LAHORE: Pakistan cricket team is in serious trouble in the ICC World Cup being held in India. The green shirts have lost three games out of five they have played so far.
A huge defeat at the hands of Afghanistan in Chennai on Monday added to the misery of the green shirts who have to win every game now if they are to make a place in the top-four.
Former Test opener Sadiq Muhammad says that Pakistani bowlers need to bowl at the right area if the country is to do something in the rest of the event.
“Our bowling is not penetrating. They are more concerned about bowling fast without bothering that little bit of seam, swing and length bowling can benefit them,” Sadiq told ‘The News’.
“Our pacers and spinners bowl too many short balls and they make the batsmen play on their back-foot where they deprive themselves of the opportunities to get the batters out leg before and bowled,” he said.
“Captain and bowling coach are responsible for giving the required instructions to their bowlers and to advise them to bowl full length so that they could get wickets. Bowling up takes away the liberty of cut, hook and pull shots to score freely,” Sadiq said.
He said that 283 was a good total Pakistan posted against a weak opposition like Afghanistan but the bowlers did not bowl according to the requirement.
“It’s about time that the team coaches were questioned about bowling faults. Why do our coaches, especially the bowling coach, send any instructions to the bowlers to bowl at least three to four yorkers every over to stop the batsmen from scoring fast? Look, Australians bowled at least ten to 15 yorkers in the death overs which reduced the free hitting square of the pitch,” Sadiq pointed out.
He said that Pakistani batsmen did not play sensibly in the match against Australia during the World Cup.
“Against Australia our batsmen did not try to play through mid and long-on for ones and twos. Then could have placed Pakistan really in the hunt.”
Alam Zeb Safi Alam Zeb Safi is a senior reporter for The News