Afridi retires from Test cricket

Barely over a year after Younus Khan announced his retirement from Twenty20 internationals following Pakistan’s triumphant 2009 World Twenty20 campaign at Lord’s, Pakistan’s Test captain Shahid Afridi announced that the second Test against Australia next week will be his last.

The decision to end his short-lived return to the longest format of the game – after a four-year self-exile – came in the wake of Pakistan’s 13th consecutive Test defeat against Australia – a 150-run loss on the fourth day of the first Test at Lord’s.

“A captain should set an example for the youngsters and for his team and I didn’t show any of that in the Test,” said Afridi, who was dismissed for a four-ball two slogging Marcus North to midwicket. “I’m not capable of playing Test cricket and if I play cricket like this, then it’s better to leave.

“I don’t have Test temperament and you can’t play without that. It’s better to have young players, a genuine batsman or a genuine bowler to lead the team.”

Afridi also blamed a side injury, picked up during the Asia Cup last month, as another reason to walk away from Test cricket. While refusing to confirm his fitness level, it will not be surprising if Afridi is unable to take on the field at Headingley in the Test that starts on Wednesday.

“Unless you’re 100 per cent fit, you can’t perform in Test matches. I’m not 100% right now and things may become clearer in a day or two.”

Afridi was appointed captain of all three formats of the game by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) just before naming the team for the 2010 World Twenty20, Pakistan’s title-defence in the West Indies. Then, reluctant to make a Test comeback, Afridi refused to commit his long-term future to Test cricket but opting to take up the captaincy due to the lack of options the PCB had.

In the wake of the Australian whitewash earlier in the year, former captains Mohammad Yousuf, Younus Khan and Shoaib Malik were banned by the PCB and although Malik made his comeback courtesy a change-of-heart at the board, Yousuf and Younus are still in the wilderness due to various reasons.

“I took up the captaincy because the PCB told me to go have a look and see if I still enjoy Test cricket. At that time, they had no other choice so I took the responsibility. But it’s difficult to get back into it after such a long absence. My temperament is not good enough for five-day cricket and I’m struggling with injury as well so it’s best if I step down.”

However, PCB officials have confirmed that PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt has spoken to Yousuf and requested the former captain to reconsider his decision to retire from international cricket. While Yousuf may join the team as early as the first Test against England in Nottingham, Younus, currently playing for Surrey, confirmed to The Express Tribune that he has no such plans as things stand.

According to Afridi, however, Salman Butt, who scored 63 and 92 in the match, seems a natural successor to lead the young squad.

“Butt is showing maturity, he’s batting well and playing good cricket and I think he’s good enough to lead the team but the final decision will have to be made by the board.”

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune July 17, 2010

Pakistan aim to settle score at Lord's

Shahid Afridi leads a mercurial Pakistan into the first Test at Lord’s today aiming for a milestone the team has not achieved in almost 15 years: beat Australia in a Test match.

Pakistan last defeated Australia in December 1995 under Wasim Akram’s captaincy and despite returning to the ground where Afridi’s leg-bye took Pakistan to the 2009 World Twenty20 glory, the captain has opted to remain more focussed on performance rather than results.

“It’s true that we’ve not beaten them for 15 years but winning or losing doesn’t really matter at this stage,” said Afridi on the eve of the match. “We need to play good cricket and forget what has happened in the past – the series whitewash in Australia, the World Twenty20 last year. This is a totally different scenario and they’re one of the best sides in the world when it comes to Tests.”

The Test will be the first neutral Test since 1912 and both captains agreed that taking the field at Lord’s and not playing the hosts will be a weird feeling.

While the feelings remained mutual, the results coming into the two-match series have remained contrasting. Pakistan won back-to-back matches against Australia with a pleasing performance in the tour-matches. Australia, prior to the Twenty20 whitewash, lost the One-Day International series against the hosts 3-2.

“Playing at a neutral venue is definitely different and difficult but we are now getting used to it. England is a good place to play cricket and what we have watched of England playing Australia and Bangladesh, the pitches look different and batsmen-friendly. So I expect a good batting pitch at Lord’s.”

While Pakistan seem keen to introduce youngsters in the side following the forced absence of former captains Mohammad Yousuf and Younus Khan, Australian captain Ricky Ponting, who has scored almost 1,500 Test runs against Pakistan at an average of 76, remained unperturbed by what the youth may offer.

