It’s all about planning and executing

I believe Pakistan should open with Shahid Afridi, on what will be a perfect batting track at Peshawar. Afridi was devastating at the top of the order in the one-dayers in India last year and, I am sure, the Indian bowlers will be wary of him. He is a clean hitter and doesn’t allow the bowlers to settle down.

The recent past has witnessed several discussions on the pros and cons of the two ‘experiments’ that are being undertaken by the ICC — the ‘Supersub’ and ‘Powerplay’. Whatever may be their advantages and disadvantages, the fact is that they apply to both sides. There are some teams whose performances have improved after these innovations came into force, but then, their opponents have also got the opportunity to make the most of the changes.

I have to admit that I have serious reservations regarding not only the ‘Powerplay’ rule, but also its predecessor. The ‘fielding restrictions’ are, in my opinion, an absolute disgrace to this great sport. They are primarily responsible for the steep decline in the quality of fast bowling the world over. In fact, the restrictions have ensured that no team from the lower rung of cricketing nations will ever make it to the top.

Everybody likes to take potshots at teams like Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, but I do believe that these teams have it in them to improve. However, they have to be aided by the rules. There is no way their bowlers are going to fine-tune their abilities if they keep getting murdered in the first 15 overs of a ODI.

It isn’t only the bowlers who have suffered. The standards of batting too have slipped, for there is simply no challenge for the men wielding the willow. We are in an age wherein slogging has become synonymous with batting, thanks to the fielding restrictions. I shudder to think of the impact this is having on upcoming cricketers. Batting in ODIs makes youngsters imbibe bad habits, which they exhibit in Test cricket.

I strongly feel that the fielding restrictions should be done away with altogether. The laws should merely state that a bowling side would have to have at least four men in the inner circle throughout the innings. Tell me, which bowling side won’t attack in the first few overs of a game? Most teams certainly will, and that means there will be more men around the bat anyway in the initial stages of an innings, regardless of whether the restrictions are in place or not. You will be able to gauge the true worth of batsmen only in situations wherein the bowlers have been given a level-playing field.

There also shouldn’t be curbs on the bouncer. Let the bowlers serve bouncers, and let the batsmen demonstrate the hook shot! To the best of my knowledge, the game of cricket is all about an even ‘contest’ between bat and ball.

(PMG)