Pakistan 2003 World Cup Squad - Biggest underachievers?

[Bullet Drive]

Was just watching highlights from Pakistan vs England in 2003. What amazes me was the team we had at that time

Saeed Anwar
Shahid Afridi
Inzimam ul Haq
Mohammed Yousuf
Younis Khan
Abdul Razzaq
Rashid Latif
Wasim Akram
Saqlain Mushtaq
Waqar Younis
Shoaib Akhtar

What was the reason behind the failure at this point? All 11 players were top players, bar probably Rashid Latif. The rest, were very good.

I understand the likes of Waqar, Saeed and Wasim were at the end of their career, but they were still dangerous.

 

[DRsohail]

over the hill players.

 

[topspin]

over the hill players.

Still miles ahead of the 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019 Pakistan WC sides.

 

[KingT]

Barring Rashid Latif? Lol
You should have said Shahid Afridi. Latif was a very good cricketer

 

[Zaz]

Was just watching highlights from Pakistan vs England in 2003. What amazes me was the team we had at that time

Saeed Anwar
Shahid Afridi
Inzimam ul Haq
Mohammed Yousuf
Younis Khan
Abdul Razzaq
Rashid Latif
Wasim Akram
Saqlain Mushtaq
Waqar Younis
Shoaib Akhtar

What was the reason behind the failure at this point? All 11 players were top players, bar probably Rashid Latif. The rest, were very good.

I understand the likes of Waqar, Saeed and Wasim were at the end of their career, but they were still dangerous.

Like most will say most of the players were past it or underachieved big time The squad was poor with hardly any fresh faces since 1999 WC

The likes of anwar waqar and wasim were finished
Younis was never a good odi player, inzy was woefully out of form Razzaqs and Saqis career was on the way down and Akhter underachieved big time

On paper the squad looked good but deep down it was highly flawed and poorly selected

 

[silentkiller187]

Most these players were more concerned with girls, alcohol and money at that stage of their careers unfortunately cricket became second nature.

 

[Savak]

Squabling. Team Environment was very poor. Wasim and Waqar not getting along and were using Inzamam to communicate with each other. Team Split in Wasim Camp and Waqar Camp. Can't win a WC like this

 

[Savak]

Wasim and Waqar age and decline told in their second spell onwards. Waqar would never have been selected if he wasn't captain. Saqlain had been a waste of a spot for a while.

Anwar was over the hill. The team looked only good on paper.

 

[Bullet Drive]

Wasim and Waqar age and decline told in their second spell onwards. Waqar would never have been selected if he wasn't captain. Saqlain had been a waste of a spot for a while.

Anwar was over the hill. The team looked only good on paper.

I guess its the kind of team which would look good 15 or so years later.

1999 probably the best.

 

[ahmedzee]

The only reason Pakistan didn't win was garbage captaincy from Waqar.

Waqar should never have captained Pakistan. Him as captain was the worst thing to happen to Pakistan. The players were still good.

Waqar as coach now is very similar too. After 5 terms he still can't do much. Waqar as a leader is purely a failure.

 

[Waleed93]

Barring Rashid Latif? Lol
You should have said Shahid Afridi. Latif was a very good cricketer

Afridi is bashed to the core on PP. But I will take him in the blink of an eye instead of fake all rounders we have at the moment in the form of Shadab and Faheem.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

They had been poor for nearly a year. Afrer the high of beating Australia in Australia they were thrashed in 4 out of 5 series after that. Waqar could not sustain pace , Wasim looked superb in one match only to fall apart in the next one. Akhtar was moody and looked interested only in breaking the 100 mph barrier and Saqlain was in decline. The batting, apart from maybe Yousuf, was terrible at that point as well. An ageing team which had no motivation going into the World Cup. Inevitable thrashing really.

 

[Ab Fan]

Was just watching highlights from Pakistan vs England in 2003. What amazes me was the team we had at that time

Saeed Anwar
Shahid Afridi
Inzimam ul Haq
Mohammed Yousuf
Younis Khan
Abdul Razzaq
Rashid Latif
Wasim Akram
Saqlain Mushtaq
Waqar Younis
Shoaib Akhtar

What was the reason behind the failure at this point? All 11 players were top players, bar probably Rashid Latif. The rest, were very good.

