Win one more and choke the chokers
on November 1st, 2010 at 4:03 pmThe third Odi is going to decide the fate of the series. South Africa will make a few changes they missed Smith, Kallis and Rusty Theron, I am not sure if Smith and Kallis are fit to play but Rusty Theron will definitely play in the third Odi. South Africa will formulate a new game plan for Afridi and Razzaq their batting is alright even without Smith and Kallis but Albie morkel is a weak link in their line up and they will replace him with Theron.
Neither team enjoys a big psychological advantage over the other, but Pakistan has more areas to fix than South Africa. Their Top order has failed consistently, Asad Shafiq has failed as an opener, he might get dropped, Fawad Alam and Misbah are the other two players who are out of form and struggling, Pakistan will have to make a tough choice to drop one of the two.
South African batsmen were clearly uncomfortable against spin, Ajmal will have to lift his game he holds the key for Pakistan to contain South Africa around 250, his line and length hasn’t been good and hasn’t used his Doosra in this series so far which makes him very easy to deal with. Ajmal will have to bowl his full quota of 10 overs so that Afridi doesn’t have to bowl Razzaq.
Afridi’s field placement was horrible so far in the series, he will have to give his bowlers an attacking field too many edges went for a boundary in the last Odi had Afridi placed a slip for Ingram he would have never scored a century. If Pakistan didn’t came out with a game plan against South African batsmen they will lose.
Pakistan also need sto do some practice of target hitting in practice they missed too many direct throws and easy run outs unlike their counter parts their catching has improved but they need to improve their close in fielding.
Wahab Riaz was good in the last match, he is likely to play in the next match.
If Pakistan made the right changes they will increase their chances to win the next match but 100% effort is required from all the players. I am sure if we won the next match we will win the series the South Africans will choke in the last two matches.
@Wasim: Check Stani’s blog for my response to the points that you have raised …. dont ask me why I posted it over there
…. I thought I was on your page and after I pressed the submit button I realised ooooooops 
Asim
I do agree with you on Fawad that he is limited as far as his ability is concerned but gives more than 100%. I think it was criminal on part of Afridi to bat the way he did regardless of the number he came to bat in, Farhat and Shafiq will get a lot of flak but they still created a platform from a very precarious situation, Afridi was quick to criticisize the negative batting but the truth is that match after match he lasts only for a few balls, I am yet to see him bat resposnibly when the top order scores some runs he always wastes the work done by others yes when everybody else fails then he usually scores some runs.
How can you blame coaches can anybody coach Afridi?
If you have noticed in the 2nd Odi Afridi was visibly very nervous sitting in the dressing room, he was seen at times praying looked like as if a lot was on stake in that match.
In this match neither he showed that kind of passion while batting nor in the dressing room instead looked quite indifferent from the situation through out Pakistan’s innings.
I can’t believe they never send a message to Farhat and Shafiq to accelerate but they immediately sent Shahzaib with a message when Pakistan was so close to win the match and we all know what happened next. Won’t be surprised if ICC questions about the message and investigates it.
Unless and untill Afridi is also held accountable in the media like others and made to accept responsibility, things won’t change he got some nerve to point fingers at others when he has been the main culprit in all matches.
It is ridicuous to ignore his underperformance by just saying that he is not in the team as an all rounder he is just a bowler who can bat a bit, then I am sorry to say he doesn’t deserve to be in the team as his inclusion makes the tail very long and he also doesn’t deserve to bat at the number at which he bats.
Well I must say we Pakistanis are the only ones who know how to change a boring match into a nail biter
….. not a bad effort from a team missing some major players in the team.
Firstly, bring Kamran Akmal back if not then bring Sarfaraz back in the limited over games, Zulqarnain was one test inning wonder but from what I have seen, he is neither a great keeper nor (specially) a decent batsman.
As for Fawad Alam, I think he is more like Moin Khan type of a person, skill wise very limited but has a very good temprament and he performs more then his ability, after today’s performance I dont want him to be dropped from the team and want him to be part of test series as well, we need players who give more then 100% of their ability, and this is something that I have seen in Wahab Riaz as well in the last two games, currently he is playing much better then Umer Gul.
