Post-Zimbabwe: A Letter to Pakistan Fans

[Thunderbolt14]

Oftentimes, it is most important to be rational during the moments where emotion is most demanded. The urge is impulsive, compulsive: to tear our hair out and scream at the shoddiness and blatant idiocy. I understand, all too well. But let’s look at the big picture.

This Zimbabwe series is not important. And I said a long time ago that we are not winning 2021 or 2022 T20 world cups. I, personally, have taken this for granted and if we win it’s a bonus. But we need to have measured expectations for Pakistan cricket.

I am only looking at the big picture and that is mid-term and long-term. 2023, an epic defeat of India in India in the final at Eden Gardens? Perhaps.

There is a lot of time. Too much time in fact.

Enough time for us to develop a second Babar in Haider Ali and a Kane Williamson in Abdullah Shafique. Enough time for Babar to develop a power game, and for Zafar Gohar to have two consistent years as spearhead spinner in the side. Enough time to gel as a unit, and enough time for Shaheen to become the number 1 ranked ODI bowler in the world. All of this is possible. We just need to know what the big picture is, measure our expectations, and focus on one thing and one thing only: course correction. Big picture. Who is the head coach, who is the chief selector, who is working with haider ali and abdullah shafique on batting fundamentals.

Even in this very game we found remarkable, remarkable improvements. Hasnain’s abilities with the new ball. The gaping new ball issue has been a huge one for several months now - suddenly there’s competition between Hasnain and Rauf. Babar, who seems to have begun to get better and better at the art of chasing. He had a 36 average in chases before today. He finished 70* chasing yesterday and now another century. Obviously, the lacking factor in the end was the absence of a power game. But history’s report cards will not reflect his measured, intense innings to single-handedly wage trench warfare as the rest of the team collapsed around him. All of this in his first series as captain - it restores new faith on Babar’s shoulders.

There were many bright spots today only if we are willing to identify and work on them while cutting out the rubbish. But there is a pathway. And it’s an amazing pathway if we pour the development in the right areas.

PCB has a clear pathway. The beauty of the new domestic system is astonishing many already, as emerging coaches and strategic planning are suddenly being followed in highly publicized matches between local regions. It has brought Mohammad Wasim and Shadab Khan to the forefront, and exposed folks like Basit Ali and Sarfaraz Ahmed - this is the pipeline that will save Pakistan cricket. Imagine if we had this system two years ago, and Wasim was successful then! Would Misbah, with no experience while domestic coaches are knocking the door down, have become coach? No way! Neither would Waqar have become coach after 2003! In 1-2 years there has been a miraculous transformation where we no longer need to give people their COACHING DEBUTS with the PAKISTAN NATIONAL TEAM.

This is the time to follow the system! Bring in Mohammad Wasim and Mohammad Akram, and suddenly you have rectified the two biggest issues with Misbah. Number 1, mohammad akram will bring selections in on merit and has no love for oldies - this is the guy that made Haider bat at 3 after Banton at 2 and dropped Darren Sammy from the team! Best thing is Misbah has already resigned from the selector position and Akram is the forerunner in the race right now - that’s amazing!

The second glaring issue is strategy and positive intent - just look at the way Northern played, the fielding standards, entrusting Shadab with captaincy to lead from the front. That’s what got them so far this National T20 Cup, trailblazing an example that other teams were forced to either pick up on or be left in the dust. These were bold decisions, and they were justifiably rewarded. Heck, they even disrupted their entire batting order to give chances to youngsters on the bench *in ways that made sense*. That’s what we need from Pakistan cricket! As long as the strategies are sound and there is positive intent, wins and losses like this against Zimbabwe are part of the game. No harm, no foul, at least the decisions made sense!

Under Mohammad Wasim, Northern won both the T20 first XI and second XI last year and resuscitated from the bottom of the 4-Day table halfway through the tournament to finish in the final. If I was Wasim Khan, my decisions in November 2020 would be very easy, easier than ever.

That’s why I’m writing this letter. Many are justifiably emotional, many hurt and many frustrated like I am. But do not lose hope. There is a future on the horizon, a future that is bright for our watan, and the changes that have been happening behind the scenes are finally carrying Pakistan into the modern age.

Most of all, be happy that we lost today. Glass half full: Misbah might finally resign as Head Coach.

Yours truly,
Thunderbolt14

 

[Abdullah Rabbani]

Oftentimes, it is most important to be rational during the moments where emotion is most demanded. The urge is impulsive, compulsive: to tear our hair out and scream at the shoddiness and blatant idiocy. I understand, all too well. But let’s look at the big picture.

This Zimbabwe series is not important. And I said a long time ago that we are not winning 2021 or 2022 T20 world cups. I, personally, have taken this for granted and if we win it’s a bonus. But we need to have measured expectations for Pakistan cricket.

I am only looking at the big picture and that is mid-term and long-term. 2023, an epic defeat of India in India in the final at Eden Gardens? Perhaps.

There is a lot of time. Too much time in fact.

Enough time for us to develop a second Babar in Haider Ali and a Kane Williamson in Abdullah Shafique. Enough time for Babar to develop a power game, and for Zafar Gohar to have two consistent years as spearhead spinner in the side. Enough time to gel as a unit, and enough time for Shaheen to become the number 1 ranked ODI bowler in the world. All of this is possible. We just need to know what the big picture is, measure our expectations, and focus on one thing and one thing only: course correction. Big picture. Who is the head coach, who is the chief selector, who is working with haider ali and abdullah shafique on batting fundamentals.

Even in this very game we found remarkable, remarkable improvements. Hasnain’s abilities with the new ball. The gaping new ball issue has been a huge one for several months now - suddenly there’s competition between Hasnain and Rauf. Babar, who seems to have begun to get better and better at the art of chasing. He had a 36 average in chases before today. He finished 70* chasing yesterday and now another century. Obviously, the lacking factor in the end was the absence of a power game. But history’s report cards will not reflect his measured, intense innings to single-handedly wage trench warfare as the rest of the team collapsed around him. All of this in his first series as captain - it restores new faith on Babar’s shoulders.

There were many bright spots today only if we are willing to identify and work on them while cutting out the rubbish. But there is a pathway. And it’s an amazing pathway if we pour the development in the right areas.

PCB has a clear pathway. The beauty of the new domestic system is astonishing many already, as emerging coaches and strategic planning are suddenly being followed in highly publicized matches between local regions. It has brought Mohammad Wasim and Shadab Khan to the forefront, and exposed folks like Basit Ali and Sarfaraz Ahmed - this is the pipeline that will save Pakistan cricket. Imagine if we had this system two years ago, and Wasim was successful then! Would Misbah, with no experience while domestic coaches are knocking the door down, have become coach? No way! Neither would Waqar have become coach after 2003! In 1-2 years there has been a miraculous transformation where we no longer need to give people their COACHING DEBUTS with the PAKISTAN NATIONAL TEAM.

This is the time to follow the system! Bring in Mohammad Wasim and Mohammad Akram, and suddenly you have rectified the two biggest issues with Misbah. Number 1, mohammad akram will bring selections in on merit and has no love for oldies - this is the guy that made Haider bat at 3 after Banton at 2 and dropped Darren Sammy from the team! Best thing is Misbah has already resigned from the selector position and Akram is the forerunner in the race right now - that’s amazing!

The second glaring issue is strategy and positive intent - just look at the way Northern played, the fielding standards, entrusting Shadab with captaincy to lead from the front. That’s what got them so far this National T20 Cup, trailblazing an example that other teams were forced to either pick up on or be left in the dust. These were bold decisions, and they were justifiably rewarded. Heck, they even disrupted their entire batting order to give chances to youngsters on the bench *in ways that made sense*. That’s what we need from Pakistan cricket! As long as the strategies are sound and there is positive intent, wins and losses like this against Zimbabwe are part of the game. No harm, no foul, at least the decisions made sense!

Under Mohammad Wasim, Northern won both the T20 first XI and second XI last year and resuscitated from the bottom of the 4-Day table halfway through the tournament to finish in the final. If I was Wasim Khan, my decisions in November 2020 would be very easy, easier than ever.

That’s why I’m writing this letter. Many are justifiably emotional, many hurt and many frustrated like I am. But do not lose hope. There is a future on the horizon, a future that is bright for our watan, and the changes that have been happening behind the scenes are finally carrying Pakistan into the modern age.

Most of all, be happy that we lost today. Glass half full: Misbah might finally resign as Head Coach.

Yours truly,
Thunderbolt14

Wonderful analysis truly agree with you we need to invest in abdullah and haider instead of joker's like ifti

 

[Savak]

I was just watching the highlights, i am shocked by the number of clean bowled's, this shows a shocking lack of technique. Who is the batting coach?

 

[Thunderbolt14]

I was just watching the highlights, i am shocked by the number of clean bowled's, this shows a shocking lack of technique. Who is the batting coach?

Misbah!

 

[zain7077]

this is all easy to say but when will Abdullah ever get a chance. I honestly would not be surprised if Misbah uses odi super league points as an excuse to not debut him for another 3-4 years. not like we play many odi's anyway

 

[GoUgandaCranes]

As someone who has followed Pakistani cricket for some time now, I can safely say that one of the reasons why we are languishing close to the bottom is the excessive negativity of our fanbase and the press. As soon as we lose the knives are out and all of that just stifles our players and makes them defensive so instead of taking risks and opting to win, they become defensive and insecure losing their natural flair.

The ex-players are literally the worst as they are just sitting there hoping to grind their ax of entitlement reminiscing the good old days that never were and living in hoopla land that never existed in the first place.

There's also always a comparison of Pakistan with the current top two nations in cricket which is not justified.

Let's for example take the case of England, the current world champions.

1. Spent decades without winning an ashes home or away despite only two countries playing it.
2. Were absolutely turgid in white-ball cricket for decades. Their team was so boring even their public didn't know who the Holliake brothers were and would turn blank if inquired about them.

Let's again take the example of our neighbor who is now a much superior cricketing nation

1. Didn't win a test overseas for more years than some have lived who post on this forum
2. Were a classic case of home bullies and turning pitches and played test cricket sometimes with only one fast bowler and Kumble opening the bowling
3. Had a bucket load of no-names or very mediocre players like Robin Singh, Mohanty, etc. who formed the backbone of the team for a very long time

When we look at these two teams now, they are a world apart from what they used to be and that's life and this kind of stuff happens. We are comparing our current team with the fortunes of these two teams when they are at their brightest best and drowning our players in a sea of negativity.

Someone spent a lot of time getting these two cricketing giants here where they are now and we need to identify what was done and try to replicate that. The sea of toxicity, abuse, and self-hate will get us nowhere and needs to stop. Most of the work that these countries did was related to infrastructure and getting in the right systems. When bright young people look at sports as a career opportunity instead of a lottery, things begin to change for the better. When the only career path is doctor/engineer or a family disgrace, an uptake in fortune is akin to an act of God and not something that's designed. The example is that some of our past greats were picked out of total obscurity, bowling in nets one day, playing in a match the other day. That kind of fairy tale success story may happen once in a blue moon, but not every Monday.

We lost a cricket match, yes it hurts, but is it the end of the world? Where's the sportsmanship? Isn't that the entire reason to pick up sports? Let's appreciate Zimbabwe for what they did and move on. Let's encourage our players to play brave cricket and support them; pay additional cable fees, & buy subscriptions to get money into the cricket board so it can invest back into the sports and have more stadiums so our youth can actually take up the sport.

I don't support some of the decisions that the board has made, I don't like some of the personnel in charge, and there's definitely a problem with the non-data driven approach that we still have but none of these things are actually a doing of the players. Our systems are rotten and need a change, the not so bright cricket that Pakistan is playing is the symptom of years of neglect and not the disease itself. There's a premium first-class tournament being shown live in the country yet the stream never crosses more than 3K people at one time, that's the real problem, not Pakistan 11 losing a game to Zimbabwe. The day we understand that the day our journey to become a better cricketing nation will begin.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

As someone who has followed Pakistani cricket for some time now, I can safely say that one of the reasons why we are languishing close to the bottom is the excessive negativity of our fanbase and the press. As soon as we lose the knives are out and all of that just stifles our players and makes them defensive so instead of taking risks and opting to win, they become defensive and insecure losing their natural flair.

