SHAHID AFRIDI: IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE TO EXPECT A YOUNGSTER TO BECOME A STAR OVERNIGHT

The flamboyant Pakistan captain, Shahid Khan Afridi has urged the team fans not to expect a novice to become a star performer overnight.

Afridi, the limited overs captain of Pakistan, expressed satisfaction over the performance of his new-look team and said that the youngsters are stepping up to the challenge, which is a good sign.

When asked about rookie pacer, Junaid Khan’s performance in the tournament, Afridi hoped the 21-year-old would improve as the tournament proceeds.

“It's not appropriate to expect a youngster to become a star overnight,” said Afridi while talking to the media reporters ahead of third One Day International of the five-match series against hosts, West Indies.

“He needs time and hopefully he would improve in the remaining matches. I'm happy with the performance of the young players and they are stepping up to the challenge,” he added further.

The 21-year-old left-arm medium pacer, Junaid Khan made his international debut in the ongoing tour of West Indies and has so far played one Twenty20 International and two One Day Internationals; the player though, is yet to claim a wicket. But the Pakistan skipper has confidence in the youngster and is hopeful Junaid Khan would make an impact in the remaining part of the tour.

Afridi, who is famous for his Boom Boom style, also expressed dissatisfaction over the One-Day Ranking System of the International Cricket Council.

“I can't understand this system. There should be some advantage for the visiting sides as winning a series is never easy for them no matter who they're playing against,” said the hard-hitting Pakistan batsman.

Afridi’s comments came in the wake of ICC’s recent announcement that even if the Men in Green managed to seal the five-match one-day series by 5-0, it will not add a single rating point to their account and the side would still be placed at No. 6 – their current ODI ranking.

Afridi said that it is quite difficult to thrive under ICC’s current ranking system adding that he has little clue what the system is based on. However, he said that his team would not get distracted by the rating system and they are still focused on winning the series.

The tourists, after losing the one-off Twenty20 International to West Indies, are leading the ODI series by 2-0. Both the outfits are scheduled to play a three-match Test series as well.

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PAKISTAN CHIEF SELECTOR MOHSIN KHAN CLAIMS TO BE THE FIRST ONE TO RECOGNISE YOUNG TALENT

The Pakistan Cricket Board selection committee chief, Mohsin Khan on Thursday claimed to be the first-ever chief selector to give opportunities to young talent and select a new-look national team.

The former Pakistan batsman said that the former PCB selectors made claims about injecting fresh blood in the side but failed to do so properly.

“I think the present selection committee is the first one to properly work on a plan to blood new players and build a new team,” said Mohsin while talking to media reporters. “We have already taken this bold step of resting some senior players and sending some new players to the West Indies with the consultation of the captain and coach.”

The 56-year-old former batsman expressed satisfaction over the performance of youngsters in the ongoing tour of West Indies. He however, urged the players to learn how to build innings after getting starts stressing that 30s and 40s are not enough to keep a batsman going.

“I have played Test cricket and I know that if one wants to play cricket for a long time, 30s and 40s are not enough to keep you going. These new players need to learn to convert good starts into big scores,” insisted the former Test opener.

He asked the youngsters to get inspiration from legendary Pakistan batsmen like Javed Miandad, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf and learn how they used to convert good starts into big scores.

The selection committee chairman also dismissed the perception that he is a yes man to the PCB. He said that Pakistan were not the only country to have the system of paid selectors. He refused to believe that the selection decisions were not taken on merit. Mohsin further explained that all the teams had to be approved by the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board.

Mohsin said he himself had struggled hard to earn a place in the national team and as a selection committee chief, he would never think of ignoring merit. He said that he always tried to reward the potential performers.

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Ahmed Shehzad and Mohammed Hafeez: West Indies vs. Pakistan - Batsmen to watch out for - 3rd ODI

