Waqar reveals Pakistan’s cricket problems

[nair]

PSL is going to help you develop new players..... IPL has helped India to a great extent, the bench strength is very strong......

 

[Clutch]

Corruption.... Nothing else

 

[PAKISTANFOREVER]

NO ONE in Pakistan gives a damn about cricket anymore. They havn't for about 10 years. I have said many times in previous posts that cricket has been dying a slow death in Pakistan, since about 2008. No one hardly plays it there aswell. Pakistan is on a fast track to become like the West Indies and other minnows if we are already are not there. In some ways it's good as it will give football an opportunity to flourish in Pakistan. I personally hate cricket so good riddance of it from Pakistan.

 

[Hephaestus]

There is nothing to reveal Pakistani team has no talent. Tell me where are bowlers with 90+ and avg below 23? Where are batsman averaging 40+ and in the same time having 90+ strike rate? Where are spinners with below 27 avg and below 4 economy rate? Name me hitters who can make 100+ runs in last 10 overs? Admit it there is nothing wrong with board or anything else its just that there is no talent.

I don't think there is any dearth of talent anywhere in the world especially Pakistan. But, I think the game has moved leaps & bounds & the Pakistani establishment plus coaches aren't really aware of it. What I find surprising is most of their players play all over the world in T20 leagues. But, seem to be oblivious to the changes.

I mean look at Hafeez. Do you really think he should be in any limited overs tournament. Let alone this one.
The players don't look fit at all. Case in point Wahab. He's no Mitchell Johnson.
But, I also think Pak team is getting beaten in the mind before they are getting beaten on the field. It's all in the mind.

Remember in Tests (where the game has evolved the least) you are still very very good. You beat the poms in their backyard.

NO ONE in Pakistan gives a damn about cricket anymore in Pakistan. They havn't for about

Sorry to say. But, you guys aren't doing anything of note in any sports. What are you guys giving a damn about.

PSL is going to help you develop new players..... IPL has helped India to a great extent, the bench strength is very strong......

Yes, I think if it runs without any interruptions for 5 yrs. Then players from Pak will come out real good. I don't buy this argument that if not played in Pakistan...... As long as awam watches cricket should be enough.

 

[PAKISTANFOREVER]

I don't think there is any dearth of talent anywhere in the world especially Pakistan. But, I think the game has moved leaps & bounds & the Pakistani establishment plus coaches aren't really aware of it. What I find surprising is most of their players play all over the world in T20 leagues. But, seem to be oblivious to the changes.

I mean look at Hafeez. Do you really think he should be in any limited overs tournament. Let alone this one.
The players don't look fit at all. Case in point Wahab. He's no Mitchell Johnson.
But, I also think Pak team is getting beaten in the mind before they are getting beaten on the field. It's all in the mind.

Remember in Tests (where the game has evolved the least) you are still very very good. You beat the poms in their backyard.


Sorry to say. But, you guys aren't doing anything of note in any sports. What are you guys giving a damn about.

Even though we are rubbish at cricket and don't care about it, our head-to head-to record against india in Test Matches and ODIs is better, that too against a nation where cricket is a religion and is more than 7x bigger than us...............................in Pakistan NO ONE cares about sport. They did for Cricket for a short while but by and large people are indifferent to it. There is however a chance that football could potentially flourish in Pakistan in the future.

 

[Hephaestus]

Even though we are rubbish at cricket and don't care about it, our head-to head-to record against india in Test Matches and ODIs is better, that too against a nation where cricket is a religion and is more than 7x bigger than us...............................in Pakistan NO ONE cares about sport. They did for Cricket for a short while but by and large people are indifferent to it. There is however a chance that football could potentially flourish in Pakistan in the future.

Have you seen your current ranking in Football. 201 or something out of 206.
I'm surprised you didn't mention hockey.
I wasn't deriding Pakistan or anything. I was just stating facts.

 

[protest]

Even though we are rubbish at cricket and don't care about it, our head-to head-to record against india in Test Matches and ODIs is better, that too against a nation where cricket is a religion and is more than 7x bigger than us...............................in Pakistan NO ONE cares about sport. They did for Cricket for a short while but by and large people are indifferent to it. There is however a chance that football could potentially flourish in Pakistan in the future.

You keep saying football will flourish again and again..but is it really though? I haven't seen any proof for it yet, infact they are regressing. I believe Pakistan has no will to develop any sport otherwise once very popular cricket wouldn't come to this level. You can't ruin a sport to develop another. In India, although Cricket is hugely popular, we have other sports leagues gaining much popularity lately like kabaddi, football etc. I think Pakistanis because of their day to day struggles have given up on all sports not just cricket.

