World Cup Teams: Minnows Zimbabwe and Scotland, and unpredictable Pakistan

The commercials have been aired, the jerseys have been revealed and problem areas have been identified if not found solutions to – we are one week away! In the penultimate article in this series we have a look at two minnows in Zimbabwe and Scotland, and the most unpredictable side ever to take the field in this sport of glorious uncertainties. Yes, Cricket is in itself a very unpredictable sport and all sides have their trysts with volatility – but none do so with as much aplomb as Pakistan. A clinical finish to a stiff chase will be followed by an abysmal collapse on a batting pitch. A rumour or a controversy will spring up mid-way – which is when the campaign will be made or done and dusted. If Pakistan can ignore the press, ignore the equations, ignore the disputes they wouldn’t be Pakistan and we the fans would have saved a lot of fingernails. 

Zimbabwe
About the time when limited overs cricket was just taking off there was no dearth of talent in Zimbabwe. How can a nation of Brandes, Streak, Campbell and Taibu go from there and land up where they are is a question many a mystery writer will struggle with. An intelligent guess would be to attribute it to the non-cricketing issues this country faces from time to time. In times of despair and anguish  does a country look at something to act as an adhesive for the people – South-Africa did it, so did Sri-Lanka and Afghanistan are on their way. 

Brendon Taylor, Sean Williams and Hamilton Masakadza who has resurrected from nowhere bring in bags of experience and also very decent numbers. Chigumbura and Matsikenyeri will complete the brain trust with coach Whatmore. 

Two chinks in the light infantry that are Zimbabwe, are, Prosper Utseya without his off-spin and Brian Vitori with his absence. Vitori for long was their main weapon which they have chosen not to carry to Australia, is a bit baffling, although even more baffling is the case of Utseya who now has transformed into a medium pacer rather than working on correcting his action. Panyangara and Chatara will be leading the bowling attack which is essentially those two plus four fringe bowlers. It looks like Zimbabwe and Whatmore are betting on their batting and conditions down under than safe investments. 

Squad: Elton Chigumbura (capt), Sikandar Raza, Regis Chakabva, Tendai Chatara, Chamu Chibhabha, Craig Ervine, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Hamilton Masakadza, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Solomon Mire, Tawanda Mupariwa, Tinashe Panyangara, Brendan Taylor, Prosper Utseya, Sean Williams.

Scotland
There are some teams who start as minnows and work their way up to challenge full time members realistically, and some who keep their head above the water – Scotland are like the synchronised swimmers who from time and again do manage to get their head above the water for a stunt or two and then go right back. 

A few encouraging performances on tour and a decent enough display at the associate level has gained them a spot at the World Cup and deservedly but if they wish to be a first tier associate member (which is what they are most likely to remain) they need to find the bowling. 

Mommsen, Coetzer and Wardlaw do show signs that they belong and some of the newer lot do show promise but apart from Wardlaw, their bowling quite lacks the bite. Maybe the conditions will add a yard or two and a degree or more to the attack – which will happen to most bowlers – and provide them the buoyancy to be above the water. 

Scotland are the last of the associate members we are profiling and  this means one thing – the not so marquee clashes too are likely to be entertaining and close fought contests.

Squad: Preston Mommsen (capt), Richie Berrington, Kyle Coetzer, Freddie Coleman, Matthew Cross (wk), Josh Davey, Alasdair Evans, Hamish Gardiner, Majid Haq, Michael Leask, Matt Machan, Calum MacLeod, Gavin Main, Safyaan Sharif, Rob Taylor, Iain Wardlaw

Pakistan 
Which Pakistan will show up at what match has been the question – THE question, that prods every fan, opponent, analyst and team member alike. A most amazing and magical side to watch on their day – not saving any gasps – Pakistan do also capsize very efficiently. Miandad and Imran, Wasim and Waqar, Akhtar and Inzamam – and now, Misbah and Afridi – with Pakistan, it is always about two mainstays with divergent (not necessarily conflicting) opinions, styles and strengths. A mere rumour or miscommunication blows into a full blooded scandal which demoralises the team – and when the team is pure heart – like Pakistan, it manifests into a very obvious below par performance very noticeably. Although, when they (the attributes) do manage to compliment the results are beautiful – like in ’92 or ’99.

Coach Moin Khan has been very vocal, clear and confident on the combination of the squad which suffered serious setbacks on account of unavailability of Sohail Tanveer and Saeed Ajmal for reasons beyond their control. It takes a courageous panel of selectors to exclude (not overlook) Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal and Umar Gul. Younis Khan who was sweating purple not too long ago, along with Hafeez, Shehzad and Sarfraz do constitute a beautiful batting order and add to that Afridi and the ever dependable Misbah and you have an excellently gimballed madness and method. 

Now to come to the crux of the matter. The true story of this side, for ages has been their mastery of fast bowling. But this time, it looks mortal – like every other teams bowling. For the first time in a long time it looks like the main bowler (whoever he is) is not a 10-3-30-3 bowler but an 8-0-50-2 bowler. Taking nothing away from Irfan, Junaid and Riaz – who will definitely be worth their salt – the bowling is not sending shivers down the spines of batsmen. Give any batsman a choice between a half fit 50 year old Wasim Akram forced out of retirement and a fully fit Mohammad Irfan and you won’t get a prize for guessing. 

Squad: Misbah-ul-Haq(captain), Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Sarfraz Ahmed, Younis Khan, Haris Sohail, Umar Akmal, Sohaib Maqsood, Shahid Afridi, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Irfan, Junaid Khan, Ehsan Adil, Sohail Khan, Wahab Riaz

All is almost in readiness as Ravi Shastri would put it, and most engines are primed. We are in for a cracker of a World Cup where no side is a clear favourite and no neutral fan would be disheartened to see a deserving winner. What we the fans don’t want is mess-ers Duckworth-Lewis coming into play. We have reserved the bigwigs for the finale of the build-up. The home team and the defenders. The three time champions and the two time champions. The clinical and the most passionate – Australia and India.