Why watch Pak play

Before Pakistan went down under, I believed they were a better team than Australia. I was wrong, as Pakistan was not a team, and their motley group of ball throwers and ball hitters soon started to resemble a badly funded Russian circus. Still I watched, not so much in hope for them, but because of the senior most player in the team.

Not MoYo, not Younis, not Afridi, (was he even there?), but big lips, Umar Akmal. He played in spite of the idiocy around him; innings after innings he was the only reason any Pakistani would dare watch his team play.

Today, when Pak played Australia, they were determined to lose again, but for Umar Akmal. They bat him as low as 6 so the millionaires can bankrupt the team, and then, hand the lost venture to Umar – hey kid, we’re in the red, can you do something? And boy, can he do something – he will play shots you forgot are played, he will run for a tailender, he will run for you, he will run for Pakistan.

It’s been a rotten year for cricket, what with the muck around, almost unwatchable. Good there’s a player like Umar Akmal, you can write about the cricket again. And not the politics that threaten to destroy it.

Ultimate Solution for Pakistan Cricket

No, it has nothing to do with India or Kashmir.

There's only one solution for Pakistan cricket: your first name gotta be UMAR.
- via Naked Cricket on twitter

It's not tough, this is how it will be -

1. Umar Butt
2. Umar Hasan
3. Umar Akmal (Sr)
4. Umar Malik
5. Umar Afridi
6. Umar Akmal (Jr)
7. Umar Razzaq
8. Umar Aamer
9. Umar Gul
10.Umar Akhtar
11.Umar Ajmal

Now that's harmony. They'll all be on first name basis again.

On Bored: Read my lips

Sami checks into rehab.

On most days, you can bet your world that Sami will bowl the most magnificent crap you’ve ever seen. When he runs in, he huffs and puffs set to blow your house down – make nothing of it, empty threats.

It’s funny, but along with Imran Khan, I always felt there was something about Sami, must have been the speeds, the huff puff earnestness, that German engineering designed run-up, I still don’t know what it was – it’s like we felt about Irfan or Ishant. Oh, the promise.

Now Imran always believed Sami was an outright fast bowler and that’s what he should do. He sure did, but usually crap on leg stump. Last I saw him in India, he bowled so much crap it was demeaning to crap, to call it crap.

And that’s my last memory of him. Or was it; I also felt he could bat – then again, it’s like some of us felt about Agarkar.

But what happened today? I think Waqar’s made a big difference; when in the box, I still recall Waqar often shaking his head helplessly at Sami’s shenanigans. Deal is, a guy like Waqar needs to be hands on with the Pak bowlers.

Now if only Pakistan get hold of a batting coach. Or will MoYo step up and take on two roles?


On Bored: "Abandon Sydney Test"