Pakistan lose
Flickr photo by Alex Donohue shared under a Creative Commons (BY-NC-ND 2.0) license.

Pakistan lose again – but where are they lacking?

Alvina Ahmed·
One Day International (ODI)
·0 Comments·

Pakistan continue to lose tightly-contested encounters and it’s time to determine what they’re lacking on the biggest stage…

Pakistan played their 4th match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 on Wednesday against the defending champions, and the result has left fans heartbroken. The game began with Australia’s openers setting up a mammoth opening stand of 146 while the Pakistani bowling attack (except Mohammad Amir) struggled with the new ball. However, courtesy of a late recovery, Pakistan were no longer destined to lose as they bowled Australia out for 307. The target, while not exceptionally low, still seemed far more achievable than the 400+ that seemed on the cards.

The Pakistani batsmen were not off to an ideal start but looked to be in a stable position with 136/2 in 25 overs. What followed, however, was total chaos. The team’s score plummeted to 160/6 in the 30th over. Hasan Ali and Wahab Riaz then brought Pakistan back into the game with support from Sarfaraz Ahmed at the other end. Despite pushing it close, Pakistan’s efforts were in vain as they lost another match.

The question that must be raised is: Where is the team lacking? It wasn’t the first time we’ve seen Pakistan lose after being in a promising situation. Such instances were prevalent in Pakistan’s recently-concluded series against England as well, with this trend continuing for some time now. Does Pakistan lack skill? Do they lack technique? Or is it inexperience? No, it’s none of that. It’s something far bigger than the aforementioned deficiencies: mental strength.

Pakistan struggle with holding their nerve at crucial moments and that translates into poor performances and/or late collapses. On paper, the team is packed with talent and has more than a couple of experienced stalwarts. But what most of them lack is mental strength. Their inability to absorb the pressure makes them falter well before the match is actually lost. To win games on a platform as big as the World Cup, you must possess the mental capacity to succeed; the ability to handle crunch situations and finish games off.

This frailty is also a huge contributor to Pakistan’s woeful record against India in ICC tournaments. At their core, these games are nothing but a game of nerves. Much to Pakistan’s detriment, India turns up with nerves of steel. Part of why Pakistan was able to beat arch-rivals India in the Champions Trophy final back in 2017 was their mental strength. It was even reflected in their confident body language throughout the match.

Thankfully, there’s still time for Pakistan to recover. If they wants to progress to the semi-final stage, they must work on the psychological aspect of their game. The only way to avoid the ridiculous mistakes Sarfaraz’s men are notorious for is to work on adding another dimension to their game. Only a team that’s mentally strong can make the correct decisions on the field. After all, it takes a certain level of composure and awareness to play the right shots and bowl sensibly.