Pakistan’s unpredictability means they can beat any side but they could also lose to weaker teams if things do not go their way. Cricket is massive in South Asia. And Pakistani cricket teams have played a major role in making it a popular sport in the region — especially due to the kind of mercurial and off-beat talent that the country has produced ever since it began playing international cricket in 1952.
The country’s cricketing history is largely made up of extremes: of sudden highs and dramatic lows. Experts suggest that Pakistan cricket rarely found a middle ground. This is also why, for a long time, Pakistani cricket teams have been described as being the most unpredictable and erratic in the cricket-playing world.
The highs in this regard often emerged during the tenures of some powerful captains who managed to assemble and unite a motley crew of mercurial but highly-talented players who, unexpectedly, went on to turn the tables on some of the strongest teams.
The teams during Imran Khan’s long tenure as captain (across the 1980s and early 1990s) managed to make Pakistan a truly major cricketing power which, in 1992, eventually went on to win the Cricket World Cup.
Then there was the team that evolved after Imran’s departure and was largely captained by Wasim Akram. This one produced some of the most exciting talent generated by Pakistan (especially in the fast-bowling department), and kept Pakistan afloat high in rankings across the 1990s.
However, Yes, our boys were unpredictable and produced results. Now they are very predictable with nothing significant to their credit. I shudder to think that if we continue with the same pace we’ll have to end up at the bottom of 2019 World Cup.
The game, tactics and skill levels has totally evolved and come a long long way since 1992. There is now much a lesser element of chance, unpredictability and surprise in the modern game and much bigger an element of scientific, endurance and strategic playing.
Since the triumph in the final in 2017, Pakistan have played 38 ODIs, and won 15 of them. Of those, 12 have come against Zimbabwe, Hong Kong, Afghanistan and a desperately weakened Sri Lanka.Against Australia, New Zealand, England, India and South Africa, 23 completed ODIs have produced three wins just because teams these days relay on modern technology and have better understanding of their opposition, hence the factor of unpredictability or surprise minimizes to a great degree.
Each time Pakistan plays, the question is, will they swallow the opposition, or combust into flames?
I firmly believe that positive mental approach is the key to success. “Positive mental approach is vital for a satisfied life. And if one wants to succeed in cut-throat international sports contests, positivity is a pre-requisite. And no doubt cricket is a mind game requiring best mental response from players at the right time,
Yes, we won the ICC Champions Trophy out of nowhere last year and after that Pakistan in limited-overs games have improved with the arrival of young talented players like Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Shadab Khan and Babar Azam. However, our ODI team since then surprisingly lost the series against major teams in the UAE be it Asia Cup. Australia series or New Zealand series, Pakistan cricket team was at best mediocre.
“Why did that happen? Because there is fairly less emphasis on the mental side of the game, as is the case generally prevailing in our society? Consistency comes gradually with hard focus which requires constant work , which unfortunately is not practiced in our sports culture.
For complete success one’s mind should synchronise with the body. And if that is not the case then there will be haphazard results and collapses in crisis situations due to fear-of-loss factor which are very much evident in recent performances by PCT.
Therefore, to put up a fighting display at cricket world cup 2019, proper planning backed by strong mental development programmes needs to be adopted by the PCB think-tank, then surely Sarfraz Ahmed and his men can do wonders in the mega event.