I understand the likes of Waqar, Saeed and Wasim were at the end of their career, but they were still dangerous.

This lineup is so close to Pakistan all time XI. Imran gets in place of Razzaq and probably Miandad in place of Younis/Yousuf as well.

Anwar
Afridi
Miandad
Inzamam
Yousuf( Younis in tests)
Imran
Latif
Akram
Saqlain
Waqar
Akhtar

 

[AFM]

I watched that WC live and even considering some of the players were old, the team still underperformed. Afridi, Razzaq, Inzi and Shoaib were at peak age and had no noticeable performances. The old Wasim still managed a 5-fer (albeit against a minnow), Anwar had the 100 against India, Waqar still managed to take some crucial wickets here and there. Almost had a hat trick against India.

 

[Birdman]

I think 1999 team was a biggest let down. Pakistan had all these star players and were playing in England where Pakistan have always done good.

 

[hitthestump]

In my opinion this was the biggest disappointment in World Cups for Pakistan in their history. All of the big guns were there. The only over-the-hill players were Anwar and possibly Waqar, yet Anwar finished as our highest scorer. Our batting was strong, Wasim was still getting late swing, Shoaib was at his peak, Saqis doosra was still revolutionary, Razzaq was the most explosive all rounder in the game.

If this world cup was played again with Inzi being fat and Wasim being captain we'd see a strong Pakistan performance way more often than not. The infighting killed this team and Inzi/Afridi getting no runs in every game sent the rest of the batsmen into their shell.

They could, and should, have achieved so much more.

 

[Roaring40s]

You guys were better in CWC 99.

Too many players of that 2003 team were over the hill.

Zak comfortably outbowled both Wasim and Waqar in the game that mattered although his stats do not show the huge difference.

Anwar's 100 wasn't his best of innings and he even got bowled on a no-ball. Shoaib was used poorly by Waqar.

Razzaq and Saqlain's novelty had worn off.

MoYo and YK were never very good ODI players.

Afridi was - well like Afridi himself.

Also, with the retirement of last group of experienced ball maintainers - Amir Sohail, Saleem Malik and Ijaz - reverse swing has ceased to be a big factor in the 50 over game.

The last one is just my theory. I hope as this forum bears with a number of such theories everyday, will tolerate mine as well.

 

[jnaveen1980]

One of the worst performance by Inzamam in that world cup.

 

[Markhor]

Don't just look at names on paper - it was a zombie team that'd been absolutely atrocious for the previous six months. We were horrible in the Morocco tri-series, worse in the Kenya tri-series, knocked out of the group phase of the 2002 Champions Trophy, we had the 59 and 53 all out Test in Sharjah, and got battered in South Africa.

The reason was, as usually the case in Pakistan cricket, a refusal to move senior players on after their expiry date. Wasim and Waqar were on their last legs and should've packed it in after the 2001 England tour with the latter bowling military medium Anwar's head was never the same after losing his daughter in late 2001. Inzamam was experiencing a horrible 12 months after his 329 in Lahore. Unlike the 2019 World Cup where one at least could identify a promising crop of youngsters, here we selected mediocre backups like Salim Elahi, Taufiq Umar, Shahid Afridi and Younis Khan (ODIs).

Of course there was the role of Waqar Younis. Anyone who sat through his captaincy tenure as I did couldn't possibly support him in any other leadership capacity. Tactically he was defensive and reactive, and failed to press home an advantage. The biggest example was the opening match of the tournament vs Australia. We reduced Australia to 146-5 and really ought to have knocked them over for less than 230. They wound up scoring 310 and Waqar lost his composure bowling beamers at Andrew Symonds, getting removed from the attack. He was an even worse man manager.

The World Cup was the most depressing experience. After the hammering vs Australia we even laboured to victory against minnows Holland and Namibia having unconvincingly scraped to 250. A young James Anderson skittled us under lights in a chase of 240 vs a poor England team, but the hammer blow was the defeat to India. Much was hyped about the Sachin vs Akhtar showdown, but Akhtar bottled it and Sachin tore him apart. It all ended in a damp squib vs Zimbabwe where after dawdling to 73-3, rain put us out of our misery.

