If aliens ever come to abduct the best bowlers on Earth, a wise person should direct them to Pakistan. Known as the land of pacers, among cricket aficionados, the cricket-mad country has produced the architects of exotic but terrifying forms of bowling. From reverse swing to doosra and thunderbolts that pierced through the 100mph barrier, the country manufactures masterpieces like none other. Pakistan’s bowling in WC23, however, has taken a dip. Or has it?
How has Pakistan’s bowling in WC23 been?
Playing 4 games of the mega-event, winning two and losing as many – the men in Pakistan’s dressing room are scratching their heads to spot the shortcomings. There is some issue with the way Babar’s brigade has been rolling their arms over in their neighboring country. The mojo that has made batters nurture the fear of these bowlers in green throughout history seems to be missing.
But is it really the case? Or are India’s near featherbeds doing their magic? Are the oomph-less deliveries just the issue with Pakistan’s camp or other teams are facing the same how-do-you-do?
Shaheen and New Ball’s love story has taken a U-turn
In the four fixtures the team has played so far, the new ball has not been very kind to them. Shaheen Shah Afridi, who entered the tourney as the most lethal new ball bowler, has failed to bury the hatchet with his pace-drop problems. Just recently against Australia, the team failed to take any wicket in the first powerplay.
Pakistan’s 66.5 runs for a wicket bargain is better only than that of India and Bangladesh. Babar Azam can only rue Shaheen Afridi’s off-color bowling in the first ten overs for these figures. The Pakistani pacer averages 92 with the ball during this stage and has been successful in only sending one batter to the camp in four games. This bowling average is the second worst among all first-power-play bowlers in the World Cup.
Are languid opening overs synonymous with a lost battle?
One-day cricket, however, is unlike its younger counterpart. There is plenty of time for recovering after a collapse. There is plenty of time for collapsing after recovery. This oscillation, most of all, has always been adored by those who play with a star emblem on their chests. Pakistan’s ominous figures in the first phase of power play keep getting better and better as the match progresses. To the point where the bowling lineup reaches its trademark best in the death overs.
Nevertheless, the torment of middle overs gets Pakistan’s bowlers under its wrath. Except for three teams, all teams have struck after more than 40 runs in the second powerplay in the World Cup 2023. Pakistan, still, occupies the third from the bottom position in bowling average during this time.
Who is to be blamed for the middle over woes?
The unimpressive figures are the result of Pakistan’s spin attack’s struggles. Even during the days when Pakistan’s pacers did not err much during the first overs, the tweakers used to leak plenty of runs in the middle stages. Now, the issue has become more prominent.
The difference between the middle overs bowling average of Pakistan’s fast bowlers and spinners is too huge to be ignored. With spin bowling in shambles, partnerships can easily be brewed by the opposition. For instance, Pakistan’s rain-washed game against India in the recently concluded Asia Cup in Pallekele raised the first alarm for the team in green about the issues with their spin department. In the World Cup as well, spinners have yet to use their magic to steer the team to safety. Something that surely keeps Babar awake at night
Are death overs equally excruciating?
Not for Pakistan. To Babar Azam’s relief, the Pakistan team takes the adage “All’s well that ends well” very seriously. Pakistan’s bowling in WC23 has shown a tendency to take a 360 flip in the death overs. All of sudden, the line and length of the ball start becoming tighter. Haris Rauf’s 145+ kph balls start to make the batters duck for covers. One after another, batsmen start making their way to the pavilion.
In the World Cup till now, death bowling has been Pakistan’s biggest, most reliable weapon to stay in the hunt even after early onslaughts by the opposition. Halting the opponents’ total for a complete 10 overs with wickets falling after every 10 ball points to the reason why aliens would abduct a Pakistani bowler. Even now.
