The point about the points system

The points system devised for this World Cup has its advantages and disadvantages. Australia, the other day, tried their best to use the ...

The points system devised for this World Cup has its advantages and disadvantages. Australia, the other day, tried their best to use the system to serve their need. Call it manipulation if you may, but there was nothing illegal about the tactic they employed. And Pakistan lost to Bangladesh in a match that was of no consequence where the carry-forward points are concerned. How perfect, then is the system?

I, for one, feel it was very important for the tournament committee to have devised a system in such a way that each and every match had its significance throughout the tournament. There should have been no situation like the last match, in which it did not matter if a team showed the least interest and lost the match.

In one-day cricket in the past, there have been instances of upsets, but the way Pakistan played against the Bangladeshis would raise more than a few eyebrows. Mind you, it is not my intention to make wild allegations and single out Pakistan. What I8217;m trying to stress upon is this pointssystem can render certain matches meaningless and inconsequential, and the Pakistan-Bangladesh match was such. That8217;s why I said that a system ought to have been worked out whereby every match was important right through the tournament.

A possible alternative could have been to award one carry forward point for each game won against the teams that did not qualify for the Super Six stage. That would have ensured that every match was important from a team8217;s point of view and no game would have been taken lightly.

The Pakistan-Bangladesh match was, indeed, a one-sided contest. But who would have thought that it would be the latter who would dominate proceedings rather than the former. Nevertheless, I feel this Pakistani side does not have a strong batting line-up, and that they batted above their ability in crucial games, as they did against Australia. The wicket at Northampton was easy paced, but they struggled against Bangladesh, as they are likely to do hereafter. All the same, they carry forward fourpoints which will serve them in good stead.

The Bangladeshis go home with the hope of attaining Test status this month. However, the irony is they sacked coach Gordon Greenidge the day they were to beat Pakistan. Gordon8217;s a disciplinarian who takes no nonsense from nobody, and he8217;s worked hard for them. The Bangladeshis should not blame their coach alone for their poor performance in this World Cup. It8217;s easy to pass the buck, but it takes courage to bear the blame and try to improve oneself.

The sooner they learn this, the better for them and Bangladesh cricket.