For all the female fans, it probably was.

For me however, the moment to cherish was when Shahid Afridi walked out for the toss.

In Pakistan's colors, in Pakistan's top job.

From calling right at the toss, to the knock he played, to the way he manoeuvered the field and the bowling changes, to the way he led his troops, Afridi did not put a foot wrong tonight.

In his very first match as Pakistan captain, Afridi was in command of everything he did.

He stabilized Pakistan's innings initially; then when the time was right, he broke loose and raced to his third consecutive 50 in Twenty20 Internationals.

He remained calm when Sri Lanka's openers started pounding Pakistan's bowling; more importantly he kept his men calm.

His field placing was immaculate, as were his bowling changes.

The match could not have ended without the world witnessing the one arm raised Afridi salute, so he gave us a wicket.

There was an apparent change in Pakistan's body language tonight; they looked confident; they were energetic; they batted aggressively but sensibly; they played with passion; they fielded with purpose.

What stood out was that they all responded to their captain, Shahid Afridi.

For all those years Afridi has given his all to Pakistan cricket, turning up endlessly for them and doing what he has been asked to do.

Here are a few things to think about.

Finally!

The game had been played out while I was in mid-air so I had no idea what went down till I checked the scorecard.

321. Brilliant!

Umar Akmal century. Aswesome!

Off only 70 odd deliveries. That's how he plays. Must have been one hell of an innings to watch.

Mohammad Yousuf and Misbah returned to the middle order. Why in the world?

Imran Nazir returned to the international fold. Finally!

Fawad Alam dropped. WHY!?

Rao Iftikhar took 5 wickets. You got to be kidding me!

The series has been lost so this was nothing more than a face-saving win for Pakistan but atleast they opened their account in what has been their worst tour to Sri Lanka in history.

Besides that, it was also good that Pakistan managed to win convincingly.

The biggest plus point though was that Pakistan won on the back of Umar Akmal's innings.

There are very few things more heartening than witnessing a young promising cricketer making his mark in international cricket.

I've been saying for some time now that Umar is Pakistan's future. Pakistan have blooded him at the perfect time and it will do them a lot of good if they continue to persist with him in the middle order.

After this innings, he is surely here to stay.

Now if only Pakistan can ask Misbah to leave his ODI colors and play Fawad Alam consistently in the middle order.

The win might have come too late in the tour, but I do believe that Pakistan is moving in the right direction.

Time is all they need, time is all that I have asked for.

Throughout the test series they strangled Sri Lanka's batsmen; so much so that the Lankans did not get past 300 even once in the 3 tests, till the final innings of the series.

It has been Pakistan's batting that has let them down on more than one occasion on this tour.

They collapsed in heaps in the tests; they couldn't chase an average total in the 1st ODI; and they fell like nine pins in the 2nd ODI.

For the one time that Pakistan's batsmen put up a fight, show some courage and aggression, and knock down a total that should have won them the game...

Their bowlers failed!

I didn't watch the 3rd ODI today but after reading "you really felt they had a chance but some poor field placing, average fielding and indifferent bowling cost them", on Cricinfo's ball-by-ball, I couldn't help but feel helpless!

The one aspect that Pakistan had done well in throughout this tour, the bowling, failed to live up to its potential on the one day that it finally got support from the batting.

I can't even begin to imagine what poor Younis Khan will be going through.

The man who was considered as the one who would take Pakistan cricket out of a crisis, the man who led them to a World Cup title not too long ago, now stands to gain the dubious distinction of going winless on a tour of Sri Lanka.

I highly doubt Pakistan has ever had a worse tour to the island.

Here's the particular excerpt from the post that I'm talking about.

Despite suggesting Yousuf's and Misbah's ouster from the ODI team, I certainly did not expect Younis Khan to actually do that.

I was pleasantly surprised to see Pakistan make the changes I thought they should.

In my view, it was the right decision.