Afterwards the usual committee was formed. Aamer Sohail rightly slung out the toxic seniors. However there was a larger structural problem that Pakistan cricket has yet to address. We were still clinging onto the 1990s ethos of relying on individual matchwinners and failed to see teams like Australia, with a strong collective, had a more sustainable method of success. India were beginning to take fielding and fitness more seriously whereas we were stuck in the amateur era. Sports was now entering the age of opposition analysis and data-driven game planning but we refused to evolve from our mantra of "Pakistan mai talent bohat hai".

 

[jnaveen1980]

Inzamam proved that weight gain was not the reason why he was devoid of runs lol. He worked out hard to lose weight for that world cup.

 

[Sidilicious]

Nah, mostly over the hill players. I feared only Akhtar, Inzi and Saqlain before the game. I have always feared (and loved) Afridi despite him not doing so well against us in the WC. However, Wasim and Waqar didnt seem that quick before the India game, so I wasn't much concerned about them. Saeed Anwar scored a century, however, I had stopped fearing him as well, and Razzaq was some one I never really bothered about.

1999 and even the 1996 team, I feared. The 1999 team should not have lost 4 matches in that WC. Even before the finals there was an air of fallibility. You had lost the 3 of the last 5 matches. Chasing was something you wouldn't have managed (IIRC, you didnt win any matches chasing during that WC). So, you didnt really feel invincible.

But, I now feel that 1996 WC was yours, had it not been for meeting us in the QF. You had the edge over SL throughout the 90s, IIRC even in the WC, so you would have likely won the SF. You would have been playing Australia at home, so I think you would have taken that. Wouldn't have been easy in the finals, but I reckon you world have won at home.

 

[minamino]

Waqar at '32' was bowling slow cutters. It was an average team

 

[Savak]

Saqlain was so bad from 2000 onwards, even Makhaya Ntini was picking his Doosra comfortably. He started over bowling his Doosra like mad i.e. 5 deliveries out of 6 in the over, his off spinner became very ineffective, i think he had a knee problem which he chose to ignore and take pain killers rather than get pain killers for.

It was also his stupidity that he openly revealed his secrets to the English County players, end result England came to Pakistan and beat Pakistan in Pakistan where they picked his Doosra very easily.

 

[Ami]

I remember a big hue and cry when the squad was announced but people like akram, younis and anwar wanted to give themselves a 'send off '...so were picked.
I remember Imran Khan mentioing that the likes of young and up and coming Mohammad Sami shound have been picked instead.

 

[Markhor]

I remember a big hue and cry when the squad was announced but people like akram, younis and anwar wanted to give themselves a 'send off '...so were picked.
I remember Imran Khan mentioing that the likes of young and up and coming Mohammad Sami shound have been picked instead.

He should've been picked.

I know it sounds absurd today but Shoaib and Sami were widely seen as the natural successors to the 2 Ws. Nowadays kiddos like Nasim, Shaheen and Hasnain are being hyped to the moon, and don't get me wrong they may have successful careers, but young Sami had everything from 150kph searing pace, conventional and reverse swing, yorkers and bouncers. Everything but sadly, no brain.

 

[Justcrazy]

Waqar was a bogus captain.

Saeed Anwar daughter was dead , he was not interested any more.

Wasim Akram was finished , diabetes had engulfed him.

Afridi was poor with the bat.

Younis was always a garbage OD player.

Shoaib Akhtar was not mentally strong .

Team balance was poor , batting lack depth.

Inzamam as usual had a very poor WC.

 

[CleverSir]

Saeed Anwar - Towards the end, with his daughter passing he wasn't quite the same after. More religiously inclined.
Shahid Afridi - nothing to say here.
Inzimam ul Haq - should've been a great WC for him. Age-wise he was ok and should've been at peak level.
Mohammed Yousuf - still coming into his own but probably should've been the batting spark.
Younis Khan - too early in his career. It took Bob Woolmer for him to understand his game.
Abdul Razzaq - underachiever
Rashid Latif - over the hill
Wasim Akram - over the hill
Saqlain Mushtaq - becoming over the hill
Waqar Younis - over the hill. unimaginative captaincy
Shoaib Akhtar - too many injuries

It wasn't as great a squad as it seems on paper.

