Pakistan bounce back

Pakistan roared back into contention for the ICC World Cup 2015, outclassing South Africa by 29 runs in their fifth game of the mega event. It was almost as if the rain gods waited till the fall of the final wicket, which marked the team’s third straight win, before it started to pour in Auckland amid wild celebrations in the Pakistani camp. Ironically, it was Sarfraz Ahmed — made to sit out for the first four games — who was named player of the match after scoring 49 and taking six catches, making for a World Cup record behind the stumps. It was not just the fact that Pakistan withstood the challenge posed by South Africa, but the manner in which they registered the victory that made the match a special one.

An unfamiliar start saw Pakistan putting on some runs for the opening wicket but a familiar collapse towards the end of the innings ended the team’s charge towards a competitive total. Misbahul Haq continued his consistent run with the captain registering his fourth half-century of the tournament. The lack of notable contributions from the other batsmen, however, meant that the onus fell on the bowlers and not for the first time. And they obliged. They were able to bowl out a powerful South African side and despite an onslaught by AB de Villiers, the team kept its cool to finish off the match. Mohammad Irfan, Wahab Riaz and Rahat Ali shared nine wickets among themselves and although they were expensive, their firepower was enough to ensure victory. This performance personifies the very nature of the Pakistani team, which can demolish any side on a given day. It is a pity, however, that such days, of late, have been few. The players’ confident body language augurs well for Pakistan, who would now be confident of reaching the quarter-final stage. The match against Ireland should not be taken lightly, given Ireland’s recent run of form. The inconsistent show with the bat, an ineffective spin arsenal within the playing-eleven and at times defensive tactics could prove to be a hurdle. On Saturday, however, Pakistan proved why they can never be ruled out of contention.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 8^th, 2015.

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