2014 - end of another year, with no hope for 2015

Today's the end of 2014, a not so good year for Pakistan cricket, though Pakistan started the year with a quick and unpredictable win over Sri Lanka at Sharjah, but apart from that no other prominent performances during the said year, apart from a whitewash over Australia later this, nothing noteworthy during this span. Plus the facilities at NCA Lahore (if it exists), aren't been used, else being a full ICC member should incorporate their B and C teams so that if Ajmal or Hafeez sort of situation if exists, they could use them but I am sorry to say during all these times, I have not seen Pakistani management team incorporating such strategies, and therefore the result is placed here accordingly, telling their own story.

TEST CRICKET

Yearly statistics

When it comes to test cricket in 2014, first of all compared to other full member teams, Pakistan got the least of white-kit matches, following are the statistics during this tenure. During this time, Pakistan barely managed to both ends meet.

Team	Matches	Won	Lost	Tied	Draw	W/L	Average	RPO
Pakistan	9	4	4	0	1	1.000	43.56	3.25
		44%	44%	0%	11%

Means Pakistan lost every single test match after a win, and couldn't continue their progress to their next match.

Pakistan bowling

Being a Pakistani supporter, I must say I will say that at least in White-Kits we performed, but the statistics show some other stories. Bowling is supposed to be Pakistan's lethal weapon, but in the test matches, Pakistan's bowling looked in grays.

Series	Matches	Won	Lost	Tied	Draw	W/L	Average	RPO	Winner
Pakistan v Australia	2	2	0	0	0	0.000	26.65	2.93	Pakistan
Pakistan v Sri Lanka	2	1	1	0	0	1.000	38.90	2.57	drawn
Pakistan v New Zealand	3	1	1	0	1	1.000	37.46	3.51	drawn
Pakistan v Sri Lanka	2	0	2	0	0	0.000	38.56	3.18	Sri Lanka
	9	4	4	0	1
		44.44%	44.44%	0.00%	11.11%

Pakistan's runs per over average was ONLY the best during Pakistan v Australia series, else if we minus Australia series, 38.31 was the average runs scored when a Pakistani took another wicket, thanks to that mercurial series win against Aussies, our average was on yellows, means 35.40 runs scored per wicket.

Pakistan batting

During this period, Pakistan didn't play any competitive cricket, and therefore apart from whitewashing Australia, nothing noteworthy in books for Pakistan during 2014. I won't be calling the series against Sri Lankans as Sri Lanka winning but Pakistan actually lose those games, SL only exploited those weaknesses to take on those games.

Series	Matches	Won	Lost	Tied	Draw	W/L	Average	RPO	Winner
Pakistan v Australia	2	2	0	0	0	0.000	80.15	3.58	Pakistan
Pakistan v Sri Lanka	2	1	1	0	0	1.000	33.34	3.17	drawn
Pakistan v New Zealand	3	1	1	0	1	1.000	48.50	3.16	drawn
Pakistan v Sri Lanka	2	0	2	0	0	0.000	28.92	3.07	Sri Lanka
	9	4	4	0	1
		44%	44%	0%	11%

So when it comes to test batting as well, if we minus the series against Australia, nothing is noteworthy to be referred as something extraordinary during 2014.

ODI CRICKET

Yearly statistics

ODI and T20 Cricket were supposed to be Pakistan's favourite mode of cricket, but here too nothing much to say since they lost more than they actually grasp into their pockets, can't it be more shame that Pakistan didn't win a single tournament or series in 2014?

Team	Matches	Won	Lost	Tied	Draw	W/L	Average	RPO
Pakistan	16	6	10	0	0	0.600	28.86	5.29
		37.50%	62.50%	0.00%	0.00%

Means for every single game won, Pakistan lost 4 next games therefore the WIN:LOST ratio for this year and nothing worth mentioning during this year, apart from that one match played at Sharjah against Kiwis where Pakistan scored 364 runs and Ahmed Shahzad scored a triple figure score.

Pakistani batting

Series	Matches	Won	Lost	Tied	Draw	W/L	Average	RPO	Winner
Asia Cup	5	3	2	0	0	1.500	35.12	5.51	Sri Lanka
Pakistan v New Zealand	5	2	3	0	0	0.666	32.50	5.65	New Zealand
Pakistan v Sri Lanka	3	1	2	0	0	0.500	23.53	5.06	Sri Lanka
Pakistan v Australia	3	0	3	0	0	0.000	20.23	4.46	Australia
	16	6	10	0	0
		37.50%	62.50%	0.00%	0.00%

Here too, as we can see nothing worth mentioning, the only worth mentioning was I guess the Asia Cup where Pakistan went so far, else nothing worth mentioning here.

