Graeme Smith won the toss & invited Pakistan to bat in the 2^nd test, his bowlers proved that decision absolutely correct by sending four Pakistani batsmen back to the pavilion with just 33 on the board. Many were expecting another low team total at that point but Younis Khan and Asad Shafiq had other ideas. Both built their innings superbly by first seeing of the new ball and once it good older they scored freely and Younis didn’t shy even of coming out of the crease and hitting sixes. Thanks to that record 219 runs partnership, Pakistan reached 253/5 at stumps on Day 1. Here are some statistics from the 1^st day’s play:-

The 212th test cricketer to represent Pakistan

Earlier in the week, former Pakistan cricketers, Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt had their respective hearings, at The Court of Arbitration Of Sport (CAS), on their appeal against the ICC ban inflicted on them as a result of their part in a spot fixing scandal. Asif appealed the conviction and Butt the sentence given to him. The verdicts by the three-man panel are expected within the next 3 weeks.

What is still evidently clear that the duo are still in complete denial of what is pretty obvious to the rest. The evidence against the former captain and opening bowler were pretty conclusive. They were a part of the deal that was made by their agent, Mazhar Majeed, with the undercover News of the World reporter.

The Pakistani public is very gullible. Some can't take criticism and play the victim card and there are others that make their mind up and will not change their opinion, come whatever may. Butt and Asif are also playing that victim card, it's everyone's fault apart from their own, conveniently forgetting that they were the ones that got involved in fixing.

2 years to go till the World Cup. Being launched earlier today. Of course, there is a Champions Trophy, Asia Cup and another World T20 before that. Next round of qualification for associates is next month. It is round 5 of 7. By the end of the year, 2 associates will have been confirmed for the mega event. It should be interesting to see if New Zealand get to host the final in 2015, unlike 1992.

Points table

Team	Mat	W	L	T	NR	Pts	NRR
Ireland	8	6	1	0	1	13	+1.187
Scotland	8	5	2	0	1	11	+0.250
Netherlands	8	5	3	0	0	10	+0.643
United Arab Emirates	8	5	3	0	0	10	-0.185
Afghanistan	8	3	4	0	1	7	-0.680
Kenya	8	3	5	0	0	6	-0.054
Namibia	8	2	6	0	0	4	-0.375
Canada	8	1	6	0	1	3	-0.862

Round 5

6 March 2013	Afghanistan	v	Scotland	Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah, UAE

8 March 2013	Afghanistan	v	Scotland	Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah, UAE

18 March 2013	United Arab Emirates	v	Ireland	Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah, UAE

20 March 2013	United Arab Emirates	v	Ireland	Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah, UAE

19 March 2013	Kenya	v	Canada	ICC Global Cricket Academy, Dubai, UAE

21 March 2013	Kenya	v	Canada	ICC Global Cricket Academy, Dubai, UAE

16 April 2013	Namibia	v	Netherlands	Wanderers Cricket Ground, Windhoek, Namibia

18 April 2013	Namibia	v	Netherlands	Wanderers Cricket Ground, Windhoek, Namibia

Round 6

July/August 2013	Canada	v	United Arab Emirates	Canada

July/August 2013	Canada	v	United Arab Emirates	Canada

July/August 2013	Scotland	v	Kenya	Scotland

July/August 2013	Scotland	v	Kenya	Scotland

July/August 2013	Netherlands	v	Ireland	Netherlands

July/August 2013	Netherlands	v	Ireland	Netherlands

July/August 2013	Namibia	v	Afghanistan	Namibia

July/August 2013	Namibia	v	Afghanistan	Namibia

Round 7

September/October 2013	Ireland	v	Scotland	Ireland

September/October 2013	Ireland	v	Scotland	Ireland

September/October 2013	Afghanistan	v	Kenya	Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah, UAE

September/October 2013	Afghanistan	v	Kenya	Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah, UAE

September/October 2013	Canada	v	Netherlands	Canada

September/October 2013	Canada	v	Netherlands	Canada

September/October 2013	United Arab Emirates	v	Namibia	United Arab Emirates

September/October 2013

United Arab Emirates

v

Namibia

United Arab Emirates

The top two teams will qualify for the 2015 Cricket World Cup, with the remaining six teams entering a further World Cup qualifying tournament to decide the final two World Cup places.

 Sources close to Khelopakistan.com have informed us that Pakistan captain, senior statesmen and obdurate and versatile middle order batsmen, Misbah ul Haq is in talk with a couple of counties on a 3 year contract.

