A weapon no more

The Dawn's Humair Ishtiaq looks at Pakistan's series against Australia in the UAE and says the lack of fight was surprising. Pakistan had been desperate for international cricket after being given the cold shoulder even by minnows like Bangladesh, but didn't show it on the field. While the Australians overcame the absence of big names and showed commendable intensity, the Pakistani approach was not clear-headed. And then there was Shoaib Akhtar's flat return.

It was hardly the stuff expected of him, but Shoaib could still bask in glory of some kind; his two wickets in the fourth match of the series was the first time he had taken more than a wicket in the shorter version of the game since his 3/42 against India at Mohali on November 8, 2007. Not that he had been getting one-wicket ‘hauls’ on a consistent basis, but two-wicket ‘bursts’ have been well and truly rare. The one in Abu Dhabi came a mere 539 days after that historic day in Mohali.