A finale fit for World Cup

England defeated New Zealand in a nail-biting final at Lord’s. The match was arguably the best-ever World Cup final in history as it kept the fans on the edge of their seats throughout the match. The game full of drama ended in a tie after the two sides had had their 50 overs. Even the super over that followed could not decide the match; and it came down to the number of boundaries scored during the match — where England had the higher number — to determine the winner.

Following their disappointing first-round exit at the 2015 ICC World Cup, England’s then director of cricket Andrew Strauss embarked on a mission to revolutionise their one-day international structure.

Under the captaincy of Eoin Morgan and tutelage of Australian coach Trevor Bayliss, England’s elaborate four-year plan to reform their cricket, which was based on an aggressive style of play, finally bore fruit with their victory in the 2019 World Cup on home soil.

Other teams could, perhaps, take a leaf out of the England’s book and follow a similar approach to bring about an improvement in their game. Pakistan is one such team, which has loads of potential coming through the ranks, but has struggled to live up to expectations in World Cups, with their only win coming in the 1992 event under the leadership of Imran Khan, currently the Prime Minister of the country.

If the Men in Green follow a similar path, like improving their domestic cricket; bringing a more aggressive approach to their game; and selecting players based on merit, they might well take their game to another level and develop the skill and expertise needed to challenge the best in the business.

With the World Cup now over, it is the right time to chalk out a comprehensive plan for the future.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 16^th, 2019.

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