parks of instinct, moments of inspiration, flashes
of genius. They just happen. And sides like Pakistan seize them. They
can't be planned for, and they just weren't coming today for Pakistan.
What they required was sensible and unglamorous batting through and
through, as is usually the case in tricky chases on difficult pitches.
And even the most ardent fan knew in his heart that Pakistan's batsmen
had been found wanting twice before in this tournament.
From the moment Sri Lanka chose to bat on a powdery pitch in the
semi-final of a world event, Pakistan were up against it because of
their shaky batting, unless their bowling and fielding was of the
standard that sunk Australia. That was Australia on a surface out of
their comfort zone; this was Sri Lanka at home. Pakistan's bowlers
didn't have an off day, though. They kept Sri Lanka to 139, which
Mohammad Hafeez said was not even a par score, and was definitely
achievable despite the turning pitch.
But Pakistan's chase alternated between reckless and clueless. Three of
the top seven batsmen got out the reckless way, two of them the clueless
way. Kamran Akmal and Shahid Afridi had no business playing the strokes
they did so early. Kamran went hard at his second ball, a cutter;
Afridi tried to force his first ball from the crease.
Pakistan had seen Mahela Jaywardene assess the pitch early and play an
innings full of strokes he thought were safe on it. Sweeps,
reverse-sweeps and dabs worked for Jaywardene, but expecting Afridi to
take a few deliveries to size up the surface is to expect the sun not to
rise tomorrow.
After the game, Mohammad Hafeez kept calling Afridi his match-winner but
Pakistan have to seriously review Afridi's batting position now.
Powerful and reliable batsmen like Suresh Raina come in at No. 7
in limited-overs cricket. Afridi might still have a lot to offer as a
legspinner, but Pakistan desperately need someone who can last more than
a few deliveries at No. 7.
While Afridi and Kamran refused to respect the surface, Imran Nazir and
Shoaib Malik were uncertain in defence. They too paid the price. The
track demanded several skills from the batsman, and Pakistan did not
have answers. Only Nasir Jamshed, who got a poor decision, can escape
blame.
Hafeez can, as well, to a certain extent. He is clearly not the man to
open in a Twenty20 international. He just does not have the explosive
game. On this pitch, however, he could have played a decisive role, and
had it not been for his charge-and-heave at Rangana Herath in the 15th
over, Pakistan might have won the game. Hafeez had shown character until
then, moving from 3 off 15 to 42 off 39. Like Jayawardene, he took his
time; unlike Jayawardene, he scratched around, looking entirely
unconvincing; and unlike Jayawardene, he worked out that he would be
scoring in front of square, rather than behind it.
With 49 needed off 36 balls and six wickets in hand, few Test-level
sides will unravel as quickly as Pakistan did. Even before the 18th over
had ended, they were almost out of the game. The batting had lost them
the India match as well, and it had nearly lost them the South Africa
game, but that evening Umar Gul experienced a few moments of
inspiration.
A team cannot go through entire tournaments reliant on moments or sparks
or flashes to cover for a lack of batting backbone. Imran Khan didn't
win the 1992 World Cup in that fashion. Those instants are an
opportunity to shift momentum, the chance to build something. In the
end, sustainable building requires old-fashioned masonry, something
Pakistan were just not willing to do tonight. Is it any wonder then,
that after six successive ICC tournament semi-finals - a commendable
achievement - they have just one title to show?
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