Success in Zimbabwe ODIs

Misbahul Haq and his men must have heaved a huge sigh of relief after the 2-1 One-Day International (ODI) series win against Zimbabwe. Having lost the first ODI by an embarrassing margin of seven wickets — which was Pakistan’s first defeat at the hands of Zimbabwe in an international match in 15 years — there was huge pressure on the visitors to hit back hard and win the remaining two matches convincingly. This is exactly what happened, as Pakistan won the next two ODIs by 90 and 108 runs, respectively. However, the defeat suffered in the first ODI will not be forgotten easily. It showcased the team’s tendency to combust under pressure, as well as its complacency facing the lowly ranked Zimbabweans. Even in the second and third ODIs, despite the convincing margins of victories, Pakistan’s weaknesses were still quite apparent. The tendency of the batsmen to waste decent starts, the over-reliance on the spinners and the thin bench strength are all aspects that need to be worked upon. The bright spots were the excellent form of captain Misbahul Haq, who has been the mainstay of the batting order for a long time now, as well as that of vice-captain Mohammad Hafeez, whose sublime batting and useful bowling saw him return to the top of the ODI all-rounders ranking.

With the Test series kicking off in Harare on September 4, it is hoped that the kind of mishap that occurred in the first ODI is not repeated in the five-day format. There is a need to give opportunities to youngsters. Here, the team management and the selectors will have to play their role more effectively. Too often we see players, who have been tested time and again only to disappoint each time, making frequent comebacks to the national side, while talented youngsters have been sidelined after being given only a few opportunities. This is something that needs to change if Pakistan want to look to a future beyond the likes of Misbah and Shahid Afridi, who are in the twilight of their careers.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 3^rd, 2013.

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