Team Pakistan: a package of unpredictability
Rajneesh Gupta | Cricketnext.comPosted on Aug 05, 2010 at 17:26 | Updated Aug 05, 2010 at 18:16
Share New Delhi: Under a new captain, Pakistan beat Australia for the first time in 15 years to win a Test match, singing songs of a revival. But just as it looked that they were getting into the groove, Pakistan promptly lost their subsequent Test, slumping to 80 all out in the second innings of the first Test against England. This Pakistan side has always been unpredictable and over the last decade looks like riding a see-saw.
Looking at their beleaguered nature, since 2000, Pakistan have played 88 Tests, won 31, lost 35 and drawn 22. These stats dont look that bad, but the picture takes on a different hue after considering the following facts:
- Pakistan have not won a Test series since January 2007.
- Since 2000, Pakistan have used 10 captains most by any side, along with West Indies, during this period.
- The 41 opening pairs used by them are also the maximum used by any side.
Pakistan started the last decade with a home series against Sri Lanka, losing it 1-2. They also lost to West Indies in the Caribbean 0-1 but then came back strongly against Sri Lanka winning 2-0 in Sri Lankas own den. This series win, though, was followed by another series loss to England at home while the subsequent two series were drawn 1-1.
Pakistan then had a good run as they beat Bangladesh in back-to-back series and followed it up with a series win against West Indies in the UAE. However, they couldn't continue the trend and lost against Sri Lanka at home. But they recovered soon after to beat New Zealand at home, only to be routed 3-0 by Australia when they toured Down Under in October 2002.
Though the next series against Zimbabwe turned out to be a cakewalk for the Pakistanis, they lost the following series against South Africa badly (0-2). Then they lived up to their unpredictable nature and went on to win three consecutive series, as they beat Bangladesh and South Africa at home and New Zealand in New Zealand.
Between August and December 2003, Pakistan played 7 consecutive matches without facing defeat. But their copybook was blotted by a series loss against India in 2003-04, when India visited Pakistan after a gap of about 15 years.
They then drew the series against Sri Lanka but were routed 3-0 once again by Australia. When everyone expected Pakistan to be in the doldrums, Pakistan made a remarkable comeback, drawing a series against India in India after trailing. They then drew the series against West Indies in the Caribbean and then won next three consecutive series against England, India and Sri Lanka.
Between June 2005 and July 2006, Pakistan played 10 consecutive matches without facing defeat. Then came the England series that was marred by Oval Test controversy when Inzamam-ul-Haq refused to take the field against umpires decision of changing the ball. England were then declared winners by virtue of a walk-over.
Interestingly, it was the only Test in which Pakistan were in a strong position. Pakistan then beat a depleted West Indies side 2-0 at home but lost to South Africa in back-to-back series and then to India in India. The next series against Sri Lanka had to be called off prematurely after the terrorists attacked the Sri Lankan team-bus in Lahore. Pakistan then lost to Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka but managed to square the series against New Zealand in New Zealand.
Between January 2007 and November 2009, Pakistan had played 12 consecutive matches without winning one. Then came another routing against Australia in Australia once again by a 3-0 margin. Just recently, these two sides met again in England (a home series for Pakistan). The result of the first Test was on the expected lines as Australia romped home by 150 runs. Skipper Shahid Afridi then surprisingly announced his retirement from Test cricket in a jiffy.
At a moment when Pakistan team was plagued by all kinds of controversies, the team replied in the most perfect manner by packing Australia up just for 88 on the first day of the Test and won it by 3 wickets, against all odds, under the new skipper Salman Butt.
But the nightmare returned for Pakistan in the form of drubbing against England in first of the four Tests scheduled in the current series in England. It will be interesting to see now if Pakistan's unpredictability can spice up the series.