Revision as of 22:00, 18 September 2021

Of the six players to score a double century and take a catch in a match (till Oct 2015), three are Pakistani ; Graphic courtesy:

Pakistan's top run-getters in tests; Graphic courtesy: The Times of India, October 14, 2015

Cricket: Pakistan, a history

The authors of this article are …

AFP | May 13, 2015, 04.56 PM IST

Terrorism and international cricket in Pakistan

2002, 2009, 2021

From The Times of India 18 Sep. 21

May 2002: Just before the second Test in Karachi was to start, a bomb exploded outside the hotel where the New Zealand team was lodged. The blast killed 12 people. New Zealand players were unhurt but they left the country immediately after the incident.

March 2009: The Sri Lankan team bus was attacked in Lahore when they were travelling to the Gaddafi Stadium for the third day’s play of the second Test. Six members of the Lankan team were injured while six policemen and two civilians were killed. The minivan following the Lankan team bus, which was carrying match officials, was also attacked and the driver killed.

2021 Sept The New Zealand cricket team cancelled its tour of Pakistan, hours before the first match of Black Caps in the country in 18 years was due to start in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, citing security concerns.

“Following an escalation in the New Zealand government threat levels for Pakistan, and advice from NZC security advisers on the ground, it has been decided the Black Caps will not continue with the tour,” New Zealand Cricket posted on its website.

World cup

West Indies vs. Pakistan

1975-2015

West Indies vs. Pakistan in World Cup cricket: 1975- 92
From: May 31, 2019: The Times of India

West Indies vs. Pakistan in World Cup cricket: 1999-2015
From: May 31, 2019: The Times of India

See graphics  :

West Indies vs. Pakistan in World Cup cricket: 1975-2015

West Indies vs. Pakistan in World Cup cricket: 1999-2015

vs. England

1979-2015

June 3, 2019: The Times of India

Pakistan vs. England at the World cup, 1979-2015
From: June 3, 2019: The Times of India

NEED FOR SPEED

England Likely To Strengthen Pace Arsenal By Recalling Wood Vs Pak

London:

England may change a winning World Cup side by recalling fast bowler Mark Wood when they face Pakistan at Trent Bridge on Monday. The ground is renowned as a batsman’s paradise, with England having twice set the world record for the highest score in a One-Day International --- 444 for three against Pakistan in 2016 and last year’s 481 for six -- on the very pitch that will be used for Monday’s match at Trent Bridge.

But Pakistan batsmen had anything but an easy ride in Nottingham as they succumbed to a bouncer barrage from the West Indies that saw them slump to 105 all out and a comprehensive defeat in their opening match of the World Cup.

England, who launched their quest to win the World Cup for the first time with a 104-run rout of South Africa at the Oval in which fast bowler Jofra Archer starred may now, in the light of Pakistan’s problems against shortpitched bowling, unleash Wood in partnership with the Sussex speedster.

“We’re aware of what went on yesterday,” England assistant coach Graham Thorpe said on Saturday. “It was interesting viewing. The West Indies bowled very well, they looked like they roughed Pakistan up,” the former England batsman added. “I think it (drafting Wood) will be discussed”

Wood has bowled a mere 13.1 overs since the start of the season amid fears his long-standing left ankle injury could flare up again. But his ability, in common with Archer, to top speeds of 90 mph meant England thought he was worth the risk at the World Cup. England have risen to the top of the ODI rankings since their woeful first-round exit at the 2015 edition mainly as a result of piling on the runs.

But they showed they were more than ‘flat-track bullies’ with a score of 311 for eight on an awkward surface at the Oval before an attack led by Archer overwhelmed the Proteas.

Scoring 500 in an ODI was once viewed as impossible but, given their recent record-breaking exploits, England could go close if they bat first at Trent Bridge.

“It has generally always been a good pitch so we are looking forward to it,” said Thorpe.

“We didn’t quite unlock the door in terms of our batting at the Oval, being able to let go because we kept losing wickets at crucial times so we had to keep trying to put on those mini-partnerships “It’s the same thing coming here against Pakistan: if we get into a good position, we’ll try to score as many as we can. But at the same time if it doesn’t happen, you’ve got to put a competitive score on the board to put the opposition under pressure.”

