Too many people (including Pak guppies themselves) have started to debunk the Pak team. I, on the other hand, believe Pakistan is a very formidable “ODI” outfit (yes , even without Asif/Akhtar/Razzaq).
Pak team has a rock-solid middle order (Inzi, Yousif, Younis) and a batting depth (if you just replace Kaneria with Afridi) that would be an envy of most teams. Not to mention the collection of all-rounders - Malik, Afridi, Azhar, Hafeez, Rana and even Sami is a decent bat.
I think this team has the right ingredients to even win the World Cup, if you ask me.
Before you ask me what I have been smoking, lets do a head-2-head with the “over-hyped” Indian team. Pak player ↔ Indian player: Who is better on current form
Nazir ↔ Sehwag : Same
Hafeez ↔ Uthappa : Same (Hafeez is also a decent spinner though)
Younis Khan ↔ Ganguly : Same (Some people may prefer Younis) Yousuf ↔ Tendulkar : Yousuf (on current form)
Inzi ↔ Dravid : Same
Shoaib Malik ↔ Yuvraj : Same (both are useful bowlers too) Akmal ↔ Dhoni : Dhoni (no question about this one)
Rana/Sami<->Agarkar : Same
Rao<-> Pathan/Zaheer : Same Kaneria<->Kumble : Kumble (but If Afridi is picked instead of Kaneria, I will chose Afridi over Kumble) Gul <->Munaf : Gul
As you can see, I think man-2-man Pak’s team is not a team to brush off easily.
That said :
(1) Pak does have a problem in the wicket-keeping department.
(2) Running between wickets and fielding of Pakistan team sucks more than any other team in top 8.
(3) Unimaginative and lethargic captaincy.
Ehsan,
Can he make him Mod now? what else is expected of him....
On serious note though... I think you make good point. All this hoopla on this website is typical of Desi fans. Reminded me of India's first lost to AUS in last worldcup and what followed aftert that in India after that. What happened after that is History..
I think Pakistani team is good enough to go up to Semis once Afridi is back.And once you are in Semis its anybody's game
Our problem since the departure of Saeed Anwar has been the opening slot. This is the place where other teams are cashing these days (Sehwag's rise was also because of his consitant thukaai some 6 years back). This is the department which we Saeed/Aamir and Jayasuriya/Kalu made one of the thrilling phase of the ODI games. We popularized opening onslaught. Other teams have picked it up very quickly and now with optional power plays (which is also result of this entertaining factor) everyone wants to pile up as much runs as possible. Then you can have 'gaao takiya' style nawabz in middle order, nobody cares that much, the foundations is laid and one has to finish 50 overs.
So realisticly speaking, Pakistan do have chance to reach semi finals, but their openers (which we don't even know who will they be in next game) need to fire and give a 70+ (10 overs) stand so middle order don't have to play openers game once again. Chances of Pakistani openers firing in every game (which is a must in super 8, if you know the format and rule) are very slim after seeing 3 wonderful displays. So its not bashing, but to keep hopes into the limits in given circumtances. Not to under estimate or over celebrate. The same fans have gone through the pains in 96, 99 and 2003 World Cups. That is why I take it easy in WC, as a follower of the most unpredictable team should do.
Some of your comparissions are not fair. Don't belittle Ganguly that easily, he and Dhoni alone can change a game any day. Bengoli is not in his 20s anymore where he would hit a six on extra cover to any bowler in the world, but with his comeback he has reminded us of his early days. On WI pitches, he could be equally dangerous as Sehwag recently was.
If by some sheer stroke of disaster, Pakistan loses to Zimbabwe, and fails to make it to Super 8, then really $hit will hit the fan. Then all these man-to-man analysis will be for nought.
To be fair, I expect Pakistan to win both their next games to prolong their stay in this World Cup. Unfortunately due to this format (I like it actually) only after their first game, Pakistanis' backs are now firmly against the wall.
I think zaheer should not be clubbed with Pathan. He is certainly better than that and for me only bowling hope of India.
I agree with you but I wonder who will Pathan replace to get into the team.
Zaheer, Munaf and Agarkar (as much as I hate him) are certainties in the starting line-up.
I consider Younis Khan to be a fairly consistent performer and I equated him with Ganguly - so really I don't think I was unfair to Ganguly at all.
In my opinion, ODIs are all about tullaybaazs and all-rounders and Pakistan has a surfeit of them.