The desired result was not achieved as Pakistan collapsed to 168, but at least the effort to blood young and promising talent at the expense of tried and tested seniors, who keep failing, was there.

Both Fawad Alam and Umar Akmal have done more than enough at the domestic level and A-team tours to command a place in Pakistan's middle order.

Their failure today should be looked at with one eye on the future. One failure should not be their judge; actually even a few failures should not be.

Yousuf and Misbah are not going to be around for too long; this is the best time to provide opportunities to their prospective long term replacements.

Both Fawad and Umar need to be given more chances in the remaining ODIs to prove that they belong at this level.

They are Pakistan's future.

Fawad has already shown what he is capable of in his debut test; while Umar's recent form coupled with a few of his boundaries this morning are enough to suggest the potential he has.

I believe they will come good for Pakistan very soon. For that to happen though, they need to be persisted with.

Play them in the remaining ODIs, take them to the Champions Trophy, give them the confidence, and let them settle into the groove of international cricket.

If Younis Khan is the kind of captain I think he is, then there is no reason why he would not do the above.

Even Shoaib Malik and Kamran Akmal are part of that when they are not opening.

Then how does a new and upcoming promising batsman like Umar Akmal make his way into the side?

It is not easy but at times tough decisions need to be taken.

The names mentioned above are big ones; most of them senior and experienced cricketers who have served Pakistan for a long time.

But when things are not going right, something has got to give. Pakistan cannot keep hanging on to these tried and tested players just for the sake of seniority.

Misbah's ODI form has been patchy for a long time now; Mohammad Yousuf's brief absence actually gave Pakistan a much better balanced ODI outfit.

Then why is Pakistan hell bent on continuing with these batsmen?

Particularly when someone like Umar Akmal is waiting for his chance.

Umar has been in awesome form and this is the best time to give him a taste of international cricket.

In his last 6 first class and List A games against Australia A and Sri Lanka A, Umar has smashed 4 centuries.

Form like that cannot be ignored; moreover his exuberance and aggression can do Pakistan a lot of good, especially when the current middle order is failing to fire.

Come to think of it, it should not even be such a hard decision to take.

If Younis Khan is thinking 2011 then he should not be thinking of Yousuf and Misbah as a part of those plans. I believe it is time for Yousuf and Misbah to concentrate on test cricket and be told that there was no longer a place for them in the ODI team.

That way Umar Akmal can come into the middle order; as can Shoaib Malik with either one of Nasir Jamshed or Imran Nazir partnering Kamran Akmal at the top.

Pakistan should not repeat the same mistake they did with Fawad Alam by keeping Umar on the bench for two years before giving him a proper chance.

Umar Akmal has got to play tomorrow!

Everything from the chest x-ray at the airport to the customs, the cab ride, and the DLR train ride, have been smooth sailing.

The weather was a bit fickle but not something that made me think "why am I here?".

However, the fact that there was no coverage of the 1st ODI between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, made me think that!

Can you believe that?

I mean this is England, the "home of cricket", and a cricket series is not being covered on TV.

Sure the Ashes are going on and all of England is busy following that, but that does not mean that they ignore all the other cricket being played.

The Ashes are being shown in the UAE and Pakistan and India, then why isn't the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka series being shown here?

With that shock, I was given another when I opened the scorecard of the 1st ODI on Cricinfo.

I was shocked to see that Pakistan had won the toss and chosen to field first.

I was shocked to see that after having Sri Lanka down at 131-6, Pakistan let them get to 232.

I was shocked to see that Muralitharan smashed 32 off only 15 deliveries.

I was shocked to see that Shoaib Malik opened the batting.

So let me understand this; Malik does not open in the tests and a debutant in Fawad Alam is thrown at the deep end. Then when Fawad does well, he is pushed back down the order, while Malik is sent to open.

Does anybody see the logic in this?

And if this was the plan then why have Nasir Jamshed and Imran Nazir in the squad.