“They’ve had a few changes in their side but there’s no real surprise for us in there,” said Ponting.

“None of the current players will worry us too much as they’ve lost their classiest batsman [Mohammad Yousuf], the guy who looked the most dangerous in Australia [during Pakistan’s tour]. But as with any Pakistani side, this one’s got flare and there’s a lot of excitement about them.

“We just need to ensure that we don’t give them a chance to play their best cricket.”

Keeping Australia’s recent results in mind, Afridi termed the Lord’s Test a great opportunity to turn the tables against the opposition Pakistan has not done well against in the past – winning only 11 of the 55 Tests played between the two countries.

“If we play to our potential, we can certainly beat them. They don’t have Shane Warne, Glen McGrath and Matthew Hayden. We have a really good chance to do well against them. Our bowling’s our strength and I hope if we put a good total, our bowlers will pose a lot of problems for them.”

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune July 13, 2010

Afridi’s approach the ingredient: Shafqat

Following a run of 12 consecutive losses – and shouts of conspiracy, disharmony and infighting complemented aptly by dropped catches and missed runouts – Pakistan’s remarkable turnaround against Australia, albeit in Twenty20 internationals, is courtesy the reformed individual that is Shahid Afridi, as gallantly put forward by the team management.

A mere team member during the attrition in Australia, Afridi had no role to play in Test matches and the one-off Twenty20 but promised much with the bat and ball in hand – and ball in mouth – in the One-Day Internationals (ODI). However, according to the team’s associate manager Shafqat Rana, Afridi, now the team captain, has had a huge role in the current reversal and it has been his zealous approach that has helped the team deliver the results despite the lack of experience in the side.

“We don’t have big names in the team any more,” Rana told The Express Tribune in Birmingham following the Twenty20 series-win. “However, now is the time that we’re creating big names of the future. We’re performing, winning and keeping confident. And most of this is down to Afridi’s captaincy. His approach has made all the difference and this is the main difference from the tour of Australia to now.”

Lack of options promoted Afridi

Afridi was appointed captain of all three formats prior to the 2010 World Twenty20 where Pakistan’s title-defence faltered in the semi-final against Australia. Rana agreed that the decision was more due to lack of options but added that the board and the team management had entrusted Afridi with responsibilities that has helped him nurture his game as well.

“In school, you make the naughtiest boy the class monitor. We did the same with Afridi and given the responsibility, he’s become a changed man. You see him leading from the front, backing up his bowlers after each delivery and actually using his brains.

“The management has given him total freedom. In selection committee meetings, if he wants to play an individual and even if the rest disagree, Afridi gets to have his say since he’ll be leading the team on the field. However, he understands what is required of him and never makes unjust requests.”

With the changes at the helm, Rana believed Pakistan had the capacity to become the force they once were and flee the nadir and mediocrity of seven months ago. “Australia is the best team in the world. Our losses were a thing of the past. This is a new chapter, a new part of history that we’ve created.”

Patience key in Tests

However, in a similar manner to the captain and coach Waqar Younis, Rana remained apprehensive going into the two-match Test series, especially given the short changeover time between the two formats on the tour.

“The shorter the format becomes, the better we’ll get because we simply don’t have much patience. We’ll go out and start hitting from the third over. Six back-to-back Tests will test our patience. It’s a huge challenge ahead of us.”

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune July 11, 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

Pakistan look for change in fortunes

For a team that has been completely mauled against Australia in the last 12 months, Pakistan, unsurprisingly, look confident as they take on their nemesis in the first of the back-to-back Twenty20 internationals at Edgbaston today.

The whitewash and its repercussions, on and off the field, are still etched onto the players’ and the fans’ minds but captain Shahid Afridi, who has recovered from the minor muscle strain suffered in a tour match, knows fully well what his team is capable of.

“It’s a pressure game against Australia but I’m confident as we have always given them a tough time,” said Afridi on the eve of the match. “We’ve been playing well and with the combination that we have, I’m confident of defeating Australia. Even they’re aware of the fact that we’ve given them some difficult times and that’s why it’ll be an interesting series.”

With a 50 per cent winning ratio in Twenty20 internationals, following their 2009 World Twenty20 triumph – six wins and six losses – Pakistan will look to welcome back Umar Gul, the highest wicket-taker in the format. With Gul, Afridi will have a star-studded bowling lineup comprising Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Aamer and all-rounder Abdul Razzaq.

