Team Pakistan has fought its way into the Final of the Champions Trophy. On its way the team has virtually trounced South Africa and England—two most feared and highly rated powers in modern cricket. The team also managed to overcome Sri Lanka after a few hiccups. It is the same Sri Lanka that had earlier made a mockery of India’s invincibility by registering an overwhelmingly emphatic victory.
What brought about an incredible turnaround in the quality and the fortunes of Team Pakistan after its abject and humiliating surrender to India in the opening match?
The only plausible and convincing answer is that Team Pakistan has seldom won when under pressure to win, and Team Pakistan can register mind-boggling victories when not under pressure and not expected to win. Meaning thereby that Team Pakistan doesn’t fall to the might of the opponents, but to the pressure of expectations, the media and the nation exert on it, and to the fear and doubt that is created in the minds of its players that their failure may lead to their humiliation and their ouster.
We are all aware of the power and the reach of the Betting Industry. And I don’t rule out the probability or the possibility of the involvement of the highest officials in the act of scripting an overall scenario of such mega events. Yet there is a strong case for us to acknowledge that most of our players are made to play under pressure of all kinds. The seniors are made to play for their places, and the rookies are not inducted with the confidence that they are in for good. We have destroyed some of our best players because of this attitude.
I was very worried about Babar Azam before this match. The ‘momentary’ loss of form or luck of this great batsman had already made ‘habitual’ critics to suggest that he ‘deserved’ to be pushed down the batting order.
I think we are lucky to have a team of such rare talent. Fakhar Zaman’s debut has been explosive, and our pace/seam attack has match-winning potential. Imagine two of our best new-ball bowlers— Amir and Abbas— were not in this side that trounced England!
The day after Pakistan’s loss to India we were talking of dismantling this lineup and importing new talent, possibly from heavens.
England has lost to Pakistan in even worse way.
Should England be thinking of dismantling a team that has such explosive match-winners as Roote, Morgan, Hales, Stokes, Moeen and Taylor?
Well even the greatest of players are humans. Pressure of winning overwhelmingly against Pakistan destroyed the Team England.
Let us learn to back our team and our players in shining moments as well as moments of gloom.
This tournament has many lessons to learn from. At this stage Australia is out. South Africa is out. England is out. New Zealand is out.
And three sub-continental teams are left in the race—Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.
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