If you are a superstition then you would surely be thinking that Pakistan always lose the opening match of an event and mind you they lost the opener in 1992 too and against the same opposition! If you are an opportunist then Pakistan has still Ireland and Zimbabwe to play with. If you are an optimist then you can say that it is better to lose and learn now and win later. But if you are a realist, then it is quite wishful to believe that this side would take the Cup back home.
Smith dismisses Inzi and chances of Paksitan winning the opener © AFP
It was disappointing batting display from the Pakistani batsmen. For a moment it looked as if they are still in South Africa. They made every effort to lose the match. I wonder what sort of target Inzi had in mind when he opted to chase and as in ten previous World Cup chases Pakistan have lost seven times. Though, bowlers did well to keep West Indies under check or should I say West Indies did well to post a decent total after clobbering 57 off the last ten overs. Inzamam's decision to use Rana Naveed and Keneria at the death did not convince me as Hafeez and Gul had an over to spare and they had bowled pretty well. Even Shoaib Malik would have been a better choice than Rana. Later, Imran Nazir started as if he wanted to finish the match in one over. His dismissal and then of Hafeez once again showed how short lived the stay has become of Paksitani openers at the crease ever since Saeed Anwar hung his boots. Younis Khan said hello to a ball going to Mars and by the time Inzi and Yousuf reached the center, asking rate had climbed up and with their departure it was too much to ask from Malik and those who followed.
But not to forget, West Indies played good cricket and deserved to win. They did not panic and put the balls at right places. As Ramiz Raja said on Cricinfo, Paksitan really needs to fine-tune themsleves before they get on for thier next match with Ireland on 17.
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