Small steps contributed to a big win

The journey of a thousand steps begins with a single step. Upon completion, comprising mediocrity and exhilaration, the thousand little steps each complement its predecessor and pave way for the one to follow, with smoothness in a gentle procession and not a squalling.

Pakistan came out brimming with confidence at The Oval amid the gloom, forgetting the past annihilation and blocking out the verdicts condemning them as spectators. A show of apprehension, given Mohammad Yousuf’s return and memories of 2006, but the self-assurance, the authority and the euphonic act that is playing without fear against a team far superior and heads far experienced allowed Pakistan that bit of abatement it badly needed following scores of 80 and 72.

The small steps – contributing in every department in every session on every day – made for a changed viewing. Losing the toss after the nine-wicket humiliation meant Pakistan in the firing line first up with the morale of the individuals to be heavily tested. The flurry of wickets and the surprise package that was holding onto catches meant that England, given Pakistan’s penchant for self-destruction, would need to work extra hard for their seventh consecutive Test win.

Salman Butt put the nervy win down to a team effort. It was anything but. Newcomers shone. Old faces dazzled. Perhaps it was the fatherly figure of Yousuf (taking over Inzamam’s mantle) or perhaps it was the fear of a whitewash and the resulting clear-out that follows such calamities in Pakistan, the batsmen played for a cause.

The unprecedented sorcery with the ball had shocked and bewildered the opposition throughout the tour but the prowess with the bat, one that Yousuf effortlessly creamed into play, remained a spectator’s delight. His ill-advised moves off the field aside, Yousuf brought the visual appeal to Pakistan that the dead bats in the preceding Tests had robbed its fans of.

What he needs now, is for his side to carry on. Pakistan’s record following a Test win remains worrying. Since 2007, in 23 Tests, it has failed to win back-to-back Tests, or even two in close proximity, which shows frailty in the minds and of the body. They beat South Africa in 2007 but lost three of the next four (in three different countries). They beat New Zealand in 2009 only to lose four of the next five. After winning against Australia in Leeds, Pakistan twice came crashing down to earth.

Regardless of what happens in the final Test, with the grit, the determination and the ability to fight shown on the tour – a Twenty20 whitewash and Test win against Australia as well as the hunger that marked its riposte against England – it is not just the doubters proven wrong. It’s Pakistan’s own fears as well.

© Faras Ghani 2010

Published in The Express Tribune, Aug 23, 2010

Younus, Yousuf absence will help us: Hussey

Australian batsman Michael Hussey has termed the absence of Younus Khan and Mohammad Yousuf a blessing for Australia and predicted it will be difficult for Pakistan to post big scores as a result.

Hussey, Pakistan’s destroyer-in-chief in their World Twenty20 title-defence, praised Pakistan’s bowling attack but said the opposition will be heavily tested in the first Test at Lord’s that starts tomorrow.

“I think whatever happened in Australia at the start of the year is history as both teams will start afresh come the first Test,” said Hussey following Australia’s training session at Lord’s yesterday. “They’re playing with confidence now but will be heavily tested especially given they’re without Younus and Yousuf, two outstanding and classy players.

“It’s a big loss and it’ll be very, very hard for Pakistan to find those runs that they scored, especially in Test cricket.”

Australia, following their loss in the final of the 2010 World Twenty20 to England, have not had the best of times since arriving in England. The World Champions lost the One-Day International series against the hosts 3-2 before being whitewashed in the two-match Twenty20 series against Pakistan. Hussey, however, remained confident of an improved performance in the longer format of the game.

“Traditionally, we’re slow starters in England. We’ve been a bit scratchy but now we’ve been here for a month and should be accustomed to the conditions.”

Wary of a transformed Pakistan side, Hussey labelled their bowling attack as the key to success in the series together with the confidence attained from winning the Twenty20s.

“They have the confidence and really outplayed us and seem to have that winning belief.”

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune July 12, 2010

'Young players need time'

Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has refused to make tall claims for the upcoming Test series against Australia despite his team’s encouraging start to the tour of England that has seen his team win two warm-up Twenty20s and end their 12-match losing streak against Australia on Monday.

Pakistan won the first of the back-to-back Twenty20s by 23 runs after a series of losses against the same opposition with the latest being the three-wicket loss in the 2010 World Twenty20 semi-final at St Lucia.

However, with Pakistan missing several senior figures including Mohammad Yousuf, Younus Khan and out-of-form Misbahul Haq, Afridi urged the supporters not to expect miracles from the young side.

“Experience counts in these conditions and I knew I’d need Yousuf and Younus here in England but they couldn’t be part of the team for various reasons,” Afridi told The Express Tribune. “Since we don’t have them, we now need to work with the youngsters we’ve been given and I hope they put up a good show.

“Unfortunately, we don’t have enough talent when it comes to choosing players for Test matches. We have players for Twenty20s and One-Day Internationals (ODIs), they have the talent for the shorter formats but not for Test matches. However, they’ve performed on the domestic level and for the ‘A’ teams so now it’s up to them to show the team management and the selectors what they have and if we can count on them for the future.”

The squad will be joined by Zulqarnain Haider, Tanvir Ahmed, Azhar Ali, Yasir Hameed, Mohammad Asif, Imran Farhat and Danish Kaneria for the Test matches with the captain adamant that separate teams for the Test matches is the way forward for Pakistan.

“We have planned for the future keeping the schedule and the World Cup in mind. I don’t want the same teams for all formats of the game as we should have at least three to four different members for the Tests from the team that played the Twenty20s.”

With Pakistan playing six back-to-back Test matches against Australia and hosts England, there was a sense of relief in the Pakistan camp following the 23-run win in the first Twenty20.

Often, according to Afridi, the team would arrive at a winning position only to lose the grip on the match and end up second best.

“We’ve been close to beating Australia on quite a few occasions. However, it’s a huge relief and a confidence boost to finally cross that hurdle and start the tour with a win. The team wanted the win and people had been acting surprised that we lose the way this often against Australia.

“It’s a great achievement to beat one of the top teams in any competition and I think it sets the tone well for the rest of the tour.”

Pakistan will now take on English county side Leicestershire in a two-day match at Leicester before returning to London for the first Test match that starts from July 13.

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune July 7, 2010