Are you sleepy yet?

Are you sleepy yet?
It’s not easy getting up at 3 in the morning. It becomes even more difficult when you think about what happened a few days back when you got up at 6 and got to see some very tragic events unfolding in front of your eyes. Then again, yesterday the rain swept away all our hopes of equaling the series. But we, the Pakistani fans, are not really complaining. We know it’s a game and in a game, you win some and lose some.

With these things in mind Pakistan cricket enthusiasts will look forward to Saturday’s match, with the same fervor and passion they had before the first match of the series. Pakistan always bounces back and it does so every time it’s considered down and out. Actually this is perhaps the kind of atmosphere that our cricketers thrive in. We won the 1992 world cup when no one believed we could. Imran’s tigers achieved the seemingly impossible and for that they continue to rule our minds and hearts. Our last two T20 world cup campaigns further demonstrate how quickly Pakistan can turn the tables and come out on the top.

The next one day will start with balance tilted towards the black caps. They crushed Pakistan in the opening match and they would believe they can repeat their histrionics. And it, in all probability, would have been that way had they been playing against any other country. But with our cricket team the obvious doesn’t apply. Yes there is always a possibility that Pakistan may again give a dismal performance but that is anybody's guess.

Pakistan on the other hand are probably least bothered what the cricket pundits have to say or what the opponent team is thinking. Though if they do give statistics a chance then maybe they will discover that they have an edge over New Zealand, as they have won more one day internationals against them than they have lost. Pakistan have also had the better of New Zealand in all the crucial world cup matches contested between the two teams.  

How would Pakistan perform would depend entirely on how the batsmen handle New Zealand’s pace attack. Southee would be the main threat again and he would have to be treated with immense caution. Misbah was the main stay in the first match but this time he would now require a lot more support in the middle order. Ahmed Shahzad, who came out dazzling in the second match, appears to be a good addition to the playing eleven. He would need to go out once again with all guns blazing that can provide Pakistan with an ideal start.

New Zealand has announced, it will give uncapped players an opportunity. Will Pakistan do the same and give its youngsters a chance? For them, exposure to some international cricket could be extremely productive before the World Cup. What composition the team management has planned is yet to be seen. No matter, what they decide, we know one thing that if Pakistan plays to its potential it will beat off any and every type of competition there is. If things go wrong, like they terribly do some times, we may all be back in bed few hours into the match.

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