Review - Last 12 months

[Zainub]

Ok, no cricket for us for the next 3 months ... rests until the ‘Poms’ come over in October. Well deserved I would say, considering the fact that the last 12 months or so have been very busy indeed. Time for a review of how we've played

Since Woolmer in July 2004 we've won 2 one-day tournaments and lost 4. In test we have drawn 3 test series and lost 1. Details as under:

Asia Cup One Day Tournament, July: Failed to qualify for final on the back of bad interpretation of competition rules, in the game we played we beat India, finished of the minnows and lost to Sri Lanka.

Aus-Ind-Pakistan Tri Series, Aug: Losing Finalist. Lost to Aus in a close match in the final due to two mad run outs - beat India and lost to Aus in the league stage

Nat West One-Day International vs. Aus, Aug : One-off match, lost, but once again after a close contest

ICC Champions Trophy One-Day Tournament, Sept: Losing Semifinalist. Beat Kenya and India before losing to WI in the semi final on the back of unexplainable decision to bat first after winning the toss in un-friendly batting conditions (that obviously followed a trademark collapse, bowled out for sub 150 score, lost match by 7 wickets)

Sri Lanka-Zimbabwe-Pakistan Tri Nation Home Series, October : Losing finalist. Lost to Sri Lanka in the final after previously being unbeaten in 4 league games where both Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe were beaten twice. Final showcased another trademark collective batting collapse, inflicted by, of all people, Sanath Jayasuriya.

2 match test series vs. Sri Lanka at home, October: Drawn 1-1. Splendid performance from Danish Kaneria in the 2nd test, commendable performance also for Abdul Razzaq (five for in the first innings) , Inzi (big hundred in the 1st innings) and Younis Khan (who made a come back to the side after almost a year in the wilderness). First test saw batting under achieve once again, although Jayasuriya batting with no.11 Fernando in 100+ partnership in the 2nd innings in which Fernando scored no runs didn't help either.

Platimum Jublee Match in Calcutta vs India: Won easily while chasing big score. Maiden 100 for Butt.

3 test match series vs. Aus away, Nov-Jan: Lost 3-0. Batting consistently under achieved, as good starts were thrown away. Collapsed in the 2nd innings in Perth - faired better in more familiar conditions in Melbourne and Sydney. Shoaib Akhtar took a few five fors but failed to win "hearts and mind" by way of his attitude. Kaneria also impressed big time but Abdul Razzaq disappointed with mysterious spinach addiction and hospital stints. Sami's also lacked wickets; other bowlers also didn't do much. Yousuf Youhanna's captaincy lost admirers, his batting too despite the splendid hundred in Melbourne, failed to live to everyone's expectations (perhaps they were too high?). Younis Khan was steady without being spectacular. Imran Farhat becomes history. Yasir Hameed remained an enigma with 2 half centuries in Sydney but once again out caught behind the wicket. Salman Butt was termed 'find of the tour'. In their brief appearances in tests both Malik and Afridi tried to defy the notion that both are one-day players only with some success. Kamran Akmal justified the faith shown in him by keeping immaculately, and batting respectably. Asim Kamal also made an 80 odd.

Aus-WI-Pakistan VB Series away, Jan-Feb: Lost the best of three final 2-0 after having done well to qualify ahead of the West Indies. In the league phase, lost to Aus twice, and best them once in Perth, where Abdul Razzaq was man of the match, lost to WI once (when Lara scored a biggy) and beat them twice. Find of the tournament was new and revitalised consistent Shahid Afridi and a whole hearted bowler in the form of Rana Naved. Kamran Akmal also enhanced his reputation with a century against the WI. Malik did ok at number 3. Inzi was able to find his form after an off test series in which he only played one test where he scored 1 and 0 in Perth. As a whole, batting once again under achieved, and bowling coped better. Also, there was no Shoaib Akhtar (barring in one match).

