Get Instant News Updates
Enable
x
Notification Settings X
Time Settings
Done
Clear Notification X
Do you want to clear all the notifications from your inbox?
Settings X
For Quick Alerts
ALLOW NOTIFICATIONS  
For Daily Alerts
 

ICC World Cup 2019: The unpredictable Pakistan team

ICC World Cup: The media of Pakistan is as ‘unpredictable’ as its cricket team.

pak

Bengaluru, June 4: The media of Pakistan is as 'unpredictable’ as its cricket team.

While it tore into Sarfraz Ahmed’s side after it was decimated at Trent Bridge by the West Indies on May 31, it just didn’t know how to stop the jubilation after Pakistan beat England in their second game by 14 runs at the same venue on June 3.

ICC World Cup Special Page | Full Schedule

While many had started writing off Pakistan after losing just one game, the result against England even made the Pakistani media say that England are always losers against the Men in Green in World Cups.

Maybe, the 1992 final memory is still fresh and considered the ultimate in Pakistan-England games on the highest stage.

Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar was particularly ecstatic for he had predicted on May 22 that his country would win against England because the Three Lions would not be able to withstand the pressure. Statistics though say that Pakistan and England were tied at 4-4 till yesterday’s game as far as clashes in the World Cup are concerned.

Pakistan clicked as a unit in this game; England didn’t play too bad

Pakistan pulled off a win because they clicked as a batting and bowling unit. They would be particularly thankful to the oldies of the team including Mohammad Hafeez (84 off 62 and one wicket); Wahab Riaz (3 for 82); Mohammad Amir (2 for 67) and Shoaib Malik who took the precious wicket of the dangerous Ben Stokes who alone had outclassed South Africa in the last game.

It was against the same England side that Pakistan had lost four high-scoring games recently but they did not have the experienced bowling attack featuring Riaz and Amir who were included in the squad later on replacing the likes of Junaid Khan and Faheem Ashraf.

Although, the team management should not lose sight of the fact that even under pressure, the home team managed to reach 334 and one or two hit here and there could have changed the course of the game.

Any win is good and especially when it comes against a powerful team like England, it is even more morale-boosting. But this win adds more to Pakistan’s senior players’ responsibilities for the rest of the tournament.

Sarfaraz’s men have clashes lined up against Sri Lanka, Australia and India till June 16 and these games will be massively demanding for some of those seniors who performed against England. There is still no reason to draw a conclusion about Pakistan having turned a better side for the team is far too unpredictable.

Story first published: Tuesday, June 4, 2019, 17:02 [IST]
Other articles published on Jun 4, 2019