Cricket: Don’t get fooled by the whitewash say pundits

Former players want a long-term strategy devised despite tour sweep.

As the team celebrated its tour whitewash of Zimbabwe, former players advised the management to devise a long-term strategy ahead of the series against Sri Lanka in the UAE which starts in October.

Pakistan clinched the one-off Test and the three-match One-Day International (ODI) series before winning the two Twenty20s against the minnows, an achievement that drew widespread appreciation. However, former fast-bowler Jalaluddin said that it was a contest between two ‘mismatched teams’.

“It’s a good achievement,” Jalal told The Express Tribune. “However, it must be remembered that Zimbabwe cannot be the benchmark for judging Pakistan’s performance. We should appreciate the results and our target has been accomplished. But there is a tougher series coming up.”

The former fast-bowler, who was the first player to claim an ODI hat-trick, said that there were a few positives from the tour but a long-term strategy needed to be worked out. He was also sceptical of all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez’s performance, who bagged four man-of-the-match awards in six matches on the tour, and said that a tour of Zimbabwe cannot asses the real quality of a player.

“Aizaz Cheema was definitely among the positives. He performed in the absence of the other fast-bowlers and that was good to see. But the team management needs to work out a long-term plan for Pakistan cricket.

“Hafeez did remarkably well on the tour but Zimbabwe are easy opponents. He needs to do better against tougher teams to show his true qualities.”

‘The strategy paid off’

Iqbal Qasim, a former chief selector, said that Pakistan’s strategy to bolster their batting line-up to compensate for an inexperienced bowling attack worked well.

Prior to the tour, the team selectors were criticised after fast-bowling duo of Umar Gul and Wahab Riaz was overlooked while all-rounder Abdul Razzaq was also excluded.

“They went with a strong batting line-up so that their inexperienced bowlers weren’t under pressure,” said Qasim. “The strategy worked and it showed in the results. The opener and the middle-order made sure that Pakistan got into a winning position.”

Apart from Hafeez, former captain Younus Khan, Imran Farhat, skipper Misbahul Haq, Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq scored handy runs with the bowlers responding in kind. Cheema finished with eight wickets in three ODIs and also claimed eight in his debut Test appearance. Off-spinners Saeed Ajmal, Hafeez and pacemen Sohail Tanvir and Sohail Khan were also among the wickets.

Qasim said that while Cheema’s age may not be on his side, the 32-year-old has proven to be a good replacement bowler.

“He knows that if he doesn’t do well, he will be dropped and it’s difficult to make a comeback at that age. His performance was good and he can be a good replacement bowler when Gul or Riaz needs rest,” added the former spinner.

Mohammad Hafeez

With 467 runs and 13 wickets on the tour, Hafeez remained Pakistan’s find in Zimbabwe. Hafeez carried on his fine form of late, developing into an opening all-rounder that the team can actually rely on.



Aizaz Cheema

Eight wickets in his maiden Test and eight more in the One-Day International series showed that Cheema, if he remains fit for long enough, can be a useful member of the squad as backup for returning members, despite the age.



Adnan Akmal

Unable to impress with the bat, Adnan remained mostly clean behind the stumps, making it likely that he will be retained as wicket-keeper. His place in the T20 squad remains uncertain after he missed the final two matches.

Umar Akmal

The opportunities were limited but there is something about Umar that says his performance is deteriorating. The flare, the free-flowing strokeplay and the aggression has been curbed and the average has decreased.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 20^th,  2011.