The ex-players are literally the worst as they are just sitting there hoping to grind their ax of entitlement reminiscing the good old days that never were and living in hoopla land that never existed in the first place.

There's also always a comparison of Pakistan with the current top two nations in cricket which is not justified.

Let's for example take the case of England, the current world champions.

1. Spent decades without winning an ashes home or away despite only two countries playing it.
2. Were absolutely turgid in white-ball cricket for decades. Their team was so boring even their public didn't know who the Holliake brothers were and would turn blank if inquired about them.

Let's again take the example of our neighbor who is now a much superior cricketing nation

1. Didn't win a test overseas for more years than some have lived who post on this forum
2. Were a classic case of home bullies and turning pitches and played test cricket sometimes with only one fast bowler and Kumble opening the bowling
3. Had a bucket load of no-names or very mediocre players like Robin Singh, Mohanty, etc. who formed the backbone of the team for a very long time

When we look at these two teams now, they are a world apart from what they used to be and that's life and this kind of stuff happens. We are comparing our current team with the fortunes of these two teams when they are at their brightest best and drowning our players in a sea of negativity.

Someone spent a lot of time getting these two cricketing giants here where they are now and we need to identify what was done and try to replicate that. The sea of toxicity, abuse, and self-hate will get us nowhere and needs to stop. Most of the work that these countries did was related to infrastructure and getting in the right systems. When bright young people look at sports as a career opportunity instead of a lottery, things begin to change for the better. When the only career path is doctor/engineer or a family disgrace, an uptake in fortune is akin to an act of God and not something that's designed. The example is that some of our past greats were picked out of total obscurity, bowling in nets one day, playing in a match the other day. That kind of fairy tale success story may happen once in a blue moon, but not every Monday.

We lost a cricket match, yes it hurts, but is it the end of the world? Where's the sportsmanship? Isn't that the entire reason to pick up sports? Let's appreciate Zimbabwe for what they did and move on. Let's encourage our players to play brave cricket and support them; pay additional cable fees, & buy subscriptions to get money into the cricket board so it can invest back into the sports and have more stadiums so our youth can actually take up the sport.

I don't support some of the decisions that the board has made, I don't like some of the personnel in charge, and there's definitely a problem with the non-data driven approach that we still have but none of these things are actually a doing of the players. Our systems are rotten and need a change, the not so bright cricket that Pakistan is playing is the symptom of years of neglect and not the disease itself. There's a premium first-class tournament being shown live in the country yet the stream never crosses more than 3K people at one time, that's the real problem, not Pakistan 11 losing a game to Zimbabwe. The day we understand that the day our journey to become a better cricketing nation will begin.

Well said. Very eloquently put. There is a positive road ahead and that is all that needs to be focused on.

 

[shamaan]

Oftentimes, it is most important to be rational during the moments where emotion is most demanded. The urge is impulsive, compulsive: to tear our hair out and scream at the shoddiness and blatant idiocy. I understand, all too well. But let’s look at the big picture.

This Zimbabwe series is not important. And I said a long time ago that we are not winning 2021 or 2022 T20 world cups. I, personally, have taken this for granted and if we win it’s a bonus. But we need to have measured expectations for Pakistan cricket.

I am only looking at the big picture and that is mid-term and long-term. 2023, an epic defeat of India in India in the final at Eden Gardens? Perhaps.

There is a lot of time. Too much time in fact.

Enough time for us to develop a second Babar in Haider Ali and a Kane Williamson in Abdullah Shafique. Enough time for Babar to develop a power game, and for Zafar Gohar to have two consistent years as spearhead spinner in the side. Enough time to gel as a unit, and enough time for Shaheen to become the number 1 ranked ODI bowler in the world. All of this is possible. We just need to know what the big picture is, measure our expectations, and focus on one thing and one thing only: course correction. Big picture. Who is the head coach, who is the chief selector, who is working with haider ali and abdullah shafique on batting fundamentals.

Even in this very game we found remarkable, remarkable improvements. Hasnain’s abilities with the new ball. The gaping new ball issue has been a huge one for several months now - suddenly there’s competition between Hasnain and Rauf. Babar, who seems to have begun to get better and better at the art of chasing. He had a 36 average in chases before today. He finished 70* chasing yesterday and now another century. Obviously, the lacking factor in the end was the absence of a power game. But history’s report cards will not reflect his measured, intense innings to single-handedly wage trench warfare as the rest of the team collapsed around him. All of this in his first series as captain - it restores new faith on Babar’s shoulders.

There were many bright spots today only if we are willing to identify and work on them while cutting out the rubbish. But there is a pathway. And it’s an amazing pathway if we pour the development in the right areas.

PCB has a clear pathway. The beauty of the new domestic system is astonishing many already, as emerging coaches and strategic planning are suddenly being followed in highly publicized matches between local regions. It has brought Mohammad Wasim and Shadab Khan to the forefront, and exposed folks like Basit Ali and Sarfaraz Ahmed - this is the pipeline that will save Pakistan cricket. Imagine if we had this system two years ago, and Wasim was successful then! Would Misbah, with no experience while domestic coaches are knocking the door down, have become coach? No way! Neither would Waqar have become coach after 2003! In 1-2 years there has been a miraculous transformation where we no longer need to give people their COACHING DEBUTS with the PAKISTAN NATIONAL TEAM.

This is the time to follow the system! Bring in Mohammad Wasim and Mohammad Akram, and suddenly you have rectified the two biggest issues with Misbah. Number 1, mohammad akram will bring selections in on merit and has no love for oldies - this is the guy that made Haider bat at 3 after Banton at 2 and dropped Darren Sammy from the team! Best thing is Misbah has already resigned from the selector position and Akram is the forerunner in the race right now - that’s amazing!

The second glaring issue is strategy and positive intent - just look at the way Northern played, the fielding standards, entrusting Shadab with captaincy to lead from the front. That’s what got them so far this National T20 Cup, trailblazing an example that other teams were forced to either pick up on or be left in the dust. These were bold decisions, and they were justifiably rewarded. Heck, they even disrupted their entire batting order to give chances to youngsters on the bench *in ways that made sense*. That’s what we need from Pakistan cricket! As long as the strategies are sound and there is positive intent, wins and losses like this against Zimbabwe are part of the game. No harm, no foul, at least the decisions made sense!

Under Mohammad Wasim, Northern won both the T20 first XI and second XI last year and resuscitated from the bottom of the 4-Day table halfway through the tournament to finish in the final. If I was Wasim Khan, my decisions in November 2020 would be very easy, easier than ever.

That’s why I’m writing this letter. Many are justifiably emotional, many hurt and many frustrated like I am. But do not lose hope. There is a future on the horizon, a future that is bright for our watan, and the changes that have been happening behind the scenes are finally carrying Pakistan into the modern age.

Most of all, be happy that we lost today. Glass half full: Misbah might finally resign as Head Coach.

Yours truly,
Thunderbolt14

Yes we should bring in Muhammed wasim and muhammed akram they would 100 percent better than misbah thier philosophy is more advanced and modern day standard

 

[Pacy with wisdom]

[MENTION=151892]Thunderbolt14[/MENTION] Beautiful post brother. I almost felt like hugging you after reading it because it almost mirrors what my vision tells me about our cricket.

InshaAllah, this decade will see great progress in Pakistan in every department, and cricket is a crucial pillar in its national identity.

The barren times are over and things are getting better even if they are not overtly obvious.

The silver lining of appointing Misbah and giving him so much authority means that once he exposes himself, he wont be playing any active role in our cricket.

At the same time, it has given time to Mohammad Wasim to prove his mettle as a coach.
Who knows he may also replace Misbah and come in as coach of Islamabad united to replicate what he has done with Northern, before he is given the Pakistan role.

 

[Rana]

As someone who has followed Pakistani cricket for some time now, I can safely say that one of the reasons why we are languishing close to the bottom is the excessive negativity of our fanbase and the press. As soon as we lose the knives are out and all of that just stifles our players and makes them defensive so instead of taking risks and opting to win, they become defensive and insecure losing their natural flair.

The ex-players are literally the worst as they are just sitting there hoping to grind their ax of entitlement reminiscing the good old days that never were and living in hoopla land that never existed in the first place.

There's also always a comparison of Pakistan with the current top two nations in cricket which is not justified.

Let's for example take the case of England, the current world champions.

1. Spent decades without winning an ashes home or away despite only two countries playing it.
2. Were absolutely turgid in white-ball cricket for decades. Their team was so boring even their public didn't know who the Holliake brothers were and would turn blank if inquired about them.

Let's again take the example of our neighbor who is now a much superior cricketing nation

1. Didn't win a test overseas for more years than some have lived who post on this forum
2. Were a classic case of home bullies and turning pitches and played test cricket sometimes with only one fast bowler and Kumble opening the bowling
3. Had a bucket load of no-names or very mediocre players like Robin Singh, Mohanty, etc. who formed the backbone of the team for a very long time

When we look at these two teams now, they are a world apart from what they used to be and that's life and this kind of stuff happens. We are comparing our current team with the fortunes of these two teams when they are at their brightest best and drowning our players in a sea of negativity.

Someone spent a lot of time getting these two cricketing giants here where they are now and we need to identify what was done and try to replicate that. The sea of toxicity, abuse, and self-hate will get us nowhere and needs to stop. Most of the work that these countries did was related to infrastructure and getting in the right systems. When bright young people look at sports as a career opportunity instead of a lottery, things begin to change for the better. When the only career path is doctor/engineer or a family disgrace, an uptake in fortune is akin to an act of God and not something that's designed. The example is that some of our past greats were picked out of total obscurity, bowling in nets one day, playing in a match the other day. That kind of fairy tale success story may happen once in a blue moon, but not every Monday.

We lost a cricket match, yes it hurts, but is it the end of the world? Where's the sportsmanship? Isn't that the entire reason to pick up sports? Let's appreciate Zimbabwe for what they did and move on. Let's encourage our players to play brave cricket and support them; pay additional cable fees, & buy subscriptions to get money into the cricket board so it can invest back into the sports and have more stadiums so our youth can actually take up the sport.

I don't support some of the decisions that the board has made, I don't like some of the personnel in charge, and there's definitely a problem with the non-data driven approach that we still have but none of these things are actually a doing of the players. Our systems are rotten and need a change, the not so bright cricket that Pakistan is playing is the symptom of years of neglect and not the disease itself. There's a premium first-class tournament being shown live in the country yet the stream never crosses more than 3K people at one time, that's the real problem, not Pakistan 11 losing a game to Zimbabwe. The day we understand that the day our journey to become a better cricketing nation will begin.

Awesome post. The OP was brilliant as well.

It’s encouraging to read such well thought out posts by people who intend to spread positivity. If the fans are hurt at performances, I feel for them as well because they love our team.

As for those hypocrites who are secretly rooting for us to fail...Don’t worry...

Main unko rulaoon ga.

 

[lahoriyah1234]

Oftentimes, it is most important to be rational during the moments where emotion is most demanded. The urge is impulsive, compulsive: to tear our hair out and scream at the shoddiness and blatant idiocy. I understand, all too well. But let’s look at the big picture.

This Zimbabwe series is not important. And I said a long time ago that we are not winning 2021 or 2022 T20 world cups. I, personally, have taken this for granted and if we win it’s a bonus. But we need to have measured expectations for Pakistan cricket.

I am only looking at the big picture and that is mid-term and long-term. 2023, an epic defeat of India in India in the final at Eden Gardens? Perhaps.

There is a lot of time. Too much time in fact.