Pakistan bowling

Series	Matches	Won	Lost	Tied	Draw	W/L	Average	RPO	Winner
Asia Cup	5	3	2	0	0	1.500	40.75	5.35	Sri Lanka
Pakistan v New Zealand	5	2	3	0	0	0.666	40.37	5.51	New Zealand
Pakistan v Sri Lanka	3	1	2	0	0	0.500	36.26	6.07	Sri Lanka
Pakistan v Australia	3	0	3	0	0	0.000	31.95	4.90	Australia
	16	6	10	0	0
		37.50%	62.50%	0.00%	0.00%

As far as Pakistan's bowling was concern, thanks to banning of Saeed Ajmal and Muhammad Hafeez, and fitness woes of Irfan, Gul and Junaid, our bowling wasn't consistent as it used to be. I was watching the #AUSvsINDIA series, and they showed a statistics where Pakistan WAS clearly on top when it came to containing the opposition OUTSIDE ASIA, but now after this and that, I don't think this is the case now, since like I always brag about a term, OVER-DEPENDENCY on one asset is what is going to led us down. For me, Saeed Ajmal and Hafeez were asset for us and just at the wrong time, they were taken from us, so now if we proceed to the next round in 2015 CWC, it would be help from the Almighty else nothing from ground levels.

T20 CRICKET

Yearly statistics

T20 cricket is supposed to be Pakistan's most favourite mode of cricket but in it too, we were not up to that mark.

Team	Matches	Won	Lost	Tied	Draw	W/L	Average	RPO
Pakistan	7	3	4	0	0	0.750	19.51	7.03
		43%	57%	0%	0%

These statistics say for themselves, we lost more than we won and secondly with an average of almost 20 runs per wicket with Runs Per Over touch above 7. Pakistan over-relied on their weapons, instead of incorporating new strategies and new blood into the team. I thought if we have Moin Khan, we would see some aggression in teams selection, but management was afraid to incorporate new blood into the team, recent series against the Kiwis, we saw many new faces in their team and they had done it, why were we so afraid to do so?

Pakistan batting

Series	Matches	Won	Lost	Tied	Draw	W/L	Average	RPO	Winner
World T20 event 2014	4	2	2	0	0	1	21.96	7.61	Sri Lanka
Pakistan v New Zealand	2	1	1	0	0	1	20.53	7.02	drawn
Pakistan v Australia	1	0	1	0	0	0	10.66	4.80	Australia
Total	7	3	4	0	0
		42.86%	57.14%	0.00%	0.00%

Especially the average section clearly shows that we didn't perform because there were no partnerships in between. All we know that to come, to hit and to get lost, playing sensibly means you're stupid and therefore everyone is on the rush to be a hero.

Pakistan bowling

Series	Matches	Won	Lost	Tied	Draw	W/L	Average	RPO	Winner
World T20 event 2014	4	2	2	0	0	1	23.53	7.79	Sri Lanka
Pakistan v New Zealand	2	1	1	0	0	1	18.6	6.97	drawn
Pakistan v Australia	1	0	1	0	0	0	24.25	6.92	Australia
Total	7	3	4	0	0
		42.86%	57.14%	0.00%	0.00%

Here we can clearly see that Pakistan bowling because of their batting couldn't do much since they had so little to be defended, still the average they took all those wickets with an inside 7.00 RPO (except WT20, since if we minus Sammy's innings in that match, statistics were supposed to be inside 7), but the fault lied within our batting.

IN A NUTSHELL

In a nutshell, Pakistan didn't perform what was expected off them, they were I guess over-rated because of that their performances were below par.

Team	Matches	Won	Lost	Tied	Draw	W/L	Average	RPO
Pakistan	32	13	18	0	1	0.722	33.58	4.01
		40.63%	56.25%	0.00%	3.13%

Based on these readings, I am personally not optimistic with their tours down under before the CWC 2015 downunder, because each and every team is ready with their backups other than the green shirts, this has been a shame for Pakistan, Pakistani team has been on the lowest ebb of their performances and their pathetic management.