Mohammad: Pakistan back from the dead

Shoaib Mohammad 00:12 16/03/2015
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  • Looking up: Sarfraz Ahmed scored Pakistan's first World Cup century since 2007 and has given their fans back home a batsman to unite behind.

    Pakistan’s victory over Ireland achieved two feats. Not only did they book a World Cup quarter-final berth but they also gained sweet revenge against the team that knocked them out in 2007.
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    After losses against India and West Indies, the critics had written off Pakistan and there was even a suggestion that the team would not progress beyond the group stages. However, Pakistan are dangerous when their backs are to the wall and I believe their greatly improved performance was inevitable.

    After two matches, the Pool B table showed Pakistan at the bottom with zero points and the worst Net Run Rate. The table now makes for very different reading with Pakistan in third position with eight points to their name.

    The team’s next assignment is an unenviable match with co-hosts Australia in the last-eight but I believe it could not have come at a better time with the momentum of four victories for Pakistan coming into the game.

    Before I speak about my team, I would like share a word of praise for Ireland, who bowed out of the competition with six points. My message to their team and fans is that they should not lose heart, but be proud of their team – who provided a stern examination of the world’s top sides.

    The determination Ireland showed in every game was a treat to watch, while their ability to chase a first-innings total was equally impressive given that this skill is not typically seen with associate nations.

    Ireland have a bright future ahead of them if the International Cricket Council (ICC) gives them the support they deserve, on the big stage. I hope that this is not the last time we see Ireland in ODI cricket before the 2019 World Cup as the team thoroughly deserve their chance.

    Ireland’s achievements could have been even greater in the tournament had their bowlers possessed anywhere near the level of talent that their batsmen enjoyed.

    William Porterfield led from front against Pakistan, playing an error-free knock for a magnificent century while Ed Joyce was always a classy operator. The gritty Niall O’Brien was also impressive in the key position of No. 4.

    But Ireland’s bowling did not have any bite and their only top-class bowler was George Dockrell, who also was ineffective against Pakistan.

    Ireland’s priority now must be to groom some decent fast-bowlers because you can win a battle with gentle medium pacers but you cannot win a war. Every team needs genuinely aggressive bowlers in order to provide more variation on attack.

    In Adelaide on Sunday, however, it was a leg-spinner that Pakistan missed. Yasir Shah should have been involved as the pitch was giving slow-bowlers a great amount of grip on a slow wicket.

    Ireland’s priority now must be to groom some decent fast-bowlers.

    Younis Khan’s omission was an even greater shock for me as his partnership with Sarfraz laid the foundation for their victory over mighty South Africa.

    Pakistan’s pace battery has been superb throughout the event and they demonstrated it again against Ireland. Pakistani pacers Sohail Khan and Wahab Riaz put on the brakes on Ireland’s run-making with accurate bowling at the death. The duo unleashed a range of yorkers, slower balls, bouncers and reverse swing to restrict the batsmen to a modest total.

    Aside from the quicks, leg-spinner Shahid Afridi also looked into good touch as he got the ball to drift menacingly – a skill he was missing in earlier matches. Despite finishing without a wicket, this was an encouraging display from Pakistan’s leading slow-bowler.

    One area that Pakistan must improve on is their fielding. They leaked around 20-25 runs against Ireland, while several dropped catches would undoubtedly have been punished further against Australia’s batsmen.

    Unlike bowlers and batsmen, whose every move is scrutinised by a plethora of statistics, fielders are able to get away with poor performances more easily, but Pakistan must train harder in this area.

    Ahmed Shahzad and Sarfraz started Pakistan’s chase well by surviving the dangerous first five overs (when the new ball tends to move more) and scoring vital quick runs.

    This match has proved two important things to the team ahead of their Australian examination on March 20. Firstly, our openers are able to put up a century stand and give the team early momentum. Secondly, Pakistan scored their first World Cup ton since 2007 and in Sarfraz Ahmed, have a new superstar to support back home.
    His partner Umar Akmal was motoring along with boundaries galore but this momentum was draining Sarfraz and he would take the blame if Sarfaraz did not complete his maiden ODI ton.

    Sensing the sensitivity of the situation Umar honourably started blocking hittable deliveries and allowed Sarfraz to complete the century which sent Pakistan’s street cricketers back home into celebration mode.

    Fans gathered in their hundreds outside Sarfraz Ahmed's house in Pakistan.

    As a gesture of honour and goodwill, Sarfraz returned the favour by blocking a  couple of deliveries, allowing Umar to score the winning runs.

    This is the sort on unity and passion which is required to floor a team like Australia and I am sure even the yellow-shirted fans would have noticed that two apparent rivals – Umar and Sarfraz – are now united for a Pakistan team that will come hard at their hosts.

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