“Bowling is definitely our main weapon. Akhtar’s here to play Twenty20 so he’s always going to play but with Gul’s return, our bowling has become stronger. We have young batsmen though but I feel we can overcome that soon.”

Pakistan has started the tour well – T20 wins against MCC XI and Essex aptly complemented by a commendable three-day outing against Northamptonshire. The batsmen, including opener Shahzaib Hasan – confined to international wilderness following a successful debut last year – have adapted to conditions quickly and Afridi’s quick-fire 13-ball 42 against Northamptonshire reminded everyone of his exploits in England last year.

However, memories of Michael Hussey effortlessly depositing Saeed Ajmal into the stands will still be fresh with both sides and Pakistan would want to take a leaf out of England’s book if they want to make an impression against the reigning One-Day International (ODI) World Champions. England, after a stuttering start to the 2010 World Twenty20, went on to beat Australia in the final and registered a 3-2 ODI series-win against the same opposition.

Despite the series-loss, Australia, courtesy its fast-bowlers, remain a potent force. And Afridi made it clear what is required of his team.

“Winning or losing is part of the game but what I want from my team is performance. If they deliver a good show and even then we lose, I’ll be satisfied despite the loss. It’s the performance that matters.”

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune July 5, 2010

Title-defence riding on history

A sense of déjà vu prevails as Pakistan finds itself in exactly the same situation at the World Twenty20, as June 2009.

Needing to win four matches on the trot to lift the 2009 World Twenty20 following a miserable tournament courtesy dropped catches and poor fielding, Pakistan face New Zealand today in a must-win situation for both sides. England’s first win of the tournament, and Pakistan’s second consecutive defeat, has the defending champions fighting for survival, knowing fully well that a repeat of the dismal show against England will be curtains for their title-defence.

Stats favour Pakistan

While the head-to-head certainly favours Pakistan, having won all four Twenty20 internationals played between the two sides, the defending champions are missing their star performer from the rout of New Zealand at The Oval last year. On that day, the Kiwis were bundled out for 99 with Umar Gul taking a world-record five for six in his three overs.

Worrying sight for Pakistan

Today, Pakistan has no Gul and no worthy replacements. Mohammad Sami, who started the tournament well, was hammered by the Australians. Mohammad Asif, who was surprisingly overlooked for the first two matches, looked out of sorts and was duly thrashed as well. With Abdul Razzaq, who made his international comeback in the corresponding fixture last year, faring no better against England, lack of support for Mohammad Aamer poses a huge worry.

New Zealand’s new hero

While the Kiwis have had troubles at the top of the order with Brendon McCullum, the recalled Jessie Ryder has proved his worth as his partner with knocks of 42 and 33. However, the younger McCullum, Nathan, has stolen his older brother’s limelight with consecutive man-of-the-match awards in New Zealand’s opening two matches. A timely maximum off the penultimate ball in the tournament- opener sealed the result in favour of New Zealand against last year’s finalists and regular breakthroughs while opening the bowling ensured the Kiwis’ progress.

The missing captain

While much hype and promise followed Shahid Afridi’s appointment as Pakistan Twenty20 captain, the man himself has been quiet ever since the team’s arrival in the West Indies. Bar a quickfire 33 in a losing cause against Australia, Afridi only has a slight tan to show for his efforts in the West Indies. A single wicket in three matches is not what Afridi would have hoped for in his first tournament as captain. Nor was his suicidal dismissal against England. Needless to say, Afridi, like the team itself, needs to play video tapes from their triumphant journey through England.

Styris substitutes for Bond

Shane Bond missed last year’s tournament due to his involvement with the now-defunct Indian Cricket League. His inclusion in this year’s tournament, at the back of fiery spells against all oppositions carried the Kiwis’ hopes. However, two wickets from four matches, the fast-bowler is already behind medium pacer Scott Styris whose handy cameos with the bat have proved useful.

All-round performance

With five wickets opening the bowling for New Zealand and knocks of 16* and 26*, Nathan McCullum has moulded into a handy allrounder in the tournament. Daniel Vettori, the side’s premier spinner, has only picked up two wickets thus making Nathan’s feat all the more remarkable.

