Pakistan cricket team must be praised for maintaining its consistency losing against India in the WC history. In last six WC matches against India, Pakistan fought well but the 2019 WC match turned out to be a one-sided affair which disappointed the whole nation. Pakistan team lost the match without offering any significant resistance.
Many emotional fans on social media had attached false hopes from a bunch of mediocre cricketers that they would devour India comparing over-glorified Babar Azam with Virat Kohli and recalling the events of WC-1992 when we lost crucial matches but won the Cup eventually. In 1992 we had genuinely greats – Miandad, Wasim, Imran, Mushtaq Ahmad (leg-spinner) and Inzamam, in the making, but in 2019 we had only mediocre. Do we have any great batsmen or bowler, apart from Amir, in the team? NO
We started the match against India with a defeatist mentality. We made a blunder in the beginning and continued to make throughout the match. We won the toss and invited India to bat first without realizing that rain was expected in the second session and the match could be decided according to Duckworth formula. Sarfraz and the team management were over confident that they would chase a big target. Recall that in Champions Trophy-2017 final Virat Kohli won the toss and put Pakistan into bat. Pakistan won. In World Cup-2019, Sarfraz Ahmad won the toss and asked India to bat first. India won. Was that a coincidence? Then captain persisted with Shahdab and his favourite Hassan, the irreparable generator, even after they were thrashed by Indian batsmen ruthlessly. We made blunders in fielding too. Sarfraz dropped a catch. Over-glorified Fakhar Zaman failed to anticipate as at to which end he should throw the ball to run out the batsman. Imamul Haq also faltered in the fielding.
ALLAH Neeatun Ka Phal Deta Ha. I always feared that Indian cricketers are more passionate about playing for their country whereas our cricketers play for self. Rohit Sharam and Rahul faced Muhammad Amir with a well calculated plan. They willingly left Amir who was tempting them with his sharp and rising away-swingers. We lost our Kohli (Babar Azam) playing a novel shot at a wrong time. The pressure was high and our batsmen succumbed to it. Later how painful it was to see most experienced batsmen Shoaib Malik and Muhammad Hafeez losing their wickets without realizing that their stay at the crease was very important for the team. Both mentally gave up in critical situation which lowered the morals of the juniors. You don’t reach to the national level in a jump. It requires a long struggle of sheer hard work from club cricket and tough competition at the top. And in a mega international event if you get out at a critical stage it can’t be taken easily. Either you have not worked hard or you served someone’s interests.
The fitness of our players was also not up to the mark. Sadly, the captain led the way. How unfortunate it was that the Tv cameras caught Sarfraz twice yawning in the middle of the match which gives us an idea that the players had not enjoyed a sound night sleep. According to some reports some players were spotted in a Sishah Café enjoying late night outings. Who allowed them? Mickey Arthar. No. Talat Ali Malik, the manager, who is with the team since long without any notable responsibility.
And at the same time we must applaud PCB management also for keeping its tradition alive to enjoy joy rides. While country is struggling with financial crisis and PCB Patron, the Prime Minister Imran Khan, is trying hard to block misuse of public funds, the top management of PCB, from MD to other top officials, is enjoying free trip to England, travelling in business class and claiming hefty daily allowance for the past almost 15 days. I wish that the PCB Patron must find some time to check joy rides of PCB officials.
Pakistan lost is a bad news indeed. The Greenshirts has to play against South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. They have to win each of those four matches to have a chance to progress. Aab Ghalti Ki Koi Gunjaish Nahi.