Plan to counter Dale Steyn

1) Play closer to the body (hold the bat inside the line)

2) Leave most deliveries outside the off stump which are shaping away, offer no stroke, get a feel of the pace and bounce of the surface. You should happily let it go by, however keep the bat close to you as a second line of defence if the inswinger darts back in so you have a chance of keeping it out if initially misjudged.

3) Play with soft hands to avoid the edges carrying, strong top hand, weaker bottom hand

4) Play it late, even when committing on the front foot

5) Occasionally give him the walk to put him off guard rather than just letting him set you up. This requires bravery and courage when doing it vs a bowler with such pace, however this is why it's a test. When you are taking all the momentum forward it is natural to have a waft and start feeling for it outside the off stump with all the momentum taking you forward. You can also be bowled as you struggle to keep out the yorker if the bowler slides one in as you have less time to play. You need to have this in mind and only do it on the odd ball.

6) If you keep fishing outside the off stump, take an off stump guard and leave anything outside the eye line. Make sure you get forward and the head doesn’t fall over to avoid LBW when Steyn bowls a straighter line if you are taking such a guard.

7) If the balls are angling in before moving away with the new cherry or with the help of overcast conditions,open the blade, BUT only inside the line, not outside the line of the off stump as this is what the slip cordon and outswing bowler want to see.

8) Be unflappable and ride your fortune, you will need it!

You must be amazed by the title and a few might be laughing on my elementary knowledge of the English language, but I still stand by what I have written in the title. In Pakistan the game of Cricket starts with a ‘P’ and not ‘C’. Here the ‘P’ mainly represents two aspects. Firstly the ‘P’ refers to the President of the Country who, as soon as he takes the oath of his office, automatically becomes the Patron or the undisputed guardian of Cricketing affairs in the country. Secondly, the Chairman of the body — Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) — which is responsible for running cricketing matters in the country, is appointed on the basis of his political (another ‘P’) alignment with the President of the Country.

Later on, the Chairman of the Board appoints various individuals mainly to his liking or on the basis of some sort of political pressure on him. Right from the top, one hardly finds a check and balance mechanism in the Pakistan Cricket Board, and since there is no accountability, the chairman feels free to exercise his will. In the majority of ICC member nations, Cricket does start with a ‘C’ but in Pakistan this alphabet is highly politicised. Almost every day the statement that "sports should not be linked with politics" is heard and acknowledged. This is indeed the height of double standards because an organisation in which politics runs as blood, how can this desire of de-linking Sports & Politics be transformed into a reality? The dream of depoliticising Cricket affairs will remain a dream unless the words are transformed into meaningful actions.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has its own constitution like the other boards, however, after going through the document one hardly finds a function without the approval of either the Patron — President of the Country — or the Chairman of the Board. Under the chairman there are two important bodies mentioned in the PCB constitution — The Board of Governors and the General Body. The former comprises of regional & department representatives, technocrats and former cricketers etc. and its responsibility is to manage the affairs of the PCB, whereas the General Body contains various PCB officials including the Chairman along with PCB’s full, associate and honourary members. The responsibility of the General Body is to make recommendations to the Governing Board on various important matters.

We will bounce back in Cape Town. The Misbah-Shafiq stand was reminiscent of Cook-Prior at Ahmadabad, not only in their approach, but also the situation of the game. Both came in defeated causes, however were crucial in minimising the humiliating, restoring pride and giving them some positives to take away with an eye on the coming tests. They have spent valuable time in the middle, kept South Africa in the field, made them work for their wickets, frustrated them greatly, taken the test deeper and lifted the morale of the camp. Misbah batted like a wall, glue, a rock, and battled for his runs which he does ever so well in a crisis when the side are up against it and undoubtedly helped the less experienced Asad Shafiq get through the extended evening session, who also defended tightly and stroked them nicely.

Proper preparation prevents poor performance.

If this was England, they would have made sure they at least organised 3 warm up matches before the first test and arrived a good month before to acclimatize to the conditions. That’s how they won the Ashes and beat India in India after 28 years. Preparation played a big part. Even in the UAE, they played 2 warm ups. 

Rather than trying to protect and pride on their top 4 test match status, all the focus from the PCB heads have been on the Twenty20 World Cup and a one day series in India.

The purest form of the game has to be made a front line priority.

You would have thought after whitewashing the previous number 1 side and going undefeated for 7 series in a row that would be the case.