Samiul Hasan: The demoralising 90-day African safari (27 Apr 1998)

Monday, April 27, 1998

The demoralising 90-day African safari

By Samiul Hasan

DISAPPOINTING is perhaps the mildest word to describe our cricketers performance on the African safari.

The one-all draw in the three-Test series against South Africa may appear quite respectable, but the events of the lost third Test at Port Elizabeth more than neutralised the marvellous and historic win at Durban in the second Test.

The tour of Zimbabwe, which was being taken lightly and sort of breathing time, unexpectedly went full length, notwithstanding the fact that Pakistan won the two-Test series 1-0 and the one-day series 2-0 after a bumpy ride.

The most demoralising part of the 90-day tour was when Pakistan returned to South Africa for the tri-nation series and lost four out of the six league matches and were lucky indeed to qualify for the final in which they touched the rock bottom.

There is no denying the fact that injuries to Aamir Sohail, Saqlain Mushtaq and Shoaib Akhtar weakened the team. There were several tactical errors too and these went unnoticed and denied Pakistan an opportunity to win the Test series against South Africa, register a more convincing performance against Zimbabwe, and put up a respectable show in the triangular series.

To begin with, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made the mistake of appointing Rashid Latif as captain, whose career now seems in jeopardy. Latif had played just eight one-dayers in 19 months, lacked fitness and form, when the daunting task of leading the team was imposed on him.

Latif's appointment as captain also unbalanced the side. The defeat at Port Elizabeth is a case in point. Two wicketkeepers (Latif and Moin Khan) played together for the first time as Pakistan went into the Test with four specialist stroke-makers excluding Moin who was included as a batsman, a role he was not accustomed to. Needing just a draw to clinch the series, Latif should have been wise enough to delay his inclusion in the team until Zimbabwe to allow Pakistan to field five specialist batsmen excluding Moin who would have retained his place as wicketkeeper-batsman, a role he had performed creditably throughout.

Although the belated inclusion of Wasim Akram in the team and prompt selection for the Port Elizabeth Test was also debatable as the allrounder had played just one first-class match in three months, he more than proved his class in the first phase of the tour.

Akram, understandably, was a couple of yards slow. Swing and accuracy were also missing at Port Elizabeth. However, he grew in every manner with every outing and consequently finished on top in the tri-series with 15 wickets - much better than any Sri Lankan or South African bowler.

Akram's inclusion seemed to have affected the cohesion and understanding of the outfit. A team which looked tenacious at Durban, was in tatters at Port Elizabeth. The implication of this about-turn must be duly pondered.

Also during the triangular, batsmen were not allowed to settle on their batting positions. Four different opening combinations were tried. All failed, and Pakistan never got the kind of opening stand on which the innings could be built. Pakistan's inability to play the allotted 50 overs in the last two games against South Africa in which they would score only 145 and 114 respectively, are a case in point. Shahid Afridi, Azhar Mahmood, Abdul Razzak and Mohammad Wasim were tried as Saeed Anwar's partners.

Shahid Afridi, who had been opening the innings in the absence of Aamir Sohail, was played in just three games. Yousuf Yohana and Mohammad Wasim, both quite successful in Zimbabwe, were denied their rightful place for an out-of-form Ijaz Ahmad.

Latif's captaincy was also below the mark. The biggest mistake he made was against Sri Lanka when he allowed an erratic Waqar Younis to exhaust his quota of 10 overs that cost him 86 runs, including 50 off his first five. Also in that match, Pakistan's one over was deducted for slow over rate which could have been averted had Mushtaq Ahmad been allowed to bowl his 10th over.

But it may not be fully justified to blame only Rashid Latif for the pathetic performance. The responsibility largely falls on those who must not falter in the choice of captain i.e. the Council of the PCB which largely comprises of non-experts.

The otherwise disastrous tour has a few positive points also, mainly, the much needed exposure to youngsters. Mohammad Wasim and Yousuf Yohana exhibited their temperament and skills with the willow. Azhar Mahmood and Abdul Razzak emerged as allrounders with a bright future, and Shoaib Akhtar impressed with his speed. Unfortunately there is no one in the team like Imran Khan to polish the crop of fast bowlers.

Source:: Dawn (https://dawn.com/)