Once again, it is the same old story for Pakistan as an abysmal fielding display along with mindless batting combined to hand England, a six-wicket victory in the opening fixture of the super eights stage of the ICC T20 World Championship.
The venue was the hard and bouncy wicket of Bridgetown, Barbados. England put the reigning champions into bat after calling correctly at the spin of the coin.
The wicket seemed to have eased out in comparison to the one that was in use for the matches held a day before this match. The men in green got off to a decent start through Kamran Akmal and Salman Butt. After the demise of Kamran, Salman Butt and Mohammad Hafeez added 40 valuable runs in an enterprising second wicket partnership. The left-handed Butt, who was playing perhaps the most fluent innings of his T20 career, drove a full-blooded drive in the hands of the English captain. He made 34 runs off 26 balls.
His departure brought about a mini collapse and within minutes, Hafeez and Shahid Afridi followed him to the dugout. Captain Shahid Afridi’s dismissal was perhaps one of the most mindless shorts even from Afridi's standards! The all-rounder pushed the first ball he faced into the short cover region, and ran off for an impossible run. Non-striker Umer Akmal duly sent him back halfway down the pitch, and Afridi failed to make his ground by a long distance.
Misbah Ul Haq was extremely scratchy in his stay. His misery ended when the ball sneaked through his defenses when he attempted a reverse sweep for the millionth time against Michael Yardy.
Umar Akmal was once again the brightest star in Pakistan’s effort with the bat. The youngster looks like the most seasoned batsman in the Pakistani line-up. He was dismissed courtesy a breathtaking catch by Kevin Pietersen for 30 runs.
Abdul Razzaq also fell after striking a mighty six while Fawad Alam was out for just one run against his name. The last over brought some joy for Pakistani viewers, as Saeed Ajmal succeeded in edging a couple of boundaries, including a top edged six.
Pakistan set what could at best be described as a fighting total of 147 runs. Broad, Sidebottom and Yardy claimed two wickets each for the English side.
England’s reply got off to a shaky start, yet they somehow succeeded in building the opening partnership to 42 runs without loss.
Saeed Ajmal, the Pakistani off-spinner dropped Lumb twice, and Kieswetter once at the mid-off and mid-on positions inside the first five overs, in what would go down as one of the worst display of catching at the international level.
The Faisalabad spinner took the phrase, 'butter fingers' to a different level altogether, dropping two sitters and a half chance. The bewildered Shahid Afridi wondered what had struck him!
Ajmal’s generosity was gleefully accepted by the English batsmen as the openers added 44 for the first wicket, before Ajmal removed Lumb with his probing off-spin.
Kieswetter was snapped up by Abdul Razzaq courtesy of a brilliant catch by Umar Akmal. Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood then eased into the task of hunting down a manageable run rate on a relatively placid wicket.
The two seasoned campaigners added 60 runs in a match winning partnership. During England's run chase, Abdul Razzaq and Fawad Alam joined Saeed Ajmal’s catch dropping club by putting down a catch each to help England tighten their grip on the proceedings.
Despite suffering a foot injury during his innings, Kevin Pietersen played a magnificent innings of 73 runs not out. Pieterson's knock came off 52 balls that included eight fours and two sixes.
The chase was duly completed in the final over of the innings, and KP was named man of the match for his special effort.
The men in green on the other hand are in serious trouble. They will have to raise their performance to a new level altogether if they are to repeat their World Cup winning heroics from last year in England.
Pakistan would have to win all of their matches form here on in, if they are to defend the title they won in spectacular fashion in England last year.
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