Image Credit- ICC
Shaheen Shah Afridi’s first over of the game was a
solid over. Although it wasn’t the fantastic over we’ve come to expect from
Afridi, it was still a respectable over. Other than trying to push for a very
optimistic review off the fourth ball and forcing Pakistan to take a slightly
ridiculous one off the first, everything went perfectly. He wasn’t working too
hard to get that full-length ball, which he has been struggling to get lately.
He shown a willingness to vary his length by conceding just one run off five
balls.
Off one though, the fifth ball of the over, he went a
little too full. It shaped in a touch as well. Also, facing up was Mitch Marsh
and there is no cleaner hitter of a cricket ball right now. With minimum fuss,
he launched a six straight down the ground.
Eight dot balls were thrown by Hasan Ali in his first
two overs. Though he started off his second over from behind the wicket with
such a floating leg-stump half-volley that David Warner declining the
invitation to scoop it over fine leg for six would have been impolite. With a
wide-length ball that Marsh crunched past point, he ended the over. Three dot
balls were positioned in between.
Iftikhar Ahmed bowled a respectable eighth over after
being called up far earlier than he could have anticipated and proving to be a
much better part-time alternative than anyone anticipated. Nice lengths, darts,
and a few dots. Except for the third ball, which was a teeny bit short and wide
before meeting Warner’s cut shot, everything else was perfect. He might be
cosier now, but that cut shot is still incredibly vicious.
In the first 35 over of Australia’s innings, this
pattern would keep repeating itself. Lots of boundary balls and dot balls.
Especially in light of this attack, this instinctively feels like a very Pakistani
affliction: competent enough bowlers to deliver quality deliveries, but not
enough of them for long enough. But in Bengaluru, this trend took on
record-breaking proportions: Australia’s total was the highest achieved by a
team in which at least 50% of the balls they faced were dot balls. Pakistan
threw 152 dots in the air. They did, however, also allow 10 sixes in the
opening 25 overs.
Pakistan’s remarkable comeback and subsequent chase
until pretty late in the game might offer some consolation in the end. This was
shaping up to be one of those operatically bad Pakistan days as Mir dropped an
early, crucial, all-time dolly, Rauf gave up 24 in his first over, Warner took
full advantage of the opportunity, and Marsh celebrated his birthday with a
hundred (he also hit an Ashes hundred this summer for his brother Shaun’s
birthday). It was ultimately horrible, but in an uninspiring sense.
But a bad World Cup day is a bad day, regardless of
its size, and Pakistan can no longer afford too many more.