So here’s the rub, barring anything short of a miracle, Pakistan will face Australia in the final of the ongoing T20 tri-series in Zimbabwe. That Pakistan and Australia, the two top ranked Twenty Twenty teams going into the tournament, were the favourites to meet in the final was obvious since before the series started – even if Zimbabwe did have the home ground advantage.
If anything, Pakistan were probably the favourites to win the mini tournament given their 20-game win streak heading into the three nation foray and the humiliation the Australians very recently had to face in England.
The fact that the home team has now lost both of its matches, first to the men in green and then to the Aussies, has all but assured a Pakistan Australia final. The three teams will all face each other more time each, with Pakistan’s next encounter against Australia set for the day after tomorrow.
At present, however, Australia have managed to upstage Pakistan as the favourites for the series. Powered by Aaron Finch’s record breaking 172, Australia thoroughly dominated the floundering Zimbabwe by scoring comfortably over 200 before wrapping the host’s meek defence up at a 129/9.
This was a strong batting performance for Australia to say the least. But the problem for Pakistan is that not only is Australia’s batting looking in peak shape, their bowling too is proving deadly, as Pakistan learned much to the chagrin of their fans a day ago. That Zimbabwe probably put up a better show than Pakistan won’t do any favours to the Pakistan batting lineup’s confidence.
The reality that faces Pakistan right now is that they have had it easy for the past year or so. Of their near two dozen game win streak, two matches came against Soctland, two against Ireland, three against a World XI in Lahore and other than a couple of others, almost all of them against either Sri Lanka or the West Indies. So one can see how Pakistan’s climb to the top of the rankings was just a little artificial.
Things are made worse by the fact that Mohammad Amir has been rested from the series, taking away much of a young bowling lineup’s ability to create pressure and sculpt situations where wickets would fall. The batting too is compromised with the number 1 ranked T20 batsman Babar Azam out of the equation.
With what Pakistan have at their disposal, more people than Shoaib Malik will have to step up. While Fakhar Zaman is as pleasantly volatile as ever, that being the only way he knows how to play, some of the new entrants did make an impact in the first game and will need to prove themselves against the heavier opponent: Australia.
One key link that is really missing at this point is the participation of Captain Sarfra Ahmed. Not only is he not a strategic a God-send or inspirational leader, he has still not found his form with the bat. That is worrying, for if Misbah ul Haq proved anything, it was how important personal performance is for a Pakistan Captain.
There is hope still, and even if Pakistan loses the next game to Australia, they just need to win the final. Let’s see if they’ll be able to rediscover their rhythm by then.
