attack if we would have won. I just can
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Jan 07, 2010 10:17am
Dear Hafsa, great! You've expressed what every cricket crazy Pakistani thought of this debacle. But, you can't do anything about it, it's typical of our team. Ever since, Javed Miandad & Imran Khan have left we have no one in the team who applies himself in tough situations. I remember, 1999 world cup in England, it's the same way we gave away the trophy to Australians in the finals. Another example to quote is of similar performances at the last two world cups and ofcourse the in last year
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Jan 07, 2010 09:40am
Needs to see if that sure win was not traded.
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Jan 07, 2010 11:17am
A very well knitted article!
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Jan 07, 2010 12:59pm
well written article Hafsa. Everything is so true and I think everyone can so relate to it!! shame on the Pakistani team man!!
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Jan 07, 2010 12:36pm
I don
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Jan 09, 2010 12:01pm
Well! do you guys think Pakistan is not capable? No my dears it
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Jan 07, 2010 02:04pm
Common folks have heart. This is cricket and you are playing the world
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Jan 07, 2010 02:18pm
Aptly captured the feelings of us cricket fans
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Jan 07, 2010 03:43pm
Pakistan is a competitive team. It needs few changes to be more combative. Younus Khan and Shoaib Malik are must in the team to make the middle order stronger. Umer Akmal should be asked to open. It is high time Pakistan gets a reliable opening pair. I still will persist with Kamran Akmal for one more test. Who knows he might bounce back.
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Jan 07, 2010 04:03pm
Misbah and Kamran---- pure shame? I fail to understand what future utility Misbah (age 35) can have for the team. It was astonishing to send him to join the team after having omitted (rightly), initially. Misbah in the team amounts to playing one batsman less.
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Jan 09, 2010 10:37am
It really hurts when they create lit hope of a win, and when this win convert into defeat, I don
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Jan 07, 2010 04:36pm
Yousaf may have been making world records but I cannot remember him playing a match winning knock or taking his team out of the woods from a tight corner. He has a very bad temperament for a batsman of his caliber.
And his captaincy! less said, the better it is. Defensive, unimaginative and simply horrible.
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Jan 08, 2010 01:03pm
Like you guys in Pakistan, I also woke up early every match day to follow the action. Like a whole lot of folks in India, I was both shocked and disappointed. It all looked so unreal. One observation though. Umar Akmal could have easily shepherded the tail to victory. Guys like Sami and Gul would have held on if someone had shown them the light at the end of the tunnel. But he simply did not seem to have a plan in mind. Just played reckless cricket. It was quite clear he would fall and fall he did in a matter of minutes. Unless he goes thru some serious mentoring, I do not see him as a future Inzy or Miandad.
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Jan 07, 2010 07:04pm
Controlling test for 3 days and having it in hand, how can they let it slip away for which they had waited for 15 long years.
I can surely say that Pakistani team is not short of talent, it is just a matter of someone teaching them how to apply it. Too much experiment and shuffling of players haven
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Jan 07, 2010 08:21pm
Why every body saying bad about Pakistani Crikcet. Why every body is complaining about that we didn
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Jan 07, 2010 08:24pm
Very well written article, Hafsa Adil. You have spotted everything we Pakistani felt and are feeling right now.
I live in Ireland and it wasn
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Jan 07, 2010 09:09pm
WEll written.....they cause so much torment!
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Jan 08, 2010 01:32am
I share your pain :(
Try living in Sydney and working with Aussies and it becomes a lot more embarrassing. At least you guys can mourn together we just have to take it and hear about the victory again and again.
Shame on Akmal for dropping all those catches and shame on the batsmen for not backing their bowlers - full credit to the bowlers who made all their efforts to keep Pakistan's hope of leveling the series alive.
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Jan 08, 2010 04:30am
Never mind we are Pakistanis the unpredictables.
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Jan 08, 2010 05:39am
A very well written article. You know what the real problem is with Pakistani team? Our mind set. Look at Aussies, they knew, they will beat Pakistan, and they did. You have to believe in yourselves. From day one, kids in Australia have been tough, not ever to give up the fight. Over here, just go out there and have fun. We lost because of our failing and hope less attitude. We just couldn't believe that we can win this match (Only the fans did, because they were not playing). You can change the whole team, but there would be the same, as long we do not believe in our selves. Aqil Siddiqi
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Jan 08, 2010 06:25am
Fantastic article, straight from the heart. It explains what everyone is feeling. :(
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Jan 08, 2010 08:23am
The article defines how most of us feel in a country where almost the whole population deals with a tremendous amount of stress on a daily basis and has had very little to be grateful for ever since the government has changed I think everyone looks forward to some form of joy. Joy that was inevitable and I for one had already started celebrating its a sad time in the history of Paki cricket.
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Jan 08, 2010 02:53pm
No Professional spirit in entire Pak team, they failed in every department of cricket, catching, fielding, batting, etc. etc, they break the heart of million of supporters, They never learn from previous mistake, we are very very disappointed.
I understand your feeling, I was frozen after the end of Sydney test, you still have time to improve yourself, please.
