Pakistan's new age batting - A coincidence or careful attempt in copying India way
From Wasim Akram running in to give a nightmare to the batsmen to Wahab Riaz bowling a spell of unexpected grit to leave Shane Watson flummoxed during the 2015 World Cup QF in Adelaide, Pakistan have put on a show of fast bowling that was rare in cricket history. Batting, however, has let them down.
While they had batsmen of the quality of Javed Miandad and Inzamam ul Haq - of the silky skills and leaden boots - in truth, it was always far and few and never ever did batting become the stabilising force to make them a contender. Even in the 1992 World Cup - Pakistan’s only global trophy for the next 18 years until they won the 2009 T20 World Cup - they banked on their bowlers to pull them out of the woods before Viv Richards’ pep talk somehow eased out the bad blood between Imran Khan and Javed Miandad to help the team claim the title.
However, with the 2019 edition starting for Pakistan with an encounter against West Indies, a team that took pride in hitting the ball clean at a venue that is largely becoming a ground for bowlers to do their soul-searching in the modern-day ODI cricket, there is a buzz in the air. It was not about the return of Mohammed Amir nor did about Wahab Riaz, who got a lifeline out of nowhere. All discussion led to a point that Pakistan’s batting would dictate the course this time and there was hardly an eye that flinched.
How has the transformation actually come about? Was it the preconceived idea that England’s flatter wickets have made the bowlers largely insignificant or was it just following the simple dictum that India seem to be following? Because making inroads is as much about having clarity of thought in mind as much as it was working in a particular direction to ensure the job was executed in the right fashion. Pakistan’s progress can never be confined to a monologue of coincidence.
But then the question arises, how much of it was down to the path that had India taken in the last half a decade? MS Dhoni’s move to promote Rohit Sharma to the opening slot in the England series in 2013 achieved legendary status after the latter’s exploits to become one of India’s all-time best ODI openers, at least statistically, it gave stability and a formula to bank on. India are methodical, Pakistan aren’t or rather weren’t. They were in search of a formula which could genuinely make them contenders and when their wins wouldn’t be considered as just upsets. And they took a cue from India.
With the likes of Fakhar Zaman and Imam ul Haq at the top, it is now apparent that they have a top-order sorted for the occasion in England. Ever since the latter’s debut, only Virat Kohli, Ross Taylor, and Rohit Sharma have scored more runs than Imam and anyone who has followed his career would also vouch for the fact that Imam starts slow and then accelerates. As a matter of fact, he has a strike rate of 62.33 in the first 10 overs, while Zaman usually dons the aggressive role. You would be forgiven if you think it is Rohit-Shikhar batting in spirit.
Pakistan have made a careful attempt of not being carried away by the swagger of England and understood their limitations and found solace in India’s plans. A middle-order, who knows how to rotate the strike and a power-hitter to give them the eventual impetus lower down the order is central to India’s plans of dominating the World Cup this time. And now you take a look at the middle-order of Babar Azam, Mohammed Hafeez, Sarfraz Ahmed, Shoaib Malik, to go with the batting explosiveness of Asif Ali can just do the trick for the 1992 World Cup champions.
Pakistan, for long, lacked that spark in their batting-order and have, just in time, found one who could largely solve their problem. Sure enough, he is a rookie and can’t be trusted, but then again, like most things, Pakistan are unpredictable and their players are the major reason behind the nation acquiring the tag. Does this remind you of Hardik Pandya? Well, Ali can’t bowl like him, but he certainly bats like him.
Pakistan cricket, for long, has been muddled with the thoughts of what was right for them and in the first instance of gut feel, they declare a player as the best in a while, no matter how much substance does he have actually. The inherent lack of patience ever since the batch of 2005-06 retired made them a laughing stock in ODI cricket and although the recent 10-match losing streak doing no good to their reputation, they are at least on the right path.
Tomorrow, when Sarfraz Ahmed will step onto Trent Bridge for the toss with Jason Holder standing on his side, he would definitely have it in his head that the wicket has undoubtedly been the most flattened one in the world at the moment, which has also partly enabled by an odd-shaped ground which pretty much seems like an American baseball field.
While the Windies are sure not to drop the ball, at least at Trent Bridge, Pakistan will sleep comfortably knowing well that they have bold and dynamic shotmakers, who are capable of mesmerizing the audience with wonderful strokeplay. Fakhar Zaman has an ODI double century and once Imam gets going, he can be the most destructive opener out there. With the plan set, they would just hope that their resources actually fire in unison.
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