The comeback anthology

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With Pakistan cricket shrouded by fixing ignominy and jail sentences, the on-field matters which are endowing us with veritable causes of sanguinity, beg our attention. The third day is being veered towards its end in the final Test at Sharjah with Pakistan holding a 1-0 lead in the series, the ODI squad has been announced and features megastar comebacks. Our hockey side has floored the top ranked side in the world in their own backyard. Also, featuring in this omnibus of chartbusters is a World Cup; after the Rugby World Cup kept this space animated for the past couple of months, the quest for Kabaddi’s Holy Grail is another thrilling prospect. The mini-series is rounded off by our favourite video game character, who has reincarnated – not once but twice– in the realm of football.

Passion in the Desert
As I write this Azhar Ali has blocked a Herath delivery with his picture perfect defense, as the second session began on the second day of the third Test. The lunch break was sandwiched by Younis Khan and Azhar Ali reaching the fifty run mark as Pakistan riposte strongly to Sri Lanka’s total of 413. A draw is very much on the cards, as the Sri Lankan bowling lacks the cutting edge to take 18 wickets over the course of two and a half days during which they would have to bat again as well. The pitch is deteriorating, but with the scorching heat and the severe conditions of the desert, our batting should negotiate whatever the Sri Lankans throw at them.

The Mummy Returns
The ODI squad announcement has been dominated by the boom – pun intended – of Shahid Afridi’s comeback. After Waqar Younis’ retirement was coupled with Ijaz Butt’s departure this was to be expected; and now the germane question is that what exactly does this mean for Pakistan Cricket?
Afridi has declared himself to be inapt for the longest version of the game – scientific revelation of the decade? Therefore his domain has been restricted to the limited-overs format. This column has highlighted Afridi’s ‘world-beating’ trade fairs which make him a bungling liability wrapped in an extravagant packaging. Sans considering a couple of innings against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, Afridi has three scores of 50 or more in almost 5 years – needless to point out that distinction in inexplicable idiocy with the willow dominates most outings. Although he has evolved into a useful spinner – not a world conquering one that his skewed World Cup tally ostensibly implies – he needs to be channelised properly to dig out the best out of him; this particular task needs to be performed by someone not called Shahid Afridi.
How Misbah handles Afridi is going to be pivotal, because on paper, this is the strongest ODI ensemble that we have gathered for a while. Afridi’s spin can be coalesced into a nimble-fingered gamut of spin bowling, with Hafeez and Ajmal providing the off-spin options. Add Gul’s world class ODI repertoire, Junaid Khan’s promising portrayals and Razzaq’s nifty contributions in the pace department and you get a top-drawer bowling lineup.
However reliance on Afridi’s batting is a ‘no-go’ realm. He has even penetrated out of the jurisdiction of being labeled as a gamble, with his recent performances. The probability of him turning up with the bat is akin to locating a needle in a haystack with your eyes blindfolded. Hence, he should bat after Sarfraz and definitely not above Razzaq.
A little heads-up about Afridi’s captaincy inspirations; he has stated that he would like to play for Pakistan whether he is the captain or as a regular player. A sane senior pro would’ve shelved the talk of captaincy for a while, but Boom Boom’s lust for captaincy is as unambiguous as blind man with a dog stumbling around the footpath.
The mummy has returned; the best we can hope is that it jolts the opposition rather than the more plausible happening of scaring the hell out of us.

