SHAFAQNA PAKISTAN (Shia News Agency)
Fourth Straight wins have given Pakistan team a much needed confidence. In the next round Pakistan is going to face Cricket’s champion Australia. Full form batsmen like Sarfraz Ahmed and Misbah ul Haq can provide Pakistan an impetus to carry the day.
Sarfraz’s first One Day International century against Ireland helped Pakistan wiggle their way into the quarterfinals. However, the euphoria was tempered by the tragedy of the bombing of two churches in Lahore. In the midst of such a desolate atmosphere, cricket provides Pakistanis some respite from the agony of terror. Since the start of the international cricket event, Pakistan was struggling to find the right combination and shuffling the positions of players. However, the strategy failed in the initial two games against India and the West Indies. The induction of Sarfraz proved a turning point that put Pakistan on the road to success. His inclusion actually erased two grey areas — poor wicket keeping and inconsistent opening partnerships. He has proved his talent by consecutively performing in two games. Wisdom demands that talented players must be groomed, encouraged and given more chances to prove their mettle. A player like Sarfraz must be supported when he fails to deliver in one or two matches. After restoring a winning streak, there is no room for complacency. Pakistan will have to face a mountainous challenge in the shape of the tournament’s favourite Australia. Although a surge in batting performance by Ahmed Shahzad is also visible, yet the weaknesses of the pace attack are still a major cause of concern. The depth of Australia’s batting line-up might challenge Pakistan’s pace attack. The big blow Pakistan might face is the likely unavailability of bowler Muhammad Irfan, who is again struggling with his recurrent hip injury. His inclusion in Friday’s match has become doubtful. The speculations about resting Younis Khan against Australia lack wisdom. Younis is an experienced player and performed well against the Australians in the past. He must be given a chance in the middle order. Pakistan have to restrict the Australian batting might in the early overs otherwise it would prove a daunting task to beat Australia on their home ground. A winning combination can only oust Australia. Furthermore if Pakistan performs a better fielding, it will be a great advantage.
pakistan.shafaqna.com