 

[troodon]

1999 Pak team was a Champion team. Unfortunately they simply could not beat Australia.

 

[The Viper]

Many over the hill players- W's were not as good.

 

[minamino]

I think one of Imran Tahir or Saeed Ajmal should have been part of this squad along with Aamer Sajjad and Saeed bin Nasir

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Afridi is bashed to the core on PP. But I will take him in the blink of an eye instead of fake all rounders we have at the moment in the form of Shadab and Faheem.

Shadab one guy who can’t hold a glass of water let alone a bat.

 

[ask_analyse_act]

Purely waqars captaincy. 99 was a peak team with Wasim getting the players he want just like IK and proving to be the natural heir of IK.

waqar is a failure as a leader but players like him, Misbah can’t accept or swallow that they are not naturally leaders instead would try to give themselves a go at it.

Likewise hafeez can’t accept that he is not an opener but gives himself a go at opening test innings.

 

[KingT]

Afridi is bashed to the core on PP. But I will take him in the blink of an eye instead of fake all rounders we have at the moment in the form of Shadab and Faheem.

My comment was in relation to the team. Afridi relatively was an inferior player than the ones in that lineup

 

[JibranAnsari]

waqar , wasim , saqlain mushtaq were done by then.

Inzamam only had 4 50s in like 5 worldcups , shows how a big a failure he was. Ofcourse he was the hero of 1992 world cup. Yousuf was a failure in world cups as well. Saeed anwar was good.

 

[Ab Fan]

Inzamam,Yousuf, Akhtar and Razzaq were at their peak. They should have taken responsibility. Rest were over the hill but that doesn't mean they shouldn't perform.

 

[ExplicitAI]

Still miles ahead of the 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019 Pakistan WC sides.

The 2011 WC side would smash the 2003 side into little tiny pieces

 

[Savak]

Had Wasim Akram been captain of this team, results could have been much better. The players from that time still comment that Wasim was the best captain they played under while Waqar was the worst

 

[Bullet Drive]

Had Wasim Akram been captain of this team, results could have been much better. The players from that time still comment that Wasim was the best captain they played under while Waqar was the worst

And somehow, he is on his third stint as coach, despite failing twice before.

 

[owais555]

I watched that WC live and even considering some of the players were old, the team still underperformed. Afridi, Razzaq, Inzi and Shoaib were at peak age and had no noticeable performances. The old Wasim still managed a 5-fer (albeit against a minnow), Anwar had the 100 against India, Waqar still managed to take some crucial wickets here and there. Almost had a hat trick against India.

I watched live and saw many decisions of captain during wc were wrong about middle overs as they maintained pressure during india and australia in begining overs 1-20 they launched afridi and razzaq leaking runs they gave away 60-70 may be 8 to 9 runs per over. In both matches.
Those were bowling as i remember 21-38
Afridi was not good choice in team after 2002-03

He didnot deserve the spot
he may have good test batting average but overall his brain was not fit to play good cricket

akhtar on the other hand did what little kids do. The ego is always not the answer tendulkar is clever batsman.
in 2002 series against australia some player played UPPER CUT to akhter he didnt notce. But maybe tendulkar used that very well.
.

 

[sweep_shot]

Before 2003 WC began, Pakistan were considered as one of the favorites. The team was filled with ATGs and legends.

But, they just didn't click like they did in 1999 WC.

 

[BouncerGuy]

But, they just didn't click like they did in 1999 WC.

Pakistan should have won the 1999 WC, but so unfortunate.

2003 was a great team as well but they never played to their potential.

 

[sweep_shot]

Pakistan should have won the 1999 WC, but so unfortunate.

2003 was a great team as well but they never played to their potential.

Yeah. Pakistan were the best team in 1999 WC despite losing the final.

They simply imploded in the final. Maybe pressure got to them. A bit like how Argentina lost 2014 WC final despite being the favorite.

 

[Vikram1989]

I found an interesting article and recommendations by pak review committee after wc disaster.

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/pcb-releases-world-cup-review-committee-report-123981

Review committee said few things which are still absolutely valid now.