Pakistan need just one more win from the remaining three One Day Internationals (ODI) against the West Indies, to secure a series win against the hosts. Let us take a look at the Pakistani batsmen, who have put up a good show in the tournament so far.
The team has shown an uncharacteristic depth in their batting on an individual level, with three batsmen reaching their half-centuries and one scoring a match-winning hundred.
One has to wonder that which Pakistani batsman the West Indian bowlers need to target.
Mohammed Hafeez
After plenty of experimentation to determine an opening batsman for Pakistan, the Men in Green seem to have at least half of the problem sorted out, with Mohammed Hafeez having earned himself a permanent spot as the side’s permanent opener.
Hafeez has been a revelation for the team, putting in consistent performances. While he does not go on to score big hundreds as often as he should, Hafeez has put an end to the early wicket collapse that had plagued Pakistan over the years.
His performance in the ODI series has been impressive so far, as he has helped his side to get-off to strong starts in both matches in the series.
Scoring a solid 54 runs off a relatively quick pace having faced just 45 deliveries, Hafeez gave the Men in Green the start they needed in the first ODI at Beausejor Stadium. The performance set-up the platform for Pakistan, as it allowed other batsmen to play their natural game.
Hafeez scored 32 runs in the second match, lifting the opening partnership to 66 runs. His confident starts have helped the team to build on a platform, which helps their middle-order batsmen later in the innings.
Hafeez is a solid opening batsman and a worry for the West Indies bowlers. His bowling ability adds advantage to his natural game, as he is also a very useful off-spinner.
Ahmed Shehzad
After a torrid World Cup campaign, Ahmed Shehzad has put in the kind of composed performance that could make him a regular in the Pakistani squad.
Shehzad struggled slightly in the first ODI, when he was not able to get his innings going and lost his wicket after scoring 22 runs. The important thing though, was that he stood along with Hafeez for a 68-run opening partnership.
The batsman truly came into his own when he scored a match-winning 102 runs, in the second ODI. Shehzad remained composed and never looked to rush his innings, as he led his side to a comfortable second win against West Indies.
West Indies bowlers will be wary of Shehzad, as he looks to be the man-in-form who has the capability to come up with another match-winning performance.

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DARREN SAMMY SAYS THEY FAILED TO CAPITALISE ON GOOD START AGAINST PAKISTAN

West Indies skipper Darren Sammy rued his team’s inability to capitalise on the good start to post a par score as the hosts lost their second successive One Day International against Pakistan at St Lucia on Monday.

The 27-year-old medium pacer said that his side failed to capitalise in the key moments both in batting and bowling and this led to their seven-wicket defeat at the hands of the Men in Green. However, Sammy was happy that they were not totally rolled over as Pakistan took 47 overs to win the match.

“We could have tried to squeeze their batsmen more and when we batted we got a good start, but did not capitalise on it,” said Sammy. “We weren't rolled over today. We kept ourselves in the match right to the finish. There were moments when things could have gone either way, but we didn't make it happen.”

Sammy urged his side to find ways to come out of tight situations successfully. He insisted that they need to win the next game of the five-match ODI series in order to keep their prospects alive.

The West Indies batting line-up collapsed miserably against the Pakistan attack as none of the batsmen could cross the 30-run mark sans opener Lendl Simmons who struck a level-headed half century. Eight of the Caribbean batsmen failed to get past even 20. As a result, the hosts returned with a gettable score of 220 for 9 that was comfortably chased down by the tourists for the loss of just 3 wickets.

The home side was unable to post an impressive total in the opening One day International of the series as well as they made just 221 before Pakistan chased it down with more than 8 overs to go and 8 wickets in hand.

The visiting captain, Shahid Afridi was happy with the “discipline” shown by his team in Monday’s game and said that the reason behind their victories is that they are sticking to the game plan. He was also happy with the improved batting at the top of the order.

Pakistan lead the five-match ODI series by 2-0. The third match of the series will be played in Barbados on April 28, 2011. 

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PAKISTAN COACH WAQAR YOUNIS SAYS INCLUSION OF YOUNGSTERS IN THE TEAM IS REBUILDING SORT OF PHASE

Pakistan cricket team’s head coach, Waqar Younis said on Saturday that the injection of some blood in the team is “rebuilding sort of phase.”

The former Pakistan captain hoped the novices would prove themselves on the international arena using tour of West Indies as a platform.

“We have brought some young cricketers on this tour,” said Waqar while talking to media reporters ahead of the first One Day International of the five-match series between Pakistan and West Indies. “It's a rebuilding sort of phase. I hope these youngsters do well in the international arena and do well on this trip.”

For the tour to the West Indies, the Pakistan selectors picked up some new players and the team coach said he was looking forward to good performances from the youngsters.

The former fast bowler was hopeful his new-look side would carry on making strides during their ongoing tour of West Indies in which the Men in Green are scheduled to play a one-off Twenty20 international, a five-match ODI series and two Test matches.

The Pakistan coach praised the way Shahid Afridi and his men performed in the recently concluded ICC World Cup 2011, where the side reached the semi-finals despite going into the tournament with quite an unimpressive build-up. Waqar expected that the new-look Pakistan team would emulate their World Cup performance in the Caribbean over the coming few weeks.

“The boys have done a wonderful job especially in the World Cup,” said the former pacer. “We knew if we played well, cricket interest would come back in the country. The only way we could have done that was to do well.”

