2018 Asia Cup - What a disaster for Pakistan!

[topspin]

This has always been the story of Pakistan cricket. Their youngsters win them cricket matches. But very, very rarely do those youngsters improvre over time. In fact, they mostly just get worse wih experience.

Because fame gets to their head more often that not.

 

[Markhor]

The thrashing of a weak Zimbabwe team papered over the cracks that were exposed in NZ. The team is structurally imbalanced with too many bits and pieces cricketers.

A historically weak batting team like Pakistan cannot play with four specialist batsmen. With Fakhar struggling on slow UAE tracks, Babar unable to make an impact, Asif Ali looking a cameo player and Sarfraz woefully out of form at the crucial position of 4/5 - we were relying on a 36 year old AR in Shoaib Malik to lead the batting ! That tells you the story.

What was most disconcerting was how the Champions Trophy stars looked devoid of confidence and form. Likes of Shadab and Hasan are still young and I expect them to bounce back, but it seems they began to believe their own hype. Shadab is not good enough to be our frontline spinner. Meanwhile, Fakhar and Amir looked mentally shot. Amir needs to go back to the drawing board and work out his issues in domestic cricket.

Look, I'd rather this happened now than at the World Cup. The series against Australia and NZ takes a greater importance now - this is an opportunity to fix these issues. We need to adjust our tactics and selection for UAE - and stop going one specialist batsman and spinner short.

 

[Realromeo]

I don't think this is a disaster. You know what is a disaster ? Team that went to 3 World Cup finals getting eliminated even prior to Pakistan and India playing a match lol.

 

[HappyWarsFan]

Lmao remember this. Thank God we got rid of Mickey inzi and sarfraz.

 

[andy0204]

Lmao remember this. Thank God we got rid of Mickey inzi and sarfraz.

As if Misbah will tower the rankings in ODIs.

 

[HappyWarsFan]

As if Misbah will tower the rankings in ODIs.

In 2012 and 2014 Asia cup under Misbah we did far better.

 

[Nasty Naz]

Lmao remember this. Thank God we got rid of Mickey inzi and sarfraz.

Ah yes, aka the tournament in which Asif Ali had to play no matter what and Malik/Sarfraz batting at 4 and the middle order completely collapsing whenever top order struggled.

Pakistan ODI record in matches with Asif (not including Zimbabwe/Hong Kong): 2 wins, 8 losses, 2 no results. The two wins came in matches vs Afghanistan and England in which he respectively had 14 & 7 runs. In my opinion, he was the biggest mistake during the Mickey era.

 

[sweep_shot]

This was a strange series.

Hong Kong almost defeated India. BD and Afghanistan knocked out SL. BD knocked out Pakistan.

India won despite resting Kohli and that was impressive.

Team Pakistan was in poor ODI form at that time.

 

[Mesozoic]

This was a strange series.

Hong Kong almost defeated India. BD and Afghanistan knocked out SL. BD knocked out Pakistan.

India won despite resting Kohli and that was impressive.

Team Pakistan was in poor ODI form at that time.

You missed the Ind-Afg tied game.

 

[sweep_shot]

You missed the Ind-Afg tied game.

Yes! Forgot about that one.

To be fair, India rested some players or something (if I remember correctly). Also, that game was a dead rubber.

 

[Mesozoic]

Yes! Forgot about that one.

To be fair, India rested some players or something (if I remember correctly). Also, that game was a dead rubber.

Yeah but still that was a great effort by the Afghans.

 

[anonymous_guy]

Yeah but still that was a great effort by the Afghans.

Afghanistan is a deadly dangerous team on pitches that offer turn. They can beat ANY team when conditions suits them.

 

[TeymurBlake]

Since then we still are not any better really. Babar Azam has settled into the No.3 position. Hafeez & Malik are still be facilitated, Rizwan has come in and has to make a strong impact specially after the dismal performances from Sarfaraz. Sharjeel returning is much needed since his ban which tells you everything. Fakhar has been found out badly and hasn't improved upon. Amir, Riaz, Faheem Ashraf and Junaid Khan have been taken out of the attack and in comes Mohammad Hasnain, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah likely joining Shaheen Shah Afridi in the new pace attack. Shadab Khan is the only spinner really utilised with Imad being inconsistent with the bowl but decent with bat. Asif Ali has seemed to be dispatched and likely to be replaced Khushdil Shah and Chacha Ifti as the hitters.

 

[andy0204]

In 2012 and 2014 Asia cup under Misbah we did far better.

I also remember disastrous 2013 champions trophy and 2015 WC and Sarfaraz did much better in that regard but the bottom line is none of them(except those 2 series in South Africa and aane do series in India by Misbah)have won bilateral series against the top teams.

 

[Mamoon]

The reality check was so brutal that even I felt sorry. I made sure to rub it in but deep down I did feel sorry for our fans.

 

[HappyWarsFan]

The reality check was so brutal that even I felt sorry. I made sure to rub it in but deep down I did feel sorry for our fans.

Lmao, I'm there with you. It was so funny seeing the arrogance in such a mediocre team.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

OP was a little too cocksure about Pakistan being favourites and India having no chance especially without Kohli. Boy did this blow up in some folks' faces :

 

[Hasan123]

Let's be honest you could see the cracks in the team after we lost 5-0 to NZ. This just confirmed it.

 

[Mamoon]

The level of delusion, arrogance and overconfidence among Pakistani fans after the CT and before the 2018 Asia Cup was comical.

It reached a point where they completely ignored the 5-0 thumping in New Zealand and blamed it on poor preparation.

The defeat to Bangladesh was the final nail in the coffin. For years, our fans had brushed aside the 2015 whitewash under Azhar Ali as an anomaly, but then the Asia Cup 2018 happened and we got our answer with interest.

 

[Swashbuckler]

Just a couple of JAMODIs. Will gladly swap those results and the results of 30 other JAMODIs for the 2017 CT final. Our WC group match win in Manchester next year was 100 times more valuable than these 2 matches.