Karachi Kings needed to mean something.
And they turned out to be nothing.
They relied on big names. They should’ve sought good combinations but they believed otherwise. By now, they must be thinking the same.
But apparently, they aren’t.
Look at the squad. Aren’t they a good T20 mix?
The highest run getter of the format is opening for them. A composed young lad is accompanying him. There is a fine captain in the greatest batsman of this era.
You have Malik who can do equally well in all three departments. There comes Bopara. He can play some good strokes. And he can bowl a few good ones. And what about Sohail Khan? Not only he can hit the ball cleanly but he moves it too.
Amir is still a good T20 bowler. And he can smash it too. Usama Mir might have the least exposure but he can handle pressure. He’s shown it.
Look Imad is there.
But, is he?
Nonetheless, a strong batting line is complemented by a good mix of spin and pace. What else you need to mean something?
But’s what you see from a vantage point. Details are not that rosy.
The most hyped player of T20 is not there. His attention spans have been flashy. He’s always found short of movement. And he has been tried more than enough. He should’ve been dropped long ago. Yet, they are expecting a one-off miraculous innings from him.
Pollard rarely gets runs. He doesn’t bowl anymore. He is not even a good fielder. But since, they’ve spent a lot on him and since he is a big name, they won’t let go off him.
Their two of the most important batting slots are misfiring. They can’t open well. Neither can they finish. And the consistent failures of these two big guns have put extra load on all others. Their batsmen get poor starts. They can’t hold it together until the 15th over. And their tail is not getting any support from Pollard or even Imad.
Sanga, once a wise captain, now looks frustrated. Can you believe he has forgot all that he knew of his gloves only in last two weeks?
Now, he makes errors in field placings. He gets confused. He mistimes the all important switch of pace and spin.
His batters don’t help him.
He fails to help his bowlers.
His ship is rushing towards a glacier and he can’t do enough to stop it.
And then you have theatrics as if all these things failed to amuse you.
A strategic time-out is called for. But Sanga didn’t ask for it. He was signalled from the dressing room by his old partner Mahela.
And as the team surrounded Mickey Arthur, there was a moment.
Beside the wicket, there is a team meeting. Thus far in the game, Karachi have fared miserable. And Arthur was there to calm things down. He had to tell them to hold their nerves. He is surrounded by his XI. He is talking to them. But then the camera man finds a good shot and then we see he’s talking to Sohail Khan.
But he’s not talking.
He’s shouting.
He commands Sohail to look into his eyes. And then you can’t hear what he says. Even Sohail can’t. Yet, he does. But his face tells otherwise.
In next over, Sohail produces two wickets. Two make three. Karachi look in command.
But then, Sohail’s next over is completely out of place. The guy who produced two wickets in the previous one, is now as senseless as the entire Time-Out meeting.
Again, Karachi start losing their nerves.
Shoaib Malik bowls a very good length on middle stump. Roussow cramps himself for room. He doesn’t find the ball. Ball gets itself to the edge of his bat. It flies from the vacant slip region.
Sanga doesn’t even sigh.
Malik looks in disbelief.
Out there in the square, a guy runs behind it. He is running. But he isn’t going behind it with a hope to keep his team alive. He is just running for himself, to stop himself from one more error.
He manages a lazy dive, collects the ball and throws it back. The camera zooms in. This is Sohail Khan.
Behind the stumps, a lost face tries to hide behind those big white gloves. He looks into the sky. Then he rolls his eyes in disbelief.
It appears he’s asking himself, “Why am I here?”
And they turned out to be nothing.
They relied on big names. They should’ve sought good combinations but they believed otherwise. By now, they must be thinking the same.
But apparently, they aren’t.
Look at the squad. Aren’t they a good T20 mix?
The highest run getter of the format is opening for them. A composed young lad is accompanying him. There is a fine captain in the greatest batsman of this era.
You have Malik who can do equally well in all three departments. There comes Bopara. He can play some good strokes. And he can bowl a few good ones. And what about Sohail Khan? Not only he can hit the ball cleanly but he moves it too.
Amir is still a good T20 bowler. And he can smash it too. Usama Mir might have the least exposure but he can handle pressure. He’s shown it.
Look Imad is there.
But, is he?
Nonetheless, a strong batting line is complemented by a good mix of spin and pace. What else you need to mean something?
But’s what you see from a vantage point. Details are not that rosy.
The most hyped player of T20 is not there. His attention spans have been flashy. He’s always found short of movement. And he has been tried more than enough. He should’ve been dropped long ago. Yet, they are expecting a one-off miraculous innings from him.
Pollard rarely gets runs. He doesn’t bowl anymore. He is not even a good fielder. But since, they’ve spent a lot on him and since he is a big name, they won’t let go off him.
Their two of the most important batting slots are misfiring. They can’t open well. Neither can they finish. And the consistent failures of these two big guns have put extra load on all others. Their batsmen get poor starts. They can’t hold it together until the 15th over. And their tail is not getting any support from Pollard or even Imad.
Sanga, once a wise captain, now looks frustrated. Can you believe he has forgot all that he knew of his gloves only in last two weeks?
Now, he makes errors in field placings. He gets confused. He mistimes the all important switch of pace and spin.
His batters don’t help him.
He fails to help his bowlers.
His ship is rushing towards a glacier and he can’t do enough to stop it.
And then you have theatrics as if all these things failed to amuse you.
A strategic time-out is called for. But Sanga didn’t ask for it. He was signalled from the dressing room by his old partner Mahela.
And as the team surrounded Mickey Arthur, there was a moment.
Beside the wicket, there is a team meeting. Thus far in the game, Karachi have fared miserable. And Arthur was there to calm things down. He had to tell them to hold their nerves. He is surrounded by his XI. He is talking to them. But then the camera man finds a good shot and then we see he’s talking to Sohail Khan.
But he’s not talking.
He’s shouting.
He commands Sohail to look into his eyes. And then you can’t hear what he says. Even Sohail can’t. Yet, he does. But his face tells otherwise.
In next over, Sohail produces two wickets. Two make three. Karachi look in command.
But then, Sohail’s next over is completely out of place. The guy who produced two wickets in the previous one, is now as senseless as the entire Time-Out meeting.
Again, Karachi start losing their nerves.
Shoaib Malik bowls a very good length on middle stump. Roussow cramps himself for room. He doesn’t find the ball. Ball gets itself to the edge of his bat. It flies from the vacant slip region.
Sanga doesn’t even sigh.
Malik looks in disbelief.
Out there in the square, a guy runs behind it. He is running. But he isn’t going behind it with a hope to keep his team alive. He is just running for himself, to stop himself from one more error.
He manages a lazy dive, collects the ball and throws it back. The camera zooms in. This is Sohail Khan.
Behind the stumps, a lost face tries to hide behind those big white gloves. He looks into the sky. Then he rolls his eyes in disbelief.
It appears he’s asking himself, “Why am I here?”
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