Under-pressure captain

The captaincy, it seems, has gotten to Shahid Afridi. Eager to lead his side from the front, Afridi has not just adapted bizarre tactics on the field but has been unable to cope with the demands of performing as a captain. A hurricane 33 is the highlight of his tournament which has brought him a solitary wicket so far.

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune, May 8, 2010

SA’s Nashua Dolphins keen on signing Afridi

Shahid Afridi, Pakistan’s Twenty20 captain, has been approached by South Africa’s Nashua Dolphins for the Pro20 series scheduled to take place in February.

While the franchise administration refused to confirm the signing, sources said that the contract has been signed and Afridi will join the Dolphins after Pakistan’s tour of Australia that finishes with a one-off Twenty20 on Feb 3, 2010.

“I can confirm that we have shown interest in availing the services of Afridi who we believe will be available from February,” Jesse Chellan, CEO of KwaZulu-Natal franchise that owns the Dolphins, told Dawn. “Nothing has been signed yet and the negotiations are on-going. We hope to confirm things by the end of the week after discussions with the board and stakeholders but the arrival of Afridi is sure to be a big attraction.”

Afridi, who was declared Man of the Match in the semi-final and final of the World Twenty20 held in England earlier this year, will join the likes of Loot Bosman, Hashim Amla and Yusuf Abdulla in the Dolphins squad, all of whom have represented South Africa. Having scored 421 runs in 24 Twenty20 Internationals, Afridi has also taken 34 wickets that places him second on the all-time highest wicket-takers’ list — three behind compatriot Umar Gul.

Dolphins, who lost out to Cape Cobras in a Super Over in the third leg of the Pro20 semi-finals last season, kick-off the new series with a home match against the Warriors on Feb 7, 2010.

© Faras Ghani 2009.
Published in DAWN newspaper, Oct 7, 2009.

I was given a free hand at the crease: Umar Akmal

A fine unbeaten, match-winning innings on Wednesday against the West Indies further cemented dashing Umar Akmal’s place in the Pakistan one day side as the young batsman once again showed maturity beyond his age in his team’s opening game at the ICC Champions Trophy.

Countering a seemingly-innocuous bowling attack that had threaded through Pakistan’s strong batting line-up chasing a small total, Umar, playing only his fifth ODI, blended caution and aggression aptly and even left his captain, Shahid Afridi, subdued and in admiration.

“I was delighted to be part of the team and playing my first match in an ICC tournament,” Umar, who already has a century and a half-century in ODIs to his name, said after his 51-ball 41. “Our bowlers did a very good job but we struggled slightly with the bat. However, I must thank the team management for all the support as even before coming into bat, I was given a free hand and told to play my natural game.”

Umar, with a career strike-rate of almost 100, did curb his natural ways initially with Pakistan reeling at 61 for 4, Gavin Tonge having taken a career-best four wickets. Easing into his stay onto the pitch gradually, lofted, drove and flicked Pakistan towards the target, hitting six boundaries and carrying on the scintillating start to his international career.

“It was a difficult pitch with uneven bounce and light grass and the batsmen couldn’t hit freely,” Intikhab Alam, Pakistan’s coach, said. “We created problems for ourselves. Most of our dismissals were due to reckless strokeplay as you had to wait for the ball to come onto you and play in the gaps. However, we bowled a good line after losing the toss and that ensured we were not chasing a mammoth total.

“I was impressed with the way Afridi captained the side too. It was a good decision by the board to appoint him captain following Younis Khan’s resignation after the World Twenty20 and that decision was part of future planning. Afridi showed a lot of maturity and responsibility and I’m sure he will get more chances in the future to show more of the same.”

Intikhab also reserved praise for Umar, who got hit on his finger by a beamer from Tino Best, while reminding the youngster of bigger tests that await — Pakistan’s next match at Centurion on Saturday which is against India. “Umar has done a great deal of work and performed well in a very short space of time. We expect great deal from him as he has a great future. However, we must not get complacent since we have a very important match coming up against India.”

While Younis looks all set to return from injury to play that crucial game — India’s opening match of the tournament — their opponents have injury concerns of their own. Already without the services of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, India also lost Yuvraj Singh to a finger injury thus tilting the balance slightly in favour of Pakistan.

“Yuvraj has done wonders for Indian cricket and his services will be severely missed by the team,” Intikhab said. “However, these things happen in cricket and for it to matter in the end, we must ensure we don’t have hiccups as this is a great chance to beat India in an ICC tournament.”

