It took a long time but the PCB have finally decided to persevere with Shahid Afridi as their one-day captain, also naming the recently successful Test skipper Misbah-ul-Haq as his deputy. However, while nobody doubts the value of Boom-Boom's experience, he isn't the most popular of players within he national side's dressing room. Sadly, Pakistan have been blighted with scandal and unrest in recent years, and the grim days of last summer have been recalled by the announcement that Mohammad Amir, Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif will definitely face court charges for allegedly 'spot'fixing'.
How Pakistan need a confidence-booster on the pitch to overshadow the disgraced trio.
They have only occasionally produced the goods in global tournaments and it's nearly twenty years since Imran Khan's team held aloft the World Cup. In 1992, Imran was past his best but he could still call on players of the calibre of Wasim Akram, Mushtaq Ahmed, Javed Miandad and a young Inzamam-ul-Haq. Afridi's charges are relatively inexperienced at this level and, of the squad, only Abdul Razzaq has ever hit a World Cup 50! Mind you, while he has an admirable record as a one-day all-rounder, his greatest moments came twelve years ago and if his nation are hoping for a repeat performance, I wouldn't stake money on it, not even if I were a dodgy bookmaker!
Still, they have done well in recent weeks against New Zealand and their final World Cup warm-up comes against England. Coincidentally, these are the last teams they defeated to win the trophy back in 1992 so could this be a happy quirk of history?
Misbah-ul-Haq has a reasonable record in ODIs yet has never reached three figures in nine years and 56 attempts. Younis Khan is a great Test batsman but not in the 50-over format while wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal flopped four years ago and teenager Ahmed Shehzad, while showing promise, is still a raw talent. The bowling attack relies heavily on the old warhorse Shoaib Akhtar and Umar Gul. Who would have though someone seemingly so wild and unpredictable as Akhtar would have become such a successful limited-over specialist in his mid-30s? Still quick, he can swing it, deliver a deadly slower ball, command a career average of under 25 and be hard to hit, too. Gul is reliable, also economical but rarely a true match-winner.
So what about Shahid Afridi himself, so often lauded as one of the greats of one-day cricket? Yes, he can certainly strike the ball, with three of the fastest ODI centuries to his name and more sixes than anyone else in history. And yet averages of 24 (batting) and 35 (bowling) hardly indicate greatness. If the figures were swapped around, that would be a different story! He has scored only six centuries in over 300 ODIs but he is a true match-winner, with cameos to break the hearts of opposition bowlers. Are they enough to overcome doubts amongst team-mates and forge the spirit and inspire the talent required to win a World Cup? Somehow I doubt it. There just isn't the strength in depth, especially when compared with the likes of England, Australia, India, South Africa and Sri Lanka.
I hope Pakistan acquit themselves well, if only to show they don't need those who place personal ill-gotten gains above the sport they play. However, I can't foresee Afridi's side booming their way to the semis, let alone emulating Imran's achievements almost a generation ago.