Ignoring data analysis and believing its obstacle in their social life.
Believing God will take care of it and no need to think/plan about opposition.
(We just have to say "Inshallah and God helps us)
Lack of Mental fitness and physical fitness
Infighting
Leaders of discipline committee( inzi at that time) violating himself with out any shame
Team selection
Super star syndrome
Not updating skills or modern approach
Lack of tactical and technical awareness
Captian not able to communicate
Pathetic first class standard

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Pakistani teams in the 90's did not underachieve. They achieved exactly as much as their skill levels dictated.

Rest is all revisionism in hindsight.

This is a team that got hammered by Australia in tri series, hammered by South Africa in Morocco Cup, group stage exit in Champions Trophy, hammered 4-1 by South Africa in South African conditions leading up to the World Cup

The batting in particular was very slow - with Anwar's decline and Ijaz's retirement , there was no one who could score big and at a decent clip.

Fast scoring teams have a significant advantage in ODI World Cups and they weren't one.

 

[Bhaijaan]

Pakistan’s batting was as usual pathetic in the World Cup. If you look at the record of Pakistani batters in the world cups it is shameful. They have generally been awful when it mattered the most including some of the biggest batting names in Pakistan cricket.

From the bowling side, Shabby was supposed to have the kind of world cup Brett Lee did

 

[Markhor]

I found an interesting article and recommendations by pak review committee after wc disaster.

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/pcb-releases-world-cup-review-committee-report-123981

Review committee said few things which are still absolutely valid now.

Ignoring data analysis and believing its obstacle in their social life.
Believing God will take care of it and no need to think/plan about opposition.
(We just have to say "Inshallah and God helps us)
Lack of Mental fitness and physical fitness
Infighting
Leaders of discipline committee( inzi at that time) violating himself with out any shame
Team selection
Super star syndrome
Not updating skills or modern approach
Lack of tactical and technical awareness
Captian not able to communicate
Pathetic first class standard

The committee, that included Col (Rtd) Naushad Ali, Aaqib Javed and Sultan Rana, submitted its report to PCB Chairman Lt Gen Tauqir Zia on March 24, 2003

Of course he was ! I think Aaqib was also there at the Last Supper.

 

[Savak]

The result of the 2003 ODI World Cup should not have been a surprise. The teams recent form going into that WC from August 2002 was horrible with defeats in Morroco against South Africa, Sri Lanka, defeat against Australia in Kenya, defeats to Australia in Sri Lanka and UAE, Champions Trophy first round exit against Sri Lanka, Defeats to South Africa in South Africa.

Unfortunately the PCB had no choice but to go in with the over the hill seniors because they did not back or groom a full fledged back up bench from 1999 to 2002.

Tauqir Zia in an interview admitted he was keenly waiting for the 2003 ODI World Cup to end so that he can fulfill his mission of kicking out all the prima dona over the hill Super stars like Wasim, Waqar, Saeed, Saqlain for good.

 

[Rajdeep]

That India game at Centurion was last game for Wasim, Waqar and Anwar, right? I know they faced Zimbabwe after that but it got rained out.

For me, world cup 2003 match at Centurion was always game changer which started India's dominance over Pakistan which was other way around until then.

 

[Savak]

That India game at Centurion was last game for Wasim, Waqar and Anwar, right? I know they faced Zimbabwe after that but it got rained out.

For me, world cup 2003 match at Centurion was always game changer which started India's dominance over Pakistan which was other way around until then.

Yup, that game at Centurion was the start of India's new blood vs the Pakistani team. It was from that game onwards where India stopped glorifying the Pakistani team and walked to the ground with the self belief that they will 9 times out of 10 beat Pakistan and that attitude has prevailed even till today.

India beating Pakistan is the norm wheras Pakistan beating India is a once a blue moon anomaly. The rankings don't lie, India has been a top ranked team in all formats for a good 10 plus years wheras Pakistan has been languishing in the bottom of the rankings

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Almost all the stars/key players besides Inzaman, Yousuf and Shoaib were past their prime. And even Inzamam.had an all-time worst tournament with the bat. 2003 WC was just the reality check that enforced where they were.

They probably shouldn't have done as poorly as they did but even if they progressed forward they were never making it out of the Super Sixes.

 

[Devadwal]

Yeah. Pakistan were the best team in 1999 WC despite losing the final.