Pakistan’s Mohammad Asif trained with the squad for the first time on Wednesday following the completion of a twelve-month ban for doping offence. Asif, despite the competitive-cricket drought, is match-fit and in contention of a place in the starting line-up for Saturday, according to Intikhab.

“Asif is completely match-fit as he has been training with the academy and club sides in Pakistan. It’s good to have him back and it will provide us with a welcome dilemma whether to include him or not in the team since our bowlers performed really well against West Indies.”

While the initial jitters and poor-starters tag was put to place in a flimsy manner, three points ensure Pakistan go to Centurion on Saturday beaming with confidence. A win will ensure Pakistan make it to the last four of the Champions Trophy for only the first time. A loss, however, will not only need a win against Australia in their final group match but also incur the fans’ wrath, especially with the support both teams are expected to have in the stands on Saturday.

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN newspaper, Sep 25, 2009.

Afridi, Younis confident of good show

Shahid Afridi, Pakistan’s Twenty20 captain, has opposed Shane Warne’s suggestion of scrapping the 50-over format of cricket and urged the ICC to carry on with all three formats in order to promote the game.

Warne, the former Australian leg-spinner who captained Rajasthan Royals to the inaugural IPL title, was convinced that one-day cricket had past its ‘sell-by date’ and that, going forward, Tests and Twenty20 cricket should be adopted by the ICC as the two recognised formats.

Afridi, who holds the record for the fastest century in ODIs while scoring over five-and-a-half-thousand runs, remained confident that 50-over cricket still had a lot to offer and scrapping the format would rob cricket of some glamour and not achieve the desired results.

“One-day cricket is still very popular among fans and players and I see no reason to do away with this format,” Afridi, who is in England to raise money for the Swat victims, told Dawn on Tuesday. “If the authorities feel that the game drags on, they can reduce the overs to 40, with the required adjustments to the playing conditions. But I don’t believe it has gone past it’s sell-by date and they should definitely not do away with it.”

Pakistan’s next ODI assignment is the Champions Trophy which will be held in South Africa from Sept 22.

Confident of the team performing well despite the recent series-loss against Sri Lanka, Younis Khan, Pakistan’s ODI and Test captain, hoped the three-match winning streak will ensure his team starts well. Losing the Test series 2-0 and the first three ODIs, Pakistan came back strongly to register wins in the final two ODIs as well as the one-off Twenty20.

“Everybody knows how the Pakistan team functions: They start slow and gather momentum as they progress,” Younis, who is also in London for the fund-raising event, said. “We managed to sort things out quickly when they were going wrong in the World Cup and we managed that again in Sri Lanka. The last three wins have given the team the bout of confidence they required for the Champions Trophy. The amazing wins will enable us to do well in the big tournament.”

Afridi also urged the cricketing world, especially the subcontinent teams, to resume tours to Pakistan. Reminding India and Sri Lanka of the visits that Pakistan made when situation in those countries was adverse to foreign teams touring, he hoped for the favour would be returned for the sake of Pakistan cricket.

“In Pakistan, cricket is everything after religion. Winning the World Cup served as an eye-opener for the rest of the world, reminding them that we aren’t bad people and playing cricket is what we want to do. And although our fans in England gave us the support that we would’ve gotten back home, we still need to play in Pakistan for us, for the fans and for the revival of Pakistan cricket.”

While playing at home remains a distant prospect, a hectic schedule awaits Pakistan after the three-month rest following the World Twenty20. Following the Champions Trophy, Pakistan is due to take on New Zealand — location of the series is yet to be confirmed — towards the end of the year before flying to Australia for three Tests, five ODIs and a Twenty20.

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN Aug 20, 2009

Younis Khan’s men — poor starters, great finalists

Second chances are rare in sports. Unimaginable, especially in the shortest form of international cricket. Seldom is a poor performance overturned by sparks of brilliance to win matches. Rarely is an array of poor fielding displays — that continuously let opposition off the hook — followed by shattered stumps that pulls them right back. It simply belies all cricket ethos and sits against the norm.

But the Pakistan team was never the one to bow to ethos and adhere to norm. It seemed an eternity to wake them from the Bhurban conditioning camp and the many Selfridges’ trips. The load-shedding, it seemed, had tampered with the veins and an early exit loomed as the team took to the field in their first warm-up.

