Australia tour of Pakistan - 2nd test in Karachi

From Rawalpindi to Karachi

Rawalpindi test ended in draw while Pakistan prepared a batting paradise in a stadium where we are supposed to be viewing a battle between bat and bowl but sorry to say, Pakistan didn't utilize the advantage it got while staging a home game against a top cricketing side, otherwise Pakistan did play against them in UAE, but staging game in Dubai and the same in Lahore, or any other city of Pakistan is something else, words cannot express. But sorry to say, what I am watching on TV, Karachi again disappointed, because houseful Karachi is something I can't imagine.

There have been political reasons which I am not going to use to plagiarize this cricketing post

Because the games political parties of Pakistan in Karachi, is nothing to hide of but it is a shame that people still support these political parties instead of demanding them to give them their birth right of earning rightfully in their own town or nearby town instead of allowing them to shift themselves to Karachi just because they want to earn rightfully but they have given advantage to the political parties to have their unnatural vote bank which is sans in Karachi, be a reality; otherwise they aren't taking ownership of the city just like I am; who is a Karachi-Boy; but alas! this is a cricket blog hence it is better discussing these things over here.

Coming back to Cricket - The Second Test being played in Karachi

After watching two days play, I want to utter a single liner; Pakistan lost the home-advantage in a home-series on home turf (because Pakistan usually played their home series in UAE), just because of the way pitch played, because like Michael Haysman showed in Spiderworm graph that it showed day two was inconsistent and bounce was low, which means from day 3 on-wards (as right now when I am typing these lines, day two at Karachi ended where still Aussies are persisting with batting after being played 180 dot overs); pitch is going to deteriorate and I must agree with Haysman, that spider-worm is going to tilt towards more inconsistent and uneven bounce which is curtains for Pakistan, because now Aussies have nullified Pakistan winning, now only either Australia can win it from here otherwise this game can only be a draw, which is not good for the test match cricket and is definitely negativity from PCB end, otherwise I always give reference to 2006 Karachi Test between Pakistan and India, where it was a green-top and this is where IK Pathan stroked a hat-trick, but later-on it was Kamran Akmal and Abdul Razzaq who stole the show and took game away from India, rest it was Muhammad Asif Show.

But Investment on Curators should definitely be on the cards

Here I disagree with Ramiz Raja to that extent that pitches yes! are a problem, but addressing a problem is one thing, and application for removal of this problem is another thing, because drop-in pitches I don't think is the resolution to the problem;

Why I am saying this

1. It is an expensive venture, hence instead of utilizing that money to advertise DIP (drop-in pitch), invest on training on curators who can consistently create good, healthy, lively and supporting wicket regularly on regular period of time.
2. DIP venture in Australia and NZ are on those grounds, which are multi-venture, means multiple games are being played, like I remember; MCG was utilized as soccer field during Sydney Olympics, not in Cricket-Only grounds like Pakistan have.
3. If it is necessary, which I know is necessary; than initially firstly invest on research and development on clay and horticulture in Pakistan, because it is a science which makes sure that the wicket we prepare is crisp and good for both batters and bowlers, instead of acting like a 'burger' to visit a super-market, select a template and without any training and development on account of curators who're supposed to be MAINTAINING these wickets, will surely backfire.

FIRSTLY, invest on research and development 

Because Aussies also became world champion, just because they believed on research and development and hence now their cricketing researches are being utilized world wide, so why aren't we're conducting and making our minds on investment in research and development, because I believe Pakistan is so big, instead we have the minds of only utilizing Nandipur clay for creating composition of wicket, it should be aligned with infrastructure work being conducted in Pakistan; like Rafi Cricket Stadium in Karachi and Arbab Niaz and Hayatabad Stadiums in Peshawar City, but when your playing wickets are not up to the mark, these makeshift ventures i.e. DIP (drop-in wickets), and we should appreciate these people (who're horticulturists), because let admit one fact, this is a fact, and the composition of clay and percentage of different clay will make sure we are going to get a support playing 22 yards, instead of these graveyards.

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The Champions Trophy and Pakistan's prospects

Not a chance for Pakistanis to attain this trophy, sorry to say it's beyond their reach now with such fragile lineup

At last my very first blog post in 2013, with a new address, since that particular blog was creating some problems for me in maintaining it due to recent Blogger updates, therefore imported my previous blog here, with that one deleted, and after 90 days this blog would become http://cricsphere.blogspot.com, therefore kindly bear this conversion period for the time being. Thank you

At the time, when I am writing this, 12.54 pm on the dial, preparing for Friday prayers and waiting for my turn to take shower, so instead wasting thought why not post something, since while writing this thing, I read PCB chief Mr. Zaka Ashraf asked the ICC to consider them for CWC 2019 qualifiers matches in 2018 which would decide lower tier teams seedings. I personally feel that if in this elections if PPP didn't get to elect this time round, situation would get better within 5 years from now, therefore optimistic but keeping my fingers all crossed for it, since it's all political game which is going on here to "show their power"

Similarly, another nail on the coffin of Pakistani preparations for the finale Champions Trophy going to held in the home of Cricket i.e. England and Wales, Guldozer aka Umer Gul has been injured and ruled out of the #CT2013 and will undergo a surgery and is definitely going to be missed in the said tournament. Never mind, he was already over used so he needed some rest so that juniors may get opportunity, take risk and take advantage since this is the finale tournament and therefore whoever wins it have the advantage for sure. For me, India, Sri Lanka, the West Indies and England have the better chances to life this trophy for sure.

Pakistan, on the other hand, since injury woes and secondly inexperienced batting I don't think have the chance to proceed more than the Semi Finals, especially when India and South Africa are in its group, Proteas in English conditions would create more problems for the Men in Greens, for India it's not a problem since they have a strong batting line up and is capable of facing any opponent. Probably till the lot retires in batting, we don't have any chances to perform with continuity, since the current team which has been selected on so called merit scale, involves same old horses which have been a failure since for a while now, but still instead of being defeated by incorporating young blood, they are exposing their defensive approach of late, by depending on those whose expiry date have been passed but still afraid of losing the games.

If that's the matter, than why not increase the level of competition in your domestic circuit games? Why not variable domestic pitches, where Karachi pitch should differ with Lahore and so on? Same monotone sort of pitches means we're making our talent stagnant and not allowing them to be adaptable to the changes quickly, which I guess has been the problem with us, the same team who gave tough time to India in Subcontinental pitches, were solitaired in South Africa, and the same is gonna happen at #CT2013.

Other teams are looking ahead for Bangladesh T20 and ANZ CWC 2015 and here we are not sure of our lineup, like there is saying in Urdu, الله توکل means having blind faith on Allah while doing nothing, Allah never helps those who do nothing, and as far as I am concern, Allah is not the Lord of Muslims but Lord of the Universe, so making teams on the basis of relations will kill the game of cricket in the country, which I guess the plot.

Peace!