Afridi: don't let the door hit you on the way out

[Zero_one]

Re: Afridi: don’t let the door hit you on the way out

@waleedhbk

Seriously Misbah fans needs to realize that he sucks big time

When was the last time he single handedly won the match for Pakistan from his batting

These fifties are useless unless you win the match for them

Yeah sure … the only reliable batsman over the last 4-5 years is sucks big time … **This judgement Tells a story, about reality and the perceived reality, on its own **

That a guy can play almost 400 ODI matches but yet needs to be told to play according to the match situation is a testament on its own

Cricket experts (not the ones who call themselve as such) all over the Globe praise Misbah and yet u come up with your own version just in order to defend Afridi … Wake up and smell the coffee …

[Jolie]

Re: Afridi: don't let the door hit you on the way out

I fully agree that 300 was a tormenting total, but that's not excuse for an international team to willingly lose by 150 runs margin! At one point Pakistan was all set to lose the game with three digit difference. This is beyond pathetic.

This was a 50 over match, they should've taken the score to 280-90. It's a reasonable practice to score that many runs one day cricket. It was so infuriating to see how they were struggling to put 200 runs on board. They were so atrocious that you couldn't even expect them to make the game competitive.

[OYMWA]

Re: Afridi: don't let the door hit you on the way out

This is the real tragedy, but still not the end of the story. If there is no international cricket taking place, revamp the domestic cricket!

Get rid of extremely inept and unproductive departmental cricket with regional cricket. Replace the lacklustre and barely watched Habib Bank vs PIA matches with Lahore vs Karachi/Sindh vs KPK or North vs South tournaments and you see how the passion for cricket flourishes in Pakistan, and youngsters would work night and day to make it into their City/Province team and play in front the home crowd. Next step would be to televise these domestic matches to increase public interest.

You need vision, integrity and will power to take such bold and daring steps. Above all you need lots of funds to organise something like that, and with so much financial corruption going on in the government, from where will they 'find' the money to fund such initiatives?

In short what Pakistan needs is an IPL. Just the other day I was talking to someone, that said, by establishing IPL, they moved all the corrupt people from making money from selection to making money fixing matches. What happened is, if the local talent shines in IPL it is very hard to ignore such talent when it is time to select the national team. Since there is no/less money to make selling slots on the national team, the team selection process is more honest.

In third world countries it is impossible to extricate corruption from day-to-day life. The best way to solve these problems is work around them.

[Jolie]

Re: Afridi: don't let the door hit you on the way out

@OneYourMomWarnedAbt

In short what Pakistan needs is an IPL. Just the other day I was talking to someone, that said, by establishing IPL, they moved all the corrupt people from making money from selection to making money fixing matches. What happened is, if the local talent shines in IPL it is very hard to ignore such talent when it is time to select the national team. Since there is no/less money to make selling slots on the national team, the team selection process is more honest.

In third world countries it is impossible to extricate corruption from day-to-day life. The best way to solve these problems is work around them.

I think they were looking to start PPL (Pakistan Premier League). God knows what happened to that idea. But the trouble with IPL like system is that you need international players, massive sponsors, star power and filthy rich business tycoons to invest truck load of money in their teams and players. With the current security situation, we cannot have an IPL like system in place. But what we can do is to improve upon the existing structure of National RBS T20 tournament. Just reduce the number of teams, i.e each city should have one team, so no Lahore Eagles and Lahore Lions/Karachi Dolphins plus Karachi Zebras, and regularise the tournament. Make it both T20 and One Day tournament, prepare competitive pitches and organise national tours - i.e Karachi's team visiting Peshawar, Pindi's team visiting Lahore etc. Set up a proper league table for these teams, and you'd see how such system successfully rekindles public interest and passion for solid competitive cricket. Heightened public interest in domestic cricket will make it difficult for the selectors to ignore the domestic top achievers for random token players.

[Doppleganger]

Re: Afridi: don't let the door hit you on the way out

You need accountability for all that and above all, merit. I know that PM is a 'patron' of PCB but our desi people take it as owning a jagir than a responsibility. What does a column writer and rebel of the past Sethi has to do with managing PCB? In the west, if there is corruption at the local level, there is still hope for accountability at top but in Pakistan, the top is probably more corrupt than the bottom.

[Decent_6Chora]

Re: Afridi: don't let the door hit you on the way out

With current bowling attack and combination we cant drop Afridi. Its YOUNUS "Khan" whose ego is messing up the balance of whole team. Because of him we cant play a regular opener heck we cant even play a regular keeper-batsman i.e. Sarfaraz. If younus go out, we can play Sarfaraz as opener or at least Nasir Jamsheed.