Enough time for us to develop a second Babar in Haider Ali and a Kane Williamson in Abdullah Shafique. Enough time for Babar to develop a power game, and for Zafar Gohar to have two consistent years as spearhead spinner in the side. Enough time to gel as a unit, and enough time for Shaheen to become the number 1 ranked ODI bowler in the world. All of this is possible. We just need to know what the big picture is, measure our expectations, and focus on one thing and one thing only: course correction. Big picture. Who is the head coach, who is the chief selector, who is working with haider ali and abdullah shafique on batting fundamentals.

Even in this very game we found remarkable, remarkable improvements. Hasnain’s abilities with the new ball. The gaping new ball issue has been a huge one for several months now - suddenly there’s competition between Hasnain and Rauf. Babar, who seems to have begun to get better and better at the art of chasing. He had a 36 average in chases before today. He finished 70* chasing yesterday and now another century. Obviously, the lacking factor in the end was the absence of a power game. But history’s report cards will not reflect his measured, intense innings to single-handedly wage trench warfare as the rest of the team collapsed around him. All of this in his first series as captain - it restores new faith on Babar’s shoulders.

There were many bright spots today only if we are willing to identify and work on them while cutting out the rubbish. But there is a pathway. And it’s an amazing pathway if we pour the development in the right areas.

PCB has a clear pathway. The beauty of the new domestic system is astonishing many already, as emerging coaches and strategic planning are suddenly being followed in highly publicized matches between local regions. It has brought Mohammad Wasim and Shadab Khan to the forefront, and exposed folks like Basit Ali and Sarfaraz Ahmed - this is the pipeline that will save Pakistan cricket. Imagine if we had this system two years ago, and Wasim was successful then! Would Misbah, with no experience while domestic coaches are knocking the door down, have become coach? No way! Neither would Waqar have become coach after 2003! In 1-2 years there has been a miraculous transformation where we no longer need to give people their COACHING DEBUTS with the PAKISTAN NATIONAL TEAM.

This is the time to follow the system! Bring in Mohammad Wasim and Mohammad Akram, and suddenly you have rectified the two biggest issues with Misbah. Number 1, mohammad akram will bring selections in on merit and has no love for oldies - this is the guy that made Haider bat at 3 after Banton at 2 and dropped Darren Sammy from the team! Best thing is Misbah has already resigned from the selector position and Akram is the forerunner in the race right now - that’s amazing!

The second glaring issue is strategy and positive intent - just look at the way Northern played, the fielding standards, entrusting Shadab with captaincy to lead from the front. That’s what got them so far this National T20 Cup, trailblazing an example that other teams were forced to either pick up on or be left in the dust. These were bold decisions, and they were justifiably rewarded. Heck, they even disrupted their entire batting order to give chances to youngsters on the bench *in ways that made sense*. That’s what we need from Pakistan cricket! As long as the strategies are sound and there is positive intent, wins and losses like this against Zimbabwe are part of the game. No harm, no foul, at least the decisions made sense!

Under Mohammad Wasim, Northern won both the T20 first XI and second XI last year and resuscitated from the bottom of the 4-Day table halfway through the tournament to finish in the final. If I was Wasim Khan, my decisions in November 2020 would be very easy, easier than ever.

That’s why I’m writing this letter. Many are justifiably emotional, many hurt and many frustrated like I am. But do not lose hope. There is a future on the horizon, a future that is bright for our watan, and the changes that have been happening behind the scenes are finally carrying Pakistan into the modern age.

Most of all, be happy that we lost today. Glass half full: Misbah might finally resign as Head Coach.

Yours truly,
Thunderbolt14

FINALLY SOMEONE SPEAKING SENSE. If this system don’t improve Pakistan cricket nothing ever will. Give this system 1 more years alot of quality players will come. Misbah will not survive as a Head Coach, if he failed to deliver despite good talent coming through and he is not using them.

 

[angrypathan]

Doesn't matter how good the domestic system is when Misbah is in charge. Zafar and Abdullah were in the squad, yet they weren't played. Haider Ali is the best striker of a cricket ball in today's playing XI, yet he didn't go in for the super over. Musa Khan is the worst bowling prospect we've had in the last decade and has awful domestic stats, yet he's played all 3 formats.

 

[GreenKhan]

Why is there so much expectation on Abdullah Shafique. He has played one first class game and and not even a single list A game. I understand he has potential and scored a ton in each of his first games in first class and T20 but surely he has to get some games under his belt.

When was the last time someone made his one day international debut before even having played a single List A game? I think he needs to play a full season of domestic cricket . That experience will be invaluable for him . International cricket is tough , and media , fans alike are impatient (most of them ).

The likes of Khushdil shah , who have earnt their stripes in domestics deserve a good run in the team before an Abduallah shafique. We need to show patience . Hopefully the experience of being with the national team will help him . Let’s see how he get on in this domestic season.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

Why is there so much expectation on Abdullah Shafique. He has played one first class game and and not even a single list A game. I understand he has potential and scored a ton in each of his first games in first class and T20 but surely he has to get some games under his belt.

When was the last time someone made his one day international debut before even having played a single List A game? I think he needs to play a full season of domestic cricket . That experience will be invaluable for him . International cricket is tough , and media , fans alike are impatient (most of them ).

The likes of Khushdil shah , who have earnt their stripes in domestics deserve a good run in the team before an Abduallah shafique. We need to show patience . Hopefully the experience of being with the national team will help him . Let’s see how he get on in this domestic season.

I completely agree. Though I am a fan of his for a year now, I was opposed to his debut call-up. He needed at least one more season of domestic first class and one day cricket. I still reckoned he deserved to be called up, but I am a stronger believer in the system.

Now that he has been called up, he is sitting on the bench (at most will play 1-2 T20 matches) whereas he could easily have been playing First Class cricket instead. Already 3 rounds of QEA trophy have been missed. That is equivalent to 6 innings and perhaps the chance for a century and a few fifties where he could have focused on developing his game.

He is now being pigeonholed to T20’s where he will be forced to up the tempo and we all know what T20’s do to budding batsmen.

However, I am a firm believer that now that he has been called up, he must by every metric be backed completely and utterly. Too many young talents have been called up by Misbah only to be dropped after a series, their careers wasted. There needs to be proper planning for each player; for Abdullah, that means giving him 2-3 T20’s against Zimbabwe right now, the remaining First Class season, and then a Pakistan A call-up for the Shaheen matches against New Zealand A.

After that, he should be given the entire List A season to develop his game, before being called up again in April for the 15 man squad in South Africa as backup opener to Imam and Fakhar (dropping Abid Ali). That’s how you plan for a player, and develop them.

I do not expect any of this to happen under Misbah, but thankfully the 15-man squad post-New Zealand is no longer in his control.

 

[Mamoon]

Pakistani fans fall are deluded and in denial.

They are adamant that the only reason our cricket has regressed is because we have been playing in UAE under the tutelage of Misbah for so many years. He is the biggest punching bag and apparently the only reason why we have struggled.

They make clownish statements like if we play India in bilaterals we will beat them like we did in 2012/13,

PSL bowling is better then IPL bowling, we would have beaten India in the semifinal and won the World Cup if the Sri Lankan match wasn’t washed out, we will beat the top teams all the time once we play regularly in Pakistan,

If some other team would have been banished from playing at home for years they would have stopped playing cricket and vanished. We survived which shows he resilient we are etc.

These are some of the clown statements off the top of my head but I am sure I have missed many more.

They live in denial because if they accept where Pakistan is today and where Pakistan is heading, they will be left with nothing. It is their belief that as supporters, they should always hope for a better future.

These people look to find saviors in young players. These days, Abdullah Shafique is being advertised as a hybrid of Joe Root and Kane Williamson with a bit of Babar Azam sprinkled on top. If he does not prove to be the player they are hoping him to be, they will latch onto another young player with similar expectations.

Also, they are dreaming of the day when the fearsome quartet of Shaheen, Naseem, Hasnain and Rauf will be blowing teams apart.

These people will always tell you that look, be patient because things will change in a few years. Unfortunately, they have been repeating the same hogwash for years and years now.

If the likes of Hafeez, Wahab, Malik, Fakhar etc. were youngsters today, these people would be hyping them in the same fashion.

Yesterday, I was told that if Misbah had any cricket acumen, he would have sent in Wahab in the Super-Over.

However, when Wahab would have bottled it, I would have been told that if Misbah had any cricket acumen, he wouldn’t have sent in a tail-ender in the Super-Over because you need a specialist batsman to handle the pressure of the situation.

I would have been told that Khushdil and Fakhar are the best power-hitters in the country and they would have won us the Super-Over.

There is no winning from Pakistani fans because the alternative is always the solution. If we try X and it blows in our face, then we would have won had we tried Y.

However, if we tried Y and it would have blown in our faces, then X would have been the solution. These folks are always looking for scraps to make themselves feel better.

People say I am negative and pessimistic and bla bla, but the truth is that I know the reality of Pakistan cricket like the back of my hand.

You can call it arrogance, but I knew where Pakistan cricket would be in 2020 years back and I know where Pakistan cricket would be 5, 10 years from now.

That is why when the squads for this series were announced and people were crying because Misbah didn’t pick enough youngsters with diapers on because it is Zimbabwe, I told them that Misbah is aware of the reality of our youngsters and what they are capable of.

Zimbabwe is one of the very few teams that we have the ability to beat, and Misbah cannot risk it by going for youngsters.

Looking at the bowling of youngster Musa and batting of youngster Khushdil yesterday, it is obvious that had Misbah triggered the deluded supporters and picked Amir and Hafeez/Malik instead, we would have walked the series 3-0.

Now these deluded people will say that oh look this is a learning experience. Yeah right, because after getting owned by rusty Zimbabweans who were almost banned for good lately, these youngsters will learn from this and demolish Indian, England and Australians players next.

Listen to me real close so that you don’t cry later. Pakistan is a deeply mediocre team with no talent. Changing departments to regions, cutting down teams and importing some British Pakistani administrator with fancy accent will not change anything.

We have been sold the dummy that lesser the teams, the better the standard of cricket because only the very good players will make it because the competition will be so high. There you go, we have fixed Pakistan cricket and go and have a wonderful life.

If less teams = greater quality, then BCCI would not have 38 teams in Ranji Trophy. Instead, maybe they should only have 2 teams, which means every single player that will break through will be elite among the elites, and India will only have players like Kohli and Rohit and Bumrah.

This dramaybaazi will not help Pakistan cricket as long as our mentality and cricket culture is rotten to the core.

Our players don’t understand cricket, our ex-players don’t understand cricket, our fans don’t understand cricket, our coaches don’t understand cricket and PCB itself does not understand cricket.

We cannot identify our problems - we have stage 4 cancer but we are focusing on controlling our fever with paracetamol.

We come up with dumb solutions because we cannot identify our problems, we have no idea how to build a winning team and we don’t have a clue on how success is achieved and what it takes to create a high performance environment.

Pakistan cricket’s damage started with the fluke 1992 World Cup which we should not have won in the manner that we did, because it created a cancerous cricket culture that is hampering us to date.

To this date we do the same drama. Prior to boarding the flight to London for the World Cup last year, our players ***** white shalwar kameez and met the PM to get tips and inspiration from him, but I don’t think the Australian team went to Ponting, Waugh or Border and India went to Kapil let alone their teammate Dhoni.

Our players have pathetic personalities. They are either timid and get owned or they are overly aggressive and get owned the same.

They can’t string two coherent sentences in any language including their mother tongue. I bet if you sit with them and talk cricket they won’t have a clue.

When a young player flukes a Man of the Award he will start with thanking the Almighty, the seniors, the parents, the chachu and chachi and finish with his neighbor.

When they score a fifty they will take off their helmets and do a victory lap around the stadium.

Pakistan cricket does have a lot of potential. With a population of over 200 million, the market is huge and the talent pool in terms of personnel is massive. However, for us to realize our potential, we need a complete factory reset in terms of our attitude and how we think.

Not only are the players mediocre but the fans are mediocre as well.