He also hailed the way the Pakistan fans had welcomed the team despite losing to archrivals India in the semi-final. Waqar said he was really pleased that the people have started understanding the spirit of the game.

Pakistan batting once again collapsed in their opening game of the tour as the hosts won the only Twenty20 international by seven runs. However, Waqar was hopeful his team would make a strong comeback when the two outfits play each other in the first ODI at the Beausejour Cricket Ground on Saturday.

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SHAHID AFRIDI A TACTICALLY ASTUTE CAPTAIN OR AN INSPIRATIONAL LEADER

With Pakistan’s tour of the West Indies set to begin today, let us take a look at Shahid Afridi and his role as the captain of the national team. There are aspects of the talismanic captain that still raise questions as to what his strengths and weaknesses are, as a skipper.

After emerging on the world stage and making a name for himself as an aggressive batsman, Afridi’s game has undergone many transformations. Although he was originally selected in the side as leg-spin bowler, he has been followed by fans for his flamboyant batting.

Criticised for his poor shot selection on more than just a few occasions, the player would often find himself as a liability for the side, which resulted in Afridi being dropped for the 1999 World Cup final against Australia.

Afridi, however, transformed his game once again to become one of the most feared spin bowlers in modern day cricket. His 21-wicket haul in the ICC World Cup 2011 was the highest in the tournament, as the all-rounder led his side to the semi-final of the mega event.

Tactician or Leader

As a tactician, the jury on Shahid Afridi is still a mixed bag of critics. His pre-match planning before every game seems to reap the desired results. His ‘plan for the Australians’ in the group stage of the World Cup worked to near perfection, as Pakistan became the first team to beat the defending champions after 13 years.

While his pre-match strategy appears to be sound, his ability to adapt to the constantly changing direction of a cricket match, is still up for debate. Many questions were raised when Afridi opted not to take the batting power-play when Misbah-ul-Haq was at the crease, in the semi-final against India, in Mohali.

The tactic demonstrated a lack of flexibility from the captain in a pressure situation and could be one of his drawbacks as a leader.

Afridi’s nature has never been of a person who relies on tactics, as his batting has demonstrated throughout his career. The Pakistan Captain is known for his passion and enthusiasm, which he puts in while on the field.

The aggressive batsman’s strength has been his ability to unite the team and get them all working for the same cause. Afridi backed his spirit, with match winning performances to inspire his side. His three four-wicket hauls in the World Cup, along with a five-wicket one helped his team to make it to the final four of the tournament.

Afridi leading the side gives the team a sense of togetherness, which had not been seen in the squad for ages. The skipper is always seen talking to his players, keeping them calm in tight situations, which is crucial to keep the game under control.

Although he may not be the best when it comes to the technical aspect of the role of captaincy, the fact remains that Shahid Afridi is more of an inspirational figure the side can look to, in times of need.

The success of Pakistan in the World Cup is proof that his approach is not to be taken lightly and the West Indies need to be wary when they face his side in the upcoming series to begin today.

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Waqar Younis wants PCB to look beyond Javed Miandad

Pakistan head coach Waqar Younis is not happy with the Pakistan Cricket Board for approaching former captain Javed Miandad time and again to take over the batting coach position when the legendary batsman is not too interested in the job.

"Why do we keep going round and round about the same thing?” said Waqar Younis in an irked tone while talking to the media reporters. “Javed bhai was also offered this position last year and now again. But if he can't do it because of lack of time or for any other reason, then we should look at other options," he suggested.

Miandad one of the batting greats Pakistan cricket ever produced, has once again declined PCB’s offer to join the national cricket team as batting coach. After turning down the offer, the former Pakistan captain showed up at the national camp at Gaddafi Stadium to work on the technique of some of the players.

The situation left the head coach upset but he avoided from expressing his view through the media as it might lead to a new controversy.

Talking about his own performance, Waqar said that he would not say much about it but he did add that teams performance over the past one year speaks for his efforts.

"I don't say much but if anyone wants to access my performance as coach I think they can look at the results of the team in the last 12-13 months. The results speak for themselves. My job is to get the best out of the players and that is what I am doing," said the former fast bowler.

Waqar also warned his side against complacency in the upcoming tour of West Indies and said that though they have included a few young players in the squad but they have always been tough opposition at home.

He also urged the youngsters in the Pakistan team to perform well and make the best of the opportunity that has been given to them.

Pakistan team leaves for West Indies on Thursday, 14 April to play a one-off Twenty20 International followed by one-day and Test series as well.

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