As for people bashing misbah about "when was the last time he won the game single handily for Pakistan"? WHY SHOULD HE DO IT SINGLE HANDILY? dosrey ka haram ka khaney aayee hain team main? Pakistanioon ki logic bhi samajh nahi aatee. Criticize the ONLY person who is consistently making runs at good strike rate. Had it no been for Misbah, under 125 fold ho jana tha Pakistan nai.

[Jolie]

Re: Afridi: don't let the door hit you on the way out

Pakistani cricket fans and stake holders need to look at the present day West Indian team to realise how weak, disorganised and politicised board can destroy the great cricketing culture in the country. Pumping up the passion by holding on to great memories of the past is not enough to produce great or even good players. The romance will gradually start to lose its charm for the new generation.

Both West Indian and Pakistan teams are nothing more than tatty relics of their past glorious selves, and it's so painful to think that almost nothing can be done to turn things around to save their cricket from their own boards!

[Jolie]

Re: Afridi: don't let the door hit you on the way out

@Doppleganger

You need accountability for all that and above all, merit. I know that PM is a 'patron' of PCB but our desi people take it as owning a jagir than a responsibility. What does a column writer and rebel of the past Sethi has to do with managing PCB? In the west, if there is corruption at the local level, there is still hope for accountability at top but in Pakistan, the top is probably more corrupt than the bottom.

Come on, you know why he got the spot! The man who was arrested and smacked with treason charges under Nawaz Sharif's government for reporting on his family's corruption is now his most trusted ally today, and enjoying a token promotion for all his 'services'. What services? Services that helped Sharif brother rob Punjab's votes? Take out Imran's popular opposition (and only voice of opposition) to his post, is there anyone in Pakistan who is remotely offended by such blatant display of favouritism?

It is such a shame that Pakistan's insipid, sold out and morally bankrupt print media would never waste any column inches talking about such gross abuse of merit and and complete nonexistence of accountability in departments and organisation run by Nawaz Sharif's cronies.

[Southie]

Re: Afridi: don't let the door hit you on the way out

The VIX of the cricket fan - such peaks, much valleys

[waleedhbk]

Re: Afridi: don’t let the door hit you on the way out

Afridi haters haha

I like it how they want him to perform in each match

When was the last time Misbah won a big match for Pakistan or when was the last time Misbah scored 50 and Pakistan won?

I guess the warm up match lulz](http://www.paklinks.com/gs/usertag.php?do=list&action=hash&hash=Lulz)

[Howzat_1]

Re: Afridi: don't let the door hit you on the way out

I admit Afridi has made mistakes manyf tims but there are some match winning performances especially T20 WC semi and Final. BTW I am thinking to open a thread about his achievements in ODIs soon

[mYsTeRiOuS_gUy]

Re: Afridi: don't let the door hit you on the way out

Although i have never rated Afridi, he should not be blamed for loss vs India. I don't think Pakistan is currently a good enough team to beat top teams like Aus, SA, Ind, NZ etc. We can all go on and on about talent and all that but only change we could have made was selfish Younis being dropped for Sarfraz/Jamshed?

I am also disappointed after driving for 10 hours to get there and witness pathetic fielding, bowling and batting.

[smooth_guy]

Re: Afridi: don't let the door hit you on the way out

I stopped watching and following cricket after WC96 QF and the match fixing investigation that followed in late 90s. I started watching cricket again when the junk was kicked out after WC 2003 debacle, when Inzi was made captain, the things got a little stable in rebuilding phase. Though we struggled with opening pair and fast bowlers fitness issues.

Thank God during this period, I missed the rise of Shahid Afridi and he never impressed me except for a brief period in late 2000s as an effective leg spinner (that too is neutralized in last 3 years).

[OYMWA]

Re: Afridi: don't let the door hit you on the way out

@Jolie

I think they were looking to start PPL (Pakistan Premier League). God knows what happened to that idea. But the trouble with IPL like system is that you need international players, massive sponsors, star power and filthy rich business tycoons to invest truck load of money in their teams and players. With the current security situation, we cannot have an IPL like system in place. But what we can do is to improve upon the existing structure of National RBS T20 tournament. Just reduce the number of teams, i.e each city should have one team, so no Lahore Eagles and Lahore Lions/Karachi Dolphins plus Karachi Zebras, and regularise the tournament. Make it both T20 and One Day tournament, prepare competitive pitches and organise national tours - i.e Karachi's team visiting Peshawar, Pindi's team visiting Lahore etc. Set up a proper league table for these teams, and you'd see how such system successfully rekindles public interest and passion for solid competitive cricket. Heightened public interest in domestic cricket will make it difficult for the selectors to ignore the domestic top achievers for random token players.

Or simply remove the ban on the players from playing in IPL. Frankly, more domestic cricket is not a good substitute for international exposure.

[Southie]

Re: Afridi: don't let the door hit you on the way out

^ To the best of my knowledge the Australian Sheffield Shield does not have international players. At least back in the day. When Greg Chappell led I think Queensland.

