Thrilling feat — Pakistan cricket returns to form

In Multan and Rawalpindi, in the middle of a Test series on the brink of disaster, Pakistan cricket rediscovered itself.

We were wondering where Pakistan cricket had gone. The Pakistan of high drama and high passion, the Pakistan capable of making cricket a thrilling spectacle.

Series after series, we witnessed a soulless dirge of disjointed strategy, selection, and performance. And, we wondered, is this it? Is this us, the middle-ranking mediocrities of international cricket?

What unfolded over the past two weeks was both joyous and infuriating. The joy came from knowing that years of self-destruction had not vanquished the spirit of Pakistan cricket. It was there.

Obscured by a shroud of mismanagement and giant egos. Shan Masood’s Pakistan bowled aggressively, batted grittily, and fought for every inch of advantage.

But, above all, here was a Pakistan team playing to a match strategy and executing it fervently, making the most of home advantage. For too long, the plan has seemed little more than leaving it to Babar Azam or Shaheen Shah Afridi, the cult of the hero taken to a perverse extreme. This self-deception persuaded us that there was no other way, nobody other than the usual suspects to represent Pakistan.

It was a bold decision to drop Babar, Shaheen, and Naseem Shah, but a logical one. Pakistan’s stars were no longer impacting games. Both statistical and subjective analysis pointed in the same direction. Australia, the most successful cricket nation of this era, is absolutely ruthless: if you don’t perform, you don’t play — whoever you are. In Pakistan, once you get to a certain level, you always play whatever your performance.

And then there is the leadership issue. Pakistan cricket is not blessed with leaders. Babar and Shaheen were poor captains, but their shadows loomed over Shan when he took on the job. It must have helped him to have command over the team in their absence. Shan is no Mike Brearley, but he might prove to be the best man for the job. Just as the combination of Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha might prove to be the right one in white ball cricket. Rizwan’s credentials are well-established, and Salman has arguably been Pakistan’s best player over the last two years.

The big question about Shan is whether he merits a place in the Test team. Shan has some way to go to convince on this point, but he is certainly an improved batsman, one willing to be aggressive and take the attack to the opposition. He did not deserve the disrespect he received from Ramiz Raja in the post-match interview, after leading Pakistan to a remarkable triumph. Shan’s response was diplomatic and mature, and respect grew for him at that moment. Ramiz, by contrast, was diminished.

Shan was the totem, the visible representation of a failed strategy. He was not its architect. When a new Premier League manager takes charge, pundits are quick to ask what is the team’s identity? How will it play? Pakistan cricket’s identity is somewhat mercurial, yes, but it is built on high pace and reverse swing, attacking spin bowling, gritty batting, and extreme competitiveness. In recent times all of these were lost as Pakistan cricket sought to become something alien to its essence.

The tide turned for Pakistan when it put its faith in its own identity. Sajid Khan and Noman Ali were world-class. Great spin bowlers once came in pairs, and these two contrasted sharply and completed each other beautifully. Sajid was all attitude, sharp turns, and Kabaddi celebrations. Noman was controlled, guileful, and deceptive. The scandal is how the pair have played so few Test matches. There is no greater indictment of Pakistan’s selection strategy.

The spinners were backed up by smart batting, particularly from Saud Shakeel and his decisive century under pressure at Rawalpindi. Kamran Ghulam, Babar’s replacement, did something similar at Multan. The rest, including the tail, contributed at crucial moments. This was a team batting effort, not a supporting cast for the Babar Azam show.

The missing link was high pace and reverse swing, and that must be an area of focus for Pakistan now, to unearth or develop at least two fast bowlers capable of making an impact in Test cricket. Shaheen’s pace has gone, although Pakistan has other bowlers it can develop such as Naseem Shah and Mohammad Wasim. But the first step is to have a sound plan and a clear identity, and then it is easier to identify the right players for the job.

What Pakistan must not do, however, is to get carried away. Pakistan cricket is still a long way off where it needs to be, and that is competing with the best in all three formats. But neither must the series win against England be underestimated. England is a strong team, and Pakistan found their Achilles heel, their Bazball Kryptonite.

England must work out how to nuance their own approach when they face a similar challenge again. Unlike England teams of the past, they made no excuses here and gave due credit to Pakistan. That attitude bodes well for England in the long run.

Despite all expectations, Pakistan’s Test series victory over England was a classic. Importantly, Pakistan cricket rediscovered hope, hope in a new, evolving, captain, hope in a group of players fighting for the five-pointed star, and hope that Pakistan cricket has found itself again. Just when we thought Pakistan cricket had reached the end of the road, we are starting an unexpected journey