da betsul： Pakistan’s recent successive victories in international cricket is indeed acommendable feat
Salahuddin Sallu17-Feb-2002Pakistan’s recent successive victories in international cricket is indeed acommendable feat. The credit largely goes to Waqar Younis whoseleadership qualities are improving.Waqar’s declaration against West Indies in the first Test at Sharjah wasdaring and reflected the skipper’s confidence in himself and his team.Pakistan is now steadily emerging as a fighting and mature force. But ourbatting line-up is still brittle and the selectors have to ponder this problem.We do not lack talent provided it is given chance and exposurepersistently. This is particularly important in the case of opening pair. Weshould not harbour under any delusion after victories against out of sortsBangladesh and West Indies on easy paced wickets. The quest for betterand better should be an unceasing effort. Team spirit has surely returnedand Wasim Akram’s come-back will reinforce the combination.Our bowling has been pretty impressive. But let me first deal with batting.Younis Khan, Yousuf Youhana, Abdur Razzaq have been consistent andbrilliant. When Inzamam, who has been having a lean patch, regains hisform our middle order will become formidable. The opening slot, however,though has problems.Ever since Saeed Anwar and Aamir Sohail got separated no pair has settleddown, a role Majid Khan and Sadiq Mohammad also discharged withdistinction.If Shahid Afridi gets due and sympathetic treatment, he could be theanswer. He has been branded by certain quarters as a one-day specialist.It is just like Saeed Anwar, who was also branded, early in his career as aone-day specialist and then dropped after scoring three consecutivecenturies.Saeed later on proved his critics wrong, establishing himself as a worldclass opener. Dropping Afridi from the first Test by the tour selectioncommittee was a blunder. It should not be forgotten that he is a valuableutility all-rounder. As regards his batting technique he believes in thedictum that attack is the best defence, a motto approved by none otherthan Garfield Sobers while coaching the Sri Lankans.There are two types of openers – one enterprising and motivated and otherconstant and steady. If in the opening overs an outgoing delivery is bowledto say Geoff Boycott, Hanif Mohammad or Sunil Gavaskar they will leave it.The same if offered to Gordon Greenidge, Roy Fredericks or SanathJayasuriya they would have square cut it.Rashid Latif deserves due praise for his showing, despite a long absence inbetween. He is an outstanding wicket-keeper and is also establishing himas a dependable batsman.Pakistan is lucky to have two competent keepers of calibre. Of course MoinKhan is a magician with bat. His memorable record of 257 victims in oneday cricket, three Test centuries and eight hundreds in first class cricketspeak for themselves. His impressive showing in the last World Cup withfractured little finger is still fresh, the way he hammered Australia’s GlennMcGrath in English conditions was marvellous. Allan Donald also receivedcaning at his hands.Coming back to our bowling Shoaib Akhtar was amazing with his expressdeliveries on unresponsive surface. In short spells he is virtually unplayable.Michael Holding’s adverse comments were torn to shreds by hisperformance with the same weight and action.Waqar, of course, is an established operator with the new as well as theold ball, Abdur Razzaq, in between, was remarkable with his medium paceaccuracy. If Wasim Akram comes up to his reputed fame we will have aformidable bowling attack.In the spinning department Danesh Kaneria has much to learn. He shouldgive a little flight and his deliveries will have a loop only when he takes aslow start. He should follow Shane Warne. Besides his bowling Kaneria mustimprove his fielding.One feature about Pakistan bowling is specially noteworthy and striking.We have produced some of the finest fast bowlers on the heart breakingslow wickets. The names of Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Waqar and ShoaibAkhtar are inscribed in the Hall Of Fame but we have not been able toproduce a high quality left-arm leg spinner since Iqbal Qasim.As regards West Indies their overall performance was below par. Lara’sabsence was a big blow. Their fielding was uncharacteristically shoddy.Besides all that the umpires rubbed their wounds. Darrel Hair of Australiagave two most shocking LBW decisions against Darren Ganga andShivnarine Chanderpaul. The ouster of the former proved a turning point ashe was batting beautifully in the second Test.Hair is the same person who questioned Shoaib Akhtar’s action. If suchpoor judgments had been made by a Pakistani umpire he would have beendishonest while an Australian was guilty of human error.This was the first series where both the teams were aliens and instead ofbatsmen getting benefit of doubt bowlers were reaping the benefit, why?The umpires can only tell. Now before concluding a few suggestions forWaqar who undoubtedly did a good job. But he should concentrate ongame and refrain from uncalled for statements and interviews with themedia.My sincere good wishes are with Waqar and the team.(This article was written before the one-day series).