First Clas cricket is first class cricket. Whether played by Pakistan or Australia.

Bigger reason is availability of state of the art training facilities with different types of pitches. Apparently Pakistan lags others in this regard. Whole India appears to have caught up.

[Jolie]

Re: Afridi: don't let the door hit you on the way out

@OneYourMomWarnedAbt

Or simply remove the ban on the players from playing in IPL. Frankly, more domestic cricket is not a good substitute for international exposure.

Why IPL? All that glamour, money, partying and playing on Indian pitches is hardly a pinnacle of good competitive international cricket. Frankly speaking, if you keep selecting mediocre, below average, bits and pieces players no amount of international exposure will turn into great specialist players. If that was the case likes of Hafeez and Akmal (even Salman Butt) would've been legends.

You need structured and regularised domestic cricket to groom young talent, provide nationwide opportunities and save the game of cricket from becoming a dying sport like hockey.

[Jolie]

Re: Afridi: don't let the door hit you on the way out

So the pretty boy dropped catches today and scored his usual 20 odd runs (well I must admit that's still a massive improvement by Afridi's standards).

If only uncle Afridi had spent more time on the field practising instead of visiting salons, taking selfies, shooting commercials, giving contracted interviews to channels, meeting politicians and running multiple businesses, he would not have looked so pathetically useless.

I'd say once he leaves, send his Chamcha (Shehzad) with him.

[OYMWA]

Re: Afridi: don't let the door hit you on the way out

Why IPL? All that glamour, money, partying and playing on Indian pitches is hardly a pinnacle of good competitive international cricket. Frankly speaking, if you keep selecting mediocre, below average, bits and pieces players no amount of international exposure will turn into great specialist players. If that was the case likes of Hafeez and Akmal (even Salman Butt) would've been legends.

You need structured and regularised domestic cricket to groom young talent, provide nationwide opportunities and save the game of cricket from becoming a dying sport like hockey.

English cricket is structured and regularized, but you say they are over coached. We must not be against a good idea just coz someone else came up with it. ( paraphrasing Bill Clinton here ). The point I am making is, IPL has helped Indians. Many here will agree it not only helped them with the sport but also with money and power. If we cannot do something similar in Pakistan, then why not take advantage of what is already out there. There is another danger here; if we don't act now chances are the opportunity that opened up to take charge of ICC will be lost and we will forever live under Indian hegemony.

[Southie]

Re: Afridi: don't let the door hit you on the way out

Bill Clinton would definitely improve slip catching

[Jolie]

Re: Afridi: don't let the door hit you on the way out

English cricket is structured and regularized, but you say they are over coached. We must not be against a good idea just coz someone else came up with it. ( paraphrasing Bill Clinton here ). The point I am making is, IPL has helped Indians. Many here will agree it not only helped them with the sport but also with money and power. If we cannot do something similar in Pakistan, then why not take advantage of what is already out there. There is another danger here; if we don't act now chances are the opportunity that opened up to take charge of ICC will be lost and we will forever live under Indian hegemony.

Firstly, structured and regularised domestic cricket is not a synonym for over coaching! England messed up the equation for themselves, and that's their problem.

Secondly, BBCI - a very organised and accountable board with a young energetic cricket team playing under a dynamic and supremely talented captain preceded IPL! India has a comparatively much better domestic structure and rigorous selection committee. That's the reason despite all their larger than life batting legends pretty much retiring (or slowing down) at the same time, the team does not really go through the what they call a 'struggling transition phase' (a phase which has been conveniently clouding over team Pakistan for God knows how many years - it's a mother of all excuses for repeated pathetic performances).

Thirdly, likes of Kohli, Raina, Sharma, Gambir etc etc did not come in Indian team through IPL. These players were already part of Indian bench strength way before the emergence of IPL, and performing at international stage at the level that established them as most deserving replacement of their batting greats. Again they were product of Indian first class cricket and accountable selection committee.

Fourthly, just because IPL gives special preference to their own domestic top scorers. What makes you think such lucrative league will be willing to take in your substandard bits and pieces players and throw money on them? I am sorry, other than Afridi (thanks to his star power and IPL is all about star power), there is not a single player in Pakistan international cricket team who can easily get an IPL contract. Maybe you can say Akmal Jr, but what about the rest of the team?

Besides, Afridi who had literally played in every single international T20 league out there, how much of that 'international exposure' had transformed his game and made him a 'better' player?

So yes, there is no quick cosmetic fix to transform the below average bits and pieces players you have in the team. If you want to save the game of cricket from becoming a dying sport in the country, you'll have to instil some energy and competitiveness into domestic cricket. It is about training the current and future generation of aspiring young cricketers, not setting up a system to teach Kamran Akaml how to catch a ball after playing 13 years of international cricket.