To be honest, Pakistan were out of the tournament even before they got to Bulawayo for the last game. There is obviously great disappointment in Pakistan, some of which is expressing itself in stupid ways, but part of the reason for the excessive feeling of being let down must be the hype created before the Cup, leading people to believe that Pakistan was one of the three teams with a realistic chance of winning. The let-down from that has obviously been drastic and thus the scampering to find excuses. It would have been infinitely better if, instead of the futile search for excuses, it is accepted that the teams that Pakistan lost to were better and that at the moment, Pakistan has, by international standards, a very mediocre cricket team. The chorus singing praises of the ‘‘abundance of talent’’ in Pakistan has a lot to answer for: if that is the case, where is that talent? Is it their case that the wrong team was selected, and that more talented players were excluded from the side? If so, the records certainly do not seem to support such an argument. The amount of resources in cricket today are much greater than they ever have been, with academies and foreign coaches and tours of Under 21s and Under 19s and so on, but the results have never been more dismal. If there really is all that talent out there, something must be hugely amiss. Certainly, as far as Pakistan is concerned, this World Cup has been a watershed and marks the end of an era. Waqar, Wasim, Rashid Latif and Saeed Anwar should seriously be thinking of bowing out. They have been great servants to Pakistan cricket and their contributions will be remembered as long as the game is played in Pakistan. But it is time now. It is sad that they could not be going out under happier circumstances, but that, as they say, is how the cookie crumbles. And this one has fallen in little pieces all over the floor. India, on the other hand, are pacing their campaign excellently. Tendulkar, whose performance against Pakistan must mark a peak even for the world’s best batsman, has now to maintain his great form over the next couple of weeks and the supporting batsmen, who played their role so well against Pakistan, have to ensure that they keep focused as well. Sehwag needs one good innings to join the party and that would make this Indian side good enough to take on anyone, the Aussies included. I would not be at all surprised to see this Indian side in Johannesburg two weeks this Sunday. (The writer is the former captain of Kent and Pakistan)
