I am afraid that you are projecting your thoughts instead of actually reading what I have repeatedly stated.
I am not being proud of being inconsistent, it’s a ridiculous idea and I never said it.
I have said twice that “structural changes and strategic reforms are needed for the long term betterment of Pakistan Cricket and it is long overdue.”
What I am saying is that advancement to the Semis is based on good performance on a single day (by an inconsistent team) coupled by a bad performance on another day (by a consistent team) or some combination thereof. It has nothing to do with deserving or undeserving, there is no arbitration panel sitting and issuing moral judgements on who should advance and who shouldn’t.
Nobody is being proud of performing badly or being inconsistent but it is what it is.
It could rain on a particularly day and throw a good team out of the tournament or equally rain could cause a bad team to advance, it isn’t a moral imperative, it is based on what happens on a particular day.
Shadab Khan is not setting the world on fire but he is not useless either, together with Imad, Hafeez and Haris the spin department is competent if not extraordinary. The pace battery (if they get the length right) can trouble other teams. The batting is average but can get better with adjustment in the batting order.
In hindsight, a few of the players would not be in the squad but we are where we are.
I am taking issue (with respect) with your morality clause of “don’t deserve to advance” line of think. It isn’t a deserving vs non-deserving discussion, it’s how they perform on the day and the outcome of other teams (on their day). It’s a game and not a day in the Church to be judged upon the Gospel.
It is not a totally useless squad and can still get better with tactical adjustments and a game plan. For example, depending on the playing 11 selected, depending on the lengths bowled and depending on the batting order, they can beat any side (including India) on a given day. By the same token, wheels can come off too (and spectacularly).
They are inconsistent but not absolutely pathetic in my view.
A good day can see them advance.
A bad day will see them thrown out.
Either way, long term changes are needed and consistency needs to be developed.