 

[Rana]

Pakistani fans fall are deluded and in denial.

They are adamant that the only reason our cricket has regressed is because we have been playing in UAE under the tutelage of Misbah for so many years. He is the biggest punching bag and apparently the only reason why we have struggled.

They make clownish statements like if we play India in bilaterals we will beat them like we did in 2012/13,

PSL bowling is better then IPL bowling, we would have beaten India in the semifinal and won the World Cup if the Sri Lankan match wasn’t washed out, we will beat the top teams all the time once we play regularly in Pakistan,

If some other team would have been banished from playing at home for years they would have stopped playing cricket and vanished. We survived which shows he resilient we are etc.

These are some of the clown statements off the top of my head but I am sure I have missed many more.

They live in denial because if they accept where Pakistan is today and where Pakistan is heading, they will be left with nothing. It is their belief that as supporters, they should always hope for a better future.

These people look to find saviors in young players. These days, Abdullah Shafique is being advertised as a hybrid of Joe Root and Kane Williamson with a bit of Babar Azam sprinkled on top. If he does not prove to be the player they are hoping him to be, they will latch onto another young player with similar expectations.

Also, they are dreaming of the day when the fearsome quartet of Shaheen, Naseem, Hasnain and Rauf will be blowing teams apart.

These people will always tell you that look, be patient because things will change in a few years. Unfortunately, they have been repeating the same hogwash for years and years now.

If the likes of Hafeez, Wahab, Malik, Fakhar etc. were youngsters today, these people would be hyping them in the same fashion.

Yesterday, I was told that if Misbah had any cricket acumen, he would have sent in Wahab in the Super-Over.

However, when Wahab would have bottled it, I would have been told that if Misbah had any cricket acumen, he wouldn’t have sent in a tail-ender in the Super-Over because you need a specialist batsman to handle the pressure of the situation.

I would have been told that Khushdil and Fakhar are the best power-hitters in the country and they would have won us the Super-Over.

There is no winning from Pakistani fans because the alternative is always the solution. If we try X and it blows in our face, then we would have won had we tried Y.

However, if we tried Y and it would have blown in our faces, then X would have been the solution. These folks are always looking for scraps to make themselves feel better.

People say I am negative and pessimistic and bla bla, but the truth is that I know the reality of Pakistan cricket like the back of my hand.

You can call it arrogance, but I knew where Pakistan cricket would be in 2020 years back and I know where Pakistan cricket would be 5, 10 years from now.

That is why when the squads for this series were announced and people were crying because Misbah didn’t pick enough youngsters with diapers on because it is Zimbabwe, I told them that Misbah is aware of the reality of our youngsters and what they are capable of.

Zimbabwe is one of the very few teams that we have the ability to beat, and Misbah cannot risk it by going for youngsters.

Looking at the bowling of youngster Musa and batting of youngster Khushdil yesterday, it is obvious that had Misbah triggered the deluded supporters and picked Amir and Hafeez/Malik instead, we would have walked the series 3-0.

Now these deluded people will say that oh look this is a learning experience. Yeah right, because after getting owned by rusty Zimbabweans who were almost banned for good lately, these youngsters will learn from this and demolish Indian, England and Australians players next.

Listen to me real close so that you don’t cry later. Pakistan is a deeply mediocre team with no talent. Changing departments to regions, cutting down teams and importing some British Pakistani administrator with fancy accent will not change anything.

We have been sold the dummy that lesser the teams, the better the standard of cricket because only the very good players will make it because the competition will be so high. There you go, we have fixed Pakistan cricket and go and have a wonderful life.

If less teams = greater quality, then BCCI would not have 38 teams in Ranji Trophy. Instead, maybe they should only have 2 teams, which means every single player that will break through will be elite among the elites, and India will only have players like Kohli and Rohit and Bumrah.

This dramaybaazi will not help Pakistan cricket as long as our mentality and cricket culture is rotten to the core.

Our players don’t understand cricket, our ex-players don’t understand cricket, our fans don’t understand cricket, our coaches don’t understand cricket and PCB itself does not understand cricket.

We cannot identify our problems - we have stage 4 cancer but we are focusing on controlling our fever with paracetamol.

We come up with dumb solutions because we cannot identify our problems, we have no idea how to build a winning team and we don’t have a clue on how success is achieved and what it takes to create a high performance environment.

Pakistan cricket’s damage started with the fluke 1992 World Cup which we should not have won in the manner that we did, because it created a cancerous cricket culture that is hampering us to date.

To this date we do the same drama. Prior to boarding the flight to London for the World Cup last year, our players ***** white shalwar kameez and met the PM to get tips and inspiration from him, but I don’t think the Australian team went to Ponting, Waugh or Border and India went to Kapil let alone their teammate Dhoni.

Our players have pathetic personalities. They are either timid and get owned or they are overly aggressive and get owned the same.

They can’t string two coherent sentences in any language including their mother tongue. I bet if you sit with them and talk cricket they won’t have a clue.

When a young player flukes a Man of the Award he will start with thanking the Almighty, the seniors, the parents, the chachu and chachi and finish with his neighbor.

When they score a fifty they will take off their helmets and do a victory lap around the stadium.

Pakistan cricket does have a lot of potential. With a population of over 200 million, the market is huge and the talent pool in terms of personnel is massive. However, for us to realize our potential, we need a complete factory reset in terms of our attitude and how we think.

Not only are the players mediocre but the fans are mediocre as well.

[MENTION=29901]Thunderbolt[/MENTION] [MENTION=133726]GoUgandaCranes[/MENTION]

Main isey tou zuroor rulaoon ga

 

[deep82]

Many delusional fans have been sucking to OP even though the post is nothing but a false premise of hope in the disguise of covering up mediocrity.

Many such posts had also been circulated in the past here asking fans to be patient and everything would be fine- the result - zilch! Now the same fans wants three more years and same rebuilding crap till 2023. For Pakistan, rebuilding started from 2003 and will continue till 2023- A world record!

There is no harm trying out youngsters and losing against the big team. But to lose (almost the series) against Zimbabwe points out that there is serious lack of young talent and not a fault of any system. The sooner the delusional fans understand the reality, the better it is.

 

[naseem]

One solution remove Misbah ...
Then who to appoint ......anyone who has a sane knowledge and experience of working as a coach or assistant coach at international level.......
Plus appoint good fielding coach preferably not local.....and with him comes proper dietician and
Fitness trainer......I.e. sports fitness trainer..
.not any gym trainer......
There is already a batting coach pace and spin bowling coach so I think it won't be a problem
If Misbah is released immediately or after this series...

 

[naseem]

Proper time and scope for development must be given to youngsters as they have to overcome lot of barriers to make it to the national team....regional bias...player bias...then selection bias and then lack of infrastructure and proper guidance.....

 

[GoUgandaCranes]

[MENTION=29901]Thunderbolt[/MENTION] [MENTION=133726]GoUgandaCranes[/MENTION]

Main isey tou zuroor rulaoon ga

Many delusional fans have been sucking to OP even though the post is nothing but a false premise of hope in the disguise of covering up mediocrity.

What would we get by doing this to the OP? Brownie points? Cash payment? Forum privilege? What?

Many such posts had also been circulated in the past here asking fans to be patient and everything would be fine- the result - zilch! Now the same fans wants three more years and same rebuilding crap till 2023. For Pakistan, rebuilding started from 2003 and will continue till 2023- A world record!

The "new money complex" at it again.

Teams and nations go through ups and downs and that's what some of us realize and understand. Sometimes the crests are low and so long that they circumnavigate the timeline of a single individual and that's too a reality of life on this planet.

We understand that. We aren't delusional that the Pakistan cricket team is the best and we also aren't entitled. Most of us want a good honest system to be developed so players can be developed, and that when they play they play without fear and honesty and provide enjoyment to their countrymen. A lot of us would be happy if we play a good brand of cricket, nothing less, nothing more.

There is no harm trying out youngsters and losing against the big team. But to lose (almost the series) against Zimbabwe points out that there is serious lack of young talent and not a fault of any system.

There's no harm in losing to anyone, and neither is it a humiliation. It's a freaking sport. Sometimes you end up losing whether you are good or bad.

The use of the word "almost" in an already straw man argument is laughable. We "almost" made to the WC 19' semifinal but the reality is we didn't. Almost, if, but, have no intrinsic value in reality except with people who use them to further their agenda while trying to twist facts.

The cherry on top of this is the last line about talent and system.

The sooner the delusional fans understand the reality, the better it is.

We understand our limitations and flaws. We are pointing them out. We don't think that we are the best in the world and we know that we may not even be the best in the future. We hope but our feet are grounded and there's support for the team.

Nothing less and nothing more.

 

[Mamoon]

Unfortunately for some (or most) people, love and loyalty means that you have to pretend that the team is good when it is not.

That is not love and loyalty; that is delusion and denial.

 

[Mueez]

Great post by OP.

 

[naseem]

Many delusional fans have been sucking to OP even though the post is nothing but a false premise of hope in the disguise of covering up mediocrity.

Many such posts had also been circulated in the past here asking fans to be patient and everything would be fine- the result - zilch! Now the same fans wants three more years and same rebuilding crap till 2023. For Pakistan, rebuilding started from 2003 and will continue till 2023- A world record!

There is no harm trying out youngsters and losing against the big team. But to lose (almost the series) against Zimbabwe points out that there is serious lack of young talent and not a fault of any system. The sooner the delusional fans understand the reality, the better it is.

What is ur Masala here ....whats ur point......

 

[naseem]

[MENTION=29901]Thunderbolt[/MENTION] [MENTION=133726]GoUgandaCranes[/MENTION]

Main isey tou zuroor rulaoon ga

U have the license.. short pitch pe short pitch......go for the chest mate

 

[MenInG]

Pakistani fans fall are deluded and in denial.

They are adamant that the only reason our cricket has regressed is because we have been playing in UAE under the tutelage of Misbah for so many years. He is the biggest punching bag and apparently the only reason why we have struggled.

They make clownish statements like if we play India in bilaterals we will beat them like we did in 2012/13,

PSL bowling is better then IPL bowling, we would have beaten India in the semifinal and won the World Cup if the Sri Lankan match wasn’t washed out, we will beat the top teams all the time once we play regularly in Pakistan,

If some other team would have been banished from playing at home for years they would have stopped playing cricket and vanished. We survived which shows he resilient we are etc.

These are some of the clown statements off the top of my head but I am sure I have missed many more.

They live in denial because if they accept where Pakistan is today and where Pakistan is heading, they will be left with nothing. It is their belief that as supporters, they should always hope for a better future.

These people look to find saviors in young players. These days, Abdullah Shafique is being advertised as a hybrid of Joe Root and Kane Williamson with a bit of Babar Azam sprinkled on top. If he does not prove to be the player they are hoping him to be, they will latch onto another young player with similar expectations.

Also, they are dreaming of the day when the fearsome quartet of Shaheen, Naseem, Hasnain and Rauf will be blowing teams apart.

These people will always tell you that look, be patient because things will change in a few years. Unfortunately, they have been repeating the same hogwash for years and years now.

If the likes of Hafeez, Wahab, Malik, Fakhar etc. were youngsters today, these people would be hyping them in the same fashion.

Yesterday, I was told that if Misbah had any cricket acumen, he would have sent in Wahab in the Super-Over.

However, when Wahab would have bottled it, I would have been told that if Misbah had any cricket acumen, he wouldn’t have sent in a tail-ender in the Super-Over because you need a specialist batsman to handle the pressure of the situation.

I would have been told that Khushdil and Fakhar are the best power-hitters in the country and they would have won us the Super-Over.

There is no winning from Pakistani fans because the alternative is always the solution. If we try X and it blows in our face, then we would have won had we tried Y.

However, if we tried Y and it would have blown in our faces, then X would have been the solution. These folks are always looking for scraps to make themselves feel better.