The failure of Malik, Yousuf, Younis, and Misbah did not shock me.

What did though was that Umar Gul and Mohammad Aamer put on 62 runs for the 9th wicket in only 43 deliveries!

Come to think of it, it was a match for the tails.

Both Sri Lanka's and Pakistan's last 4 wickets added 101 runs to the total.

When are the batsmen from both sides going to put their hands up to be counted?

It is high time!

For the batsmen to fire and for England to somehow get this series on TV!

The problem I'm talking about is the one regarding the selection of the playing XI for the upcoming ODIs against Sri Lanka.

With the return of the ICL rebels into the international fold, Pakistan's 16 man squad looks very strong on paper.

I believe the squad provides Younis Khan with a lot of options; he and the team management have a lot of thinking to do.

Will it be the specialists, Imran Nazir and Nasir Jamshed? Will it be Kamran Akmal who had a great impact in the position during the World T20? Or will Fawad Alam continue in his new found role?

With Yousuf's return, the middle order seems packed with him, Younis, Misbah, Malik, Afridi, Akmal, Razzaq; will Fawad continue to be ignored?

Will he continue in the lower order where he has batted in ODIs for the last 3 years? Will he be used as a floater? Or will he come up the order where he rediscovered his batting form during the World T20?

With Yousuf out, Pakistan had the luxury to play with 6 bowling options; with Yousuf back, will they revert to using Malik as the 5th bowler? Or will Misbah or Malik make way for Yousuf?

Razzaq has not played an ODI for over two years now; does he still have a place in the team? If specialist openers are used with Malik, Afridi, and Akmal in the lower order then where does Razzaq fit in?

There are just some of the questions that Younis Khan and Co. should be looking to answer.

They better be thinking about it.

I surely am and I have still not been able to figure out what the best XI should be.

I always prefer to have 6 bowling options in ODIs; 5 is too big a risk in my view.

At the same time, I am extremely excited about watching a potentially explosive opening pair in Imran Nazir & Nasir Jamshed.

However, if that happens it would leave only 5 bowling options considering that Younis, Yousuf, Misbah, Malik, Afridi, and Akmal are almost garanteed a spot in the XI.

Unless Younis considers himself as the 6th option, which he should going by the way he bowled in the tests.

3 pacers? Or Saeed Ajmal and 2 pacers? If Ajmal plays then does Razzaq still make the team as the 2nd pacer?

See the problem I'm talking about. I think it has been a while since Pakistan faced so many options with the selection of an XI.

This is the XI I would look to play.

Q's XI: 1. Imran Nazir 2. Nasir Jamshed 3. Shahid Afridi 4. Younis Khan 5. Shoaib Malik 6. Fawad Alam 7. Abdul Razzaq 8. Kamran Akmal 9. Umar Gul 10. Mohammad Aamer 11. Saeed Ajmal.

Though I don't think that will happen. There is no way Younis Khan will drop Yousuf and / or Misbah.

I believe he should.

It has been brought to my notice that you have announced the Pakistan squad for the ODIs against Sri Lanka.

As always, you have surprised me; both pleasantly as well as otherwise.

Firstly, I would like to congratulate you on finally putting Salman Butt out of his misery. You have done yourselves proud and I am sure that the entire country is unanimously happy with this decision of yours.

Even moreso because this brings Imran Nazir back into the fold!

We all just love him, don't we?

Although I feel that he is more of a T20 batsman, but anyone instead of Salman Butt is a welcome change.

You have also done well in maintaining your faith in Nasir Jamshed.

I understand that it is not your fault that he has had several injury problems in recent times; it is clear to me that he is your first choice ODI opener and I am glad to see this continuity.

But where is Ahmed Shehzad?

He had a good debut ODI series against Australia and now he is off the radar and doesn't even find himself a place as a reserve opener?

Why?

But coming back to the good things, I was pleased to see Umar Akmal's name in the 16-man squad that you announced.

