Pakistani fans have had to wait a long time between matches up till now in the World Cup. If the team had won both matches, the wait would have been pleasant. Since they have pretty much disgraced themselves in the two matches they have played, the wait becomes a torment. However, before I go into some detail of the upcoming match, it is essential to write about the no.1 ranked ODI batsman in the world – AB de Villiers. His knock yesterday was superhuman. He is not known to be a ‘hard-hitter’ like Gayle is, but his strike rate is greater. He is the most accomplished batsman in world cricket right now in terms of talent, skill, temperament and performance. He is a nightmare for opposing captains. There is no way to stop him because he does not slog the ball. He has an array of conventional and unconventional shots, which makes it nearly impossible for captains to set an appropriate field. If you want to watch an international batsman playing against a school team, watch the highlights of De Villier’s innings yesterday. Now, coming back to our match. Zimbabwe will be a tough opponent. Partly because the Pakistani team is extremely down on morale, which automatically makes even the weaker opponents stronger. And partly because the Zimbabwean team has shown a lot of spark in their matches. Their batting is their stronger suit. In order to put up a winning performance, the Pakistani bowlers need to step up their game and restrict the Zimbabwean batsmen. This is a must win game for us. Let's hope we have something to cheer for after tomorrow’s match for the rest of the World Cup.
–Shaan Tahir
shantahir@gmail.com