A NEW PAKISTAN

A NEW PAKISTAN

They have changed immensely since the Bangladesh series.

                                                                                                     

SOURCE OF PIC: ESPNCRICINFO

                                    

The Pakistan team has shown immense improvement. 

As Shoaib Malik slammed the final six over midwicket, the fans cheered like they each had received a million dollars. As the SL players trudged back, you could see the disbelief in their eyes. You could also see the happiness in the Pakistan player’s eyes. Forget the series, even winning a match seemed impossible for Pakistan. But it all changed with this tournament. Mohammed Hafeez sprung back into form, Ahmed Shehzad finally clicked, and the bowlers did outstanding, especially Yasir Shah. Even the match they lost, they lost to Kusal Perera’s brilliant fifty, not Sri Lanka. After his fifty, SL collapsed and  But most of all, Azhar Ali’s captaincy changed.

When Azhar Ali became a captain after the World Cup, he looked confused. A man who was dropped from the ODI squad, suddenly came back as a captain. And with a new captain, Pakistan became chaotic. Without Misbah and Afridi, Pakistan was flabbergasted on what to do. Bangladesh took full advantage of that and creamed them. Azhar Ali’s form drastically improved, but the team was in chaos. Pakistan did okay in the tests, winning 1-0, but Bangladesh made it no cakewalk, and denied an easy whitewash. Pakistan cricket was in confusion. Then came a shining light. The Zimbabwe tour.

In my opinion, Zimbabwe was the reason behind Pakistan’s success. They took the risk that no other team took, and even after being attacked once, they still continued. Pakistan had been suffering without international cricket at home for 4 years, and although PCB found a temporary home, Sharjah, it was not home. So when Zimbabwe stepped up, Pakistan found their bright light. They had found water in a lost desert. Many, many things came out of the tour. Relief. Joy. And mostly, determination and confidence. The determination to go on, the confidence of winning.

Pakistan has not just changed in ODI’s. T20’s, it is too early to decide, but they have changed in Test’s too. A BIG change. When Pakistan were to tour Sri Lanka, it became a certainty that they wouldn’t win one game. But look at the comeback they made. They won a test, but Sri Lanka won the next one. The third one, Sri Lanka dominated for three days. Pakistan showed their mettle then. 377 to win, Pakistan made it look like a cakewalk. Shan Masood and Younis Khan dominated SL’s bowling, and took Pakistan home easily. That victory made many records; highest successful chase for Pakistan, highest successful chase in Sri Lanka, second highest in Asia, and sixth highest in all cricket. But there was another historic reason; it marked a new time in Pakistan cricket.  

Now, Pakistan are owning the ODI series, almost got Champions Trophy qualification, and will most likely win 4-1. In the beginning of the tournament, they looked to gift a whitewash to Sri Lanka in both Test, ODI, and T20. We’ve seen their mettle in Test and ODI, now we have to see it in T20. One thing is for sure; the Men in Green are not little speck to brush aside- they’re lions. 

Will Pakistan Win The Series 4-1 and the T20 series?

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If No, Then Comment No

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