As the team progressed unconvincingly, temperament went astray with the bat in hand. Until Younis Khan, followed by Kamran Akmal, came of age. Accuracy seemed a lost art with the ball and overstepping was adopted as norm. Until Umar Gul treated opposition with swinging spaghetti. The fielding display went from poor to wretched. Until Shahid Afridi galloped towards long-on boundary, clutching onto his prize from the heavens.

And out of nowhere, against expectations and predictions, it all seemed to fall in place. Just like that. Younis had issued repeated reminders that Pakistan have always been slow starters and will pick up pace with each victory. Never had that statement been more aptly illustrated on the field as the men in green saved their best for the best, South Africa at Trent Bridge, in an attempt to appear in their second successive final. Pakistan’s route to the semi-final is as much courtesy a favourable draw as spurts of brilliance. Skipper Younis and Intikhab Alam, the team’s coach, shared plans that contradicted, and fouled any hopes the fans had of a decent performance by their idols. While Younis wanted stability at the top, Intikhab preferred aggression. Neither seemed to work and the experiments that the team management vociferously pointed out would lead to an improved performance landed flat, failing to make an impression.

Not so much the cornered tigers, but cornered nevertheless.

And out of nowhere, as Salman Butt was put out of his misery by the team management, Akmal repaid Younis’ trust and gamble in him. Shahzaib Hassan deposited a few in the stands but it looked as if the injury to all-rounder Yasir Arafat, and the subsequent arrival of Abdul Razzaq, brought with it a change of fortunes and a bag of miracles.

Gul seemed to realise he still had it in him to bowl fast and swing the ball. Young Aamir was the surprise packet while Saeed Ajmal left doubts about the legality of his action behind and continued to flux batsmen.

Afridi, first-ball slogs and rash stroke-play aside, remembered he has improved as a bowler of late. Then came his batting which was, indeed, a revelation with a renewed vigour to occupy the crease and accumulate runs for his team. And Akmal, as a wicket-keeper with no Danish Kaneria in the side, held onto catches and created world records.

Younis, who had up until the semis shouldered batting responsibilities, sat back concentrating and scripting the perfect plot. Tweaking Shakespeare, with mirth and laughter let the greatest prize come, hoped the captain.

The route to success, surprisingly, was smooth off the field as well. With Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif in a different time-zone, the team rather became a damp squib as far as the sniffing paparazzi were concerned. No curfew-breaking clubbing nights, no training scuffles, no bat-fencing at team-mates, no blazing-up to speak of.

Daniel Vettori, the New Zealand captain who was sidelined for much of the tournament due to injury, did try and help matters by blurting out desperate excuses to justify the humiliation received at the hands of Umar Gul. To no avail, unfortunately as his ‘informal inquiry’ for the match referee to look into the state of the magic white ball was shooed away and buried forever.

There were also reports of a rift in the camp, as Abdul Qadir, post-resignation, decided to reveal all. But rifts have been omnipresent in the dressing room since time began and that, on most occasions, failed to affect the combined performance on the field. Beffiting, perhaps, was the presence of Shoaib Malik, who Qadir would have omitted from the squad had he been able to ‘do things his own way’, in the middle as the winning run was scored.

Younis on the eve of the tournament made it clear that he wanted to face India in the final and beat them this time. That changed as short balls grew tall on the Indian batsmen. He then wanted it to be South Africa but in the end, it did not really matter to him.

As the light training sessions failed to replicate the growing tension among fans, the players, especially the youngsters, had realised destiny was a tiger tamed.

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN newspaper, June 26, 2009

Players repaid the trust and confidence I reposed in them: Younis

It was a script that bellowed splendour as the victorious captain sat down to answer questions for one last time. Perhaps God had given Younis Khan a sneak preview on how the World Cup would curtail on the sun-drenched afternoon when the script was crafted, for he gave a look of a man who knew the ending even before the directors had started casting.

There was no fits of laughter, no continued references to his favourite word ‘fun’, the eyes were not popping out, he termed the sport cricket and not WWF and as he sat draped in the green flag, he wore a calm expression that merely said ‘I told you so’. And as the world stood dumbfounded by the revival that led to the final victory, Younis alluded to the confidence he had in his team from the start and how the win was not a complete surprise.

