Pakistan’s Saving Grace

Afridi's men display Pakistan cricket's notorious unpredictability while avoiding defeat against second-rung Windies

Pakistan's Saving Grace

Afridi's men display Pakistan cricket's notorious unpredictability while avoiding defeat against second-rung Windies

With Pakistan tottering on 76 for five, and top order batsmen Imran Nazir, Kamran Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Yousuf and Misbah-ul-Haq back in the pavilion, in reply to the debilitated West Indies' paltry 133 in the Champions Trophy at Wanderers yesterday, knowledgeable cricket fans could have been forgiven for a sense of du00c3u00a9ju00c3u00a0 vu.

Pakistan's stand-in skipper Shahid Afridi (right) hugs rookie Umar Akmal after their five-wicket victory over West Indies in a Champions Trophy tie at the Wanderers in Johannesburg yesterday.
pic/afp

Add to this ego-driven internal squabbling, regional infighting, disputes with authority and the like and you will only begin to understand Pakistan's notorious but complex unpredictability.

Their lowest score in the Champions Trophy being 89 against South Africa in 2006 Pakistan have never reached the final of the Champions Trophy.

However, they have the distinction of coming back from the jaws of death to win the ICC World Cup in Australia in 1992 under the charismatic Imran Khan, and the ICC Twenty20 Trophy 2009 in England.

Former captains Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, along with a few teammates, were reportedly convicted of drug taking, but let off after imprisonment, following diplomatic intervention, in the Caribbean during their team's tour in 1993.

Then, there was Pakistan's inexplicable exit, that almost matched that of India's, from the last World Cup in the West Indies following defeat at the hands of Ireland.

Recently, there was the notorious incident concerning fast bowler Mohammad Asif, who was banned from international cricket for testing positive for the substance nandrolone while playing for Delhi Daredevils in the IPL.

Asif's ban officially ended on Tuesday. The ICC allowed the Pakistan Cricket Board to include the 26-year old pace bowler in the Champions Trophy last month, but he was not permitted to train with his teammates in training camps at Karachi and Lahore.

Mohammad Asif has a history of doping incidents, including being caught for drug taking, along with fellow fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar in 2006 in Jaipur, from where both were recalled home.

The pace bowler was not played in yesterday's match against the Windies since his team management did not consider him mentally match-fit just yet.

Although Pakistan captain Younis Khan was ruled out of yesterday's game due to a finger injury, he is likely to be fit for Saturday's crucial game against India at the SuperSport Park at Centurion.

Pakistan's stand-in skipper Shahid Afridi, a ballistic missile at the best of times, who yesterday steered his side to victory at a critical juncture, with a responsible unbeaten 17, said he was under no pressure in the match in his first ODI as captain. He said he was confident his side would win when he came out to bat despite the early reverses.

Tickets for the mother of all cricketing battles between the two Asian neighbours at Centurion, in Pretoria, on Saturday are more difficult to spot than the Loch Ness monster, and the yeti (Abominable Snowman).

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