Lessons to be learnt from New Zealand defeat

Pakistan were taught a brutal cricketing lesson by their hosts ahead of World T20

In hindsight, Pakistan’s decision to play their last T20Is before the World T20 against New Zealand was a stroke of genius, for if they wanted to learn where they are going wrong, then they were taught a brutal cricketing lesson by their hosts.

Catches win matches is an old adage in cricket and New Zealand showed just how true it is with some superb catching on display in the deciding T20I. While Pakistan didn’t drop any either, their fielding is often their weakest link.

The difference is not only in the application but also in the mindset. Pakistan boast a side filled to the brim with undoubtedly talented individuals; barring openers Kane Williamson and Martin Guptill and pacer Trent Boult, perhaps none of the other Kiwis can compete with the Men in Green in terms of raw talent.

But together, the New Zealanders make up a sum far greater than the parts. They play for one another, they give it their all, and they pull together with all their might in one direction.





When Shoaib Malik and Imad Wasim were dismissed by all-rounders Corey Anderson and Grant Elliot, they were caught so superbly that the bowlers celebrated almost sheepishly; knowing that the wickets belonged more to the fielders than they did to them.

In contrast, skipper and bowler Shahid Afridi’s reaction to Martin Guptill’s wicket was telling. When the ball was skied in the air towards Umar Akmal, one of Pakistan’s best fielders, Afridi’s face was etched more with anxiety than with expectation.

Perhaps the team management is to be blamed for the culture bred within the team. Very few players are sure of their place and instead of trying to serve the team, are trying to serve themselves. The entire middle-order — the most susceptible place for chopping and changing within the side — seems either too eager to please or too inhibited to score; both at the team’s expense.



Mohammad Rizwan wanted nothing more than to somehow reach the other end as soon as possible; committing to a suicidal single and ending up being stranded when he was sent back by Malik. Sohaib Maqood (in the first two matches), Sarfraz Ahmed and Umar Akmal are all natural stroke-makers but seemed scared stiff to play their shots despite runs being the order of the day.

Maqsood has been particularly frustrating in that regard in recent matches, and Sarfraz and Umar didn’t exactly cover themselves in glory either on Friday.

Despite having one of the most aggressive players in Afridi as their skipper, Pakistan’s approach is decidedly defensive. The inclusion of Anwar Ali ahead of Umar Gul was nothing but that, and it backfired spectacularly.



Anwar opened the bowling and went for 16 in his first over, which set the tone for the New Zealand innings. If Pakistan should have learnt anything from the first two ODIs, then it was that wickets — even in a game of 20 overs a side — are worth their weight in gold. They won when they took 10, they lost when they took none. They replaced T20Is’ most prolific fast-bowler in Gul for the most docile one they could find in Anwar.

The folly of that move was highlighted even more by Anwar Ali’s batting. It wasn’t that he was particularly poor when he came out to bat, but that by the time he did so, the match was already well and truly over.

New Zealand, on the other hand, looked for wickets right from the word go. They hunted in packs, like a well drilled machine with 11 perfectly synched parts, and they weren’t satisfied until they had gotten every last one of them.

But perhaps what best summed up the difference between the attitudes were the few steps taken by Kane Williamson in the first T20I.



While a mix-up between Akmal and Maqsood against England in the last series had seen both of them race to the other end in an attempt to save their wicket and condemn their partner to the pavilion, Williamson tried to do the exact opposite.

With both him and Guptill stranded in the middle, the side’s skipper and perhaps the world’s best batsman over the past 12 months tried to run past his opening partner in an attempt to sacrifice his wicket. He was unable to do so, and Guptill had to walk back. Williamson made a career best 70 but couldn’t save his side.

If those few steps, taken in desperation by Williamson to save his partner, hadn’t increased the bond between the two men, then nothing would. In the next match, the two put on a world record stand of 171.

The absolute will to give it their all took on natural and raw talent, assurance and belief took on uncertainty and unpredictability, unity took on selfishness, a team took on eleven men. There was always going to be only one winner.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23^rd,  2016.

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