Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi bow out in agonizing defeat
Shahid Afridi played last game of his ODI career as Pakistan’S batting surrendered to Australia. (Source: Reuters)
A crushing quarter-final loss to Australia at the World Cup on Friday was a heart-breaking swan-song in ODI cricket for Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq and fellow veteran Shahid Afridi.
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Though Pakistan grafted hard to reach the knockout rounds, Australia ruthlessly exposed their batting frailty, which will be further undermined by the seasoned pair’s retirements.
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Over eight Pakistan batsmen scored 10 or more runs in their modest total of 213, but none could build on it, and both Misbah and former skipper Afridi were among those who failed to convert their starts.
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Forty-year-old Misbah, who finishes his ODI career without a century, slog-swept straight to a fielder at deep midwicket to be out for 34.
If surprising for a batsman renowned for his reserve, the explosive Afridi’s dismissal for 23 was less unexpected, albeit a carbon copy of his captain’s demise.
A third batsman in Umar Akmal would hit straight to Aaron Finch near the rope to squander his positive start of 20.
With the batsmen failing to provide a total to defend, their bowlers were let down by two dropped catches in the field that could have changed the complexion of the match.
Australia all-rounder Shane Watson was dropped on four and Glenn Maxwell spilled on five. The pair would then build an unbeaten partnership of 68 to close out a six-wicket victory.
Misbah lamented his side’s poor shot selection and forecast a grim future for Pakistan if administrators failed to crack the whip in the domestic leagues to improve standards.
“Especially we need to improve our batting. This has been now a problem for almost three, four years,” he told reporters after scoring his 3,000th run as captain.
“We are not up to the mark, up to the standards, international standards. We need to really improve that.
“And also fielding is another aspect where all the other international teams are really going up to a higher level, and we really need to improve that, and obviously that comes with the fitness.
“A lot of steps have been taken by the cricket board and just trying to develop that sort of system, fitness culture in Pakistani domestic cricket.
“But still, we are not there, and I think we need to really improve that, otherwise we’re going to suffer in the future.”
Source:: Indian Express