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Jan 08, 2010 06:25pm
Hafsa, you have certainly striked the right emotional chords for so many of us. Thank you for sharing. I couldn't help but outlay some of my feelings with you all, perhaps an outlet for my own frustration.
So once again, turning the TV off and being left heavy heart-ed, I thought to myself, how much more can I take. Maybe I shouldn
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Jan 09, 2010 08:13am
A very well expressed article. This is exactly how I feel! Cricket is our only hope and we are such passionate, die hard fans. How many times have we supported the team when it has fallen from glorious heights? How many times have we celebrated with undefinable joy at our team's victory? But this is what we get from our team in return, who instead of playing for the green flag, are more concerned about their IPL prospects. Look at Kamran Akmal, who caused us this humiliating defeat, and he has scores some 300 odd runs in the last 10 matches. How many deserving players are there in the camp, who haven't got a chance despite the pathetic and worse than club cricket performance.
Everything is just hopeless for us Pakistanis.
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Jan 08, 2010 06:56pm
I think all 11 players should be asked to explain why they played those shots that got them out, in the second inning, as I believe all of them were caught (I refused to see the match after 3rd over on the fourth day. They need to learn to be patient. I could have done better and I am 54 years old.
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Jan 08, 2010 09:40pm
Couldnt have said it any better. Its so sad to see something like this. And us Pakistani cricket fans are very gullable.
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Jan 08, 2010 11:27pm
The glory days of Paki cricket are done. Reality has set.
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Jan 09, 2010 04:25am
Let's see maybe on a bright side only a defeat of such magnitude might finally send a jolt thru the entire system, look, at last we will drop K Akmal, which was long overdue and no way would have happened if Pakistan would have won the match. Remember Yousaf backing him after he dropped all those catches?, along with Misbah and Faisal Iqbal!
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Jan 09, 2010 05:52am
They play 1 game and cannot even play it well! Paki cricketers are no good.
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Jan 09, 2010 01:41pm
Ijaz Butt he should be removed. He says that our batting is fine and we only need fielding coach, can
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Jan 09, 2010 04:01pm
Friends, my sympathies from across the border. Both our teams specialize in this unpredictability. Just when you celebrate some good performance, they drop down to the pits. Partly our (fans') fault because we hype them up for every little thing and make them lose their hunger to win.
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Jan 10, 2010 10:27am
Hafsa dear, why are you so disturbed? Have faith, take heart and carry on watching your cricket, our dear cricketers are also from amongst us and mostly we are no different from them in our lives, as a nation to be proud of. But, soon there will be a time Insha Allah that some good individuals will change our state cricket.
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Jan 10, 2010 11:28pm
Yeah dear that
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Jan 11, 2010 06:06am
Pakistan lost the match because of Mohammed Yousuf, there was big difference between Ricky Ponting and Mohammed Yousuf approach while the one at 8- for six think he can won. While the other was thinking that we can win only if Allah want us to win.
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Jan 11, 2010 06:47am
Good post Hafsa, Exactly my sentiments.
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Jan 17, 2010 11:16am
Very true. The team's performance and there condition is the true reflection of condition of our country/nation.
Why the Australian players are confident? because they have the confidence as a nation /country which is due to their positive progress.
In short our cricket team truly represents the condition of our country.
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Jan 17, 2010 06:27pm
Great article Hafsa, Pakistan team certainly needs a good leadership. Afridi's inclusion in test and one days is essential. I mean look at kaneria, he is taking like 3 wickets for 150, we might as well play someone like Afridi who will take atleast 2 to 3 wickets and score some valuable runs. Pakistan really needs to develop their batsmen for test cricket and develop them soon.
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Jan 25, 2010 01:25pm
Unless we raise our standards these problems will never be resolves. In his earlier days, Shahid Afridi scores a 50 particularly against India and next day driving a new Toyota or Suzuki. I can bet players like him would never have been picked up if he was in Australia or SA?? Shoaib Mailk came in as off spinner potential replacement for Saqlain, had to stop bowling because of bowling action. Why was his bowling action not corrected in first class?? Salman Butt, Saeed Ajaml, and Danish Kaneria all very poor fielders and are truly match winners are still regarded high and playing in national side.
Wake up nation, reject average performers, and finally raise standards.
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Jan 27, 2010 07:22am
Unless Mohammed Yousuf, Misbah and Younus are not taken out from Pakistan Cricket team till they gain their form and coach Intikhab Alam should go back home (Retired), Pakistan team will never ever win any matches even if they are playing with Bangladesh or Zimbabwe at the current stand.
It
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Jan 27, 2010 06:51pm
I think Pakistan is very good side they only need a good captain
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Jan 31, 2010 01:20pm
What a shame in the fifth one day,did not see the game, stopped watching Pakistani trying to play cricket. I watch and support England where I live. Mr. Afridi as captain of the team, and caught cheating.
This was not the first time, he has been caught, last time in 2005 in Pakistan, when he tried to dance on the pitch. This time he was so hungry he was biting the ball. No excuse he should be banned for life, and forget about becoming a captain. He is a disgrace to the Nation, he has played so much cricket. There are twenty six cameras around the ground. You have to be mad to do what he did.
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