Rare chance for Pakistan to salvage some pride - Part 2 - Opinion
Continued from Part 1..
Even in that game, Australia witnessed a batting collapse, and six of their wickets fell, with the ball turning prodigiously. Add to that the hostile over-head conditions which took their toll on the team - their progression towards beating Pakistan has
not been smooth. It is almost as if http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Matthew-Wade-c1933 at the top of the order could be contrasted with the
astute batsmanship of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Saeed-Ajmal-c87859 and his ability to make the ball turn and zip on placid wickets.
The fielding department is the only thing to ride home about for the Australians on this tour, where their ability to pouch catches and fling themselves in the air has made them a formidable force. However, Pakistan’s notoriety in the field for dropping
dollies is pretty much covered up with a bowling attack of sheer ferocity that they have at their disposal. Pakistan’s batting, if it does click, can also prove to be hassle for Australia, as they continue to squander in oblivion, over the prospect of beating
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/United-Arab-Emirates-c3033.
Another factor that goes in Pakistan’s favor is the inconsistency that Australia has shown. Their fragile top order, a complete lack of ability to pile up huge totals and players with relatively less experience in the ODI circuit; have made them beatable
in ODI format of the game. Players like http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482, who has played as many as 348 games for his country, and
continues to cherish the big stage.
The captains of both teams are also pitted up against each other in a contrasting fashion. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MJ-Clarke-c1978 is bearing the scars of a faltering ODI campaign, whereas Misbah ul Haq has a plethora of reasons to believe that his side will be able to beat Australia
comprehensively. The psychological advantage clearly rests with Pakistan.
Australia’s inability to acclimatize to the heat also stands in contrast to Pakistan’s ruthlessness in a climate that they have gotten so used to playing in. The final game at Sharjah would thus be a test of nerve, steel and resilience as both sides would
be aiming to get a piece of silverware in the wake of the all important http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625 World T20 of 2012, which will be played in Sri Lanka in September.
Clarke’s men can however, draw a lot of heart over one aspect of their game that has not changed. Despite them going through a rebuilding process, the Aussies have always had a knack of winning crunch games from nowhere, unlike a team such as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757,
for example. The CB series finals of 2012 were a prime example where Australia’s inconsistent performances in the group stages made way for a thrilling win in the finals against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758. This setting could prove to be no different as the grand finale of
their tough tour of the Emirates would test them to the very core. If Australia pulls this off, then it would silence their critics who castigate them for their lack of intensity. Pulling it off against the Bedouins of the Arabian Desert however, would be
a formidable challenge.
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