Mohsin, Basit lament poor planning

No indication of game strategy throughout SA series, say former cricketers.

Pakistan succumbed to a 28-run defeat in the fourth One-Day International (ODI) against South Africa in Abu Dhabi on Friday to give the Proteas an unassailable 3-1 lead with one match remaining. This is the seventh consecutive defeat for Pakistan in a bilateral ODI series against South Africa.

Pakistan’s batting was once again found wanting and on a placid pitch, the hosts failed to overhaul a target of 267 as they folded for 238 runs in the last over of the match.

Former Test opener, chief selector and coach Mohsin Khan attributed the loss to a lack of planning.

“From the start of the series the game plan was missing,” Mohsin told The Express Tribune. “Pakistan didn’t field the right playing eleven — Asad Shafiq and Junaid Khan should have been included in the line-up for the opener in Sharjah.”

Mohsin, who coached Pakistan to six wins in eight Test matches in 2011-12, added that the team needs a proper wicket-keeper in Test and ODI cricket.

“In the longer formats one needs a proper wicket-keeper. I think Sarfaraz Ahmed should have been played in the ODIs with Umar Akmal playing a more prominent role with the bat. Akmal should don the wicket-keeping gloves for Twenty20 only.”

Furthermore, the former coach praised Sohaib Maqsood, labeling him a bright prospect and added that the youngster would need to work hard on his game to make a sustained impact to prove himself in the longer run.



‘Misbah, Akmal, Maqsood responsible for loss’

Meanwhile, former Test batsman Basit Ali blamed the batsmen for Friday’s loss.

“Misbahul Haq, Akmal and Maqsood all got out at the wrong time,” said Basit. “Maqsood threw it away when he had the opposition on the mat. He should have realised that Dale Steyn was brought back in the power play overs to strike and unfortunately he obliged with a rash shot.”

Basit added that he had feared the worst when Pakistan threw away the first match in Sharjah.

“The shocking loss in the first match had an impact on the entire series,” felt the former middle-order batsman, who has represented the country in 19 Tests. He added that the South African stranglehold on Pakistan is not a new story.

“Over the years our batsmen have let us down on innumerable occasions, and whatever we have achieved against South Africa or other leading teams has only been due to our top-class bowling attack.”

Pakistan-SA resume rivalry from Nov 20

Pakistan cricket team’s return series against South Africa will start on November 20, according to ESPNcricinfo. The limited overs series include three One-Day-Internationals (ODI) and two Twenty20 matches.

The series will begin with the first Twenty20 match in Johannesburg on November 20; the second T20 will be played in Cape Town on November 22.

The three match ODI series will follow the Twenty20s, the first match will be staged in Cape Town on November 24, the second match will be held in Port Elizabeth on November 24 while the series will end with the third ODI in Centurion on November 30.

The ODIs will be held in day time while the T20s will be day-night affairs. This will be Pakistan’s second tour to South Africa this year, in February-March earlier this year Pakistan toured South Africa for a three Test, five ODI and two Twenty20 match series.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 10^th, 2013.

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