Bravo Team Pakistan

Let’s keep the winning ways

Victory in Dubai over the world’s highest ranked team is a tribute to temperament, courage and determination. Coming together in the face of extreme adversity in the preceding twelve months, Misbah’s side, a mixture of youth and experience excelled in these three departments, even more than in the game itself. It is this very aspect previous Pakistan teams have lacked and they have choked with victory in sight. Today, we can all stand tall and bow before this new and improved team.

The hallmark of this series is the mental supremacy of the Pakistan team over a tough and successful England team. At no point, even when bowled out for under hundred on day one of this last test, did we see shoulders slump, heads hang or tantrums. In fact, not once in the series was this visible. Close observers of the team’s previous performances will tell you that they had envisioned England putting on 350 to 400 runs and routing Pakistan in defensive mode in the second innings. This didn’t happen. Because Pakistan’s resolve did not allow it to.

It will be fair to say Pakistan very nearly outplayed England in all departments of the game. Very nearly, because there are areas still requiring major attention. More about this later. England were psychologically outplayed. They looked down and out. Mesmerised I believe not by just the spin bowling but by the attitude and newly discovered resolve of this Pakistan side. Gone was the gusto and bravado that is characteristic of English cricket. They struggled mentally to come to grips with this. Even in the wake of opportunities, and there were plenty, they could not rise to the occasion and close it out.

Bowling dominated the series throughout and the only time batting worked was really in the last Pakistan innings during which the only two hundreds of the series were scored. England’s bowling had greater depth. Their quickies are well ahead of ours. Anderson and Broad bowled their hearts out. There were some really accurate spells. Their spin was not far behind. Monty struck form and bowled beautifully I thought. Swann is an experienced campaigner of high quality.

Pakistan’s spinners came of age and bowled exquisitely with unrelenting pressure. Loose balls were few and line and length immaculate. They got the ball to fizz and turn and bounce. Their variety appeared unlimited much to the chagrin of England’s batting. One cannot say enough about them. They were simply the best.

England didn’t bat well throughout the series. And it was not just against spin. Umar Gul’s 4 for 61 is evidence that they didn’t bat well full stop. That is the crux of it. Critics have been harsh on them, calling them “clueless” and the performance “laughable”. But yes it was the spin and the first test that set the tone for the series. Once Pakistan believed it could be done they went out and got the job done. And did it brilliantly.

Despite the relatively low scoring matches, one must compliment the wickets prepared for the three matches. There was no hidden devil in the wicket unlike the ones India prepares for visiting teams. They were sporting wickets giving both batting and bowling equal opportunities and withstood the continuous cricket, looking good even on the last day of the three tests.

Pakistan’s batting came good when it really mattered. A week after I wrote Younus should be saying goodbye, he came through with a brilliant century. Not only that, he ensured young Azhar at the other end worked his way beyond the multiple fifties and converted into his second test hundred. One does not realise that this is a big thing in cricket; a senior partner building the confidence of his younger partner and seeing him through a crisis. But it cannot be a ‘one-off’. Younus will still have to prove that he can be consistent.

Pakistan misses a serious all-rounder. The last four batsmen were neither able to add many runs, nor were they able to stand and consume time when it was required. They played some inappropriate and uncalled for shots. And once the main batting line-up succumbs, the opposition can quickly wrap up the tail. Hafeez has been bearing the brunt as the fifth bowler but there will be times when a third quickie is required and it would be a shame to drop the spin duo, now that we have one, to accommodate him. We need to find someone in the mould of Imran, Waseem or Razzaq. And the fielding continues to need real attention. The number of dropped catches in this last England innings was atrocious.

Once you get results like this, a series whitewash, in what I will term a neutral territory, the benchmark rises and so do the expectations. Pakistan’s cricket fans like the rest of the country hold their emotions in the palm of their hand. One moment there is euphoria, the next dejection. Having set this winning trend and making history, Misbah’s team cannot stop here. They have to take it all the way.

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