Tuesday, January 3, 2017

2016 - a strange year for Pakistan in Test Cricket. Or was it?

Year 2016 was quite a strange year for Pakistan in test cricket.

It was a year where Pakistan reached number 1 in ICC's test cricket rankings for the first time since the inception of the rankings. And then in the same year, Pakistan lost 5 consecutive tests, the most they have ever lost in a row.

It was a year where Pakistan's test captain, Misbah Ul Haq, was hailed for becoming the most capped Pakistan test captain in the history of the game and for scoring the highest number of test centuries as Pakistan captain. And then by the end of the same year, everyone was asking him to retire.

It was a year where Pakistan's leading test batsman, Younis Khan, was criticized for being too old and losing his reflexes. And then he was hailed for scoring a magical double century at the Oval. And then by the end of the year, everyone was asking him to retire.

It was a year where Pakistan's misguided left-arm prodigy, Mohammad Aamir returned to test cricket at the same venue where he had left it 6 years ago. Amid all the hype, Aamir, who had taken 51 wickets in 14 tests at 29, was left pondering his future following his 11 tests in the year where he picked up 30 expensive wickets at an average of 41.

It was a year where Pakistan's ODI captain Azhar Ali was criticized immensely for both his ODI and test performances where he seemed all at sea at the beginning of the England tour. And then in the same year, he ended it with a hundred in Birmingham, a triple hundred in Dubai, and a double hundred at the MCG becoming the first Pakistani batsman to have two scores of over 200 in the same year.

It was a year where Pakistan's ODI captain Azhar Ali went out of favor with the PCB Chairman. And then by the end of the same year, he was the favorite to become the new test captain.

It was a year where everyone from the fans to the management to the selectors wanted Mohammad Hafeez to correct his bowling action and pass the test to resume bowling in international cricket. Yet, by the end of the year when his action was officially announced as legal, the selectors failed to include him in the ODI squad for Australia.

It was a year where Pakistan finally moved Asad Shafiq to the crucial number 3 position, where he responded in the best possible manner with a magnificent hundred. And by the end of the same year he was back to number 6 only after a handful of innings at 3.

It was a year where Pakistan finally discovered that its spinners can win matches outside the subcontinent as well with Yasir Shah producing magic at Lord's and the Oval. And then in the same yearm Yasir was shredded to bits in Australia.

You get the gist, right? Anyone who indulges in cricket betting would never get it right with Pakistan. They are so inconsistent that it is beyond belief now.

It was a year where Pakistan found the perfect opener for tests in Sami Aslam, who knocked 6 fifties in as many tests including two scores in the 90s. And then by the end of the year he quickly ran out of favor.

It was a year where Shahid Afridi played his last international match. Then in the same year he asked the PCB for a farewell international match. And by the end of the year he vowed never to ask PCB for a farewell match.

Well nothing strange about that... Afridi does these things every year.

As does Pakistan really.

For years Pakistan has carried the tag of being "unpredictable". Under Misbah, however, they were quickly shedding that tag with their outstanding consistent performances in tests and their pathetic disappointment in ODIs.

Year 2016, however, was the year that brought back the unpredictability of the team.

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