Being a Pakistani cricket fan must be a slightly disorienting experience. It’s akin to falling in love with a person who suffers from multiple-personality disorder. You can never tell which of the personalities will turn up.
Pakistan in this World Cup have collapsed to 1 for 4 against West Indies, a team Ireland comprehensively beat. They put in a middling performance against Zimbabwe and were never in the game in their opener against India.
Fighting back unexpectedly
And then, just when it seemed that things were getting tricky, Pakistan stood up. The bowling romped back into form against South Africa; then, in a do-or-die encounter against Ireland, they put in a clinical performance to send the Irish back home. It was a performance distinctly un-Pakistani; it was methodical and clinical with the kind of precision a surgeon would be proud of. Being mercurial may delight a neutral but the Pakistani fan will definitely take more days of such clinical precision over a team which performs only when it’s in the mood.
It’s come at a good time though. Pakistan will need to stretch every bit of their sinew to realistically think about defeating Australia who loom large and impenetrable in front of them. What will worry Pakistan is that Australia probably still haven’t hit all their notes but have still won comfortably.
Australia is yet to peak
The game against New Zealand aside where one ball might have turned things around, Australia have been an epitome of calm, ruthless demolition. With Watson slotting in at No. 6 and getting runs, there’s no one in the top order that hasn’t got runs. If Pakistan do manage to account for Warner and Watson cheaply, they have Maxwell to contend with, who looks like he might break a batting record every time he steps out.
And that’s not even Australia’s strength. Step up Mitchell Starc, the man who has single-handedly put bowlers like Mitchell Johnson and Dale Steyn to the shade in this World Cup. With 16 wickets, Starc is fast threatening to run away with the trophy for Australia. No team has had an answer to his toe-crushing yorkers yet; harping on Pakistan’s inexperienced batting lineup to find one would be a little too far-fetched.
Learning from the past
History, however, can provide plenty of inspiration for Pakistan. The memory of 1999 is bittersweet: Wasim Akram yorked Pakistan to a famous 10 run win in their group stage encounter with Australia. Unfortunately, Australia extracted crushing revenge in the final. Australia embarked on a awe-dropping 34 match winning streak in World Cups after their loss against Pakistan at the group stage; that run was finally ended in 2011 by, guess who, Pakistan.
One thing is for certain though: Pakistan give Australia a good run for their money when they meet them at ICC events. In the 2003 World Cup, Pakistan had Australia struggling at 86 for 4 before Symonds played one of the best innings of his career. In the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy, Australia were cruising at 146 for 2, well on their way to the semis, chasing a modest Pakistani total of 205. Pakistan however struck back, effecting a calamitous collapse of 6/47, before Australia finally scampered home by 2 wickets.
At the end, though, it’s all about which Pakistani team turns up. If the batting can withstand the Australian pace attack’s ferocity and post a half-decent total, they have the bowling strength to challenge Australia. But for that, this young Pakistani batting lineup will have to play out of their skins.
Australia will start favourites. But Misbah won’t mind that. It frees up Pakistan to play like “cornered tigers”. And as Australia will no doubt know, a fearless Pakistan is a dangerous Pakistan.
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Pakistan in this World Cup have collapsed to 1 for 4 against West Indies, a team Ireland comprehensively beat. They put in a middling performance against Zimbabwe and were never in the game in their opener against India.
Fighting back unexpectedly
And then, just when it seemed that things were getting tricky, Pakistan stood up. The bowling romped back into form against South Africa; then, in a do-or-die encounter against Ireland, they put in a clinical performance to send the Irish back home. It was a performance distinctly un-Pakistani; it was methodical and clinical with the kind of precision a surgeon would be proud of. Being mercurial may delight a neutral but the Pakistani fan will definitely take more days of such clinical precision over a team which performs only when it’s in the mood.
It’s come at a good time though. Pakistan will need to stretch every bit of their sinew to realistically think about defeating Australia who loom large and impenetrable in front of them. What will worry Pakistan is that Australia probably still haven’t hit all their notes but have still won comfortably.
Australia is yet to peak
The game against New Zealand aside where one ball might have turned things around, Australia have been an epitome of calm, ruthless demolition. With Watson slotting in at No. 6 and getting runs, there’s no one in the top order that hasn’t got runs. If Pakistan do manage to account for Warner and Watson cheaply, they have Maxwell to contend with, who looks like he might break a batting record every time he steps out.
And that’s not even Australia’s strength. Step up Mitchell Starc, the man who has single-handedly put bowlers like Mitchell Johnson and Dale Steyn to the shade in this World Cup. With 16 wickets, Starc is fast threatening to run away with the trophy for Australia. No team has had an answer to his toe-crushing yorkers yet; harping on Pakistan’s inexperienced batting lineup to find one would be a little too far-fetched.
Learning from the past
History, however, can provide plenty of inspiration for Pakistan. The memory of 1999 is bittersweet: Wasim Akram yorked Pakistan to a famous 10 run win in their group stage encounter with Australia. Unfortunately, Australia extracted crushing revenge in the final. Australia embarked on a awe-dropping 34 match winning streak in World Cups after their loss against Pakistan at the group stage; that run was finally ended in 2011 by, guess who, Pakistan.
One thing is for certain though: Pakistan give Australia a good run for their money when they meet them at ICC events. In the 2003 World Cup, Pakistan had Australia struggling at 86 for 4 before Symonds played one of the best innings of his career. In the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy, Australia were cruising at 146 for 2, well on their way to the semis, chasing a modest Pakistani total of 205. Pakistan however struck back, effecting a calamitous collapse of 6/47, before Australia finally scampered home by 2 wickets.
At the end, though, it’s all about which Pakistani team turns up. If the batting can withstand the Australian pace attack’s ferocity and post a half-decent total, they have the bowling strength to challenge Australia. But for that, this young Pakistani batting lineup will have to play out of their skins.
Australia will start favourites. But Misbah won’t mind that. It frees up Pakistan to play like “cornered tigers”. And as Australia will no doubt know, a fearless Pakistan is a dangerous Pakistan.