That really made me feel good.

I had been talking about Umar's outstanding performances for Pakistan A during their tour to Australia; I had also mentioned that his inclusion in the Pakistan team was not far off.

This time you exceeded my expectations by inducting him in the senior side so quickly.

Great work!

But then where you guys display great decisions, you also display some strange ones.

Why is Rana Naveed back in the team?

When he was dropped two years ago he was clearly out of form and not even close to the kind of bowler he was during that India tour in 2005-06.

His bowling had become wayward, he had lost his swing, he had lost his hair, and he looked more like a club bowler.

So what has changed since then? Why are we going back to him?

Where is Sohail Tanvir? Where is Sohail Khan? Where is Mohammad Talha? Where is Anwar Ali?

Why didn't you guys look to blood a promising, young, upcoming fast bowler instead of Rana?

Overall, however, I believe you have given Younis Khan a very good squad. It is up to him now to find the best XI and take them on to the field.

I feel it will be a difficult task chosing an XI from the squad, but that is something for another post.

Yours Faithfully,

Q.

Or maybe 94.

I've been running around but I've caught some cricket in between; I caught England's 75-year-misery-wiping-out win at Lord's and also some of the action from the 3rd test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Here's some stuff that I found quite difficult to believe.

That is how long it has been since Pakistan has won a test match.

I don't think that I have ever waited longer than this in my lifetime for Pakistan to win a test match.

I'm not sure but maybe this is also the longest drought in Pakistan's test cricket history.

And I believe its about time Pakistan bloody well ends it!

Out of the 7 days of cricket played during this test series against Sri Lanka, Pakistan have had the upper hand on 4.

In a few hours, if they can do that continiously for a few days, they will manage to close and end this prolonged period of no test wins.

Sri Lanka will not be easy though.

Their batsmen will be looking to put in better performances; Chaminda Vaas, in his last test, will want to go out on a high; and the entire team would want to give a fitting farewell to Vaas.

The Lankans are not going to be complacent. They want a sweep.

Pakistan, on the other hand, will have to rise to the occasion.

Can they do it or will we witness yet another collapse?

If you take a look at their last 3 innings they have managed 8-46, 10-90, and 9-35.

They surely can't do worse than this!

If they do then Pakistan will experience their first ever clean sweep at the hands of any team that is not Australia or South Africa.

I am generally an optimist; one who always thinks about the positives rather than one who dwells on the negatives.

There have been varied reactions to Pakistan's test series loss to Sri Lanka, but one reaction, which has come from several quarters, is the one regarding the different factions within the team.

Former players have spoken about it, a former captain has voiced his concern regarding it, a former chief selector who recently resigned has made his views public regarding the factions, and a few bloggers also feel the same way.

I believe all of this talk regarding factions is a load of bullshit.

I also believe that the people talking about these factions are those who consider the glass half empty.

They need a reason to point fingers at the players that failed, they need excuses for the defeat, they need someone to be held responsible for the manner in which Pakistan collapsed.

Why I ask.

Why do you need to point fingers at anyone? Why do you need excuses for the pathetic batting display that Pakistan put up?

It was a collective team failure, a failure to counter the swing of the new ball, a failure to play left arm spinners, a failure to play well under pressure.

It is as simple as that; and it is nothing new.

These problems relating to batting collapses, succumbing to the swinging ball, and looking clueless against left arm spinners have plagued Pakistan for as long as I have watched cricket.

There is nothing new about this.

I am not denying the fact that Pakistan are 2-0 down in a series, in which they could have easily been 2-0 up.

The fact that they are not is only due to them; them as a whole team and not due to certain individuals or factions.

Moving on, why dwell on these negatives?

Instead of talking about the atrocious shot that Younis Khan played to get out, why not talk about the captain's knock he played, the record partnership that he was involved in, the good position that he got Pakistan to?