People say I am negative and pessimistic and bla bla, but the truth is that I know the reality of Pakistan cricket like the back of my hand.

You can call it arrogance, but I knew where Pakistan cricket would be in 2020 years back and I know where Pakistan cricket would be 5, 10 years from now.

That is why when the squads for this series were announced and people were crying because Misbah didn’t pick enough youngsters with diapers on because it is Zimbabwe, I told them that Misbah is aware of the reality of our youngsters and what they are capable of.

Zimbabwe is one of the very few teams that we have the ability to beat, and Misbah cannot risk it by going for youngsters.

Looking at the bowling of youngster Musa and batting of youngster Khushdil yesterday, it is obvious that had Misbah triggered the deluded supporters and picked Amir and Hafeez/Malik instead, we would have walked the series 3-0.

Now these deluded people will say that oh look this is a learning experience. Yeah right, because after getting owned by rusty Zimbabweans who were almost banned for good lately, these youngsters will learn from this and demolish Indian, England and Australians players next.

Listen to me real close so that you don’t cry later. Pakistan is a deeply mediocre team with no talent. Changing departments to regions, cutting down teams and importing some British Pakistani administrator with fancy accent will not change anything.

We have been sold the dummy that lesser the teams, the better the standard of cricket because only the very good players will make it because the competition will be so high. There you go, we have fixed Pakistan cricket and go and have a wonderful life.

If less teams = greater quality, then BCCI would not have 38 teams in Ranji Trophy. Instead, maybe they should only have 2 teams, which means every single player that will break through will be elite among the elites, and India will only have players like Kohli and Rohit and Bumrah.

This dramaybaazi will not help Pakistan cricket as long as our mentality and cricket culture is rotten to the core.

Our players don’t understand cricket, our ex-players don’t understand cricket, our fans don’t understand cricket, our coaches don’t understand cricket and PCB itself does not understand cricket.

We cannot identify our problems - we have stage 4 cancer but we are focusing on controlling our fever with paracetamol.

We come up with dumb solutions because we cannot identify our problems, we have no idea how to build a winning team and we don’t have a clue on how success is achieved and what it takes to create a high performance environment.

Pakistan cricket’s damage started with the fluke 1992 World Cup which we should not have won in the manner that we did, because it created a cancerous cricket culture that is hampering us to date.

To this date we do the same drama. Prior to boarding the flight to London for the World Cup last year, our players ***** white shalwar kameez and met the PM to get tips and inspiration from him, but I don’t think the Australian team went to Ponting, Waugh or Border and India went to Kapil let alone their teammate Dhoni.

Our players have pathetic personalities. They are either timid and get owned or they are overly aggressive and get owned the same.

They can’t string two coherent sentences in any language including their mother tongue. I bet if you sit with them and talk cricket they won’t have a clue.

When a young player flukes a Man of the Award he will start with thanking the Almighty, the seniors, the parents, the chachu and chachi and finish with his neighbor.

When they score a fifty they will take off their helmets and do a victory lap around the stadium.

Pakistan cricket does have a lot of potential. With a population of over 200 million, the market is huge and the talent pool in terms of personnel is massive. However, for us to realize our potential, we need a complete factory reset in terms of our attitude and how we think.

Not only are the players mediocre but the fans are mediocre as well.

If you wish to be taken seriously, stop calling others clowns.

Each opinion on our forums is worth respect.

 

[Rana]

U have the license.. short pitch pe short pitch......go for the chest mate

Hostile bouncers to the throat by real fast bowlers are a mark of respect to cricketers, that they are willing to bend their backs to intimidate them.

Aise galli ke cricketers ko main iss tarha ka spell nahi dalun ga...I will aim for the jewels

 

[Rana]

Unfortunately for some (or most) people, love and loyalty means that you have to pretend that the team is good when it is not.

That is not love and loyalty; that is delusion and denial.

You are not anyone's psychiatrist here so stop speaking for others but yourself. 'You' are in the delusion and denail that this team actually has loyal fans and devout lovers.


Guess what Mamoon, this team can be ranked 204 in the world, we will still not stop supporting it. Will be a hard thing considering we could be top 3 with our potential, but you will still not see the love for this game and the team that makes them love this game die.

 

[Rana]

What is ur Masala here ....whats ur point......

We know our brother Deep is quite passionate and concerned about our cricket.

 

[naseem]

Hostile bouncers to the throat by real fast bowlers are a mark of respect to cricketers, that they are willing to bend their backs to intimidate them.

Aise galli ke cricketers ko main iss tarha ka spell nahi dalun ga...I will aim for the jewels

 

[Mamoon]

You are not anyone's psychiatrist here so stop speaking for others but yourself. 'You' are in the delusion and denail that this team actually has loyal fans and devout lovers.


Guess what Mamoon, this team can be ranked 204 in the world, we will still not stop supporting it. Will be a hard thing considering we could be top 3 with our potential, but you will still not see the love for this game and the team that makes them love this game die.

If the team is ranked 204 in the world, you should still love and support the team. That is called loyalty and all fans should be loyal.

However, at the same time, you should have the sense to accept that they team deserved to be ranked 204 and that it is a true reflection of its capability.

Sheffield United have loyal fans as well, but if they think they have the potential to qualify for the UCL or win the league, then that would make them delusional.

Your problem is that you genuinely believe that this Pakistan team has the potential to be a top 3 team which is laughable to say the least.

This Pakistan side potential and ability wise is in the same league as tier 2 sides like West Indies, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka etc. and is several notches below the likes of India, England and Australia.

If you do not accept the above then you are clearly delusional and in deep denial.

Again, you can be a loyal supporter of the team and also acknowledge that it is a mediocre team that belongs in the second tier. Both are not mutually exclusive which you seem to believe so.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

If the team is ranked 204 in the world, you should still love and support the team. That is called loyalty and all fans should be loyal.

However, at the same time, you should have the sense to accept that they team deserved to be ranked 204 and that it is a true reflection of its capability.

Sheffield United have loyal fans as well, but if they think they have the potential to qualify for the UCL or win the league, then that would make them delusional.

Your problem is that you genuinely believe that this Pakistan team has the potential to be a top 3 team which is laughable to say the least.

This Pakistan side potential and ability wise is in the same league as tier 2 sides like West Indies, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka etc. and is several notches below the likes of India, England and Australia.

If you do not accept the above then you are clearly delusional and in deep denial.

Again, you can be a loyal supporter of the team and also acknowledge that it is a mediocre team that belongs in the second tier. Both are not mutually exclusive which you seem to believe so.

Sheffield doesn’t have the second biggest football loving population in the world, nor does it have the money. If it had a monopoly over Brazilian football, fair enough. Aagay bolo meri jaan?

 

[Rana]

If the team is ranked 204 in the world, you should still love and support the team. That is called loyalty and all fans should be loyal.

However, at the same time, you should have the sense to accept that they team deserved to be ranked 204 and that it is a true reflection of its capability.

Sheffield United have loyal fans as well, but if they think they have the potential to qualify for the UCL or win the league, then that would make them delusional.

Your problem is that you genuinely believe that this Pakistan team has the potential to be a top 3 team which is laughable to say the least.

This Pakistan side potential and ability wise is in the same league as tier 2 sides like West Indies, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka etc. and is several notches below the likes of India, England and Australia.

If you do not accept the above then you are clearly delusional and in deep denial.

Again, you can be a loyal supporter of the team and also acknowledge that it is a mediocre team that belongs in the second tier. Both are not mutually exclusive which you seem to believe so.

This is a Pakistani fans forum and you are asking us to stop supporting our side because we should accept we are not good enough.

Go to a Sheffield united Bar/Pub and tell them that you should stop aspiring to become a champions league club. Im not sure you will leave the place in one piece. The debris of your existence will drown in the pints they soak in.

Once again, dont try to speak about a culture, an identity that you will never be a part of.

 

[Mamoon]

Sheffield doesn’t have the second biggest football loving population in the world, nor does it have the money. If it had a monopoly over Brazilian football, fair enough. Aagay bolo meri jaan?

The point is that miracles do not happen. Sheffield do not have the financial muscle to compete with the top sides.

Similarly, Pakistan cricket is also subject to constraints that will prevent it from becoming a top 3 team. Some of these constraints are because of external factors while others are internal.

Simply hoping that things will improve because that is what the fans will not change anything.

Any realistic, pragmatic person can see that Pakistan cannot be a top 3 side.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

The point is that miracles do not happen. Sheffield do not have the financial muscle to compete with the top sides.

Similarly, Pakistan cricket is also subject to constraints that will prevent it from becoming a top 3 team. Some of these constraints are because of external factors while others are internal.

Simply hoping that things will improve because that is what the fans will not change anything.

Any realistic, pragmatic person can see that Pakistan cannot be a top 3 side.

You sound like a broken record. Perhaps address the constructive structural changes proposed on this thread and many others like it that help chart out a long-term solution, before you come complaining about us wearing blindfolds and wandering around in the dark hoping to get somewhere.

No one is “simply hoping that things will improve”. To use your own words, you seem to be delusional about the state of the Pakistan fan base.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

Very easy to criticize, very difficult to think of solutions. Start engaging respectfully and many will begin to respect you back.

 

[Mamoon]

This is a Pakistani fans forum and you are asking us to stop supporting our side because we should accept we are not good enough.

Go to a Sheffield united Bar/Pub and tell them that you should stop aspiring to become a champions league club. Im not sure you will leave the place in one piece. The debris of your existence will drown in the pints they soak in.

Once again, dont try to speak about a culture, an identity that you will never be a part of.

Do you have trouble reading? When did I say that you or Sheffield fans should stop supporting?

The point is that you need to be realistic.

Sheffield fans should hope that they become a top team one day but if they think they are already there, they would deserve to be deluded.

You should hope that Pakistan becomes a top 3 team one day, but if you think they have the potential already, you are deluded.

 

[Rana]

Very easy to criticize, very difficult to think of solutions. Start engaging respectfully and many will begin to respect you back.

There is no winning against some lost souls im afraid. We could be ranked number 1 in the world and there will still be something massively wrong with our system and our people.

For me, a man that criticises a professional who has earned the right for his position through merit and brilliance is a man that cannot be trusted in anything. Most likely, such a person is a liar, backstabber, deceit, cheat. If you dont have the decency to appreciate merit because it doesnt support your political affiliation then nothing can be done for such a low person.

 

[Rana]

Do you have trouble reading? When did I say that you or Sheffield fans should stop supporting?

The point is that you need to be realistic.

Sheffield fans should hope that they become a top team one day but if they think they are already there, they would deserve to be deluded.

You should hope that Pakistan becomes a top 3 team one day, but if you think they have the potential already, you are deluded.

I have no trouble reading just like you have no issues twisting your words and acting like you dont know what you are trying to imply.

I know Pakistanis who are far more village than you but have a bigger claim to western identity and understanding of western culture. Please dont provide these types of examples because it just exposes your one dimensional view on life.

You may think or act that you are the one sensible pakistani with a expanded view upon things, however you are no different to the butchers, thugs we see screaming at each other in the national assembly and the talk shows later.

 

[Mamoon]

You sound like a broken record. Perhaps address the constructive structural changes proposed on this thread and many others like it that help chart out a long-term solution, before you come complaining about us wearing blindfolds and wandering around in the dark hoping to get somewhere.

No one is “simply hoping that things will improve”. To use your own words, you seem to be delusional about the state of the Pakistan fan base.

I sound like a broken record because of you guys. How many times have I been fed these false hopes? I will let you guess.

 

[Mamoon]

I have no trouble reading just like you have no issues twisting your words and acting like you dont know what you are trying to imply.

I know Pakistanis who are far more village than you but have a bigger claim to western identity and understanding of western culture. Please dont provide these types of examples because it just exposes your one dimensional view on life.

You may think or act that you are the one sensible pakistani with a expanded view upon things, however you are no different to the butchers, thugs we see screaming at each other in the national assembly and the talk shows later.

What are you babbling about?