But I must say we again lost because of strategy not human mistakes, we need a better coach, why did afridi come into bat before Fawad, they were getting 5-6 runs in an over and required runrate was also under 6, if we had continued like that for few more overs, we might be looking at 70-80 runs in the last 10 overs (including the powerplay) and at that time Afridi and Razzaq might have done the trick. We should plan the chase properly, we had players at the top playing as if this is the last match so knew if they failed they would be dropped for good adn this brought lots of pressure on the team, we need an aggressive start but instead Imran and Asad were playing for their spots. We did miss Yusuf and /or Umer Akmal in the middle, unfortunately we dont have good planners and stroke players in the team.
I fail to understand why our coaching staff sent Shahzaib, a ball before the last end of powerplay with a message to Wahab and confusing him, had he continued in the same mode he might have hit that ball too (he did hit the similar ball for a six earlier on), why confuse or change the plan of players in the middle when someone has been doing something successfully is just mind boggling ?!?!
Also why Ajmal is sent before Shoaib is also something that I am unable to understand.
For the next onedayer we need to make the following changes, bring Shahzaib inplace of Farhat, Umer Akmal inplace of Asad Shafiq and Abdul Rehman inplace of Saeed Ajmal. Perfect thing would be if Umer Akmal can do the keeping, that will allow a slot for another batsman (Shahzaib/Asad) in the playing eleven
Wahab Riaz and Fawad made the match exciting in the end they also showed that their were no demons in the pitch the demons were only in Farhat’s and Shafiq’s mind both players played extremely negative cricket, I would place less blame on Shafiq as he played according to his limitations but Farhat was visibly holding off his shots. Both players made an below par target into a mountain, South Africa bowled beautifully their ground fielding was superb but I can’t believe that Farhat and Shafiq couldn’t put away 120-125k balls from Tsotobe. When Farhat got out the target was still achievable I think Afridi was the main culprit today plenty of overs were left the RR was around 6 when he walked in he didn’t bothered to cut down on his shots and just started his brainless hitting.
You might succeed once in a while by going completely berserk but cricket at international level requires method and planning which Afridi is completely devoid off.
Fawad Alam played out of his skin today almost pulled off a victory, he shouldn’t have taken that single on the third last ball and should have tried to hit a boundary on the remaining three but I think he left too many runs for the last over he really should have tried to finish it off in the 49th over. Afridi also made a mistake by sending Ajmal ahead of Akhtar in this situation. only 8 runs came from 48th and 49th over.
But Pakistan were never going to win this one I knew it when I saw Farhat in the team and also saw the Odds in favor of Pakistan after the first innings.
1. Mohammad Hafeez
2. Zulqarnain Haider (wkt)
3. Fawad Alam
4. Umar Akmal
5. Younis Khan
6. Misbah-ul-Haq
7. Shahid Afridi (cpt)
8. Abdul Razzaq
9. Umar Gul
10. Shoaib Akhtar
11. Saeed Ajmal
Asad Shafiq
Abdur Rehman
Tanvir Ahmed
Wahab Riaz
Mohammad Yousuf – injured
Imran Farhat
Shahzaib Hasan
Excellent bowling and fielding by South Africa, they will comfortably win this match, everyday is not Sunday not atleast for Razzaq his next big one will come after quite some time.
Doesn’t need to hit every ball today the target is much less the run rate is also less but the wicket is slow it’s not easy to play strokes on this wicket.
But what a shamefull innings was played by Farhat, Shafiq and Afridi. The way Afridi has played in this series if I was the selector I would have called him back home in the middle of the tour. Is this not corruption he has thrown away his wicket in four matches one day he can bat sensibly the other day he can’t thats a joke.
Required run rate which was just over 4 at the beginning of the inning has now reached alomost 6 an over. South Africa are now even with Pakistan at this stage of the match.
For Stani
13.6
Theron to Asad Shafiq, no run, slower ball and a close shave for Shafiq who nearly runs himself out. He works the off cutter with the turn towards Miller at square leg and takes off. There was no run there and he turned back late and looked to dive in. Miller’s throw missed, but if it had hit…
13.5
Theron to Asad Shafiq, no run, comes in with the angle and Shafiq reaches out to work it across the line., Can’t get it away for runs
13.4
Theron to Imran Farhat, 1 run, Theron offers rare width and Farhat can’t time the square cut at all. It goes well in front of square, suggesting how slow the wicket it. Single to sweeper cover
13.3
Theron to Asad Shafiq, 1 run, this time the angle takes it into Shafliq’s pads and he works it square for a single
13.2
Theron to Asad Shafiq, no run, similar ball, coming into Shafiq who shapes for the flick too early and misses it
13.1
Theron to Asad Shafiq, no run, back of a length outside off and coming into Shafiq who plays defensively to the leg side
Through out the over instead of playing a straight drive or playing it on the off to balls pitching on off stump or outside it, he tried to move outside off stump and flick the ball on the legside wasted the whole over and if he continued to play like this any bowler who is a bit faster will nail him plumb in fornt of the wickets.