Instead of talking about the factions and giving excuses for a bad performance why not talk about the great comeback of Mohammad Yousuf.

Or the awesome debut of Fawad Alam.

Or the launch of the promising test career of Mohammad Aamer.

Or the effort of Saeed Ajmal in the two tests.

Or the effort that Umar Gul put in on the 2nd day at Colombo.

There are plenty of positives to be taken, despite the sorry defeats.

There is no reason to think that the team is divided and not united.

Are you telling me that Misbah was not responsible enough when he got out to a bad decision? That ball was missing leg stump by some distance.

Are you telling me that Shoaib Malik under performed because a straighter one sneaked through the smallest of gaps between bat and pad and just kissed the bail?

I am not saying that Misbah and Malik did well; they have been far from their best in this series, but it is still not reason enough to think that they are conspiring against Younis Khan.

There are no divisions within the team.

The team as a whole failed at Galle, the team as a whole failed at Colombo.

It wasn't due to the bad performance of a few individuals. It was due to the bad performance of the team!

Younis Khan is right in asking for time with the team and all of us should be doing just that rather than pointing fingers.

Pakistan has hardly been playing test cricket and this series is just the start of a long 12 months, during which they will play as many as 11 more tests after the 3rd one against Sri Lanka.

All those 11 tests will be played away from home, in New Zealand, in Australia, and in England.

Those are tough conditions to play in and Pakistan requires experienced players to be at their best to take on those sides.

This is not the time for wholesale changes.

It is the time to back the experienced players, it is time to be a bit more patient, it is time to stop looking for excuses every time the team performs below potential, it is time to accept that we were beaten because we lacked the skill and the aptitude, and not due to some imaginary factions in the team!

I understand that it is not easy being a Pakistan fan. The team puts us through varying emotions without blinking an eye.

It frustrates us, it makes us curse and abuse, it makes us proud, it fails us, it makes us cheer, it makes us sad, it makes us jump up with joy, it makes us break the TV screen, it makes us angry, it makes us smile, it makes us party like one crazy nation, it makes us pull our hair out, it makes us panic, it builds our expectations and then dampens them, it makes us...

Even a Bollywood movie does not dish out so much drama.

But would you have it any other way?

I surely wouldn't!

In comparison, only 2 Sri Lankan batsmen lost their wickets in that manner.

There's something wrong there.

Not with the umpires, with the Pakistani batsmen!

Did they forget to use their bats? Did they forget to move their legs out of the way?

Whatever it is, it needs to be sorted out soon enough.

Well I would think that they had the ability too but these dramatic collapses of "Pakistani Proportions" are becoming all too regular now.

Just when you thought they couldn't get worse, we saw their worst collapse ever, and their third one in as many innings.

The new ball did the trick for Sri Lanka again as Pakistan's batsmen were found wanting against the swing of Nuwan Kulasekara.

Mohammad Yousuf was yet again undone by Rangana Herath, who for the second time downed Pakistan in the second innings.

Besides Fawad Alam's amazing effort coupled with Younis Khan's support, no Pakistani batsman was up for the challenge.

They folded meekly and left Sri Lanka with an easy target to chase.

The bowlers could have made it more competitive but Warnapura and then the experienced King Sanga and Jayawardene just took the game away.

It is a historic victory for Sri Lanka as it completes a first ever series win for them over Pakistan at home.

They had not beaten Pakistan in a test at home since 1986 and they had never won a test series against them at home ever; within 7 days of cricket they have completely turned those facts upside down!

As for Pakistan; a lot of thinking to do. Maybe later. For now, let the Sri Lankans rejoice.

I guess Fawad Alam and Younis Khan slept soundly last night!

Both, Fawad and Younis, looked very comfortable at the crease and the runs flowed for Pakistan, stretching their lead from an overnight 28 to 144.

The best thing about Fawad's innings is that he has scored at a very good pace, yet he has hardly played any big shots.