You still cannot differentiate between supporting a team and acknowledging where the team stands today.

You can be the most passionate Pakistan cricket fan while accepting the fact that the team is absolute rubbish.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

I sound like a broken record because of you guys. How many times have I been fed these false hopes? I will let you guess.

Tssktuktss no one is delivering false hopes. You have yet to engage with any of my comments on this thread about the importance of constructive discussion other than the broken record line. So until then, I will take my leave.

 

[Rana]

What are you babbling about?

You still cannot differentiate between supporting a team and acknowledging where the team stands today.

You can be the most passionate Pakistan cricket fan while accepting the fact that the team is absolute rubbish.

A person like you would make assumptions and judgement calls on people without having any understanding of what that person feels about the team. So I and others will never accept your preaching, as I pointed out, your criticism of merit and professionalism does not warrant us to trust you.

 

[Rajdeep]

Everyone is ganging up on one guy but the OP is hilarious. Saying winning against Zimbabwe is not important and the focus should be winning the world cup 2023 at Eden Gardens beating India sounds delusionary. If you struggle 2 out of 3 matches against Zimbabwe at home, if you get bowled out in super over against Muzarabani chances are very less that you would win the 2023 world cup. Ofcourse anything can happen in cricket and if it does it will be the biggest fluke of the decade but the chances are very improbable.

International cricket is not a place to experiment youngsters just for an event more than 3 years away and sacrifice current results. Process is important and so is result. I am sure Pak team management and coach dont think along the lines of OP. They want to win every games at present by selecting the most capable players. But somehow the team is not good enough. If someone highlights this simple point, people gang up on him and says 'Mai inko roolaonga'

 

[silentkiller187]

Brilliant analysis by [MENTION=151892]Thunderbolt14[/MENTION] and [MENTION=133726]GoUgandaCranes[/MENTION] and i hate to say this but also some insightful views from [MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION] that i agree with.

The gist of this discussion that i agree with is at the moment Pakistan are unfortunately not that good. Realistically we are in the same league as SL, WI , ZIM , BANGLADESH, but a lot of our fans like to compare us with India and England, this causes a lot of disappointment and in turn breeds the hatred we see for a lot of players, coaches ex players etc.

I do however think out of all these teams we have reasons to be optimistic, We finally have a regime that looks like they will make positive change, few hiccups along the way i.e. Misbah but that is normal, cant get everything right straight away. We have cricket coming home, finally can have our own base back, fans when they are allowed back into stadiums, this will breed a new cultural love for the game amongst youngsters i believe, coupled with the emergence of PSL on the global stage it should allow us to see some new youngsters come through.

So to conclude not all is lost, the NZ series will be a real benchmark of where we are, we need to go with our strongest team and hope for the best.

 

[Rana]

Everyone is ganging up on one guy but the OP is hilarious. Saying winning against Zimbabwe is not important and the focus should be winning the world cup 2023 at Eden Gardens beating India sounds delusionary. If you struggle 2 out of 3 matches against Zimbabwe at home, if you get bowled out in super over against Muzarabani chances are very less that you would win the 2023 world cup. Ofcourse anything can happen in cricket and if it does it will be the biggest fluke of the decade but the chances are very improbable.

International cricket is not a place to experiment youngsters keeping eye on an event more than 3 years away by sacrificing current results. Process is important and so is result. I am sure Pak team management and coach dont think along the lines of OP. They want to win every games at present by selecting the most capable players. But somehow the team is not good enough. If someone highlights this simple point, people gang up on him and says 'Mai inko roolaonga'

Rajdeep bhai stay out of it my friend.

 

[silentkiller187]

Everyone is ganging up on one guy but the OP is hilarious. Saying winning against Zimbabwe is not important and the focus should be winning the world cup 2023 at Eden Gardens beating India sounds delusionary. If you struggle 2 out of 3 matches against Zimbabwe at home, if you get bowled out in super over against Muzarabani chances are very less that you would win the 2023 world cup. Ofcourse anything can happen in cricket and if it does it will be the biggest fluke of the decade but the chances are very improbable.

International cricket is not a place to experiment youngsters keeping eye on an event more than 3 years away by sacrificing current results. Process is important and so is result. I am sure Pak team management and coach dont think along the lines of OP. They want to win every games at present by selecting the most capable players. But somehow the team is not good enough. If someone highlights this simple point, people gang up on him and says 'Mai inko roolaonga'

International cricket is very much a place to experiment, especially when you have already won the series, how else would you blood new youngsters and give them experience? Put it this way no matter how bad pakistan gets i don't think any team would want to face us when it coms to knock out tournaments, in the last world cup we beat both finalists comfortably even though we were meant to be rock bottom, how did your team get on against the two finalists?

 

[Thunderbolt14]

Everyone is ganging up on one guy but the OP is hilarious. Saying winning against Zimbabwe is not important and the focus should be winning the world cup 2023 at Eden Gardens beating India sounds delusionary. If you struggle 2 out of 3 matches against Zimbabwe at home, if you get bowled out in super over against Muzarabani chances are very less that you would win the 2023 world cup. Ofcourse anything can happen in cricket and if it does it will be the biggest fluke of the decade but the chances are very improbable.

International cricket is not a place to experiment youngsters just for an event more than 3 years away and sacrifice current results. Process is important and so is result. I am sure Pak team management and coach dont think along the lines of OP. They want to win every games at present by selecting the most capable players. But somehow the team is not good enough. If someone highlights this simple point, people gang up on him and says 'Mai inko roolaonga'

Nice troll post. My discussion is very simple about the pathway forward and what constructive structural issues need to be identified and worked on.

Of course the management doesn’t think along the lines of my OP. That’s my entire point, if you bothered to read it.

 

[Mamoon]

Tssktuktss no one is delivering false hopes. You have yet to engage with any of my comments on this thread about the importance of constructive discussion other than the broken record line. So until then, I will take my leave.

Our issues are not structural. Our problem is our rotten mentality.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

Our issues are not structural. Our problem is our rotten mentality.

Mentality is a structural issue. So we can agree.

 

[Mamoon]

We can fast forward to 2030 and nothing will change, and we will still find such threads.

 

[Mamoon]

Mentality is a structural issue. So we can agree.

I don’t think it is, so we will have to agree to disagree.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

I don’t think it is, so we will have to agree to disagree.

Mentality arises out of education and training at young ages. It concerns psychiatrists and coaches and academies. Training at age group levels.

These are structural issues. The difference between you and I is I am willing to discuss them while you complain about everything else and only talk about issues when prodded particularly like I am doing right now.

Even then, you are rarely willing to discuss solutions. Like you right now.

 

[Mamoon]

Mentality arises out of education and training at young ages. It concerns psychiatrists and coaches and academies. Training at age group levels.

These are structural issues. The difference between you and I is I am willing to discuss them while you complain about everything else and only talk about issues when prodded particularly like I am doing right now.

Even then, you are rarely willing to discuss solutions. Like you right now.

There is no point in discussing solutions because I know that nothing is going to happen.

If I had the slightest hope/expectation that will be any better in the near future than we are now, I would have loved to discuss the solutions.

Today, Pakistan cricket is exactly where I expected them to be 5 years ago and I believe that in 5 years, it will exactly be where I expect them to be.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

There is no point in discussing solutions because I know that nothing is going to happen.

If I had the slightest hope/expectation that will be any better in the near future than we are now, I would have loved to discuss the solutions.

Today, Pakistan cricket is exactly where I expected them to be 5 years ago and I believe that in 5 years, it will exactly be where I expect them to be.

Fair enough, you don’t think anything will be done so you don’t discuss solutions. I live the freedom to make that choice to you.

But your natural response is to stifle anyone else from putting in that effort - I suspect if you were close friends with Najam Sethi or Wasim Khan, your natural instinct would be to ensure they know for a fact that nothing can be changed in Pakistan cricket.

Perhaps use your voice for something more useful. Just a few days ago [MENTION=9]Saj[/MENTION] delivered an entire list of feedback to the PCB. Given how frequently you post on this forum, I would have expected someone like you, if you were genuinely interested in the betterment of Pakistan cricket, to post on that thread. Seems, however, that you are not in that category. That is quite unfortunate.

 

[silentkiller187]

There is no point in discussing solutions because I know that nothing is going to happen.

If I had the slightest hope/expectation that will be any better in the near future than we are now, I would have loved to discuss the solutions.

Today, Pakistan cricket is exactly where I expected them to be 5 years ago and I believe that in 5 years, it will exactly be where I expect them to be.

5 years ago did you expect us to beat india in an ICC final , host an entire season of PSL at home? welcome back international cricket. I completely understand you have seen numerous false dawns and promises over the years so you do not want to be optimistic, however i genuinely believe things are about to change and we will see a lot of growth in the next 5/10 years.

 

[Mamoon]

5 years ago did you expect us to beat india in an ICC final , host an entire season of PSL at home? welcome back international cricket. I completely understand you have seen numerous false dawns and promises over the years so you do not want to be optimistic, however i genuinely believe things are about to change and we will see a lot of growth in the next 5/10 years.

What I want is consistency. Yes we won the Champions Trophy, but we failed to build on it.

For me, growth would not be a flash in the pan performance but consistently over a long period of time.

I just don’t see Pakistan becoming a top 3 Test and ODI team on a consistent basis. If Pakistan can achieve the same status and command the same level of respect that teams like India, Australia, England and South Africa had in the near past, I would call that genuine progress.

I am sick and tired of seeing teams say that you cannot write off Pakistan, we are unpredictable, you don’t know which Pakistan will turn up etc. etc. and what is even more sickening is to see our fans take pride in these statements as if they are something to be proud of.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

What I want is consistency. Yes we won the Champions Trophy, but we failed to build on it.

For me, growth would not be a flash in the pan performance but consistently over a long period of time.

I just don’t see Pakistan becoming a top 3 Test and ODI team on a consistent basis. If Pakistan can achieve the same status and command the same level of respect that teams like India, Australia, England and South Africa had in the near past, I would call that genuine progress.

I am sick and tired of seeing teams say that you cannot write off Pakistan, we are unpredictable, you don’t know which Pakistan will turn up etc. etc. and what is even more sickening is to see our fans take pride in these statements as if they are something to be proud of.

Everyone else is sick of it too. Even those fans - but unlike you, we treasure what we have, even if it’s the flash in the pan performances.

In the meanwhile, those of us with the time and energy and true dedication to betterment discuss what we might need to introduce that consistency, rather than complain.

Those who are neither happy during the small victories nor willing to provide constructive feedback during the big defeats, not sure whether those people fit the definition of “fans”.

 

[silentkiller187]

What I want is consistency. Yes we won the Champions Trophy, but we failed to build on it.

For me, growth would not be a flash in the pan performance but consistently over a long period of time.

I just don’t see Pakistan becoming a top 3 Test and ODI team on a consistent basis. If Pakistan can achieve the same status and command the same level of respect that teams like India, Australia, England and South Africa had in the near past, I would call that genuine progress.

I am sick and tired of seeing teams say that you cannot write off Pakistan, we are unpredictable, you don’t know which Pakistan will turn up etc. etc. and what is even more sickening is to see our fans take pride in these statements as if they are something to be proud of.

agreed, we all would love that. However i genuinely feel we are about to turn a corner. cricket is coming back home, that feel good factor is slowly starting to return as we saw with the PSL and hopefully with the commencement of the tournament. The next 5-10years could see an improvement in our fortunes.

Everyone is sick and tired of the labels i am sure, but i just think being overly negative and pessimistic will not solve anything. For example even when we became the number 1 ranked test team, it was because of everything other than the hard work the team put in, fluke, we played crap teams etc etc, every other fan base would have enjoyed the moment yet we had fans on here still speaking negatively about the team, that does not solve anything.

 

[BunnyRabbit]

If the team is ranked 204 in the world, you should still love and support the team. That is called loyalty and all fans should be loyal.

