When Sarfraz was being handed over the Champions Trophy on the Oval on June 18, each Pakistani was ecstatic. However passionate cricket followers had this numb realization deep of their hearts that with each nice fortune comes a value, which manifests solely after revels of victory have been petered out. The worth for Pakistan of reclaiming the thrown of ODI dominance was, many knew, going to be an imminent take a look at cricket disaster, which had been on the horizon ever since take a look at veterans Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan hanged their boots.
The lengthy forecasted hurricane has lastly hit Pakistan cricket’s shores. And its first waves have damaged upon the very cliff atop which Pakistan take a look at cricket stood insurmountable: the UAE. By the hands of Sri Lanka, Pakistan has simply been whitewashed 2-0 within the grounds of United Arab Emirates, the place it remained impregnable for a protracted seven years. Earlier than this sequence loss, Pakistan oversaw 9 take a look at sequence of their supposed residence turf beneath Misbah’s captaincy, successful 5 and drawing 4. The Lankan tigers had a golden alternative to dismantle this impeccable document after Misbah’s departure. They did it, reasonably ruthlessly, leaving Sarfraz eleven stranded on the erstwhile hospitable wilderness of the Gulf state.
In case you assume the storm is over, assume once more. Ask Sri Lankans. They’ve been coping with this torment since 2014, when their larger-than-life figures Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene ceased to be Sri Lankan workforce members. From then on, Sri Lanka needed to tread a protracted, patchy and weary path. Take a look at Lanka’s take a look at document since 2015.
At residence
Misplaced 1-2 to Pakistan
Misplaced 1-2 to India
Gained 2-0 in opposition to West Indies
Gained 3-0 in opposition to Australia
Away
Misplaced 0-2 in opposition to New Zealand
Misplaced 0-2 in opposition to England
Gained 2-0 in opposition to Zimbabwe
Misplaced 0-3 in opposition to South Africa
Sangakkara and Jayawardene have been to Sri Lanka what Misbah and Younis have been to Pakistan: leaders, spine of batting line-up and inspirations for the children. Thus, their loss meant the lack of all three aforementioned elements, thought of pillars upon which the edifice of a cricket workforce is usually constructed.
Now, does it imply Pakistan too must endure such depressing run of their take a look at kind for the following three to 4 years? Extrapolating from Sri Lanka’s expertise, one can definitely say “sure, Pakistan is certainly doomed”. However what if we give optimism a go and begin on the lookout for elements that differentiate Pakistan’s case with that of Sri Lanka. To begin with, Pakistan have at their disposal one other pair of middle-order stalwarts who can definitely fill the ‘Mis|You’ vacuum: Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq. Horrendous as the most recent sequence was for Pakistan, Azhar grew to become the fourth quickest Pakistani to attain 5000 runs milestone; Asad Shafiq’s flawless 112-runs innings within the closing innings was a testomony to the truth that he’s proper up there within the class of elite batters.
Second issue on which we will depend on, and Sri Lankans couldn’t, is the issue of Sarfraz’s captaincy. The Lankans have been battling selecting up a constant and a dependable captain. For certain, Chandimal changing Matthews has to some extent extenuated the Lankan woes. Nonetheless, Dinesh’s consistency stays to be assessed. Sarfraz, then again, has been a battle-hardened captain, first with the U-19 after which with the nationwide T20 and ODI groups. It’s only a matter of time till he proves his mettle as a skipper within the all-excruciating format of the sport that’s take a look at cricket. We vouched for Sarfraz to make Pakistan nice once more in ODI cricket, and we will definitely financial institution on his credentials for recuperation of Pakistan’s take a look at cricket fortunes. Lest our unstable media wrenches the incipient take a look at skipper, allow us to remind him that we’ll brook all his maverick ways and selections.
Third, Pakistan is blessed with a perennial provide of high quality quick bowlers, an space the place Sri Lanka have at all times struggled. However common quick bowling shows from the likes of Amir, Hassan Ali and Muhammad Abbas recently, bowling Sri Lanka out for simply 96 within the second innings of second take a look at was an unequivocal reminder to the cricketing world that by no means rule out Pakistan from a recreation of cricket till they’ve a top quality fast of their ranks. And, happily sufficient, Pakistan at all times preserve ‘these’ speed-stars of their bowling line-up.
“Pak Group might want to pull up its socks to any extent further after we are saying honest effectively to probably the greatest captains now we have ever had”, tweeted a gracious but involved Wasim Akram the day Misbah introduced his retirement. Certainly, the earlier the Sarfraz eleven type out their shortcomings the higher. Having already being slipped to quantity seven within the ICC take a look at rating, Pakistan workforce administration should choose the precise gamers, ponder a greater plan for batsmen’s placement and cast off common openers. We are able to solely hope for these points to be fastened earlier than Pakistan tackle England of their subsequent take a look at sequence in Might, 2018. Till then, finest needs for the inexperienced shirts of their upcoming ODI endeavours.