Mediocrity of Pakistan’s batting line up is once again exposed, its 12/2 after six overs these guys can’t even play straight balls. Unless somebody is willing to play a long grinding innings things won’t be easy for Pakistan.
Younis was unlucky in the last match to be given out but this time it was a pathetic stroke. Hafeez scored 3 runs and Farhat is struggling out there it’s 14/2 and we are in the ninth over. This is what you get if you keep on playing mediocre players. Farhat is under tremendous pressure to score some runs and save his career he is not freeing his arms and blocking too many deliveries because he has no confidence.
Pakistan should play Shoaib Akhtar in the test matches he has increased his stamina and is performing exceptionally well.
We don’t have any other options, Wahab Riaz is Ok, I don’t have faith in Umar Gul as a test bowler, Ajmal is out of form, Kaneria and Sami are completely shit.
It’s a tough decision to make Pakistan would not like to risk their premiere fast bowler a few months a head of the world cup but at the same time they don’t have any other choice. Pakistan will struggle to take 10 wickets if Akhtar is not in the side.
228 is a below par score on this pitch, the bowlers have done their job but for Pakistan’s batting even 175 sometimes is an uphill task. Pakistan usually performs against the odds of their winning and losing lets see how they chase this easy target.
WTF was umpire zameer Haider doing when he gave AB out he was at least 4 inches inside the crease this deciscion was a howler. umpiring generally has been good but a few decisions in this series were extremely shocking.
Stani
Don’t you think Afridi these days get more breathless than Akhtar while bowling, I have seen him gasping and panting after he bowls a few overs he needs to loose some weight and become more fit, if his age is correct then he is is not that old, I have seen a marked decline in his physical fitness.
Yes, maybe Rehamn deserves a chance. He’s been in the last 100 squads but they don’t play him. A rest for Ajoo.
Just bloody missed another throw. Had ages.
Stani
I have been saying all along that Ajmal needs a rest but each time I write something about it all the bloggers get after me, we need to give a few games to Rahman.
Imagine what will happen to Pakistan in test matches with Ajmal not in form.
Akhtar’s looking very impressive. He’s pulled out his slower ball…dont know why he hid it away. I remember him destroying England with it in Pak a few years back. He will need it on these wickets and the WC.
Getting worried about Ajmal’s lack of effect, and with Hafeez doing well there may be an argument get in a extra batsmen for Ajmal in order to strengthen our weakness.
Ground fielding’s been very good but still cant hit the stumps!
Do not ask me about the Farhat decision. Disgrace.
Just when I was getting worried about the duminy-amla partnership Hafeef got the break through for Pakistan. Afridi and Ajmal again have been un impressive bowling too many loose deliveries
Earlier Shoaib Akhtar bowled a superb spell mixing his pace and moving the ball both ways got two early wickets for Pakistan and put SA on the back foot on a flat track.
Wahab was again unplayable got through the defence off inform Amla on multiple occassions didn’t get any wickets so far as South African players were just trying to defend against him.
One more wicket and Pakistan will be on top.
Just when you expect that Pakistan will learn from their mistakes they commit more mistakes and do it quite shamelessly.
South Africa after one loss immediately fixed them and brought back Kallis and Theron as I predicted.
But Pakistan who should have brought in Shahzaib and Umar Akmal resorted to Farhatism once again.
Imran Farhat is back and Misbah is out. The dirty looks Afridi has been giving Umar Akmal through out the series clearly showed their was tension between them and Afridi will try not to play him but I never expected that he will kill two birds with one stone, kept Umar Akmal out and also kicked out Misbah and brought in Imran Farhat somebody who has not performed in ages. Omar Akmal is said to have a last minute ankle injury but I think it is just an excuse.