 

[Shane]

First of all its just cricket. What is seriously wrong with it is how it reflects on us as a nation. Cricket it seems is a game that we sometimes take more seriously than our national interests.

Why do we blame our cricket team or cricket setup when the root causes lie elsewhere.

There is no lack of talent but lack of merit, self belief and aggressive approach.

One of the main reasons for our dismal performance is due to lack of mental toughness. Mental toughness trickles down from the top. Defensive behaviour to the limit of being apologetic about your general state of affairs breeds disbelief in ability in general which in turn affects mental toughness.

Look at Bangladesh, since the strong nationalist approach of Sheikh Haseena, their national outlook has transformed and in turn even their cricket team has more self belief, never mind their level of experience or ability but Bangladesh has performed better than before at all levels.

Look at the non apologetic and aggressive stance of Modi and you see a self assured India hitting above its ability in general.

I'm not talking about just cricket but the general approach of the whole nation transforms when the leadership takes a strong and aggressive approach towards the challenges it faces.

All we see from leadership of Pakistan, apart from security establishment, is what? Aggressiveness? or just tongue wagging? Look busy do nothing. Apologetic behaviour on everything at international and even local level. Let China derive our economic recovery while we are just busy protecting and promoting personal family businesses. Let India bully us internationally while we keep quite on even Kulbhushan and find ways of personally minting money through bilateral trade.

We let National Action Plan slide down the toilet on the political front while our government looks busy and actually does next to nothing.

Where is the aggressive approach in any other aspect of our lives as a nation that we demand from our cricket team?

Our cricketers and a vast majority of people have made what role models to follow other than Bollywood mediocrity that they praise like virtual Avatars. What to expect from a lot that is virtually in awe of the other team even before the start of a match because their minds are trained to be in awe of them via Bollywood glitz that has blinded their brains even before the toss of the coin.

The players of yester years were a lot more confident and assure of themselves despite some of the same above because they understood and absorbed the scenario a lot better because of their superior caliber and didn't go about drooling over indian actors but only the best of the actresses which is more plausible and in line with male instincts rather than being in awe of the likes of Salman khans or Akshays or kapoors of today. Indian cricketers used to be in awe of Pakistani team but now its the other way around. Unless someone works out what is wrong with the mental approach of team Pakistan, they cannot go about correcting it.

What else may describe the recent run of defeats after defeats at the hands of indian cricket team other than just a mental meltdown as we have been beating other teams more often.

We keep hearing the experts say its about mental toughness. Why is it missing? Ask even the international coach of Pakistan and he will scratch his head and say something conventional. Actually nobody knows for sure, i have dared to write my two cents about it.

 

[CBU-105]

This is actually quite sad. I remember growing up in the 80s/90s, and well into the early 2000s how Pakistan were almost always the stronger team. A fearsome pace attack, talented spinners, and prolific batsmen. On average they had better body language and exuded confidence as a team but these past 10 years or so India have grown into a truly professional side who win regularly, have great bench strength, and promising up and coming players while Pakistan have slid into a seeming downward spiral.

 

[Hephaestus]

First of all its just cricket. What is seriously wrong with it is how it reflects on us as a nation. Cricket it seems is a game that we sometimes take more seriously than our national interests.

Why do we blame our cricket team or cricket setup when the root causes lie elsewhere.

There is no lack of talent but lack of merit, self belief and aggressive approach.

One of the main reasons for our dismal performance is due to lack of mental toughness. Mental toughness trickles down from the top. Defensive behaviour to the limit of being apologetic about your general state of affairs breeds disbelief in ability in general which in turn affects mental toughness.

Look at Bangladesh, since the strong nationalist approach of Sheikh Haseena, their national outlook has transformed and in turn even their cricket team has more self belief, never mind their level of experience or ability but Bangladesh has performed better than before at all levels.

Look at the non apologetic and aggressive stance of Modi and you see a self assured India hitting above its ability in general.


I'm not talking about just cricket but the general approach of the whole nation transforms when the leadership takes a strong and aggressive approach towards the challenges it faces.

All we see from leadership of Pakistan, apart from security establishment, is what? Aggressiveness? or just tongue wagging? Look busy do nothing. Apologetic behaviour on everything at international and even local level. Let China derive our economic recovery while we are just busy protecting and promoting personal family businesses. Let India bully us internationally while we keep quite on even Kulbhushan and find ways of personally minting money through bilateral trade.

We let National Action Plan slide down the toilet on the political front while our government looks busy and actually does next to nothing.

Where is the aggressive approach in any other aspect of our lives as a nation that we demand from our cricket team?

Our cricketers and a vast majority of people have made what role models to follow other than Bollywood mediocrity that they praise like virtual Avatars. What to expect from a lot that is virtually in awe of the other team even before the start of a match because their minds are trained to be in awe of them via Bollywood glitz that has blinded their brains even before the toss of the coin.

