Dr_Bassim
Senior T20I Player
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2009
- Runs
- 18,856
- Post of the Week
- 8
Actually, on most days its a winnable total.
But you have to look at the semantics when you see totals, instead of looking them in all exclusivity.
280 would have been a wonderful total, had Pakistan batted their socks off and reached it after throwing everything they had to the willow.
However, Pakistani batsmen batted with no urgency, in a retirement mode for most of the innings (bar a crazy Akmal who's mostly crazy no matter what the situation) and finally it culminated in a timid Haris who was more interested in celebrating his century than actually considering the runs might not be enough.
The fact Pakistan strolled to the total and lulled along most of the innings was based on the outdated philosophy that if we score 250 or 260 runs, we have more than enough to win against a meek Australia.
But in those days we had the famous chuckers in the form of Hafeez, Ajmal and the mercurial Afridi to bowl 30 overs of spin to choke the opposition.
When you had Shah and Imad as your spinners, 280 was going to be an average proposition for any team worth its weight and Australia cantered in the end.
What does that teach us?
It does not matter what the final total is, but the manner of your approach towards the game and not pre-deciding what you can get, or your bowling can defend.
The aim should be to maximize your batting to reach 300 plus every game, until proven otherwise that its unlikely a 300 pitch.
Hope Pakistan learns it lesson and are not lackadaisical in the remaining games.
But you have to look at the semantics when you see totals, instead of looking them in all exclusivity.
280 would have been a wonderful total, had Pakistan batted their socks off and reached it after throwing everything they had to the willow.
However, Pakistani batsmen batted with no urgency, in a retirement mode for most of the innings (bar a crazy Akmal who's mostly crazy no matter what the situation) and finally it culminated in a timid Haris who was more interested in celebrating his century than actually considering the runs might not be enough.
The fact Pakistan strolled to the total and lulled along most of the innings was based on the outdated philosophy that if we score 250 or 260 runs, we have more than enough to win against a meek Australia.
But in those days we had the famous chuckers in the form of Hafeez, Ajmal and the mercurial Afridi to bowl 30 overs of spin to choke the opposition.
When you had Shah and Imad as your spinners, 280 was going to be an average proposition for any team worth its weight and Australia cantered in the end.
What does that teach us?
It does not matter what the final total is, but the manner of your approach towards the game and not pre-deciding what you can get, or your bowling can defend.
The aim should be to maximize your batting to reach 300 plus every game, until proven otherwise that its unlikely a 300 pitch.
Hope Pakistan learns it lesson and are not lackadaisical in the remaining games.