Adil Najam
Pakistan plays its second group match in the 2007 World Cup Cricket against Ireland today.
Having already lost the first match to hosts West Indies, if the troubled Pakistani team also loses this game, it would have effectively eliminated itself from the tournament even before the ‘Super 8’ begin. On the other hand, if Ireland wins, it will be a wonderful St. Patrick’s Day windfall for the Irish.
Even though Ireland had pulled in a remarkable effort by tieing against Zimbabwe, the odds say that Pakistan will not lose today (and if they do, would there be any hope at all left for Pakistan cricket?). But around 20 per cent of our readers seem to think that Pakistan will fail to make it to the Super 8 – if not by losing today’s game, then by losing the last Group game against Zimbabwe. This according to the results of our ATP Poll on Pakistan’s prospects for the Cricket World Cup 2007.
(Click above for larger image)
The overall prognosis from the Poll seems to be rather bleak.
- A total of 398 votes were cast in the Poll.
- Some 20 per cent (79 votes) believe that Pakistan will not even make it past the group stage into the ‘Super 8.’
- This means that 80 per cent feel that the team will get into the Super 8. However, just about half (47 per cent; 188 votes) believe that Pakistan will not get beyond the Super 8 stage.
- A total of 34 per cent (131 votes) believes that Pakistan will, in fact, get to the Semi-Finals. But 20 per cent (78 votes) are of the view that the team will get no further than the Semi-Finals.
- 53 people (14 per cent) are of the view that the green caps will get to the Finals; and of these 43 (11 per cent of total) feel that we will win.
Personally, in this case I would hope that the majority is wrong and the 43 people who think that Pakistan will actually win the World Cup turn out to be correct. I hope so, but, frankly, I am not holding my breath.
@ jinni
I agree, we need leaders at both levels !!!
I think it is time for total reinvention. We need a new captain, new players, new PCB, new everything. We need real leaders, both on the cricket field and at the nation’s helm. We need patriots; We need fighting cricketers, not religious zealots; We need team players, not egotistical maniacs; We need truth seekers and truth tellers; not drug infested troublemakers; Above all, we need the courage to stand up to what we believe in and recognize the fault lines in the team and fix them.
@Samdani
I don’t think anyone is making this into an anti-religon bash. The fact is Inzi always brings up the Lord’s name even when the team has lost. I am sure no one would have an issue if he said his “Thanks to Allah” to reward his or his team’s hard efforts on the field. But when the losses are shameless, spineless, effortless, and you still bring in ALlah into your speech (and religous connotation to all your cricketing endeavours) that just rubs salt on any person of faith’s wounds and reeks of a lack of character and state of complete delusion.
I wish Pakistani people will entertain the team with ‘ganday anday and saray tamater”, infact the deserve even more. India’s defeat from BD gave me some relief, I hope India is kicked out of the world cup in the same way now :)
But for Pakistan theres no excuse whether it was green pitch or red.
I agree with Adnan Siddiqi that Nasim Ashraf involved the team in so many needless controversies but I’d rather say this is still not an excuse. Thats a REAL shame for Pakistan team and all management!!!
I am not a fan of putting religion into sport, and I understand the depression we are all feeling right now, but I think it is unfair to gang up on Inzimam for his faith. He has been a bad captain and not much of a batsman recently, and that may well have to do with professionalism etc., but lets not mix things up here.
I agree that the first order of business has to be to clean up PCB. Nasim Ashraf goes first (what has he done? why is he here?) Woolmer also needs to be sent home. I hope Inzimam will announce retirement rather than wait to be forced out. Some others too. But that is because of bad performance, not because how they express their faith.
And, please, everyone. Lets please not make thsi one more religious debate here. There is plenty of controversy in the cricket itself.