The players of yester years were a lot more confident and assure of themselves despite some of the same above because they understood and absorbed the scenario a lot better because of their superior caliber and didn't go about drooling over indian actors but only the best of the actresses which is more plausible and in line with male instincts rather than being in awe of the likes of Salman khans or Akshays or kapoors of today. Indian cricketers used to be in awe of Pakistani team but now its the other way around. Unless someone works out what is wrong with the mental approach of team Pakistan, they cannot go about correcting it.

What else may describe the recent run of defeats after defeats at the hands of indian cricket team other than just a mental meltdown as we have been beating other teams more often.

We keep hearing the experts say its about mental toughness. Why is it missing? Ask even the international coach of Pakistan and he will scratch his head and say something conventional. Actually nobody knows for sure, i have dared to write my two cents about it.

Passionate rant. Great positive points. But, I think you are going in the same direction as Pakistan in general has gone before. The answer doesn't lie in starting to believe you are somehow superior. It should rather be towards striving for excellence. There are 2 ways to think you are good. 1. Think you are good. 2. Think your opposition is bad.
Take your pick.

Deriding our success stories won't help you get any better. You'll realise the chasm that is between the 2 societies in general.

Best of luck.

 

[Shane]

Passionate rant. Great positive points. But, I think you are going in the same direction as Pakistan in general has gone before. The answer doesn't lie in starting to believe you are somehow superior. It should rather be towards striving for excellence. There are 2 ways to think you are good. 1. Think you are good. 2. Think your opposition is bad.
Take your pick.

Deriding our success stories won't help you get any better. You'll realise the chasm that is between the 2 societies in general.

Best of luck.

Didn't say anything about being superior. Its all about self belief instead of being in awe of your opponent. India suffered with this syndrome in the 80's and nineties and now its Pakistan's turn. The sooner our lot addresses this, the easier it will be to overcome it.

 

[PAKISTANFOREVER]

Have you seen your current ranking in Football. 201 or something out of 206.
I'm surprised you didn't mention hockey.
I wasn't deriding Pakistan or anything. I was just stating facts.

Likewise, I wasn't deriding india but simply stating facts. That is the reality of Pakistan/india matches head to head...........

You keep saying football will flourish again and again..but is it really though? I haven't seen any proof for it yet, infact they are regressing. I believe Pakistan has no will to develop any sport otherwise once very popular cricket wouldn't come to this level. You can't ruin a sport to develop another. In India, although Cricket is hugely popular, we have other sports leagues gaining much popularity lately like kabaddi, football etc. I think Pakistanis because of their day to day struggles have given up on all sports not just cricket.

Lol.......how would someone like you know about the ground realities of Pakistan????
The truth is that bar terrorism, the struggles of average Pakistanis is far less than what it was in the 1980s and 1990s. I have been to Pakistan nearly 40 times in 35 years so I would know. If anything, the slight increase in wealth has made Pakistanis more materialistic and less interested in sport.

But has poverty really got anything to do with it??????

Cameron and Ivory Coast are both more poorer than india and have a 150-200 times less population than india does but they have both qualified for the football world cup wheras india hasn't. That is very telling.

 

[Peshwa]

Biggest difference I saw in this game was the conditioning of players and fitness.
Indian teams of the 80s and 90s were players who relied on their skill with no focus on athleticism or fitness. It's seems Pakistan is suffering from that syndrome now.
The new batch of cricketers are hybrids and all rounders. You can tell simply from the quality of fielding and how they attack the ball in the field. Of course there were some fuckups in this game, but generally way better.
I also think that rivalry with teams like Australia over Pakistan has made us strive at better fitness levels to compete.

 

[Trisonics]

Blaming the lack of games in Pakistan and hoping PSL will solve problems will not solve the current crisis. Pakistan always produced raw talent from the streets who surprised everyone. The important fact here is not the raw talent but a system that existed which identified and picked such raw talent. I think such a system now has been displaced, replaced with a corrupt selection process. To end, Pakistan was a team that played with immense national pride that spread infectiously from players to selectors. Today, it's all about money.

Pakistan has raw talent but the system needed to identify them has been corrupted.

 

[Fireurimagination]

Current Pakistan team just cannot handle the pressure of a India-Pak clash. They resign even before the match starts. We have players like Dhoni and Dhawan who are cool as cucumber under pressure, then we have Kohli and Yuvraj who like pressure and big stages, that brings the best out of them. Even average Indian player handles pressure of a India-pak clash easily whereas the Pakistan team crumbles. By putting India to bat on a flat track after winning the toss showed how defensive and scarred Pakistanis were, they lost the match then and there.