They simply imploded in the final. Maybe pressure got to them. A bit like how Argentina lost 2014 WC final despite being the favorite.

How? They beaten by India and Bangladesh before the One sided final in the history of world Cup's.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Yeah. Pakistan were the best team in 1999 WC despite losing the final.

They simply imploded in the final. Maybe pressure got to them. A bit like how Argentina lost 2014 WC final despite being the favorite.

South Africa were a good team then too. So were Australia. its difficult to say Pakistan were the best team but we can say that it was Pakistans best world cup team. Shoaib captured the imagination of the world. I dont think we have seen fast bowling like it in any world cup.

 

[nish_mate]

How ? They beaten by India and Bangladesh before the One sided final in the history of world Cup's.

Throwing away doesn't equal beaten , one was thrown for paisa, other for brotherly love...whichs which let you and others figure out

 

[Rajdeep]

Yup, that game at Centurion was the start of India's new blood vs the Pakistani team. It was from that game onwards where India stopped glorifying the Pakistani team and walked to the ground with the self belief that they will 9 times out of 10 beat Pakistan and that attitude has prevailed even till today.

India beating Pakistan is the norm wheras Pakistan beating India is a once a blue moon anomaly. The rankings don't lie, India has been a top ranked team in all formats for a good 10 plus years wheras Pakistan has been languishing in the bottom of the rankings

And if we want to be specific, that Zaheer Khan bouncer which floored Rashid Latif was the passing of the baton moment. People like us who watched cricket in 90s, never expected to see an Indian fast bowler can bowl such bouncer. We were used to seeing trundlers like Kuruvilla, Kumaran and Dodda Ganesh. So that ball by Zaheer reshaped Indian cricket against Pakistan as far as I am concerned.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

South Africa were a good team then too. So were Australia. its difficult to say Pakistan were the best team but we can say that it was Pakistans best world cup team. Shoaib captured the imagination of the world. I dont think we have seen fast bowling like it in any world cup.

SA and Aus were the best sides on paper and Pak had their best ever jersey in 1999

 

[Rajdeep]

How? They beaten by India and Bangladesh before the One sided final in the history of world Cup's.

@Savak pls explain how did that 99 Pak team consisting of peak Wasim, Akhtar, Saqlain, Anwar, Inzy etc lost against an Indian team which just had 3 players - Sachin, Ganguly and Dravid? The disparity between the two sides were massive and Pakistan should never have lost that game. 2003 atleast I can agree as some players were passed their prime...but 1999 WC defeat was shocking.

 

[giri26]

@Savak pls explain how did that 99 Pak team consisting of peak Wasim, Akhtar, Saqlain, Anwar, Inzy etc lost against an Indian team which just had 3 players - Sachin, Ganguly and Dravid? The disparity between the two sides were massive and Pakistan should never have lost that game. 2003 atleast I can agree as some players were passed their prime...but 1999 WC defeat was shocking.

When we look at India's 1992 team as well, it was hard to imagine Pakistan losing that game. India had an over the hill Kapil, Srinath was very young, Prabhakar, well was inconsistent. Srikkanth was in his last legs, Azhar, Sachin and Manjrekar were the only bats for India. India also had two young players with no experience Jadeja and Kambli. Compare that with the Pakistan team for that WC. Pakistan has lost to India in WC's with superior teams in the 90's till 2003. After that though India was always with the superior team and the results have been according to the strength of the sides.

 

[kron]

And if we want to be specific, that Zaheer Khan bouncer which floored Rashid Latif was the passing of the baton moment. People like us who watched cricket in 90s, never expected to see an Indian fast bowler can bowl such bouncer. We were used to seeing trundlers like Kuruvilla, Kumaran and Dodda Ganesh. So that ball by Zaheer reshaped Indian cricket against Pakistan as far as I am concerned.

We had srinath who was way quicker than zaheer and had a quick bouncer.

So no it wasn’t zaheer

Srinath always troubled jayasuriya, who used to smack other trundlers from India for fun. Had no issues vs pak pacers either.

Srinath if he had a more aggressive attitude and actually decided to be more nasty, he would have been a sub 25 average bowler

And this was confirmed by Wasim bhai himself.

He had all the tools barring the fast bowlers aggressive mindset.