Pakistan's ODI malaise gives Mickey Arthur immense challenge
Friday 2 September 2016 16:43, UK
Coach Mickey Arthur has his work cut out if he is to reverse Pakistan's downward spiral in ODI cricket, says Sajid Sadiq...
If the Head Coach of the Pakistan cricket team, Mickey Arthur, was under any illusions that success in the Test arena was a precursor to better news in the 50-over format, the manner of Pakistan's capitulation in the current One-Day series has quickly brought him crashing back down to earth.
What started as a muted effort at Southampton became a concern in the second ODI at Lord's and turned into a record-breaking embarrassment by the time the last ball had been bowled at Trent Bridge. The news only got worse at Headingley despite a better team effort and only a miracle can stop a supremely confident England side from claiming a whitewash when the series concludes in Cardiff on Sunday.
As the visibly irritated figure of Arthur surveyed the mayhem that confronted him on the field at Headingley, one could only feel sympathy for him as he now confronts arguably the biggest challenge in his professional career; how to lift a group of players who seem to be playing an outdated and ineffective brand of cricket in the 50-over format.
While Arthur may not completely grasp the inner workings of a system which can send unfit and under-cooked replacements like Mohammad Irfan into action, there is one stark fact that he admitted in his post-match press conference at the end of the fourth ODI. "We are at number nine in the world, and in the last four ODIs we have seen why," he remarked, obviously making a reference to the fact that Pakistan's ODI malaise is not down to bad luck or a sudden revelation which had come to light in the current series.
The downward spiral has had its roots in many years of neglect of the 50-over version of the game in Pakistan and inconsistent team selections which came to light with Pakistan's exit at the quarter-final stage of the 2015 World Cup, followed by embarrassing losses to Bangladesh and then a continued decline in all major series leading up to the current one. In their last 10 completed ODIs, Pakistan have won just once (against Ireland) and lost the other nine in mostly one-sided encounters.
So how does Arthur go about reversing a trend which has literally taken years in the making? The answers aren't that simple and a quick turnaround cannot be expected, but he could start with revising the Pakistan ODI playbook. The term "90's cricket" in particular needs to be edited out and replaced with a version which contains ample references to terms like "better strike rate" and "fewer dot balls". A study of how the modern game has evolved and is being played by the likes of England and India, which is reflected in their standings in ODI cricket, would be instructive as well.
Apart from those basics, there is the actual issue of personnel available for selection and their abilities and limitations. Arthur has hinted at youth being given a chance going forward with an emphasis on fitness, strength and the ability to clear the boundaries. This sounds all well and good, but do those players really exist within the chaotic world of Pakistan's domestic cricket? The fact is that Pakistan is currently by and large producing a limited overs cricketer who would be competitive in bygone eras but is not ideally suited for the modern era. Arthur has his work cut out to change the mind-set and bring Pakistan even close to the level of other nations in limited-overs cricket.
However, despite all the doom and gloom there are some positives in the shape of Sharjeel Khan's aggressive intent at the top of order and the emergence of Imad Wasim as a reliable all-round option and someone who is not afraid to mix it with the opposition. But the failure of Yasir Shah as a specialist spinner is a matter of grave concern for the overall balance of the side. The manner in which he was dealt with by England in this series has confirmed initial fears that he is not suited for this format of the game. This in turn puts big question marks on how well the Pakistan think-tank had thought out the strategy of not preparing a suitable specialist for this crucial role.
While Wahab Riaz's epic spell to Shane Watson may have ensured ever-lasting fame in the minds of diehard fans, the manner of his ineffectiveness in the ODI format recently continues to hamper whatever plans Pakistan have of moving up the ODI rankings. Smashed for 110 runs at Nottingham, Wahab's confidence looks to be shattered. Couple that with the Mohammad Irfan fitness fiasco witnessed at Headingley, the demeanour and body language of some of the players and one can understand why Arthur is rather grumpy.
When it's not the fielding which is giving away ridiculously easy runs or dropping catches at crucial points in the game, Pakistan have suffered at the hands of their bowlers who seem to be unable to bowl to plans thereby relieving any pressure created on the opposition. However, Mohammad Amir and the newbie Hasan Ali have shown with the ball what can be achieved with some heart, passion, aggression and effort. The tide of ODI games can be changed in a matter of few overs and this is where Pakistan have consistently been inconsistent. Once labelled "Cornered Tigers" with Imran Khan at the helm, the current Pakistan One-Day team is performing more like "Timid Kittens" under Azhar Ali.
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In the time-honoured Pakistan method of tackling issues and despite the backing of the PCB Chairman Shahryar Khan, the axe may well fall on Azhar's tenure as ODI captain but Arthur is likely to resist that as he knows he needs stability and all the help he can get.
If Pakistan are to climb the ODI rankings and compete with the top teams of the world, they will collectively at board level, among the players and coaching staff need to effect wholesale changes in their attitude towards the modern game. Whether the current crop of players has the wherewithal to respond to this challenge is yet to be seen, but if past performance is any guide, a long and arduous road lies ahead.
See if Pakistan can avoid a 5-0 whitewash at the hands of England by tuning in to our live coverage of the fifth and final ODI, at 10am on Sunday on Sky Sports 2.