3 match test series vs. India, away, March: Drawn 1-1. Splendid come back in Bangalore to level the series after having lost in Calcutta, and spirited rear guard in Mohali. Over all performance, very heartening. Big positives of the tour where Younis Khan's matured response to critics after shocking first test, Razzaq's continued growth a test match all rounder and Kamran Akmal's batting establishing him, once and for all, as the number 1 man with the gloves in the country. Inzi celebrated 100th test with massive ton in the 3rd test. Kaneria got a few expensive five-fors, but impressed. Sami, also, improved. Opening problem though remained by and large unresolved despite the fireworks of Afridi, who also impressed with the ball.

6 match one-day series vs. India, away, April: Won 4-2. Splendid result, forced their way back after being 0-2 down, mad schedule, mad heat. Thorough team effort – everyone performed well. Real star was Rana Naved, who was also the Man Of The Series, though, such was the nature of our performances that award could have easily gone to several other players including Afridi and Malik. Afridi also smacked a very fast century to rekindle the old debate if he’s better all rounder then Freddie or not. Malik was able to ball again, and that added balance to the team. His batting was as consistent as ever. Returned home to a hero’s welcome.

3 match one-day series vs. WI, away May: White washed 3-0. Just an immaculate performance basically, we proved far too strong a one-day outfit for an out-of-sorts West Indies side in a really bad mess. No out right stars in this result, once again a thorough team effort. Perhaps because West Indies were so poor, our wins almost went un-noticed, it was nevertheless, a first ever series win against WI on Caribbean soil.

2 match test series vs. WI, away, May-June: Drawn 1-1. Lost the first test after two below par performances in Barbados where we missed Yousuf Youhanna (went back home because of father’s illness), Inzi (serving 1 test suspension by ICC) and Malik (serving one test suspension by PCB). Bazid Khan didn’t make a big score at his debut, but impressed nevertheless. Bowling did alright, but didn’t quite manage to contain Lara and Chanderpaul (who was MoM). Doubts surfaced once again about Shabbir Ahmed’s bowling action. 2nd test saw stronger Pakistan team fortified by Inzi and Malik’s return win by well over one hundred runs after 4 days of intense test cricket. 8 wickets for Shabbir in the match…Kaneria also finally got the better of Lara, and picked up five on his way to his 11th test wicket haul. Younis Khan’s good run continued with another hundred, as did Inzi’s who made his 22nd test ton. Abdul Razzaq bowled splendidly without taking too many wickets. Opening problem remained unresolved despite Malik’s fifty in the 2nd innings. Yasir Hameed looked inept and unable to learn from his mistakes. Kamran Akmal had a wonderful series behind the gloves, and a not-so-bad one with the bad. Over all performance, satisfactory.

Not bad over all, plenty of room for improvement, but given this is just the start I would say these results are pretty acceptable. Four most improved players would be Malik, Afridi, Rana and Younis Khan. Few bad habits though have remained constant over this period in my opinion. Sudden batting collapses, and continued failure of openers. Any remedies please?

[Milo]

Typical year for Pakistan. Inconsistent as ever, reliance on 3/4 players. The opening batting partnership continues to trouble.

Two positives. The wicket keeper looks very good and Shahid Alfridi appears to know his role and can start to seiously contribute with both bat and ball.

[Zainub]

Opening is a long standing problem. It's not like we don't have the talent, sometimes I think the only problem might be that we've always had players with too much talent. May be some one like Struass, Richardson, Kirsten or Langer with limited talent and more application is the answer to our problems ...

[Teatime FatCat]

I have to say, as erratic as they can be, Pak's attack doesn't look as threatening without Sami or Akhtar.

[Zainub]

It's become a cliche now tea time, FM 107 commentators can't bother say anything else when ever there is a partnership of anything more then 30 runs "...ooohhh...see what the lack of fire power does...if Shoaib or Sami had been playing ...."

Fact is, both are not match fit, so we can't help it.

[shak]

It has been a good year we have found some good cricketers like Butt and Akmal and we have found the true afridi.