“Before the start of the tournament, I had labelled ourselves and West Indies as semi-finalists and people laughed at me when I said it,” Younis said. “Even when we failed to perform in the warm-up match, I had complete faith in my players and I knew that we have special something that would take us through.

“Everybody knows we are slow starters but my players knew we needed to win this tournament to lift our nation. It is indeed a huge achievement for us and I’m glad to have given this gift to our troubled nation.”

The win, as Younis pointed out, carried extra meaning as Pakistan had lost the last two finals played on this ground: World Cup 1999 and Natwest Series 2001, both against Australia. Pakistan also lost the inaugural World Twenty20 final against India and with survivors from each of those matches present in the squad, the captain’s plea not to succumb to pressure and apply the finishing touch was heard.

“I chatted to Razzaq and Afridi prior to the final and asked them to hold their nerves and apply the final touch. And I think it worked as Afridi batted sensibly — he even took singles and twos! — and the senior guys performed.’

As he talked of the senior players — adding his own name to the list repeatedly — Younis also took time out to remember Bob Woolmer, the former Pakistan coach who died following Pakistan’s early exist in World Cup 2007, and dedicated the win to the ‘father figure of the team who I owe this trophy and captaincy to’.

“He did well for the team whole incharge, especially me as an individual. If it hadn’t been for him, I wouldn’t have been the captain of Pakistan so credit must go to him for our achievement. I can just see how happy he would’ve been had he been sitting here right next to me.”

Not forgetting the performing youngsters in the team, Younis sent out a plea to nations to resume playing in Pakistan. It will, according to Younis, not only provide a distraction for the terror-struck nation but will also promote the sport among the Pakistani youth.

“Everybody is following Twenty20 cricket and since we are the champions now, I request all the countries to come to Pakistan. The law and order situation is not good but that’s not our fault and we need international cricket in Pakistan to motivate youngsters, especially at school and college level and I believe this will help build new cricket structure in Pakistan.” While that plea is not the one to be answered in the foreseeable future, by lifting the trophy Younis not only ensured a temporary grin on the Pakistan faces, but also fulfilled his personal dream of following in the steps of Imran Khan as a world-cup winning captain but issued a warning that there exists a world outside Twenty20.

“Imran Khan was my hero and I had dreamt of lifting the World Cup and being remembered as a world-cup-winning captain after I leave the sport. Although it brings me a lot of pleasure to have accomplished that, we must perform well in the coming series and ensure all the hard work does not go to waste.

“I still believe Twenty20 is a fun game and a great entertainment factor and we came out emphatic winners [by eight wickets]. However, if we promote it too much then there will be no Test matches and therefore we must do something about this [Twenty20].”

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN newspaper June 23, 2009

We want to win World T20 for the nation: Younis

Skipper Younis Khan has made it crystal clear how badly Pakistan wants to win the World Twenty20 on Sunday with reasons ranging from the dearth of silveware in the last decade to his team getting labelled serious contenders in major tournaments once again. But most of all, he wants to win it for the terror-struck nation facing a bleak future.

Speaking after defeating tournament favourites South Africa in a pulsating semi-final at Trent Bridge, Younis lauded Shahid Afridi’s match-winning all-round performance but made sure the audience were reminded of the sufferings in Pakistan.

“The World Cup is everything for us,” Younis said. “I want to win it for the team, the nation and the millions suffering back at home, especially in the northern areas where I’m from. There are fights going on on a daily basis and I believe that winning the trophy will bring some smiles on their faces for a change.”

While the captain and team are unable to affect changes on the war-field, they ensured that they left the playing field at Trent Bridge with their best performance in the tournament so far, something Graeme Smith, South Africa’s captain, agreed with.

“Although we played great cricket throughout the tournament and today as well, credit must go to Pakistan as they played their best game of the tournament today,” Smith said. “Afridi had a great game with the bat and then the ball and he basically was the difference between the two sides.” We lost to a better team and that is something we’ll have to deal with.’

Afridi, consistent performer with the ball, repaid Younis’ trust and decision to promote him to number three. While he had shown glimpses of sensible batting, albeit in patches, as the tournament progressed, a significant contribution was surely missing.

He had told Dawn in an earlier interview how he was available, and prepared, to be promoted up the order to prove his worth with the bat. And although his aptly-timed first half-century in international cricket since January 2008 resembled one of a changed, and matured, cricketer, Afridi was adamant he was still as aggressive as ever.