I attribute Pak's team lack of success to factors other than the talents of individual players. I will say - Captaincy, running between the wickets, fielding and generally the personality of the team as a whole - somehow they dont come across as a very energetic lot. I mean look at Inzimam - his facial expression is always as if he is bored and severely constipated.
Yes Akmal is a problem but I don't think the opener issue is a huge deal. Which team (may be other than Australia) has a settled opening pair ?
Too many people (including Pak guppies themselves) have started to debunk the Pak team. I, on the other hand, believe Pakistan is a very formidable "ODI" outfit (yes , even without Asif/Akhtar/Razzaq).
Pak team has a rock-solid middle order (Inzi, Yousif, Younis) and a batting depth (if you just replace Kaneria with Afridi) that would be an envy of most teams. Not to mention the collection of all-rounders - Malik, Afridi, Azhar, Hafeez, Rana and even Sami is a decent bat.
I think this team has the right ingredients to even win the World Cup, if you ask me.
Before you ask me what I have been smoking, lets do a head-2-head with the "over-hyped" Indian team.
Pak player <-> Indian player: Who is better on current form
Nazir <-> Sehwag : Same
Hafeez <-> Uthappa : Same (Hafeez is also a decent spinner though)
Younis Khan <-> Ganguly : Same (Some people may prefer Younis)
Yousuf <-> Tendulkar : Yousuf (on current form)
Inzi <-> Dravid : Same
Shoaib Malik <-> Yuvraj : Same (both are useful bowlers too)
Akmal <-> Dhoni : Dhoni (no question about this one)
Rana/Sami<->Agarkar : Same
Rao<-> Pathan/Zaheer : Same
Kaneria<->Kumble : Kumble (but If Afridi is picked instead of Kaneria, I will chose Afridi over Kumble)Gul <->Munaf : Gul
As you can see, I think man-2-man Pak's team is not a team to brush off easily.
That said :
(1) Pak does have a problem in the wicket-keeping department.
(2) Running between wickets and fielding of Pakistan team sucks more than any other team in top 8.
(3) Unimaginative and lethargic captaincy.
There....
Comments welcome.
Look, I may be biased towards Pakistan but even we have to admit that's stretching it a lot.
It is not personell which lose us games. It is our batting consistency. India has far better consistency and aren't likely to collapse as easily as Pakistan.
Ehsan,Can we make him Mod now? what else is expected of him....
On serious note though... I think you make good point. All this hoopla on this website is typical of Desi fans. Reminded me of India's first lost to AUS in last worldcup and what followed aftert that in India after that. What happened after that is History..
I think Pakistani team is good enough to go up to Semis once Afridi is back.And once you are in Semis its anybody's game
That said :
(1) Pak does have a problem in the wicket-keeping department.
(2) Running between wickets and fielding of Pakistan team sucks more than any other team in top 8.
(3) Unimaginative and lethargic captaincy.
There....
Comments welcome.
There, you yourself explained why Pakistan loses games and why it is likely to continue so :o
Lemme feed you a couple of “Aaloo wale parathay” along with some lussi in huge steel glass and see how you come acorss on the field. Inzi probably get’s some pills that make him constipated so he doesnt have to run to the washroom every 5 overs, hence the expression the his face
i think pakistanis are not as worried about their team as they might let on. publicly lowering expectations to roughly those of bermuda fans provides for convenient face-saving in the event of a poor WC showing or added glory in case of any success.
the game of cricket has the absolute lowest consistency levels for stars and key players out of any other sport in the world. stars routinely fail and it is no big deal. in contrast, teams in a sport like basketball are utterly dependent on star players.
of course missing key players is a disadvantage...but if there is any sport to be missing key players, it is cricket. half would've failed anyway and half the replacements will play better than the initial choices. the chances of the loss of a key player resulting in a match outcome that is both a different and negative than with the player having played is probably the lowest of any major sport.
it hurts over the long-term. the WC is very short-term.
Our problem since the departure of Saeed Anwar has been the opening slot. This is the place where other teams are cashing these days (Sehwag's rise was also because of his consitant thukaai some 6 years back). This is the department which we Saeed/Aamir and Jayasuriya/Kalu made one of the thrilling phase of the ODI games. We popularized opening onslaught. Other teams have picked it up very quickly and now with optional power plays (which is also result of this entertaining factor) everyone wants to pile up as much runs as possible. Then you can have 'gaao takiya' style nawabz in middle order, nobody cares that much, the foundations is laid and one has to finish 50 overs.
Inzi probably get’s some pills that make him constipated so he doesnt have to run to the washroom every 5 overs, hence the expression the his face 