Sports

World Cup 2019: Nothing persists but hope for Pakistan

BY ALI NAQVI –

Every time you lose, your critics become vultures that prey on your dying spirit and debilitating morale. After the humiliating defeat of Pakistan against West Indies in Cricket World Cup, all those vultures started hopping around the green shirts waiting for them to give in to their strongest opponent and archrival India.

The team did what was expected. Considering the world cup campaign done for, the vultures attacked Pakistan cricket team. On every TV channel cricketers, experts and so called analysts brought to light dozens of problems within the team, players, management and board. Before the match it was all good and everyone was hoping that Pakistan will win the all-important game.

The World Cup campaign is not over yet for Pakistan.

If there were grave problems and structural issues in Pakistan Cricket, they should have been addressed before the world cup. It is unfortunate that the first casualty for all the cricket ills in the country would be the captain. Sarfaraz Ahmed will have to go. His alleged incompetency as captain is not his crime but of those who persisted with him as the skipper.

Cricket is not a game of individuals. It requires a team effort to win a game. Pakistan seldom plays as a team. There is no question of competency, skill and talent. The problem is that no one wants to make an effort. Take fielding for example; it is all about fitness, practice, hard work and most importantly effort in the ground. There is no short cut to hard work, neve has been and never will be. Pakistan cricket team will keep performing the way it does unless it becomes a hard working team.

Sarfaraz Ahmed is under heavy social media attention for all the wrong reasons. He is being ridiculed relentlessly. His wide gaping yawn in the field was recorded and witnessed by the world. He should have shown the decency to put glove to his mouth. The image went viral. There is also a video which shows Sarfaraz asking for Kurkure (das rupay day kurure). The video is dubbed in Punjabi. It is outrageously hilarious. The world of today with social media at its core is merciless. A small mistake can cost you big time. Sarfaraz’s yawn will haunt him for the days to come.

There is a mystical bird in Greek mythology called phoenix. The bird burns itself only to regenerate from the ashes. The myth is a paradox of hope and desperation, of life and death, creation and destruction. Pakistan cricket team sometimes acts as a phoenix especially in events like the world cup. We can only hope, the phoenix will rise again.