ISLAMABAD - Pakistan team captain Muhammad Khalid’s highly cautious approach costs Pakistan dearly as Thaliand bounced back with doubles victory in the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group-II final on Staurday.

Thailand’s twin brothers Sanchai Ratiwatana and Sonchat Ratiwatanain outclassed make-shift Pakistani doubles pair of Shahzad Khan and Muhamamd Abid 3-1 to keep their hopes alive.

It was highly surprisingly and questionable decision made by Khalid of not opting to play with the and most successful and ever-reliable pair of Aisam and Aqeel. Entire crowd, past greats and even former PTF presidents were looking in shock and they were finding it very difficult to digest the theory presented by Kahlid that he had the fear the doubles match might stretch to the limit and Aisam/Aqeel could lose the lengthy encounter. But he failed to justify that on what grounds he opted to rest both the top class players and instead went with injury-prone Shahzad and highly inexperienced M Abid.

“I had decided that it would be in the best interest of country to give Aisam and Aqeel a break and kept them fresh while we also had to give chance to the other two players as well,’ Khalid said.

When this scribe wanted to know it was never witnessed before that a country, who is at the brink of winning the tie and moving into Group-I had rested their top guns and why not like Iran, he allowed Aisam/Aqeel to play and win the tie and then in dead rubbers let Shahzad and Abid play, Khalid did not come up with any answer.

The journalists also requested PTF president to either inform sports journalists not to come and cover the event or else allocate some chairs, where they could sit and perform their official duties. At one hand some handful of blue-eyed journalists were occupying the chairs alongside PTF management and VVIPs, while on the other hand genuine sports journalists were left high and dry.

The writing was very much on the wall for Pakistan, as Shahzad and Abid were no match for the highly successful Thai. It was clear on the first day that Aisam didn’t want to play the doubles tie reasons best known to him as he had made it clear he wanted to take rest.

To the credit of Shahzad and Abid they played very well in the first set and kept highly experienced pair under enormous pressure and to the much surprise of the crowd and Thai pair, they pulled of the first set 6-4 by breaking 10th game. Even strong Thai crowd mainly based on embassy people in Islamabad was also looking highly anxious and somewhat stunned as they were not expecting their top players were given such treatment. But in the second set, brothers finally settled down and they were also given hope by Shahazad’s persistent injury problems as he was feeling discomfort. After surviving some close calls, Shahzad/Abid resistance finally broke down and twin brothers Sanchai /Sonchat took the second set 6-4 to level the match at 1-1.

It was complete demolition of Shahzad and Abid in the third set as Sanchai/Sonchat were playing some awesome tennis and simply brushed aside their opponents, who managed to just hold onto first game, and took the set 6-1. Same was the case in the 4th set. Shahzad was clearly looking out of gas, the crowd was booing and holding Khalid responsible for the debacle. Even former Davis Cuppers and some of the legends of tennis were also looking highly upset and demanded PTF president to look into the issue and seek explanation from Khalid as why he rested top pair and opted to enter an unreliable pair in the highly important fixture. Adding further insult to the wounds, Shahzad started to cramp and had to take medical help during the 4th set. Thai pair was completely dictating the terms and Shahzad/Abid were looking hapless. In fact it was clearly evident that Shahzad was praying the match conclude as he was hardly breathing and it was virtually impossible for him to move freely and Thais easily clinched the set 6-1 and match as well.

Although Pakistan still have highly bright chances of winning the reverse singles due to Aisam and Aqeel option. But it would have been much better to enter with winning and positive frame of mind in the doubles match. In the first reverse singles match at 10:00am, ace player Aisam will carry forward Pakistan’s hopes of wrapping up the tie against Wishaya Trongcharoenchaikul while in the second and last reverse singles match if required, Aqeel Khan will take on Kittiphong Wachiramanowong.