Pakistan, who’ve lost their last 11 ODIs —including a recent 4-0 series defeat by England —are braced for short-pitched stuff with Wahab Riaz defiantly insisting: “If people want to bowl us bouncers, then we will have no problems with that.” AFP

YEAR-WISE DEVELOPMENTS

1992: peak

See World Cup (cricket): 1992

2009

No Test-playing team has toured Pakistan since militants attacked the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in March 2009, leaving eight people dead and seven visiting players injured.

1996: 'Match-fixing was at its peak'

IANS |Match-fixing was at its peak in 1996, says Shoaib Akhtar| October 17, 2016

Shoaib Akhtar also claimed to have warned fixing convict Mohammad Amir back in 2010 to avoid meeting people who could lure players to match fixing.

• He claimed that the atmosphere of the Pakistan dressing room was also very strange at that time

• Akhtar claimed that he warned Amir back in 2010 to avoid meeting people who could lure players to match fixing

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar claimed on Tuesday that match-fixing was at its rampant best in 1996 but he himself refrained from getting involved in the malpractice.

"The atmosphere of the Pakistan dressing room was very strange. Trust me it was the worst possible dressing-room," Akhtar was quoted as saying by Geo News.

The "Rawalpindi Express" added he always stayed away from fixing circles and cautioned other people about it, advising team-mates to play with integrity and sincerity.

Akhtar also claimed to have warned fixing convict Mohammad Amir back in 2010 to avoid meeting people who could lure players to match-fixing.

Amir served a five-year suspension after admitting to fixing in 2010. He returned to action last year and is now a regular in the Pakistan team.

Akhtar said he intervened to put an end to a recent public verbal dispute between Javed Miandad and Shahid Afridi, urging the two warring former Pakistan skippers to resolve the matter through dialogue. (Also read: Shahid Afridi, Javed Miandad bury the hatchet following spat)

"To resolve the matter through talks was the most possible solution. I spoke to Afridi and Javed bhai to settle the matter outside court. If it would have go to the court, then a lot of names would have cropped up," Akhtar told Geo Tv.

"My main concern was that. I told Afridi not to send a legal notice and advised Javed bhai to keep control of his anger and not say anything controversial in public. He exceeded limits by uttering unnecessary things."

The 41-year-old said Miandad and Afridi's spat could have opened a Pandora's box, tarnishing Pakistan cricket's image worldwide.

The bitter feud erupted when Miandad accused Afridi of fixing matches for money.

"Things are said in the heat of the moment and I also said some inappropriate things in the heat of the moment. I take them back," Miandad said recently.

They later resolved their differences, posting a video online in which Miandad took back his words and Afridi apologised, stating he had always considered Miandad as his elder brother.

2015

Bangladesh tour

Pakistan slumped to ninth in the ICC one-day international table -- their lowest since rankings were introduced in 2002 -- after losing the ODI series to minnows Bangladesh 3-0, threatening their participation in the 2017 Champions Trophy in England where only top eight teams will feature.

The tourists also suffered their first ever Twenty20 defeat against Bangladesh.

Although they managed to win the two-Test series 1-0 with victory in the second Test in May, and Pakistan can also take heart by the way their bowlers -- especially pacemen Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan and Yasir Shah dismantled Bangladesh's batting in the final Test, the national pastime of inquisition and blame game began.

Isolation results in decline

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan labelled the first-class system as "completely flawed" and fitness of the players as "worst in the world."

The absence of any international cricket on Pakistan soil since a terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in 2009 has also been detrimental.

PCB officials say countries refuse even to send 'A' teams because of security fears. Such tours are normally arranged on a reciprocal basis meaning no Pakistan 'A' team has played outside the nation's adopted 'home' grounds in the United Arab Emirates for five years.

Fast bowler Wahab Riaz and batsman Umar Akmal rose to senior level after the last Pakistan 'A' tour to Australia in 2009 and Inzamam said until fringe players tour abroad they cannot make the step up to Test and ODI level.

Zimbabwe breaks isolation

In 2015 Zimbabwe became the first international team to tour Pakistan after the 2009 attack.

