It’s funny how sport, and life in general, sometimes works out. Pakistan won the World Twenty20 in what almost turned out like a feel-good movie - you know, the one where the kid who no-one wants to play with reaches the top? And, following the script, Sri Lanka were always going to be the opposition in the final.
Of course, T20 cricket is just a “bit of fun” as Pakistan captain Younis Khan has often pointed out. However, Pakistan’s moment in the English sun has done wonders for the team.
Who would’ve thought four months ago that they would actually head into a series looking like a team and not a group of individuals heading in different directions…?
When Pakistan entertained Sri Lanka in a two-Test series earlier this year, the hosts started on the back foot as they lost a string of top players to the rebel Indian Cricket League and were woefully short of Test cricket due to security concerns at home.
Pakistan, though, held their own in the first match as captain Khan’s 313 overshadowed Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera’s double hundreds during a high-scoring affair.
The series, though, wasn’t remembered for Khan just missing out on Hanif Mohammad’s highest score by a Pakistan batsman or Samaraweera scoring back-to-back double tons, but rather for the Lahore atrocities which brought a premature end to the second Test.
Fast-forward to July and Pakistan look as though they’ve turned a corner. Yes, they will still be short of Test-match practice come Saturday, but their batting line-up no longer looks paper thin, there’s something old and something new in their bowling ranks and they are brimming with confidence.
Former ICL outcasts Mohammad Yousuf and Abdul Razzaq will make a welcome return to Test cricket while youngster Mohammad Aamer is likely to get a call-up following a string of good performances in the World Twenty20.
The returning Yousuf will add stability, experience and a touch of class to the middle-order, while all-rounder Razzaq’s inclusion means Pakistan are a more balanced team.
The impressive Aamer is likely to be more of a force than his predecessors Mohammad Tulha and Sohail Khan, who played in the series earlier this year, were.
Pakistan, thus, will be strong with the bat and should be able to hold their own with the ball as they also have spinner Danish Kaneria and Umar Gul in their attack.