It would be ironic to say that his runs have come unnoticed, but that is the way he has played.

Fawad has given the Sri Lankan bowlers a slow death and they are probably still wondering what hit them.

Younis was a bit more aggressive this morning; he missed out on a well deserved century and would have got there had he not tried to reverse sweep a rank full toss.

It was not a delivery that should have got a wicket but then something had to go Sri Lanka's way.

Pakistan is now in a very good position and they can convert this lead into a match winning one if they continue in the same vein.

I'm not sure what would be a match winning total here as the wicket is playing very well and Sri Lanka have chased 350+ on this ground before.

However, going by the way Sri Lanka have batted in this series, I would be confident if they are set a total over 300.

Having said that, Pakistan should look to bat out the day and take the match away from Sri Lanka.

They have the liberty to do so.

You all know how much I have written about him; how much I have called for him to be included in the Pakistan XI; how much I have rated him.

I was surprised to see some people question what Fawad Alam had done to demand a place in the Pakistan XI.

Well for those who follow Pakistan's domestic cricket and Pakistan A team tours know that Fawad Alam has been the best batsman in the country for about 3-4 years now.

He first caught my eye when he was the leading scorer in a domestic 20-20 tournament in 2005-06.

Since then, Fawad made strong waves in all formats of the game; 20-20, List A, and First-Class; one doesn't muster up a first-class average of 57 by being mediocre.

Throughout this time, I never thought he demanded a place in the XI. I thought he commanded one!

All that is in the past now, for Fawad Alam has just become the 10th batsman in Pakistan's history to hit a century on test debut.

He makes his way into an elite list, which includes Pakistani greats such as Khalid Ibadullah, Javed Miandad, Saleem Malik, and Younis Khan.

On top, Fawad became the first Pakistani to hit a century on test debut away from Pakistan.

He played a chanceless knock in a pressure situation and in a game in which Pakistan looked down and out almost as soon as it began.

Fawad may not be the most gifted stroke player nor the most technically correct batsman, but he is a fighter who grinds his way through situations as was apparent in his innings today.

He is not a big hitter of the ball but he still scores his runs at a fairly decent pace, mostly through his nudges into the gaps and running between the wicket.

Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal brought Pakistan back into this second test against Sri lanka; but if Pakistan go on to win this match, it will be because of the lead they muster up on the back of Fawad's innings.

His job is not over yet, but he has done me proud. I'm sure he has done a lot of others proud too.

This century may lead a number of people to speak Fawad up as the solution to the opening problem; though I am not sure about that.

This is the first time in his entire career that Fawad has opened in any form of the game.

He has made the most of the opportunity given to him and Pakistan have definitely found a great batsman; a great opener or not, only time will tell.

I still think Pakistan needs to find specialist openers and fit Fawad into the middle order where he has spent his career so far.

That's a thought for later; for now lets savour this brilliant innings from Fawad Alam.

Pakistan lost 6 wickets in the morning session yesterday; Sri Lanka lost 5 today.

Are the batsmen not getting proper sleep?

Yesterday morning was just a poor execution of batting skills against a new swinging red cherry.

This morning, however, the Sri Lankans were outsmarted by a rejuvenated Umar Gul.

After a lacklustre performance in the first test, Gul completely redeemed himself this morning with a top performance that got him 3 wickets, including the all important one of King Sanga.

Saeed Ajmal bowled non-stop during this session, and bowled well; it surprised me though that Mohammad Aamer was given only 4 overs this morning.

Aamer should have had a couple of wickets; if only Khurram had safer hands and some other edges had flown to the fielders, but I believe Younis should have bowled him more.

But then with 5 wickets, Pakistan has done well and somewhat brought themselves back into this game so I wouldn't argue against Younis Khan's tactics.

History would tell you that 150 would be a more than enough lead for Sri Lanka, but NC has different ideas.

A good Colombo morning for the Pakistanis after the nightmare yesterday.