However, at the same time, you should have the sense to accept that they team deserved to be ranked 204 and that it is a true reflection of its capability.

Sheffield United have loyal fans as well, but if they think they have the potential to qualify for the UCL or win the league, then that would make them delusional.

Your problem is that you genuinely believe that this Pakistan team has the potential to be a top 3 team which is laughable to say the least.

This Pakistan side potential and ability wise is in the same league as tier 2 sides like West Indies, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka etc. and is several notches below the likes of India, England and Australia.

If you do not accept the above then you are clearly delusional and in deep denial.

Again, you can be a loyal supporter of the team and also acknowledge that it is a mediocre team that belongs in the second tier. Both are not mutually exclusive which you seem to believe so.

Okay, let me give you a homework, Search for these medical terms and their definitions with examples

1. Delusion
2. Illusion
3. Acting Out
4. Reaction Formation
5. Projection
6. Denial
7. Displacement
8. Idealization


And a few type of personalities
1. Histrionic
2. Narcissistic


Once you fully know about these traits and mechanisms, we shall move towards it's psychotherapy

 

[BunnyRabbit]

Expectations need to be kept low.

It would have been better if we had totally played a b string team and lost the series 1-2 rather than playing 70% of our first XI and losing one match.

Our grooming skills are pretty poor. Our coaching structure is outdated. Our players don't take enough responsibility for their actions nor does the management. Our team probably don't believe in improvement.

A lot of areas are needed where major work needs to be done. It's not just this series, but will hurt the upcoming series in future and our team as well.

 

[MMHS]

Oftentimes, it is most important to be rational during the moments where emotion is most demanded. The urge is impulsive, compulsive: to tear our hair out and scream at the shoddiness and blatant idiocy. I understand, all too well. But let’s look at the big picture.

This Zimbabwe series is not important. And I said a long time ago that we are not winning 2021 or 2022 T20 world cups. I, personally, have taken this for granted and if we win it’s a bonus. But we need to have measured expectations for Pakistan cricket.

I am only looking at the big picture and that is mid-term and long-term. 2023, an epic defeat of India in India in the final at Eden Gardens? Perhaps.

There is a lot of time. Too much time in fact.

Enough time for us to develop a second Babar in Haider Ali and a Kane Williamson in Abdullah Shafique. Enough time for Babar to develop a power game, and for Zafar Gohar to have two consistent years as spearhead spinner in the side. Enough time to gel as a unit, and enough time for Shaheen to become the number 1 ranked ODI bowler in the world. All of this is possible. We just need to know what the big picture is, measure our expectations, and focus on one thing and one thing only: course correction. Big picture. Who is the head coach, who is the chief selector, who is working with haider ali and abdullah shafique on batting fundamentals.

Even in this very game we found remarkable, remarkable improvements. Hasnain’s abilities with the new ball. The gaping new ball issue has been a huge one for several months now - suddenly there’s competition between Hasnain and Rauf. Babar, who seems to have begun to get better and better at the art of chasing. He had a 36 average in chases before today. He finished 70* chasing yesterday and now another century. Obviously, the lacking factor in the end was the absence of a power game. But history’s report cards will not reflect his measured, intense innings to single-handedly wage trench warfare as the rest of the team collapsed around him. All of this in his first series as captain - it restores new faith on Babar’s shoulders.

There were many bright spots today only if we are willing to identify and work on them while cutting out the rubbish. But there is a pathway. And it’s an amazing pathway if we pour the development in the right areas.

PCB has a clear pathway. The beauty of the new domestic system is astonishing many already, as emerging coaches and strategic planning are suddenly being followed in highly publicized matches between local regions. It has brought Mohammad Wasim and Shadab Khan to the forefront, and exposed folks like Basit Ali and Sarfaraz Ahmed - this is the pipeline that will save Pakistan cricket. Imagine if we had this system two years ago, and Wasim was successful then! Would Misbah, with no experience while domestic coaches are knocking the door down, have become coach? No way! Neither would Waqar have become coach after 2003! In 1-2 years there has been a miraculous transformation where we no longer need to give people their COACHING DEBUTS with the PAKISTAN NATIONAL TEAM.

This is the time to follow the system! Bring in Mohammad Wasim and Mohammad Akram, and suddenly you have rectified the two biggest issues with Misbah. Number 1, mohammad akram will bring selections in on merit and has no love for oldies - this is the guy that made Haider bat at 3 after Banton at 2 and dropped Darren Sammy from the team! Best thing is Misbah has already resigned from the selector position and Akram is the forerunner in the race right now - that’s amazing!

The second glaring issue is strategy and positive intent - just look at the way Northern played, the fielding standards, entrusting Shadab with captaincy to lead from the front. That’s what got them so far this National T20 Cup, trailblazing an example that other teams were forced to either pick up on or be left in the dust. These were bold decisions, and they were justifiably rewarded. Heck, they even disrupted their entire batting order to give chances to youngsters on the bench *in ways that made sense*. That’s what we need from Pakistan cricket! As long as the strategies are sound and there is positive intent, wins and losses like this against Zimbabwe are part of the game. No harm, no foul, at least the decisions made sense!

Under Mohammad Wasim, Northern won both the T20 first XI and second XI last year and resuscitated from the bottom of the 4-Day table halfway through the tournament to finish in the final. If I was Wasim Khan, my decisions in November 2020 would be very easy, easier than ever.

That’s why I’m writing this letter. Many are justifiably emotional, many hurt and many frustrated like I am. But do not lose hope. There is a future on the horizon, a future that is bright for our watan, and the changes that have been happening behind the scenes are finally carrying Pakistan into the modern age.

Most of all, be happy that we lost today. Glass half full: Misbah might finally resign as Head Coach.

Yours truly,
Thunderbolt14

I have my reservations about many parts of your post, which I would love to keep within myself for the time being; but one thing I must appreciate in your post - this is one long post in PP about PAK cricket without the mentioning of a particular word “TALENT”. That itself is a praiseworthy change.

Yes, system produces professional sportsmen - if there is a systematic approach to the development of the game; why not? Cricket is a very limited game in terms of competition and few countries play it; fewer countries are good at it and only four strong sporting nations are into cricket, even then it’s a dying sports there. Hence, it’s the easiest game to make a mark, but obviously to reach at the top, it won’t be easy.

I think, the best part of this post is a realisation & silent acceptance that I tried to explain here many times - the past glory of PAK cricket was on borrowed money, not for born talent or superior gin ..... English Counties were allowed to hire cheap global talents in abundance at the right age - since late 1990s, it was blocked and the impact is clearly evident on two nations that benefited from that - PAK & WIN.

PAK has to go back to the route cause of the problem and in that regard, this is quite a promising post; though as I said, I am not so optimistic with the time line, but this is the right thought process. Why not?

 

[Mr Crickekter]

Pakistani fans fall are deluded and in denial.

They are adamant that the only reason our cricket has regressed is because we have been playing in UAE under the tutelage of Misbah for so many years. He is the biggest punching bag and apparently the only reason why we have struggled.

They make clownish statements like if we play India in bilaterals we will beat them like we did in 2012/13,

PSL bowling is better then IPL bowling, we would have beaten India in the semifinal and won the World Cup if the Sri Lankan match wasn’t washed out, we will beat the top teams all the time once we play regularly in Pakistan,

If some other team would have been banished from playing at home for years they would have stopped playing cricket and vanished. We survived which shows he resilient we are etc.

These are some of the clown statements off the top of my head but I am sure I have missed many more.

They live in denial because if they accept where Pakistan is today and where Pakistan is heading, they will be left with nothing. It is their belief that as supporters, they should always hope for a better future.

These people look to find saviors in young players. These days, Abdullah Shafique is being advertised as a hybrid of Joe Root and Kane Williamson with a bit of Babar Azam sprinkled on top. If he does not prove to be the player they are hoping him to be, they will latch onto another young player with similar expectations.

Also, they are dreaming of the day when the fearsome quartet of Shaheen, Naseem, Hasnain and Rauf will be blowing teams apart.

These people will always tell you that look, be patient because things will change in a few years. Unfortunately, they have been repeating the same hogwash for years and years now.

If the likes of Hafeez, Wahab, Malik, Fakhar etc. were youngsters today, these people would be hyping them in the same fashion.

Yesterday, I was told that if Misbah had any cricket acumen, he would have sent in Wahab in the Super-Over.

However, when Wahab would have bottled it, I would have been told that if Misbah had any cricket acumen, he wouldn’t have sent in a tail-ender in the Super-Over because you need a specialist batsman to handle the pressure of the situation.

I would have been told that Khushdil and Fakhar are the best power-hitters in the country and they would have won us the Super-Over.

There is no winning from Pakistani fans because the alternative is always the solution. If we try X and it blows in our face, then we would have won had we tried Y.

However, if we tried Y and it would have blown in our faces, then X would have been the solution. These folks are always looking for scraps to make themselves feel better.

People say I am negative and pessimistic and bla bla, but the truth is that I know the reality of Pakistan cricket like the back of my hand.

You can call it arrogance, but I knew where Pakistan cricket would be in 2020 years back and I know where Pakistan cricket would be 5, 10 years from now.

That is why when the squads for this series were announced and people were crying because Misbah didn’t pick enough youngsters with diapers on because it is Zimbabwe, I told them that Misbah is aware of the reality of our youngsters and what they are capable of.

Zimbabwe is one of the very few teams that we have the ability to beat, and Misbah cannot risk it by going for youngsters.

Looking at the bowling of youngster Musa and batting of youngster Khushdil yesterday, it is obvious that had Misbah triggered the deluded supporters and picked Amir and Hafeez/Malik instead, we would have walked the series 3-0.

Now these deluded people will say that oh look this is a learning experience. Yeah right, because after getting owned by rusty Zimbabweans who were almost banned for good lately, these youngsters will learn from this and demolish Indian, England and Australians players next.

Listen to me real close so that you don’t cry later. Pakistan is a deeply mediocre team with no talent. Changing departments to regions, cutting down teams and importing some British Pakistani administrator with fancy accent will not change anything.

We have been sold the dummy that lesser the teams, the better the standard of cricket because only the very good players will make it because the competition will be so high. There you go, we have fixed Pakistan cricket and go and have a wonderful life.

If less teams = greater quality, then BCCI would not have 38 teams in Ranji Trophy. Instead, maybe they should only have 2 teams, which means every single player that will break through will be elite among the elites, and India will only have players like Kohli and Rohit and Bumrah.

This dramaybaazi will not help Pakistan cricket as long as our mentality and cricket culture is rotten to the core.

Our players don’t understand cricket, our ex-players don’t understand cricket, our fans don’t understand cricket, our coaches don’t understand cricket and PCB itself does not understand cricket.

We cannot identify our problems - we have stage 4 cancer but we are focusing on controlling our fever with paracetamol.

We come up with dumb solutions because we cannot identify our problems, we have no idea how to build a winning team and we don’t have a clue on how success is achieved and what it takes to create a high performance environment.

Pakistan cricket’s damage started with the fluke 1992 World Cup which we should not have won in the manner that we did, because it created a cancerous cricket culture that is hampering us to date.

To this date we do the same drama. Prior to boarding the flight to London for the World Cup last year, our players ***** white shalwar kameez and met the PM to get tips and inspiration from him, but I don’t think the Australian team went to Ponting, Waugh or Border and India went to Kapil let alone their teammate Dhoni.

Our players have pathetic personalities. They are either timid and get owned or they are overly aggressive and get owned the same.

They can’t string two coherent sentences in any language including their mother tongue. I bet if you sit with them and talk cricket they won’t have a clue.

When a young player flukes a Man of the Award he will start with thanking the Almighty, the seniors, the parents, the chachu and chachi and finish with his neighbor.

When they score a fifty they will take off their helmets and do a victory lap around the stadium.

Pakistan cricket does have a lot of potential. With a population of over 200 million, the market is huge and the talent pool in terms of personnel is massive. However, for us to realize our potential, we need a complete factory reset in terms of our attitude and how we think.