Till almost the last day it was not clear if Zimbabwe would actually be able to come. However, Zimbabwe stuck to its commitment. Zimbabwe also went ahead with the third and final one day international against Pakistan at the Gaddafi Stadium despite security concerns after a suicide bomber blew himself up close to the stadium during the second ODI, a day and a half before the third ODI. Police tried to pass it off as a transformer blast. However, Federal Minister for Information Pervez Rasheed said it was an alleged foiled suicide bomb attack.

2018

Series win over Australia

Seamer’s Ten-Wicket Haul Sets Up 373-Run Win & Series Triumph For Pakistan, October 20, 2018: The Times of India

M Abbas top the records of best bowling averages against Australia- and all other teams- as in 2018, October
From: Seamer’s Ten-Wicket Haul Sets Up 373-Run Win & Series Triumph For Pakistan, October 20, 2018: The Times of India

Abu Dhabi: Medium pacer Mohammad Abbas took his maiden ten-wicket haul in a match to fire Pakistan to a 373-run win over Australia in the second Test in Abu Dhabi on Friday. Abbas followed his 5-33 in the first innings with figures of 5-62 to wreck Australia for 164 after they were set a big 538-run target.

The win gave Pakistan a 1-0 win in the twomatch series after Australia fought back to draw the first Test in Dubai last week. This becomes Australia’s heaviest defeat against Pakistan, beating the 356-run hammering at this same venue four years ago. It was Abbas who destroyed Australia with a haul of 17 wickets in the series — becoming the first Pakistani fast bowler to take ten wickets in a Test since Mohammad Asif ’s feat against Sri Lanka at Kandy in 2006.

Abbas had jolted Australia with four wickets off just 23 balls while Yasir Shah finished with 3-45 to give Pakistan their tenth series win on the neutral venues of United Arab Emirates (UAE). They have only lost one series — 2-0 to Sri Lanka last year — since being forced to play their home matches in UAE since 2009.

Pakistan were forced to play their home matches in UAE since attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in March 2009. Australia’s batsmen had no answers to his accurate seam bowling under cloudy conditions at Sheikh Zayed Stadium as only Marnus Labuschagne (43), Travis Head (36) and Aaron Finch (31) offered some resistance.

Yasir dismissed number ten Jon Holland soon after lunch to hand Pakistan victory. The first Test ended in a draw in Dubai last week. Australian opener Usman Khawaja could not bat after suffering a recurrence of a knee injury during practice on Thursday. AFP

Brief scores: Pakistan 282 & 400/9 decl bt Australia 145 & 164 in 49.4 ovs (Labuschagne 43, Head 36; Abbas 5/62, Yasir 3/45)\

T20 domination

Youthful Pak race to T20 domination, November 6, 2018: The Times of India

Brash young players, peak fitness and a winning mentality “in their DNA”, Pakistan are the current kings of international Twenty20 cricket. The last two Sundays have seen Pakistan race to series whitewashes in the game’s shortest format against Australia and New Zealand.

They also have registered 11 consecutive series wins — a world record.

The rapid-fire cricket of T20 mirrors the helter-skelter nature of life in a country of 220 million where people.

Former captain-turnedcommentator Ramiz Raja believes Pakistan’s Twenty20 flair comes naturally. “It’s partly our DNA,” said Raja. “But our successes have a lot to do with skills and fitness. Pakistan is a damn good team in this format, bowling out the opposition at will.”

With their powerful bowling unit, Pakistan have dismissed rival teams the most times — 31 in all — while, in the last two years, they have defended a total of under 150 for 40 times out of 44, with three failures and one tie. Sunday’s win against New Zealand in Dubai was their ninth match victory in a row — their biggest winning streak.

“Pakistan take this format very seriously and play with regular players most of the time,” said Raja.

The greatest of all the surprises is Pakistan’s fielding — not a strong point in the past. Their fielders have effected 25 runs outs in the last 28 matches. AFP

Babar Azam became the fastest to reach 1,000 runs in the Twenty20 format. The 24-year-old reached the milestone in his 26th match. The previous record was held by Virat Kohli, who achieved the feat in 2015 in 27 matches.

9 No of wins in succession by Pakistan between July 4, 2018 and Nov 4, 2018 — their best winning streak in T20Is. They are second behind Afghanistan, who had recorded eleven wins in a row between 2016 and 2017.

10 No of successive bilateral series wins registered by Pak in T20Is since 2016, a world record