Taufeeq Umar 9/10: The latter stages of the Sri Lankan test series turned out to be pretty disappointing for him after that marathon double ton in Abu Dhabi which was the 2nd highest by a Pakistani opener after the little master’s Bridgetown epic in the 1950s, but Taufeeq bounced back hard in Bangladesh with a noteworthy score at Chittagong and Dhaka to end 2011 as Pakistan’s leading test run scorer with over 800 runs at average just above 45.

Mohammad Hafeez 8/10: scored a century in Chittagong with his pleasing to the eye timing and placement all around the wagon wheel,unfortunately he had a poor test match at Dhaka and failed to make any constructive impact there, but much to his credit he came back hard in the first test of the series at the DSC where he claimed the wicket of ICC test cricketer of the year and the first wicket of the 
test series, coming into the attack in just the 6th over before going on to register a crafty 88 and knock off the required runs in the 4th innings unharmed as Pakistan cruised to victory.

Last Sunday, KheloPakistan had the privilege of interviewing a very fine Pakistani cricket analyst and writer. Mr. Kamran Abbasi is a British Pakistani, a Doctor by profession. He writes at cricinfo and specifically covers Pakistan cricket. You can find his articles on the state of Pakistan cricket, at his blog (Pak Spin).

Naeem Islam was the 50th victim for Umar Gul in T20. A serious achievement in batsmen’s game. He is not the first man to reach this landmark. Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi has already completed 50 wickets in T20 format & leading the list. The tale isn’t complete here. Another Pakistani & World’s No.1 ODI bowler Saeed Ajmal is at 3 in the list. A lot has been conferred on Spin twins Ajmal – Afridi. So I am going to accolade a Peshawar born Pathan who made us feel proud on many occasions.

Gull has taken 50 wickets so hurriedly in T20, which isn't an easy task when you get only 4 overs to spell your magic...Quick and conditional cause fast bowlers can't bowl bouncers or too wide outside stumps. No overstepping the popping crease and field restricted!

This class act made it simple for him. He has ways to dismantle the opposition and get them OUT. Gul knows the art of bowling yorkers really well. He is nippy and his accuracy adds danger to his work. His ability to swing the new ball and reverse the old makes him a complete bowler in any format of the game.

In any competitive enviornment its always about Survival Of The Fittest, And the cricketing world is no exception. With Cricket becoming a huge phenomena and the commercial value attached with, The players are on thier toes all the time to prove thier potential both on and off the park. Team Pakistan has always been "Controversy's" favorite prey. From Match Fixing to Spot Fixing, Ball Tampering to Player Power not to forget Terrorism and many other unpleasantries, our cricket has been hurt badly by all. But every time Our nation has backed the players and that has resulted in a desperate yet committed efforts by the team. Why go far if we rewind the time back to 2009 (March), when a touring Srilankan team captained by Mahela Jayawardena was attacked by Terrorists just in the premisies of thw Gaddafi Stadium Lahore. several Lankan players were injured and the horrifying attack lead to the cancellation of the tour. This was a shocking event, for the first time in the country's history any Sporting team was attacked. It brought heavy consequences for Pakistani cricket and from that day onwards Pakistani people and grounds are deprived of international cricket. But it did not affect the Mental Stability of the players, despite knowing that they will not play international matches on thier home ground, the players united themselves and gave a tough time to the then World Champions Australia in a 5 match ODI Series. Soon they found themselves in England where they had to play the ICC Twenty20 World Cup for 2009 a format of Cricket that has been suitable to Pakistani style of Cricket. The team lost its warmup games to South Africa and Arch Rivals India, Pundits predicted an early exit for Younis Khan's team Pakistan. Start to the tournament was unideal lost the host country, were on the verge of an early knock but showed their guts and class defeated Netherland, qualified for the Super eights and again lost to Srilanka in the first super eight game. But this was the end of the miseries, Khan's 11 stormed their way into the semi final crushing Newzealnd and Ireland by record margins, green shirts had a mountain to climb as they faced South Africa in the semi final, but the chokers choked and Pakistan qualified for the finals and had no problems in overcoming Srilanka in the final at the Historic Lord's London. What can one expect from a team that had recently been deprived of Inernational Home Cricket and were under stern media pressure.

In 1992, when South African team joined back International cricket. Everyone knew they were a talented cricketing nation and they proved it instantly by reaching the semi-finals of the first ever Cricket World Cup they played but what difference they really made was by their fielding..!!

In fact, they had a player called Jonty Rhodes, who according to his captain Hansie Cronje - was picked into playing eleven only for his fielding. Whatever runs he made was ONLY a bonus!!

Other International teams tried to find such fielders in their teams as well and now - in 2011, nearly every team has got two or three fielders who are nearly as good as that man used to be.

This is an article where we look at some of the best fielders in International cricket today.

Ricky Ponting: He is one of the best batsmen in the history of world cricket. With his batting skill he also serves his team as an excellent fielder. He is very speedy in running and his accuracy is something special in his cricketing career. He is also specialist in catching. Statistics shows that he has more than 100 catches in both Test and ODI cricket.

History of Pakistan cricket is full with unmatched players. Pakistan have produced some such talented and legendary cricketers, whose replacement could never be found. Production of such great players hasn't stopped yet. In current time too, Pakistan cricket team is having some great players. Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq and Younis Khan are among the world's best cricketers.

The debate of Misbah-ul-Haq playing in the Pakistan ODI team is up for debate all the time. Many fans believe he is not good enough to be in the team, let alone captain it. Here is a KheloPakistan special by two authors on their views on the problem that is Misbah-ul-Haq.

Following are two different views:

Appeals of former-Pakistani Captain, Salman Butt, and young fast-bowler Mohammad Amir against the sentences passed onto them for their involvement in spot-fixing, have been turned down by the three-man panel under Lord Igor Judge, as of today. Butt and Amir to serve full sentences (Salman Butt : 30 months, Mohammad Amir : 6 months) in prison.

Walking to work this morning I was smuggly content. The streets were quiet and the day was gloomy, but I was happy. Happy and buzzing and still on a high, all because of one man.

Like him or loathe him, you've got to admire him. Cometh the hour cometh the man. Credit where credit is due. Playing for your country is an honour, playing for your country and scoring runs is a blessing, playing for your country and scoring runs and taking wickets is unbelievable, playing for your country and scoring runs and taking wickets and being man of the match is unthinkable, playing for your country and scoring runs and taking wickets and being man of the match and trending worldwide on Twitter and having your name chanted by thousands in the stadium and mentioned by millions and millions and millions of fans around the world and being the envy of all the males and being adored by all the females and the list can go on and on and on is just what dreams are made of; the dreams seen by you and me everyday.

The men in green have put on a fabulous show for all their diehard fans who have stuck with them throughout their turbulent periods. In the summer of 2010 Captain Salman Butt and pacers Mohammad Asif and Amir were involved in a de-moralising spot fixing scandal that threatened to leave Pakistani cricket in tatters. However in true Pakistani spirit, they have they have got up and have been on rise ever since, silencing their critics and providing the well awaited joy to the nation.

READ ON FOR A DETAILED TIMELINE OF PAKISTAN'S PERFORMANCES