KARACHI: The Pakistani crowd occasionally erupted in tit-for-tat cries of “Babar, Babar, …” and “Kohli, Kohli, ….” It was all in good-natured teasing.
The atmosphere was joyous. On Saturday, Karachi experienced a bright, sunny day with a light breeze, which was ideal for playing cricket.
When approached Krishna, a 13-year-old fan wearing an Indian team jersey with Dhoni’s name printed on it, during the ICC Champions Trophy match between England and South Africa at the National Bank Stadium, he declared, “My favorite player is [former Indian captain] M.S. Dhoni.”
The eighth-grade student went on to say, “I am supporting the England team because of Jos Buttler,” adding that Pakistan’s poor batting performance had let them down in the match.
Favoring South Africa was Kamal, Krishna’s uncle, who was sporting a shirt with the name of the famous Indian batsman Virat Kohli printed on the back.
The 23-year-old Kamal declared, “They are playing good cricket.”
“Kohli is my favorite batter,” he responded right away when asked who he most admires. At least once in my life, I hope to meet him. My existence revolves around him.
The site should have been packed with spectators because of the high-profile teams, like South Africa and England, competing in their most recent group match.
However, a quick look around the stands revealed a scant crowd seated in small groups, practically the exact opposite.
They didn’t display their repressed feelings for the Green-shirts; instead, they appeared at ease but subtly unhappy.
Following humiliating group stage losses to India and New Zealand, the Pakistani squad was eliminated from the eight-nation competition. The game was being enjoyed by the fans. But when questioned, they voiced their disapproval. One can feel the depth of the wounds.
“It is preferable that the match between Bangladesh and Pakistan [Rawalpindi] was canceled. Our squad would have also lost if that game had taken place. During Saturday’s game, Ibrahim, a sullen-looking teenage student, told Dawn, “They just don’t have the necessary skills to win.”
Many fans specifically cited the “wrong team selection,” which they believed had hurt Mohammad Rizwan and his side’s chances of winning the Champions Trophy.
First of all, the wrong team was chosen. For spin-friendly conditions, Pakistan, like other teams, ought to have added more full-time spinners. Pakistan’s intentions failed because Abrar Ahmed was the only specialist spinner in the team. The same was true for England, who only had [leg-spinner] Adil Rashid, and it’s no surprise that they struggled as well,” remarked middle-aged fan Nadeem-ul-Haq, who was watching the match with his family.
“Secondly, our [top-order] hitters play too slowly, especially during the powerplay, which puts too much pressure on them.”
He explained that the right-handed batter was under more strain, which is why Babar did not do well in the Champions Trophy.
He emphasized that “Babar’s strokes appeared to be in good touch, but he was under too much [added] pressure.” In essence, he is not an opener, yet he was nevertheless chosen to start the innings, which did not work out well for Pakistan. Since he has had such a successful career, he ought to bat at number three.
“It is a matter of mindset which in the case of our players, including Babar, is unfortunately defensive,” remarked Mohammad Nasar, wearing an England shirt, in response to a query about what issue Babar confronts.
The 18-year-old, who plays club cricket, continued, “Our batters are unable to play long innings robustly because they lack [top-level] fitness and match awareness.”
A 24-year-old hard ball cricket player named Mohammad Amir was similarly dissatisfied with the selection of the Pakistani team.
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The 24-year-old, who is wearing a Pakistan team shirt and mostly supports South Africa because of Heinrich Klaasen, stated, “The right team was not selected; a specialist spinner must have been included.”
The children’s innate and customary enthusiasm for Pakistan in the Champions Trophy was rather clear.
When asked which team he favored in the eight-nation competition, 16-year-old matric student Abdul Rafay immediately said, “After Pakistan?”
“[After Pakistan’s exit] I am betting on South Africa to win because they haven’t won any major international titles yet,” he added.
As England pacer Jofra Archer thrashed South African starter Ryan Rickelton to thunderous cheers from the crowd, Moosa, seated next to his cousin Rafay, remarked, “Our team is not strong enough to compete with only one specialist spinner.”
Some cricket fans demanded that Pakistani cricket undergo a significant transformation.
When asked what was wrong with Pakistani cricket, 27-year-old software developer Hasnain strongly stated, “Many individuals [players and officials] in our cricket system have to be sent home as they have failed to produce desired results time and again.”
“Our players’ mindsets need to be adjusted to meet the game’s contemporary requirements. In the initial powerplay [first 10 overs], even [sometimes] Bangladesh’s top-order hitters score runs more quickly than our players.
Among the throng were supporters of Australia, the reigning world champions.
When asked who would win the coveted Champions Trophy, 18-year-old Ayan responded, “Australia will win.” “Despite missing three excellent fast bowlers, their bowlers are able to maintain control and their batting is strong.”
For more details on the latest developments in Pakistan-UAE relations, check out Socioon Blog.
