Champions Trophy: India v/s Pakistan - Flops of the Day

Dull and drab – that’s the best summary I can provide for the Indo-Pak match today. The fickle English weather knows how to kill interesting contests. I figured Pakistan would put up a more spirited performance, given that they had nothing to lose owing to their elimination. It would have given their morale a significant boost. Alas – that was not meant to be, as their traditional rivals India pocketed the game with full honours. Here are some of the Flops for the day:

Nasir Jamshed (2 runs off 9 balls)

The rotund Jamshed needs to stop munching on fatty foods and put in long hours at the gym and at the nets. His footwork was deplorable and he looked very shaky out in the middle. The extra bounce on an away-going delivery brought about his downfall as he just poked at it, giving Suresh Raina a simple catch. From his body language, it looked like he had given up the fight even before it started. He needs a re-look into his game and modify his mental make-up a bit if he intends to cement his place in the side. Not a convincing performance from an incredibly talented youngster!

Kamran Akmal (21 runs in 38 balls)

If Pakistan are to win consistently, Kamran Akmal must be dropped down the order. The opener’s slot is meant for people who can score at a fast clip during the Powerplay overs. Clearly, Akmal has fallen prey to the same malaise that has dogged captain Misbah-ul-Haq. 21 runs in 38 balls is not a positive indication of his immense talent, but he simply chooses to waste his opportunities at the top of the order. Kamran has a lot of work to do if he intends to prolong his ODI career; however, I don’t see him becoming a permanent fixture in the side if he carries on with his shambolic performance.

Shoaib Malik (17 runs off 23 balls)

I don’t quite know if Sania Mirza would be happy that her country’s team won the game, or disappointed that her husband couldn’t do much to secure a big score and steer his side to a desperately-needed win. In the absence of veterans Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf, Malik was expected to take charge and play a big innings, especially after captain Misbah fell. He didn’t do much, getting out to an arm ball from Ravindra Jadeja. He is another player who could get the axe after a rather inconsistent showing in the entire tournament – looks like his heart’s not in the game anymore.

Mohammad Irfan (4-0-24-0)

When you are defending a low score and have the world’s tallest pace bowler in your ranks, you might be expected to knock over a few early wickets. However, Mohammad Irfan’s hostile movement and unplayable yorkers seemed to have deserted him in today’s game. Both Indian openers played him with considerable ease – Rohit Sharma in particular. Irfan’s going to have to go back to the drawing board and polish his skills a bit more – perhaps a stint with Wasim Akram might help.