Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand: Pakistan did not learn from mistakes of first T20 match
It was a sad day for Pakistan cricket fans, as the Pakistanis lost yet another T20 match in their tour of New Zealand. Pakistani skipper Shahid Afridi seems to be laying the blame on his bowlers for the defeat, but that does not
explain the debacle sufficiently. The batsmen were reckless, and the fielding was hopeless. It would appear that the Pakistani team needs reminding that the World Cup is just around the corner and unless they get their act together, Pakistan might well have
the distinction of exiting the tournament early.
Pakistan did win the World Twenty20 in 2009 under Younis Khan, but the current team seems to have lost the will to win. They did not seem to have learned anything from their loss in the first T20 match against the Kiwis, and repeated all their past mistakes.
Abdur Razzaq was still put on to bowl the first over of the match when they could have given the new ball to Wahab Riaz. They still selected Umar Gul for his past glowing T20 record, rather than dump him due to his current poor form. They still did not select
Abdur Rehman, who is an all-rounder and this team desperately needs one. They still selected Umar Akmal, who not only caused the run-out of top-scorer Mohammad Hafeez but also made a reckless wicketkeeper. They still kept Younis Khan lower down the order,
giving New Zealand a chance to claw their way into Pakistan’s batting line-up when they had the chance.
On the other hand, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 used their players to the best of their abilities. Had Waqar Younis been the coach of New Zealand side, he would never have sent James Franklin up in the order. He would have stuck to Nathan McCullum
as an opening bowler and Scott Styris would have been placed so badly in the batting order that he would have contemplated retiring from the game. Instead, NZ coach John Wright promoted the in-form James Franklin, who hit 40 runs in a match-winning second-wicket
stand with Martin Guptill. Nathan McCullum took four wickets in an innings with his off-breaks, and Scott Styris scored a 14-ball 34 that helped New Zealand post 185 runs on the board for the loss of seven wickets.
The dismissal of Jesse Ryder had more to do with luck than logic, and the hard-hitting batsman might be at his best when the two teams meet again at Christchurch on December 30. The rest of the Kiwi side did well as a unit, displaying the kind of teamwork they
sorely lacked during their tour of the subcontinent. That very element remains missing from the Pakistani squad, who are playing as if they are paid to play, not paid to win. Akmal continues to throw away what could have been a successful career, and the same
can be said for Gul, the bowler with the highest number of wickets in Twenty20 international cricket.
There are certain things http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 could do before its upcoming Test series in New Zealand. For one thing, Tanvir Ahmed and Abdur Rehman should be given a chance to show what they can do in the third Twenty20 match. Younis Khan
should be made to bat at number three, and Ahmed Shehzad should be pushed further down the order. Asad Shafiq should be asked to open and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482 should come down the order as fortification, while Umar Akmal be dropped for good. Younis Khan can keep
the wickets as well as (or as badly as) Umar Akmal, so at least one extra batsman – the kind who can score runs - will be playing in the side.
Umar Gul should also be rested so either Tanvir Ahmed or some other deserving individual could make it to the squad. Wahab Riaz has shown batting potential in both T20 matches in New Zealand. Maybe he can be used as a secret weapon
for Pakistan in the next match, as a pinch-hitter and a new-ball bowler.
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