Mercurial, maverick and unpredictable – The kind of adjectives you have seen used to describe the Pakistan cricket team over many decades. Stories abound, including the rivalry between Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram, the dressing room fight between Mohammad Asif and Shoaib Akhtar and the Javed Miandad-Imran Khan feud. In that context, the current Pakistan team seems to be different.
Yes, Pakistan’s quintessential strength – fast bowling – is very much a part of the current side. But a collective approach seems to be at the heart of Pakistan’s success in limited-overs cricket and their ascent to the No.1 ODI ranking. It doesn’t feel like the fractured sides of the past, made up of infighting and bitterness. Simply put, Pakistan are scaling heights in the abridged versions of the game through harmony rather than chaos.
Pakistan’s opening fixture of Asia Cup 2023 against Nepal acts as an example. When Shaheen Afridi dismissed Kushal Bhurtel in the first over, the camaraderie on display was of a happy and content side. The intensity levels also seemed to be up. Pakistan were expected to defeat Nepal, and they could have taken the contest lightly. The pace bowlers, however, bowled at full throttle as Nepal were bundled out for a mere 104.
Even in the Super Fours game against Bangladesh, it was team effort that helped them cross the finishing line. There was a touch of method attached to the way they chased down the target, not something that is generally associated with Pakistan cricket. Pakistan were mostly in control of what was a modest chase. Just that when they lost Babar Azam in the 16th over, you wondered whether Pakistan would have one of those infamous collapses.
Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq, though, played largely risk-free cricket – adding runs in a diet of singles and twos, blended with some fine strokes. In that backdrop, one can understand why Pakistan have lost just one ODI while pursuing a target since the start of 2022.
It is true that some of those victories came against second-string sides. It is also true that despite all the positives, Pakistan still have a few deficiencies in the batting unit. The fifth bowling option is also a bit of weak link, which was exploited by the Indian middle order in the ongoing Asia Cup. The crux of the point remains – This is a set-up that is focused on team bonding.
During the recent ODI series against Afghanistan, Babar had said this about his team: “Securing the top spot fills us with immense joy. This achievement is the result of our collective hard work. While we’ve experienced this position previously, we’ve learned from setbacks. Now, through determination and outstanding performances, we’ve reclaimed this position.”
Aeons ago, at the toss before the crucial Pakistan-Australia game in Perth during the 1992 World Cup, Imran had said to Ian Chappell: “This is what I have been telling to Allan (Border, Australian skipper) that I want my team to play like cornered tigers, you know when it is at its most dangerous.” Imran was referring to his famous tiger T-shirt.
Pakistan, who were on the brink of elimination before that game, didn’t just beat Australia, they went on to win the World Cup. That was a quintessential Pakistani performance – mercurial and unpredictable. One has to wait and watch whether more of a methodical and collective approach would take Pakistan to the pinnacle of success at the Asia Cup and the upcoming World Cup. For now, the signs are encouraging.