Daily Times

Rewriting records, clubbing phenomenal centuries and going down as a force to reckon with in the ongoing World Cup, Men in Green sent out a loud and clear message for all those making light of Pakistan’s 81-run victory over the Netherlands in its opening match as nothing but sheer luck.

It is extraordinary to chase a formidable target of 345 runs, even in an ideal world, but the plot thickens considerably more when a team is playing on an unfriendly pitch against a powerful rival, especially without a supportive audience waving pom poms and enthusing confidence from the stands. If the Lions smashed centuries after centuries to rise to the top, the Pakistani team was just as prepared with a master-class innings from Mohammad Rizwan despite leg cramps.

Abdulla Shafiq shone like a rising star as he held tight and scored a commendable century. The decision to replace an out-of-form Fakhar Zaman clearly paid off. Having two wins in as many games is bound to give the team a much-needed shot in the arm as it gets ready for its high-profile clash against India. However, now is not the time to put up our legs as the coaches need to pull out some magic cards to correct the line of bowling.

Our bowlers have yet to make an impact and the fact that giants like Shaheen Shah Afridi clumsily dropped a catch should be a cause for concern. Pakistan still needs to prove its salt’s worth and there could not be a greater, more consequential avenue. In the world of cricket, India has repeatedly acted like a big bully that uses its influence over the international body to influence decisions, alter schedules and dismiss any opposition.

Any event that pits two teams against each other does tend to raise hopes for a detente. No qualms about that. But the huge viewership expected to witness the highs and lows of the textbook cricket rivalry (unlike any other in the world) makes it all the more important to put the best foot forward. *