Pakistan: Cricket World Cup

Pakistan didn`t win the 1992 world cup because of just two players. We won because we blended experience (Imran, Javed) with raw talent (Inzy, Wasim, Aqib, Mushy, Ramiz, Sohail). In 2003, Pakistan had too many seniors (Saeed, Inzy, Wasim, Waqar, Rashid) but few foot soldiers. There were 4 captains (or ex-captains) in this team looking over each other`s shoulders. And then there was internal politics and the shadow of match fixing.

In 2007, Pakistan has the right blend of experience and raw talent. Inzy commands respect and handles pressure exceptionally. Yousaf and Younis are excellent lieutenants. Asif, Umar Gul, Razzaq, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal and (a fit) Shoaib Akhtar can provide enormous firepower.

A laid-back captain & a superbly talented team can still win the World Cup. But even an Imran Khan can`t lead a team to victory, when 3 of its star players are injured. The fate of Pakistan`s 2007 campaign hangs on the physical fitness of Shoaib Akhtar, Asif and Umar Gul.

#13 by goonga

Besides this its not YOU who could make Pak win.

Yaar Goonga, besides your speech, have you even lost the use of your brains? Where did I wish Pakistan ill?

I`m as much a fan of Paki team as I am of India`s. In fact, I wish one of the two to be the champions.

#16 by okhla99

You can root for India but there is no need to forecast gloom for Pakistan. Our team is quite strong and, on its day, can easily demolish any other team.

Yaar Okhla, why do you Pakis go into the defensive mode almost as a reflex? Haven`t you read my earlier posts on this board? Let me repeat it again: I`ll be as glad if Pakistan wins the WC as I would be if India does.

PS: I saw Afridi`s innings where he scored 77 off 35 balls against South Africa and boy did it warm my cockles!

Re: # 18
but still I can laugh :D
Admit it man!

Harish,

My hobby is bird watching (feathered kind). Why do your posts remind me of the famous indian bird ``CUTIA CUTIA`` ?? Google for photo of the bird and check if there is any resemblance.

Did someone see the team performance today, and promotion of Kamran Akmal in the batting.

Re: # 23
Pak team did not want to play new ball, they always want to see it off.
Akmal was promoted to see of new ball for great middle order.
today Pak won the toss and tried to get some confidence in batting otherwise they would bowl first.
Anyways SA is a real competitor so they are up on their soul and WI tracks may behave differently for different teams.

Pakistan`s preparations for the World Cup are in shambles due to a variety of reasons.
One reason being this obsession with just preparing for or winning the World Cup. This is akin to asking Tiger Woods or Roger Federer to just win the Master`s or Wimbledon and forget about the rest of the tour! What is needed is a coherent strategy for the team to be consistently world class. I wrote a review on the chronic issues of unprofessionalism in the Pakistan team which is posted online here:

http://pakistaniat.com/2007/02/14/pakistan-cricket-team-world-cup-2007-professionalism-chances-west-indies/#more-571

#23 by ijaz_gul

Did someone see the team performance today, and promotion of Kamran Akmal in the batting.

Indeed, the Paki cricket team is an enigma. Just the other day, Afridi clobbered the life out of the SA bowlers and now this!

A comedy TV program called 4 man show televised by the channel Aaj floated a news item about Rana Naveed ul Hasan in which the news caster toled the audience that Rana Naveed has been awarded with a star of Honour and that star will be stamped on his head with nails....lols

harish,
We as simple audience and supporters tend to see everything in Black and White. There are seven basic colours to a rainbow and blending makes scores more. Cricket in Pakistan is no more a gentleman`s game. It all about power, deciet, upmanship, nepotism, greed and most money. Thats the name of the game but its a reality. The squad of 15 as announced will change to a very different combination. I have a feeling that both Shoaib and Asif will become medically unfit and be replaced. If Asif had a very bad elbow, then why did he play the fifth ODI. This will be taken as an excuse for an aggravated injury.
Just wait for the TAMASHA.
I pray I am wrong.

#16 by okhla99

India should easily reach the semifinals because WI pitches will suit their batting. In fact, I expect India to win all their group games and Super Eights matches. Australia and South Africa are also likely to cruise into the semis. They`ll probably end up No.2 or No.3 in the points tally.

There is going to be a 3-way contest for the 4th semifinalist. Pakistan should snag this spot by beating West Indies and England in the group/Super Eight stage. (NZ and SL don`t look good at all).

Likely semifinals: India v Pakistan, Australia v South Africa

I used to think Inzamam was the only reasonable choice for captaincy, but after seeing the way he used Mohammed Aasif during the South Africa series (bowling him for 10 overs straight) and his removal of Waqar as bowling coach (the guy who was instrumental in Umer Guls recent form) I`m not sure he`s the right guy anymore and I doubt we`ll win it this time.

Inzi is more interested in converting Sachin to Suleman than in winning the world cup. I agree with the author on some points but none of the opening batsmen are talented and besides Asif and Shoaib, no fast bowler is even good enough to play English County Cricket. Can anyone tell me why Wasim Bari was chosen again to be the selector when he failed miserable in the last world cup. How come all these so-called pundits and reporters never screamed about him being back. He destroyed Pakistan`s team and now ``Inzimam the Holiest`` is doing the same thing.
For Inzi it is more important that people call kaneria - Danish (a muslim name) when his real name is Danesh (he is a hindu - people).
I am glad women cannot grow beards, otherwise our team would consist of Inzimam, Yusuf, and 9 ladies (they might still be better than ``happy feet`` Yunis look-at-me-I-cannot-play-fast-bowling-outside-the-off-stump Khan and our please-let-me-chase-every-bowl-outside-the-off-stumps-even-if-it-is-wide openers).

hasanmahmood #31: ``For Inzi it is more important that people call kaneria - Danish (a muslim name) when his real name is Danesh (he is a hindu - people).``

...his name is danish and not danesh......i read his interview where he stated, his name was given to him by a friend of his father`s, who was a muslim........and he decided to keep it.......