Daily Times

It’s a story as old as time. Men in Green, in their earnestness to ensure their piggyback ride, attract a couple of eyeballs with a few unexplainable masterstrokes.

Isolated performances by raw talent or a result of good fortune tilt the balance in their favour, but only for the tried-and-tested self-defeating stride to kick in and make a mockery of the nation’s love for the sport. In a shocking turn of events at the T20 World Cup in New York on Sunday, Pakistan faced a humiliating defeat against arch-rivals India.

The match, which was expected to be a fierce battle on a cricket field, soon became a one-sided affair as after a brilliant first half, Pakistan’s team seemingly self-destructed, handing a crucial victory to India.

Although dropped catches and poor bowling decisions evidenced that the team was crumbling under pressure, Pakistan still looked in control, thanks to Naeem Shah taking early wickets and Haris Rauf’s formidable pace. But to see Shaheens (particularly, the middle order) simply give up when it was their turn to chase an easily attainable target was akin to the Indian team turning the tables in a dominating fashion. That well-groomed batsmen like Shadab Khan and Imad Wasim failed to hit a single boundary and the only reason why Pakistan managed to lose by a slender margin was because of the determination of players like Shah who chose to stay on till the very end would go on to haunt the team’s selection committee in the coming days.

The disgraceful loss should serve as a wake-up call for Pakistan’s cricket team. Until they realize their potential and believe that they can be world champions, nothing will change. Sadly, we have spent the last year or so churning out the same reminders over and over again. Isn’t it high time that the management makes up its mind on whether it wishes to engage in a sport that still wishes to celebrate the marvels of its legends or prefer a graceful farewell over this long-drawn-out decay? *