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    Is This Our Time?

    Written by: Shiraz Aslam
    Posted on: October 02, 2023 | | 中文

    Team Pakistan

    Zoomers (Generation Z) will never forget Misbah Ul Haq fighting tooth-and-nail in Mohali as the middle order crumbled to the Indian bowling attack. How could they forget Wahab Riaz nearly decapitating Shane Watson inside the Melbourne Cricket Ground four years later, only to be let down by lousy fielding in the ring? West Indies bouncing Sarfaraz-11 out for 105 in 2019, gives the Green Army nightmares to this day.

    Team Pakistan during the 2019 ODI World Cup

    Fast forward to 2023, and we feel a tad bit more confident today. For years, backstage politics had marred our efforts on the field, but the current Pakistani squad has stood firm and united against a rather fickle fan base and media. Despite mounting criticism, they have remained loyal to one another, aiding coordination in the field. After Misbah, Younis Khan and Shahid Afridi hung up their boots, our batting order entered a fragile phase. Fortunately, generational talent in Babar Azam stood up to the task and filled the massive void. Azam is well-supported by an enthusiastic and resilient Muhammad Rizwan and a classy Imam Ul-Haq.

    We cannot have a conversation about Pakistani cricket without bringing up arguably the greatest fast bowling trio in recent memory. Headed by a fierce Shaheen Shah Afridi, our bowling attack has set the world ablaze with their blistering pace. Along with Afridi, Naseem Shah has rattled many a top order in the powerplay. They have been around for a handful of years, and fans have already begun comparing them to the Waseem Akram-Waqar Younis duo that put the green caps on the map. On the rare occasion where these two world-class performers falter, a reliable Haris Rauf steps in to provide a much-needed breakthrough.

    Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf during Asia Cup 2023

    Unfortunately, as meme culture fittingly describes it, “Pakistan cricket isn’t just therapy, but the reason why you need therapy.” The middle order remains a puzzle that the Selection Committee has failed to resolve, for they are most suitable for T20 cricket. Their inexperience and lack of exposure only aggravates the problem. With no Misbah Ul Haq-like reliability in the middle overs, disaster is likely to follow during testing times. Once Azam, Imam Ul Haq, and Fakhar Zaman head to the dugout, the wickets tumble in no time. When the top-order collapses early in the game, the team is left struggling to play out the entire 50 overs.

    Imam Ul Haq and Babar Azam against Afghanistan during the recently concluded Asia Cup

    Following their lackluster performance in the Asia Cup, much has been said about our underperforming spinners. Shadab Khan has been extremely underwhelming, and a shell of the world-class bowler he was groomed to become. With an expensive economy rate and a low strike rate, the vice-captain has failed to consolidate and justify his position in the squad with the ball. Muhammad Nawaz has occasionally proven to be economical but still leaves much to be desired, especially on conditions that have little to offer for the bowlers. Iftikhar Ahmed, the sixth spare bowling option, is currently the only saving grace in a weak spin attack.

    Compared to England’s Adil Rashid or India’s Kuldeep Yadav, we do not possess the so-called “X factor” in our spin attack. This is especially detrimental during the middle overs of the 50-over game, as the spinners leak too many runs, leaving a tall task behind for our pace attack at the back end of the innings.

    Fakhar Zaman has been out of form lately

    The most controversial has been Babar Azam’s captaincy. Taking nothing away from the top-tier batsman, Azam has failed to bring home a single title, even with an in-form, united, world-class playing eleven. From electing to bowl when he should have batted to odd field placements, the skipper leaves many scratching their heads with the decisions he makes on the field. There is also a growing concern that the burden of captaincy may be impacting his performance. Indeed, he may have lost a step or two with the bat, as shown by his underwhelming outings in big encounters.

    The real catastrophe struck a week ago when Naseem Shah, the front-line pacer and the only player consistently firing on all cylinders, was ruled out of the World Cup with an ill-timed shoulder injury. With Shah on the sidelines, PCB desperately searched for a replacement and added Hasan Ali, who fell out of favor following an uninspiring effort in the 2021 T20 World Cup.

    Hasan Ali (center) is back in the squad after a long break

    Fortunately, all hope is not lost! We mentioned Iftikhar Ahmed impressing with the ball, and we know the damage he can cause with the bat. Ahmed may be in the best form of his career, and this could be his ticket to superstardom. Abdullah Shafique received quite a few nods for his tenacious batting display against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup. With Fakhar Zaman out of form, we may have found a suitable replacement to supplement the top order in big chases. Usama Mir, Agha Salman, and Saud Shakeel are the real dark horses. They may be inexperienced, but could be the surprise package for our team, since other teams are oblivious of their talents.

    Furthermore, the recent string of poor performances by our experienced players, specifically Shadab, Fakhar, and Babar have forced them to improve their performance, and they now have a golden opportunity to redeem themselves.

    Team Pakistan's group photo before departure to India for the World Cup

    The beauty and misfortune of the green army lies in its inexplicable unpredictability. No one knows what to expect, Babar-11 can lose a meager run chase to the Netherlands on Monday, only to march onto a comfortable victory over South Africa a few days later. They have the talent and skill, but one can only hope that nature and playing conditions favor our team.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021









    Video message by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed on Black Day of Indian Occupation of Kashmir



    Video message by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed on Black Day of Indian Occupation of Kashmir, 27 October 1947, when Indian military troops forcibly occupied Kashmir illegally, claiming a fraudulent ‘Instrument of Accession’ which never existed as documented by eminent British historian Alastair Lamb! Kashmir & Palestine are examples of illegal occupation & continued Resistance to Repression! There are so many commonalities in Kashmir & Palestine: both under brutal military occupation of foreign powers, both are facing an indigenous, popular, spontaneous & widespread Resistance & Uprising, both are in violation of UN Resolutions which haven’t been implemented, both are witnessing an attempted change in the demographic balance, both are facing the use of rape as a weapon of war, both are testimony to double-standards & hypocrisy of Western powers on human rights & fundamental rights, and both conflicts have an element of racism and Islamophobia, while enduring peace, security and stability will remain elusive in both regions, South Asia & Middle East, until these issues are resolved in accordance with popular aspirations.