Gladiator
While Afridi’s comeback hogs the headlines, Razzaq’s return to the side has been ignored – much like his genuinely world class performances in the green shirt for 15 years. Razzaq in the perennial unsung hero; he is a striking face, a fashionable hairdo and an extroverted persona away from being recognised as an all-time great of Pakistan Cricket.
Unlike most – notably You-know-who – Razzaq beholds responsibility, oozes dependability and the steel to stand tall against the odds. If this column were to list Razzaq’s match-winning contributions, the scribe would need a month worth of full-page columns just to squeeze in the catalog. A notable example of overlooking the man’s contribution came after the T20 triumph in 2009, when Afridi’s contribution – although meaningful – in chasing down a mediocre total of 138, was extolled to divine proportions and the man who played the pivotal role in restricting the Lankans with a trio of wickets up-top was hardly given his fair share of approbation. And recently, Razzaq was unjustly dropped after the ODI World Cup, after hardly been given an opportunity to shine.
How, one of the cleanest hitters, was made to bat at number eight, while Afridi – self proclaimed bowler whose batting is a bonus – continued to bat above him and dutifully created disarray is the cricketing puzzle of 2011. Razzaq was the only batsman who stood up in pool loss against New Zealand, made pivotal contributions with both bat and ball against Australia, then he was dropped after the Mohali debacle and even Younis Khan – tests and ODIs are a different ballgame – managed to get back in the team before our star all-rounder. We have a serious problem gauging the influence of personnel and one just have to look at the remarks expounded by the English media to get a hold of the Razzaq’s standing in the game.
Misbah must ensure that Razzaq bats up the order, and he could even open the innings – something he has successfully done for Leicestershire and Middlesex – and give us a soaring start. Nevertheless the gladiator is back and promises to instill his warrior-like spirit into the squad…

Slap Shot
Our boys – the flag-bearers of the national sport – have had mixed fortunes off-late as they build towards the hallowed goal of shining in the London Olympics next year. A cataclysmic World Cup campaign in India was followed by a momentous Asian Cup conquest in Guangzhou that instigated buoyancy. The gallant show in the Azlan Shah Cup was promising but the European tour in the summer triggered the homecoming of scepticism again. The inaugural Asian Champions Trophy and the rampant Super 9s tournament again witnessed dexterous maneuvers without groundbreaking accolades. However the Tri-Nation triumph down-under on was one staggering triumph!
After edging out India to reach the final – always a morale booster – we turned on the heat against the Kookaburras in a breathtaking display of counter attacking hockey. It was the mother of all comebacks, so to speak. We had been pulverised in the pool games by the Aussies, letting in 13 goals in 2 matches. We hadn’t beaten them since 2005, and despite coming close intermittently, toppling Australia had eluded us for years.
The well-taken goals by Tauseef, Imran, Sohail Abbas – vindicating his importance in the twilight of his career – and Shakeel Abbasi resulted in a 4-3 triumph over a team that has been invincible at home. However we must not rest on our laurels, since the chinks in our armour are quite conspicuous as well. We have to be consistent, improve our goal-difference and sure up our defense as we embark on our assault over major hockey silverware, starting off with the Champions Trophy next month. Nevertheless, we have overcome the most strenuous task in hockey; we seamlessly executed the slap shot.

Raiders of the Lost Ark
Kabaddi is a sport rich in heritage, but one that has expanded to all the metaphorical corners of the globe. The fourth World Cup – the second edition of 2nd Pearls World Cup in Punjab, India – is underway with three-times champions India looking to defend their crown in front of the home faithful. Pakistan were the runners-up last time round in 2010, and are one of the heavyweights in the sport. 14 teams have been divided into 2 pools and the quest to take home the glory has commenced. The sport in undoubtedly back in the spotlight that it deserves. USA has already sprung a titanic surprise by beating us 43-39. In a nail-biting encounter we managed to tie the score at 37-37 – after being down 23-20 at halftime – but the Americans outdid us courtesy an inspirational show in the dying moments by Mike Seattle. Watch this space for more commentary as the tournament unfolds in the eastern vicinity. The raiders have been unleashed with only goal in their mind.

Super Mario
The final installment features two virtuous strikers at the vanguard of their sides upsurge. First up is Mario “Why Always Me” Balotelli, whose contribution at Old Trafford for City has been etched in the club’s folklore for ages to come. If it hadn’t been for his antics Super Mario would have been hailed as the world class striker that he is. Balotelli has followed up his massive show against United by playing a vital role in the 3-0 Champions League win over the Yellow Submarines to ensure that City’s season is back on track in Europe. He should now be Aguerro’s first choice strike partner. Super Mario part II, pays tribute to Munich’s goal-scoring Mario Gomez. His hat-trick against Napoli was a breathtaking display of center-forward play – albeit within the realm of ‘making it look so easy’ – as he continues his goal-spree in Europe and in Germany. Bayern’s silverware aspirations hinge on Gomez’s goals and Schweinsteiger’s displays as the principal protagonist in midfield.