“I was given a huge responsibility and told to play my natural game,’ Afridi said. “The captain really supported me and that’s always a benefit for any player. Playing aggressive cricket is my nature and I always enter the ground with the aim to win as I firmly believe it is my right to win and I have to fight for it.”

Credit must also go to the team effort, according to Afridi, as it was the self-belief in the playing eleven that got Pakistan through their toughest opponents thus-far. While marked improvements are constantly witnessed by the bowlers, Pakistan’s fielding — two dropped catches — and batting in the death overs — no boundaries in the last five overs — has become a cause for concern. Younis, with his customary light-hearted jokes and laughs, shrugged aside the concerns and said the plan for the final was simple: “Just go out there, do your best in all departments of the game and the cup is ours.”

Pakistan’s earlier experiments of juggling the batting line-up and playing elevens seemed to backfire at will, resulting in an inconsistent show on the tour. Keeping with his trend of parting with humorous and straight-forward remarks, Younis reckoned it was impossible for his side to be consistent. “We’re from Pakistan, nothing is stable there so how can we be stable,’ he said before adding that the slow-starters tag is something his team seems to carry into every series but it was the ‘momentum that we carry with every win that enables a strong performance in the following match’ was what mattered most.”

“It is important that we deliver the right thing at the right time and going into the final, I expect a strong performance from our match-winners namely Misbah-ul-Haq, Afridi, Umar Gul and Kamran Akmal. South Africa is the toughest team in world cricket right now and now that we have beaten them, I believe we can go and win the cup.”

While Pakistan await the winner’s of the second semi-final that took place at The Oval last night, Jacque Kallis, the South African allrounder, must be ruing the barrage of short balls that faced Afridi’s wrath and, in turn, delivered a damning verdict on the outcome of the match, sealed with a kiss.

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN newspaper June 20, 2009

I need to play up the order for more impact: Afridi

After three mediocre performances with both bat and ball, Shahid Afridi finally came good — albeit against the minnows, the Netherlands — and carried Pakistan through to the Super Eights of the ICC World Twenty20.

His career-best four for 11, the fourth best bowling figures in international Twenty20, was labelled as the difference between the two sides by the Dutch captain, and spared Pakistan’s blushes of exiting yet another tournament in the group stages.

Showing no signs of complacency after a thumping victory, Afridi vowed to deliver an improved performance in the next three matches against Sri Lank, New Zealand and Ireland.

“Judging by the performance on Tuesday, I think a lot will depend on my performance in the next round,” Afridi told Dawn after a training session on Wednesday at The Oval. “The team needs me and I’m fully aware of that and that is why I will be focussing a lot on improving my individual performance in the next round.”

It was difficult, according to Afridi, for the team to adjust to the English conditions and the pitches, with a lot of squad members totally alien to these conditions. On the other hand, players from other team benefiting from the recent IPL trip, had a huge advantage as the pitches in South Africa were remarkably similar to what the ICC World Twenty20 is witnessing.

“I think the Pakistani players were unfortunate to miss out on the IPL as it would’ve benefited us greatly. It’s not easy to arrive in England and start playing our natural game

straight away. It took time for us to get acclimatised to the conditions and as we move into the business end of the tournament, we will be able to deliver what is expected of us.”

While his performance with the ball came as a huge relief for Pakistan, Afridi as a batsman has yet to shine for his team in the tournament so far. No wonder then, that he appears desperately keen to put things right. “I’ve not been able to bat to my ability as I’ve often arrived at the crease with only a few overs to go. I wanted to carry my UAE form and strategy into these matches where I would have a few overs to settle down before attacking. However, that has not been possible on the tour so far and that is why I’ve made it quite clear to my captain that I can be, and am well-prepared as always, to be utilised at the top of the order if the need arises.”

Of the three Super Eight matches Pakistan will be playing, two of them will be at The Oval, the ground where Pakistan was handed a nine-wicket loss against India in the second warm-up followed by a 45 run defeat at the hands of the hosts England. Despite the two results at the venue, keeping in mind the Oval debacle of 2006, Afridi shrugged aside notions of apprehension.

“No matter what the location is, we need to come good in all departments of the game. Super Eights is where the real challenge begins. We will now see how good our team really is,” Afridi concluded.

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN newspaper June 12, 2009