Pakistan have long been seen as one of the most mercurial sides at the international stage but of late, their performances in Test cricket have been consistent, both home and away.
This has seen them rise to the top of the Test rankings under the astute leadership of Misbah-ul Haq. Their limited overs form has, however, nosedived and they sit in ninth position on the ICC ODI rankings.
It has put their automatic qualification for the 2019 World Cup in jeopardy. The scenario isn’t a whole lot different in T20s, where they are ranked seventh.
Pakistan weren’t on top of their game at the start of the limited overs leg of their England tour, losing the first four ODIs but hit back with a commanding win in the final ODI in Cardiff and one-off T20 in Manchester.
All-rounder Imad Wasim, who took two wickets for 17 runs from four overs in that T20 to help clinch a nine-wicket win, said that’s the brand of cricket Pakistan want to play from now on.
“People say we are an inconsistent side, which is true. We have decided as a group that we need to be more consistent. Things have to change and they need to change for the better. We will try to maintain the skill level and intensity which we showed in Manchester. We are changing the trend now,” Wasim said in Dubai.
One of the enforcers of that motto is coach Mickey Arthur. While the South African is new to the job, he has made it clear on numerous occasions that there is no room for complacency or poor fitness in the team and has also warned players that they will be shown the door if their efforts are not up to standard.
It’s an approach and mindset that Wasim likes.
“I worked with Arthur in the PSL (Pakistan Super League) as well with Karachi Kings. He is a fantastic coach. He has motivated the team well, which (previous coach) Waqar Younis also did. Ultimately, it’s down to the players. It’s up to them to implement what the coach is trying to teach,” the left-arm spinner added.
Ahead of the first T20 against the West Indies in Dubai on Friday, Wasim said his team is aware of the threat posed by the West Indies team, even though they will be without Chris Gayle, Lendl Simmons and Andre Russell.
“They are the world champions and one of the best sides in the format. I have played in the Caribbean Premier League and so know the kind of talent they have (among newcomers).”
Meanwhile, Pakistan team manager Wasim Bari said the mood in the camp is positive after ending a tough England tour on a winning note.
“The players are very confident. England are the World T20 finalists but our boys got two very positive results at the end of the tour and were very competitive,” he said at the ICC Academy.
According to the former wicketkeeper, the team which acclimatises to the conditions the earliest will hold the upper hand in the three-match T20 series.
“Adapting to conditions quickly will be the key. We just came back from England and the conditions were totally different there. The teams need to adjust in time.”
