I’ve been following this forum for the past 16 years. I’ve enjoyed posting here with a positive intent to promote Pakistan cricket. However, the last few years have been frustrating considering the negativity regarding our cricket that was being normalised by certain individuals who I do not need to name. However, I believe this T20 World Cup has put some of those so called theories which were considered or spread as ‘fact’ to bed. Let us list them all one by one:
1. “Pakistani cricketers are not good enough to compete in the IPL (except a Babar and Shaheen).”
We were told that our cricketers lack the skill and talent to participate in the world’s best league. However, the match on the 24th should serve as an eye opener for those who doubted Pakistan’s ability to participate, that too against the best in India. Players like Rauf, Shadab, Rizwan, Imad all stood up and showed their ability to perform at the highest level. The following matches showed the brute ability of players like Asif Ali, whilst Fakhar Zaman has also enjoyed the title of being one of the most dangerous batsmen in the world on his day.
2. “There is no talent in Pakistan”
I am not sure how you can comprehensively beat India and New Zealand on the world stage if there is absolutely no talent in Pakistan. Similarly, match winning performances by Rauf and Asif Ali prove that Pakistani bench strength should not be underestimated. I wouldn’t be surprised if Khushdil Shah ends up playing a blinder at some point if he is given the chance as well. We seem to want too much from our players because others look better. The rise of Mohammad Rizwan is also testimony to the fact that mediocre performers in Pakistan are capable of improving enough into world class cricketers if the right work ethic and coaching is there.
3. Harris Rauf is a Rock Thrower/Asif Ali isnt good enough for international standards
Two players who were heavily targeted, yet these two have given you everything as Pakistani players and and have produced match winning performances. Rauf was always one of the best T20 bowlers going into this tournament, but for some reason ‘experts’ could not accept him as a proper option because they have an obsession for the likes of Hassan Ali or bowlers that have vast fc experience. Maybe these people need to adapt and reassess their stubborn and limited view on the importance of fc experience in comparison to modern one day cricket requirements.
4. “A Bangladesh team with a fully fit Mushfiq and Shakib are the second best Asian side in white ball cricket in Asian conditions.”
If this is the case, how are Bangladesh comprehensively looking like the worst out of all the Asian sides in this T20 World Cup? Shakib and Mushfiq are fully fit. They have pace bowlers, they have spinners, all of their batsmen are available. They also have a very useful coaching staff. Yet Bangladesh have been absolutely atrocious, their fans would agree to this. Why was this lie normalised on this forum?? Why were we told to believe Mushfiq is comfortably better than all batsmen in Pakistan besides Babar? We respect Bangladesh’s efforts, but what is the point of such insulting claims to put down Pakistan fans?
5. “Hardik Pandya is the best all rounder in the world after Ben Stokes”
So Hardik is bowling regularly and also scoring runs regularly these days? Is he playing as an all rounder, or a batsman in this world T20. Was this claim made because he is Indian and that gives him preferential elevation into this status?
6. Pakistan’s poor batting in the UAE was exposed by the high scoring games in IPL 2020
I remember how certain posters took it upon themselves to devalue the efforts of Pakistan’s attritional batting style in Dubai/Abu Dhabi and Sharjah just because BCCI ensured that there should be exceptionally flat tracks for high scoring encounters. However, does this claim hold any weightage now considering all the low scoring affairs we have seen in IPL 2021 and also the low scores we have seen in this world T20. Moreover, batting juggernauts India could only manage 150 on these tracks against the same Pakistan that was being devalued for their efforts in exile.
7. India v Pakistan is no longer a rivalry. Indians do not view Pakistan as their rival anymore
We were being told this is just another match for India, and matches against Zimbabwe would draw as much anticipation for Indian fans. ICC doubled the ticket prices for this match, would love to see them double the ticket prices for a match against Namibia if that’s the case. A legend like Mathew Hayden may have provided the ultimate reality check to delusional Indian fans and anti Pakistan agents that Australia considers England as their Arch rivals, and the India v Pakistan match is the ‘holy grail’ of cricketing fans in the sub continent.
These are 7 myths that I can think of for the time being. Maybe there are some glaring ones that I have missed out on and posters can remind me. But God it feels great for these myths to be debunked and hopefully a new era of Sanity will prevail from now on.
solute;left:0px;top:0px;overflow:hidden;"></iframe>
