The Pakistanis need to demonstrate their true potential and mental toughness if they want to put an end to discouraging results in South AfricaThe Pakistan cricket team is set to fly to South Africa in a couple of days' time for a tough tour featuring three Tests and five One-day Internationals. The upcoming trip is no less than a challenge for the Pakistan cricketers since they have never won a Test or ODI series in South Africa.
In the recent series against the West Indians, Pakistan took full advantage of the home conditions and won the Test and ODI rubbers comfortably by 2-0 and 3-1, respectively. Pakistan managed to regain their winning touch against West Indies at a crucial time after the painful debacles in England and then in the ICC Champions Trophy.
The Pakistan cricketers need to demonstrate their true potential and mental toughness if they want to put an end to discouraging results in South Africa. The record-breaking Mohammad Yousuf will have to exhibit the same high profile performance against the South Africans and, to be very frank, the Pakistan team is looking for just such an inspiration from somebody in South Africa.
Fast bowlers Umar Gul and Shahid Nazir, who did wonderful jobs in England and then on the flat surfaces at home, can play an important role for Pakistan. Left-arm spinner Abdul Rehman, who exhibited his quality bowling against West Indians, can prove to be a trump card in both Tests and ODIs in South Africa.
Right now the South Africans are busy with India but strangely they are struggling in spite of playing on home grounds. This kind of ordinary performance from the hosts particularly in the Tests is definitely a good sign for Pakistan, who must use this advantage to the maximum.
This time Pakistan would compete in the series under a formerly South African-based coach Bob Woolmer which is definitely a big advantage. Woolmer, who transformed the South African team into a winning unit a decade ago through his sensible coaching, can play a key role in evolving an effective game plan against the hosts. The Pakistan camp must be very happy to know that the Kanpur-born coach, who played his Test cricket for England, is well aware of every strong and weak point of the hosts.
It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan have won a One-day International title or series or Test rubber in every Test playing country but the highly unpredictable outfit has been unable to perform the same feat in Southern Africa so far.
In all Pakistan have played 31 One-day Internationals and six Tests in a 13 years time from 1993 to 2006 in Nelson Mandela's country. Out of these one-dayers, Pakistan were triumphant in as many as 18 games against different opponents but despite having such a good winning ratio, Pakistan returned home empty-handed from South Africa every time. In the Tests too, Pakistan's record has not been satisfactory and is read as played 6, won 1, lost 4 and drawn 1.
Pakistan were involved in four one-day tournaments on South African soil out of which they reached the final stage three times but could not convert these finals into titles.
From this kind of performances one can imagine that Pakistan had some problems when they played in the decisive and crucial matches. In all Pakistan have made five trips to South Africa -- in 1992-93, 1994-95, 1997-98, 2002-03 and 2003 -- during the last 13 years.
Pakistan made their first-ever tour to South Africa under all-rounder Wasim Akram in 1992-93 for an iInternational ODI tri-series. Apart from the hosts, Pakistan and West Indies were the other teams in the competition. During this historic event Pakistan won three and lost four matches including the final against West Indies. Interestingly, Pakistan beat hosts South Africa in all their three encounters.
In the 1994-95 season, dashing batsman Saleem Malik was the captain when Pakistan toured South Africa for a quadrangular tournament and a solitary Test, the first-ever between the two countries. South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and New Zealand were the participating sides in the four-nation event. In this tournament, Pakistan remained unlucky when they could not bag the title in spite of winning five games out of eight. Unfortunately, our cricketers couldn't rise to the occasion in the best-of-three finals and surrendered to South Africa in the first two games without any notable resistance.
In the historic Test match at Johannesburg, Pakistan suffered a 324 runs defeat at the hands of South Africa. The South Africans simply knocked them out in all the departments of the game. The Pakistan bowlers played their due part in this massive loss conceding 64 extras in the first and 32 in the second innings. Our 'generous' bowlers gave their opponents a huge aggregate of 96 runs free of cost.
Pakistan, after a gap of three years, again made a trip to South Africa in 1997-98 now under wicket-keeper Rashid Latif. Besides an international triangular series, Pakistan also featured in a full three-Test rubber for the first time on South African soil. This time Pakistan could have won the Test series but they failed to maintain their winning sequence and a 1-0 lead in the third Test.
There were a few controversies and mismanagements that played a major part in disturbing Pakistan's winning rhythm in the Test series. Pakistan suffered the first blow during the side game when captain Rashid Latif injured his neck seriously and was ruled out for first two Tests of the series. Then it was in Johannesburg a day before the first Test that a mugging incident took place just outside the hotel where the Pakistan team was staying.
Then came the most important tour in the last month of the year 2002 when Pakistan reached South Africa under pacer Waqar Younis for a five-match one-day series and a short two-Test rubber. It was an ideal opportunity for the Pakistan team to make amends for disorders if any and get themselves familiar with the conditions where a few weeks later the grand World Cup event was to be played.
Pakistan entered South Africa after winning all the Tests and one-dayers against Zimbabwe quite comfortably but their excellent form altogether turned into a complete nightmare soon after landing in South Africa owing to the professional game of the hosts and a non-serious approach from our cricketers.
After a disastrous South African tour, the PCB had a month's time to streamline its affairs and remove in-house differences. At that time some radical steps were needed to make the dressing room atmosphere a friendly one but sadly the PCB high-ups and senior players wasted that short period in making baseless claims and promises and the same battered and shattered squad was named with minor changes for the showpiece event.
As was expected, Pakistan maintained their run of poor performances in the World Cup and our green flag-bearers could not advance to even the Super Six stage. Interestingly, Pakistan managed to seize the initiative in all their matches against big teams like Australia, England and India but unfortunately they could not maintain their hold and resultantly lost these matches with big margins.
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