Today News From Pakistan

The powerful bench strength of the current Pakistan team, which has come about mainly due to the induction of players from the breakaway Indian Cricket League (ICL) as well as the emergence of exciting young talent, appears to be the key factor behind the team’s impressive performance in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa and at the World Twenty20 held in England last June.

Pakistan, despite being in a tough pool (pool ‘A’) that features defending champions Australia, arch-rival India, and a relatively new West Indies outfit, have entered the semi-finals with consummate ease which indeed is a sharp contrast from the past.

In the bygone years, the nation was dismayed by frequent below-par performances of the national team in major tournaments, primarily because our players, specially the seniors, were found wanting in commitment and effort and appeared too content about holding their positions in the side on reputations alone.

However, with as many as a dozen talented players waiting in the wings as back-up today, the situation has changed quite dramatically. Nearly every player in the side is pushed hard to perform in the key games and the healthy competition available for several spots in the team have forced the seniors to pull up their socks and do well consistently.

The scenario is also a clear message for the PCB bosses to finally recognise the importance and value of a rich bench strength which is the best way to counter the player-power.

Seasoned campaigners such as Mohammad Yousuf, Imran Nazir, all-rounders Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Abdul Razzaq are now all available for the national team after quitting the ICL, thus widening the canvas of selection for the selectors. Similarly, upcoming batsman Umar Akmal, the younger brother of Kamran, and medium-fast Mohammad Aamir, the two new entrants have raised the number of choices for the selectors and are breathing down the necks of non-performers.

Some notable players forming the back-up pool for the Pakistan team today includes Imran Farhat, Abdul Razzaq, Salman Butt, Faisal Iqbal, Fawad Alam, Ahmed Shahzad, Nasir Jamshed, Shoaib Akhtar, Abdur Rauf, Sohail Tanvir, Danish Kaneria, Mohammad Talha and Rao Iftikhar.

During the past several years, Pakistan had fared poorly in crucial games and tournaments without really offering much resistance to the oppositions. However, despite the failures, the set-ups at the cricket boards and a couple of skippers stoutly resisted making large-scale changes to the playing elevens and never really attempted grooming the younger lot as replacements.

As a result, talented players like Misbah, Bazid Khan, Faisal Iqbal, Asim Kamal, Abdul Rauf and a few others were not allowed to make their mark when they were still young and robust and at the peak of their careers. Insecure captains like Inzamam-ul-Haq, despite enjoying absolute selection powers, strangely chose to stick to a group of senior players and the decision backfired hugely for Pakistan who faced first round exits in the 2003 and 2007 World Cups besides losing other notable competitions and series miserably.

However, the ongoing Champions Trophy, as well as the Twenty20 World Cup before this, has shown that Pakistan has only improved with every game and has emerged as a favourite team for the coveted world titles. While Younis Khan’s men appeared less than confident in their five-wicket win over the West Indies, they regrouped to outplay a formidable Indian side by 54-runs and nearly pulled off an improbable victory in a nail-biting finish against the all-conquering Aussies.

With Mohammad Asif also chipping in with two wickets against Australia and Misbah-ul-Haq scoring some useful runs, the Pakistan team management is facing a selection dilemma for the semi-final against New Zealand, a welcome situation indeed, which for the first time in almost a decade signals the reemergence of Pakistan cricket.

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