Why does Pakistan cricket always experience chaos just before a World Cup?

[ahmedwaqas92]

Every single World cup post the 2003 edition (as in both 2003 and 1999 we had pretty much a settled squad) has experienced some form of chaos that leads to our entire campaign being botched before it even begins.

2007 - Akhtar and Asif replaced by Sami and Arafat + Razzaq got injured as well
2011 - Spot Fixing Saga, no captain announced until the last month or so.
2015 - Spinners Banned, Junaid Got Injured + Selection blunders
2019 - Rested The Core of the team few games before the WC leading to no match practice for main players

It's been nearly 1.5 decades with a different management every single time that helps us prepare for the World Cup yet EVERY SINGLE TIME, we botch it up emphatically and then wonder why is it that we don't compete in these events. Miracles like the CT17 don't happen everyday and we need to realize that it is about God damn time that we do some form appraisal (at the highest government level) to ensure that things aren't taken for granted by those at the helm.

I seriously had a lot of hopes with Micky and Inzamam running the show that they were part of the modern era would least make sure we're a settled squad entering into the World Cup however it seems that we're going to go in the tournament with a completely undecided XI and a core bunch of players with non-existent match practice.

Someone needs to come out from the PCB/Selection Committee/Management and enlighten on who's brilliant idea was this!

 

[light]

Didn't you guys experience Chaos right before CT aswell? Look how that turned out to be. Your cricket unit isn't as bad as some of us outsiders makes it out to be. You guys have a good shot at reaching the semi and after that, it's anyone's game to lift the cup.

 

[Abdullah]

This is nothing like losing your best bowlers everytime.
It's good they wrapped Shaheen and Hassan up for this series!
Also everybody knows 11 players that are in ( whether we like it or not) but they have been in the mix from last 2 years+

Fakhar
Babar
Malik
Sarfaraz
Shadab
Imad
Faheem
Shaheen
Hasan
Shadab
Amir

You can add hafeez to that list and we all just hoping imam gets displaced by shaan.

There are 2 spots left - Haris has been in and out last 2 years as spare Middle order as well as giving Asif a chance.

That leaves the backup quick.

People are just making a drama out of it cos we are losing , but it is right call to rest all format players as we been playing need non stop since aus tests in October (except maybe for Babar who is a batter and young enough to handle it)

 

[GreenKhan]

I don’t think there is any chaos. Whilst the Australian series has been a bit of a farce there is no harm in resting players .

What needs to be remembered is once Pakistan arrive in England they have 10 matches before their first game against the Windies

5 Odis plus 1 t20.
2 warm up games against counties
2 warm ups against other international teams.

That’s plenty of matches and is like a tour within a tour .

 

[GoUgandaCranes]

@ the OP.

This is not chaos per say which is norm to Pak cricket but we keep trying to do the same things and assume that there will be different results.

Case in point - Yasir Shah tamgha-e-imtiaz

The man is a proven test cricketer on certain types of pitches. We have not won a single test since 2010 without a major contribution from him. But is the guy suitable to limited overs cricket? Is the guy in peak fitness? Is the guy really good at his tertiary skills namely batting or fielding? is the guy young and would benefit from the experience of playing a really useless ODI series?

The answer to all of these questions is a gigantic Uranus sized "No". There isn't even an excuse of keeping him match-fit because the next text is literally months away. Why would you want him in the squad?

But no, we find him bowling his straight darts in the middle overs.

If they had a created a plan for the last four years about this World Cup, he shouldn't be there; if they didn't have a plan, then he shouldn't be there. The guy got outperformed by a rookie even playing PSL so giving him more Pak caps just doesn't sit well.

Then midway through the series they decide to rest Fahim. Which in turn means that they feel he's done enough to seal his world cup place. On the basis of what? PSL? T20 cricket? What exactly and if they had decided that already, why play him the first two matches? What does that serve?

Mickey came with the weirdest of excuses after the South African tour about squad selection. This is even worse than that.

If you want to test bench strength, test bench strength. Is Amir part of your bench strength? No. Do you need Junaid warming your bench? No. Why pick Abid Ali if Imam is going to play? What does that serve, how does that work?

We have no idea who our power hitters are. You need more than one but Asif Ali was not selected. I don't really like him but if you think power is the way to go, both him and Akmal should have played with the clear instruction that the one who does better has more of a chance for going forward. Haris was bowling before, he is bowling even now and the few overs he bowled he was ok. If you are not going to use his secondary skill fully, do not use him at all as he's always a two steps away from getting injured.

Granted we rested our primary fast bowlers, why not play the competition for Shadab which is the real weakness. Where are Gohar, Asghar, even Umar Khan. I know Usama Mir has dropped of the radar and we don't have a left arm chinaman bowler but we know that the world cup would be contested between overs number 15 to 40.

Then we have the elephant in the room in the form of Malik and Hafeez. He's not playing after the world cup and yet Malik's the captain. Why aren't we developing captaincy options? Even Imad could have been tried for this series as he may have shown some motivation going forward.

All of this just highlights the points that we have always believed, we have zero planning and zero knowledge going forward. We neither know our best players, nor we know how to use them.

 

[Mamoon]

The rested players will play a 5 match ODI series vs heavy favorites England in England right before the World Cup.

You cannot ask for better preparation. We are really lucky to have been provided with this luxury - every team in the World Cup would have loved a series against England in England as part of their World Cup preparation.

However, it is an entirely different matter that our so-called main stars are not good enough either.

 

[Technics 1210]

The rested players will play a 5 match ODI series vs heavy favorites England in England right before the World Cup.

You cannot ask for better preparation. We are really lucky to have been provided with this luxury - every team in the World Cup would have loved a series against England in England as part of their World Cup preparation.

However, it is an entirely different matter that our so-called main stars are not good enough either.

Indeed. I just hope Pakistan team stay in England after the series and up to the end of the World Cup stint.

 

[Wasim_Waqar]

I think the resting of players is not chaos. If they played and got injured people would say that is chaos, which is true. This is called planning. It might not have a space in the dictionary of a lot of our fans, but that’s what other teams would do.

Giving up one meaningless series to ensure our guys are fit and enthusiastic (yes! It can be boring to play cricket repeatedly in such a short space of time! Therefore that energy should be saved for the World Cup.) is good!

 

[Red Devil]

I don't think resting some players was a bad move at all, not sure why people are criticizing it.

Why would you want the core of your team to be fatigued for the World Cup by making them play some random meaningless series?

I mean, what purpose does an ODI series in freaking UAE even serve at this point?

 

[Rana]

The rested players will play a 5 match ODI series vs heavy favorites England in England right before the World Cup.

You cannot ask for better preparation. We are really lucky to have been provided with this luxury - every team in the World Cup would have loved a series against England in England as part of their World Cup preparation.

However, it is an entirely different matter that our so-called main stars are not good enough either.

Bear in mind, The pitches ECB will curate may not match the tracks ICC will curate. England historically have not done well in the World Cup and this may not help either. Pakistan May get pummelled in the 5 match series but may also trump England when the real game takes place in the WC.

 

[Salman]

There is still a lot of cricket to be played between now and the world cup, nothing wrong with resting front line players in the UAE, however there should be no excuses as will be best positioned to get players used to conditions for the world cup.

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