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Top-ranked Pakistan out to make momentous Karachi return count | Cricbuzz.com
Top-ranked Pakistan out to make momentous Karachi return count
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A watershed moment for Pakistan cricket as the sport returns to the port-city of Karachi (Photo courtesy: Ahsan Ifthkar Nagi) © Cricbuzz
Pakistan have long waited for this moment. The country knew that for it to press its case as a safe and secure venue for international cricket, it needed more than one venue. This April will bring a watershed moment in the history of Pakistan cricket as the first day of the month will see international cricket return to Karachi.
Pakistan will host Windies in three T20Is - to be played on three consecutive days - at the iconic National Stadium (NSK). Since the gruesome attack on the Sri Lankan team in May 2009, Lahore has been the only venue to have hosted all the high-profile cricket in the country. The PSL played a groundbreaking role in establishing Pakistan as a reliable nation to tour. It was this league that brought ICC World XI and Sri Lanka to Lahore after the success of the PSL final last year.
The PCB knew it has to host a PSL match in the port-city, which had been seen as an unfavourable venue due to the logistical issues, to get the international sides to travel to Karachi.
‘The city of lights’ remains to be the venue of a last completed Test match in the country. It also was the venue for the first-ever T20I to be played in the country. On April 1, international cricket will return there after nine years. Such is the level of anticipation in the city that the PCB had to increase the quota of the tickets to be sold online after seeing an overwhelming response. Initially, the board had put only 25 percent of the inventory for the online sale.
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Karachi was the venue for the first-ever T20I to be played in Pakistan (Photo courtesy: Ahsan Ifthkar Nagi) © Cricbuzz
How are Pakistan preparing?
With international cricket coming to Karachi, Pakistan trained at the NSK for the first time in nine years. A couple of days after the 15-member line-up for the series was announced, the team converged at the stadium on Thursday for a three-day-long training camp. For their remarkable performances in the third edition of the PSL, four uncapped players – Rahat Ali, Hussain Talat, Asif Ali, and Shaheen Shinwari – were included in the line-up.
Usman Shinwari returned to the side, after nursing his back injury. Imad Wasim and Rumman Raees miss the series due to injuries.
Pakistan have been in red-hot form in the shorter-format since Sarfraz Ahmed took over after the 2016 World T20 in India. They have lost only three T20Is - one apiece to Windies, ICC World XI, and New Zealand – out of 17, which see them boast a win/loss record of 4.66. Naturally, they sit at the top of the ICC’s rankings for T20I sides. And, where better to play and consolidate that position.
Form Guide (last match first): WWLWW
Big names missing in the Windies side
Cricket West Indies (CWI) is the only board that can line-up a world-beating T20 side any day. But, thriving internal politics and its unfriendly relationship with the players keeps it from doing so.
However, it was neither the politics nor the poor relations that kept CWI from naming a star-studded lineup for the tour. The process of international cricket’s return to Pakistan is still in nascent stages and the foreigners are still reluctant to tour the country, something that emerged when Sri Lankan came to Pakistan last year.
Only four players from the recent ICC World Cup Qualifiers are part of the touring party. On the brightside, this has opened doors for many cricketers to forge their careers.
Andre Fletcher and Chadwick Walton will be back in Karachi five days after they played the PSL final here. Jason Mohammed, who has played six T20Is, will lead the side as Chris Gayle, Devendra Bishoo, Kieron Pollard and Carlos Brathwaite refused to tour Pakistan. It will be Marlon Samuels, the hero of the 2016 World T20 final, Samuel Badree, and Denesh Ramdin on whom Mohammed will turn to in times of trouble.
Allrounder Rayad Emirit will return to Pakistan a year after he donned Quetta Gladiators’ colours against Peshawar Zalmi in the final of the second edition of the PSL in Lahore. Andre McCarthy and Odean Smith got maiden call-ups.
Form Guide (Last match first): LLN/RWW
Players to watch
Pakistan retained Ahmed Shehzad despite his abysmal performances in the PSL. He faced more balls than the runs he scored. His dot-ball percentage was as high as 53.2 as his 173 runs came at a strike rate of 85.22. The right-handed opening-batsman will be under immense pressure to perform, not only to prove his selection right but also to remain part of Pakistan’s future T20I plans. It will be interesting to see how he fares in this series.
Not many players have the ability to deliver for their side when it needs them the most. Marlon Samuels is amongst the few of those who raise their hand and deliver. Windies have to thank him for their two World T20 titles - a 56-ball 78 in the final of the 2012 World T20 against Sri Lanka and a blistering 85 not out against England in Kolkata in the 2016 World T20 final.
Samuels may not have played at his full potential due to bans, controversies and injuries, but this series provides him with an opportunity to be the role model for many West Indians new to international cricket. This can be where the 37-year-old can begin to script his legacy.