Not only are the players mediocre but the fans are mediocre as well.

101%agree with you...
We are 7th, 8th ranked team and we should accept it..

 

[Thunderbolt14]

I have my reservations about many parts of your post, which I would love to keep within myself for the time being; but one thing I must appreciate in your post - this is one long post in PP about PAK cricket without the mentioning of a particular word “TALENT”. That itself is a praiseworthy change.

Yes, system produces professional sportsmen - if there is a systematic approach to the development of the game; why not? Cricket is a very limited game in terms of competition and few countries play it; fewer countries are good at it and only four strong sporting nations are into cricket, even then it’s a dying sports there. Hence, it’s the easiest game to make a mark, but obviously to reach at the top, it won’t be easy.

I think, the best part of this post is a realisation & silent acceptance that I tried to explain here many times - the past glory of PAK cricket was on borrowed money, not for born talent or superior gin ..... English Counties were allowed to hire cheap global talents in abundance at the right age - since late 1990s, it was blocked and the impact is clearly evident on two nations that benefited from that - PAK & WIN.

PAK has to go back to the route cause of the problem and in that regard, this is quite a promising post; though as I said, I am not so optimistic with the time line, but this is the right thought process. Why not?

To be completely honest, I am not as optimistic about the timeline as well - you will notice I have disregarded 2021 and 2022 T20 world cups, both of which I will consider a bonus if we win but I do not expect at all.

3 years until 2023 is still tough, but in cricketing terms 3 years is actually a decent amount of time. This is the amount of time it took England to transform between 2015 and 2019, and the amount of time for Pakistan to come crashing between 1999 and 2003.

I do not expect a miraculous revival, but I do think certain mid-term and long-term structural changes can be made with a positive approach by our management. If we fail in 2023, so be it. On to the next series or trophy. But the underlying mechanisms and pathways need to be fixed. (And already the new domestic system is starting to move along this trajectory). Hence you will find most of my posts on this forum as drivers of constructive discussion, as I believe there is no solution in bashing or complaining. The most immediate concern for me is to give Haider Ali a proper batting coach, for example.

Like you said - why not?

 

[Kroll]

Getting rid of Misbah is a start to recovery.

Its no coincidence that team started going downhill once Misbah became captain and was more focused on playing his mediocre or ageing buddies. Misbah himself was not a good ODI batsman.

To cap it off, he foisted Azhar upon the ODI captaincy yet wasn't deemed good enough to play under his own captaincy. So this wasted more time as then we had to eventually discard Azhar.

Now, it doesn't take Einstein to work out that now he's back as coach, the team is going to remain mediocre because he simply hasn't got the mentality of what a modern ODI team should be or how it plays.

He still favours the obsolete tactics of the 90s as well as trying to get his friends in the white ball team. This is proven with the recall of Mo Irfan in Australia and favouring Ifti over other suitable prospects.

We have seen there is no balance with any of his teams be it test or white ball format. In tests, he plays expired players with a couple of teenagers thrown in. In white ball, he plays all accumulators up top with obsolete tactics.

Funny thing is, Misbah still thinks he's the man and his decisions sacrosanct.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

[MENTION=143714]Kroll[/MENTION] completely agree, I wonder if Misbah has watched ODI cricket since he retired

 

[shariqnoor]

Our rightful spot in the world rankings as of now is 6th, in every format. Anybody who thinks that England, Australia, India, NZ and SA aren't ahead of us is living in a fantasy land.

Now what I want to see first is an acceptance of this ranking by our fans, ex-cricketers and the board. If everybody continuously feeds themselves this narrative that Pakistan should be winning World Cups and that India deliberately lost to England so that Pakistan couldn't make it to the semis, then the path to progress becomes an even longer one. Everybody needs to start taking small steps. Accept that we're 6th and then look towards getting to number 5 in the rankings and then so on and so forth.

For me, there are few ways to get there however some of them are external and PCB has no control over it.

Firstly, and most importantly, Pakistan needs to become an economic powerhouse. Nothing will happen in this day and age if your economy is bordering on bankruptcy. India was as hopeless as a cricket team in the 1990's as we are right now but what changed them was their progress as an economic superpower. It is no coincidence that their rise as a cricketing nation coincided with their rise as an economic giant. The growth spurt allowed them to invest heavily into sports by building academies, infrastructure, coaches and that shows up in their influence. Australia and England used to bully India in ICC in the 90's but now it is India bullying everybody. You may hate it but they have earned this right. So Pakistan needs to get its economy up and running. This will take time. 10 years minimum provided Pakistan starts to clean up its mess right now.

Secondly, 6 teams domestic tournament can only work if there is a ton of cricket being played at the lower level. Right now the structure is an inverted pyramid. When you have the highest amount of cricket being played at the top most level, then having 6 teams will actually be a detriment as not enough cricketers are getting the chance to play.

Thirdly, data and fitness. I don't know if it's a Pakistani trait or not but 99% of our players have no clue about data analytics and fitness. The relative success Pakistan had in the 90's was built on sheer talent and skill alone and nothing else. But that skill and talent alone will win you nothing in today's environment. Not that Pakistan is currently blessed with much skill and talent, but without having a grasp of data driven analysis and fitness, Pakistan cricket is never bound to be successful. There's a reason why teams immediately bring on fast bowlers against Shoaib Malik but we never even tried a single bouncer against Chris Woakes.

Fourth, match awareness. Our players are so far behind in understanding match situations that you will lose matches from seemingly winning positions most of the time against good teams. You just need to visit last ODI against Zimbabwe to see how deplorable our cricketers are in understanding match situations. Firstly Wahab gets out trying to launch a six when only 30 odd runs were required in 24 or 25 balls. He should've been knowing that if he and Babar play those 4 remaining overs, they easily win the match. But Wahab wanted to be a hero fully knowing that after him are 3 genuinely number 11 batsmen. Then in the Super Over, you send 2 lefties who are leg side hacks against a bowler who bowls cutters across the batsmen. Then those 3 batsmen wanted to hit 6 sixes in the Super Over instead of getting 10 runs which would've probably been enough for Shaheen to defend. Our players just can't read match situations under pressure at all.

I can write many more points but the gist remains that there are so many loopholes in our cricket right now that it will take 10 more years at the minimum to get to a level where the team can start challenging the likes of England, India, NZ and Australia.

We can collectively hate Misbah but he knows a few things for sure that our fans just can't see. One of the things he has rightly pointed out is that the pool of 25 players that we get to see every series is the best Pakistan possesses at the moment. One or two players might get added or dropped but that's about it. The unfortunate thing in Pakistan cricket is that the guy sitting on the bench is almost always the remedy to all Pakistan problems. Right now Abdullah Shafique is the flavor of the month. When he gets the chance and invariably flops, then the guy who was dropped was the right person and should've been persisted with. When Usman Qadir was selected, I remember people here clamoring for Zahid Mehmood yet in the same breath cursing Misbah for not giving youngsters a chance. Remind me how young is Zahid Mehmood? There's just no satisfying everyone.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

Our rightful spot in the world rankings as of now is 6th, in every format. Anybody who thinks that England, Australia, India, NZ and SA aren't ahead of us is living in a fantasy land.

Now what I want to see first is an acceptance of this ranking by our fans, ex-cricketers and the board. If everybody continuously feeds themselves this narrative that Pakistan should be winning World Cups and that India deliberately lost to England so that Pakistan couldn't make it to the semis, then the path to progress becomes an even longer one. Everybody needs to start taking small steps. Accept that we're 6th and then look towards getting to number 5 in the rankings and then so on and so forth.

For me, there are few ways to get there however some of them are external and PCB has no control over it.

Firstly, and most importantly, Pakistan needs to become an economic powerhouse. Nothing will happen in this day and age if your economy is bordering on bankruptcy. India was as hopeless as a cricket team in the 1990's as we are right now but what changed them was their progress as an economic superpower. It is no coincidence that their rise as a cricketing nation coincided with their rise as an economic giant. The growth spurt allowed them to invest heavily into sports by building academies, infrastructure, coaches and that shows up in their influence. Australia and England used to bully India in ICC in the 90's but now it is India bullying everybody. You may hate it but they have earned this right. So Pakistan needs to get its economy up and running. This will take time. 10 years minimum provided Pakistan starts to clean up its mess right now.

Secondly, 6 teams domestic tournament can only work if there is a ton of cricket being played at the lower level. Right now the structure is an inverted pyramid. When you have the highest amount of cricket being played at the top most level, then having 6 teams will actually be a detriment as not enough cricketers are getting the chance to play.

Thirdly, data and fitness. I don't know if it's a Pakistani trait or not but 99% of our players have no clue about data analytics and fitness. The relative success Pakistan had in the 90's was built on sheer talent and skill alone and nothing else. But that skill and talent alone will win you nothing in today's environment. Not that Pakistan is currently blessed with much skill and talent, but without having a grasp of data driven analysis and fitness, Pakistan cricket is never bound to be successful. There's a reason why teams immediately bring on fast bowlers against Shoaib Malik but we never even tried a single bouncer against Chris Woakes.

Fourth, match awareness. Our players are so far behind in understanding match situations that you will lose matches from seemingly winning positions most of the time against good teams. You just need to visit last ODI against Zimbabwe to see how deplorable our cricketers are in understanding match situations. Firstly Wahab gets out trying to launch a six when only 30 odd runs were required in 24 or 25 balls. He should've been knowing that if he and Babar play those 4 remaining overs, they easily win the match. But Wahab wanted to be a hero fully knowing that after him are 3 genuinely number 11 batsmen. Then in the Super Over, you send 2 lefties who are leg side hacks against a bowler who bowls cutters across the batsmen. Then those 3 batsmen wanted to hit 6 sixes in the Super Over instead of getting 10 runs which would've probably been enough for Shaheen to defend. Our players just can't read match situations under pressure at all.

I can write many more points but the gist remains that there are so many loopholes in our cricket right now that it will take 10 more years at the minimum to get to a level where the team can start challenging the likes of England, India, NZ and Australia.

We can collectively hate Misbah but he knows a few things for sure that our fans just can't see. One of the things he has rightly pointed out is that the pool of 25 players that we get to see every series is the best Pakistan possesses at the moment. One or two players might get added or dropped but that's about it. The unfortunate thing in Pakistan cricket is that the guy sitting on the bench is almost always the remedy to all Pakistan problems. Right now Abdullah Shafique is the flavor of the month. When he gets the chance and invariably flops, then the guy who was dropped was the right person and should've been persisted with. When Usman Qadir was selected, I remember people here clamoring for Zahid Mehmood yet in the same breath cursing Misbah for not giving youngsters a chance. Remind me how young is Zahid Mehmood? There's just no satisfying everyone.

Great post. You have brilliantly deconstructed the major issues in the cricketing structure - economics, infrastructure, and the lack of data analytics are the biggest determining factors in my eyes.

The easiest remediable of these issues is the incorporation of data analytics at a very close level with all regional sides and most importantly with the Pakistan team. If Pakistan were to invest some money to hire Cricviz tomorrow, it would completely transform the outlook of our top-level side. It won’t drastically change the players, but it will synergize with two other issues you mentioned: firstly, game awareness, and secondly, strategic thinking (or lack thereof). Understanding your own strengths and weaknesses, the opponent’s dot ball percentages, or the susceptibility of unnamed Englishmen to the bouncer in a win-or-die Test match, these factors add up to make any side look a lot more professional.

It is the driving force behind the English team, and it is the driver for all IPL sides. For me, it is more valuable to have top tier data team in this day and age, than to even have a head coach like Misbah ul Haq. It baffles me why this continues to remain a point of debate, and it’s something I wish there was more noise about so the PCB picks up on.

 

[Mamoon]

If Hafeez, Malik and Wahab were youngsters today, we would have 10 threads on PP talking about how they are going to be world beaters in the future and we should keep faith in them.

Such is the misery and desperation of Pakistani fans these days.