Pakistan : A Classic Case Of How Not To Lose A Cricket Match
Rajiv Upadhyay 
Pakistan lost only a Cricket Match To India in One Day World Cup on 23 rd In Dubai . In 2017 it had won against India at London. Indian team had suffered a humiliating defeat with it being all out at 158 against 338 /4 of Pakistan . Virat Kohli had scored just five runs and Rohit Sharma only a zero . Yet yesterday Rohit Sharma was the captain and Virat scored a century. India did not lose confidence in its players . Players and Team need support at such critical times and subsequent analysis and corrective action decides the future performance . At the end Cricket is just a game and cricket field is not a battle ground .
Since Pakistan was the defending team some enhanced disappointment was expected . Losing a match to its arch enemy India was particularly hurting so a strong public reaction was expected .Earlier many TV Sets used to be broken and even the house of Cricketers were attacked . Mercifully due to very poor economic conditions it did not happen this time .
While public can be forgiven but former cricketers who know the un certainties and technicalities of the game need to be more balanced in their criticism and realise that Pakistan still has a match against Bangladesh .
A neutral analysis will show that while Babar Azam had slowed the game in his remarkable partnership at third wicket but it was well intentioned not a lack of aggression ! Since the entire team got out before fifty overs, any aggressive play , as now suggested , would possibly have reduced the total score as the players would have unnecessarily played under tension . Even Virat Kohli had played slowly but steadily till the end . Possibly Babar Azam could have opted for four singles per over strategy as done by Virat . Babar Azam had gambled on his bowlers since the pitch was notorious for low scores. But just like the Batsmen, the Pakistani bowlers also failed . So the Pakistani team was inferior and the better team won . It always happens in games !
The normal action or judgement would be to possibly engage a world class international coach and build a world winner team again just as India did in engaging Ian Chapel who definitely improved Indian fielding in Saurav Ganguly’s time . It later led to some un pleasant relations but it is history as Ganguly staged a come back showing his class. Local coach will not serve the purpose in a nation so badly divided.
Tablighi Jamat takeover of Pakistan team possibly brings subjective angles in play . Cricket is a Western Game and best played in a secular professional way .
So although India has won, making all of us happy here but as neighbours joined at hip , I cannot but be sad at the decline of a good team due to unnecessary politicking .
