New Delhi: Pakistanis are intent on finding out all the ways in which their team can remain in the ICC World Cup 2023, and their efforts have led to a meme fest.
From Shaheen Afridi setting a world record for conceding the most runs to Pakistanis believing that Indians cast a spell on the Pakistani cricket team, the World Cup has seen it all for the men in green.
During a conversation on A Sports, prominent TV presenter Fakhar-e-Alam shared former coach Wasim Akram’s humorous theory on how Pakistan may still advance to the semi-finals.
According to the anchor, Akram suggested: “Pakistan should bat first against England and score runs, then lock the England team in the dressing room and give them time out.”
Now, Pakistani cricket fans are adding all permutations and combinations to see whether their team can still qualify.
“They (Pakistan) need to beat England by 288 runs margin tomorrow if they bat first, and for that, they need to post something around 460 on board. In such a scenario, Fakhar Zaman will be the key for Pakistan. Fakhar, along with Iftekhar, are the main power hitters for Pakistan, and it will be important how they are utilised by the team management tomorrow. Nevertheless, even if they don’t qualify for the top four, they must try to win the game for pride and end the campaign on a positive note,” says Faizan Lakhani, deputy sports editor, GeoTV.
Even Richard Kettleborough, the English umpire, tweeted a video of ex-Australian bowler Brett Lee bowling at a stadium and said, “They say Brett Lee is still bowling faster than Shaheen Shah Afridi.”
They say "Brett Lee is still bowling faster than Shaheen Shah Afridi"
Belated Happy Birthday @BrettLee_58#NZvsSL #QudratKaNizam pic.twitter.com/wiQJxrRi7n
— Richard Kettleborough (@RichKettle07) November 9, 2023
Borrowing a clip from the 2006 Hindi film Chup Chup Ke, Farid Khan, founder of CricDen, tweeted a hilarious meme on Pakistan’s chances against England.
Highlights of the match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Bengaluru 😂🙈 #CWC23 #NZvsSL pic.twitter.com/jugsWir85r
— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) November 9, 2023
Fans offered all kinds of theories on ways to make Pakistan win. Most only work on paper, and it would take a miracle for them to come true on field.
Former Pakistani cricket coach Misbah-ul-Haq offered a more amusing proposal, adding that it would be preferable to imprison the English team even before the game begins.
As things stand, following New Zealand’s five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka, Pakistan found itself in an improbable position for a World Cup semi-final spot. India, South Africa, and Australia have already qualified. Pakistan must perform heroically.
Pakistan ranks fifth in the standings, having earned eight points from eight matches. If Pakistan bats first, they must win by 287 runs and by 284 balls if they chase in the Kolkata encounter with England.
Also read: Cricket, club & country. The challenge of nationalism, politics, emotion
Pakistan’s performance
Pakistan’s performance at the ICC ODI World Cup has been dismal.
Despite beating Bangladesh on Tuesday to get their campaign back on track, the country’s cricket board came under fire from former ICC president Zaheer Abbas, who slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and claimed that the team’s poor performance is due to people in charge who do not understand the sport.
The PCB has also experienced insecurity, with three new leaders in the last 10 months and current leader Zaka Ashraf unsure of his status.
On the pitch, captain Babar Azam is tasked with both improving the team’s performance and his own much-criticised captaincy.
“The truth staring into the face of Pakistan cricket, and it is one that has been peering in for over a decade or more….is that when it comes to batting, Pakistan rely on Babar and Mohammad Rizwan, they occasionally muddle through with a one-off effort from another player, or the bowlers get them out of a hole. It’s an approach you can get away with in T20 cricket, but in either of the longer forms it won’t deliver consistent or long-term success. This is an area of urgent focus after this World Cup,” wrote Kamran Abbasi for Dawn.