Preparation:

It’s been a tumultuous few months for Pakistani cricket. Denied the right to host international cricket since the Lahore atrocity they must play their ‘home’ series abroad, despite the fanatical support they enjoy in Sharjah and England too. The MCC was determined to help as all cricket realises that a strong Pakistan is essential for the sport. The MCC put together a strong team led by former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, but what drew him to this fixture?

“An invitation from John Stephenson [the Head of Cricket at MCC], who is someone I have known for a long time,” Ganguly told us, “and it’s always good coming back here. We rather pulled up a team to play Pakistan and I thought we did very well in the end.” The match was arranged to aid Pakistan prepare for their series against Australia and England

West Indian great Brian Lara rolled back the years and rustiness – he hadn’t wielded willow in anger for a couple of years. “He’s a great player – one of the all time greats,” Ganguly said of Lara. “He hit the ball very well and he said he picked up a cricket bat since 2008 for the first time, so that is good. There are some good players around – some young guys who will be good for Pakistani cricket.”

Lara made 37 from 31 balls, but MCC’s innings was held together by an unheralded opening batsman Aiden Blizzard – currently on Victoria’s books. His 73 from 59 balls was almost a match-winning effort – perhaps it should have been – but the MCC, needing 18 from the final over, lost an exciting match by six runs.

Welcome Return:

A year ago Pakistan won the Twenty/20 World Cup at Lord’s. They were notoriously slow starters that required a big win against the Dutch to escape from their group, but they improved, just as then captain Younis Khan predicted they would. They beat Sri Lanka – the team of the tournament – in the final to win only their second World Cup.

International cricket remains banned in Pakistan, but domestic cricket continues there, producing young talented players – the lifeblood of Pakistani cricket. Meanwhile, they have a return series against Australia due to start in just over a week. The tour is sponsored by the MCC through the Spirit of Cricket in order to help Pakistan when it most needed it. The Pakistanis opened their encounters in England in fine form against an MCC Eleven.

Shahzaib Hasan dominated a half century opening partnership with vice-captain Salman Butt. Shahzaib plundered 34 runs from just 19 balls, helping himself to six fours and a six. Sri Lankan veteran Chaminda Vaas was wicketless in his four overs, which cost 31 runs, but distinguished himself in the field, taking three catches – the first to dismiss Shahzaib. Youngster Glenn Querl was the beneficiary.

Kamran Akmal was next out – the only victim of Afghan all-rounder, Mohammad Nabi – caught by Vaas again. Nabi took 1 for 18 from his 4 overs. Kamran was soon followed by Butt for 21 as the Pakistani innings stalled, but failures by Fawad Alam, leg before wicket to Chris Harris for 14 and a disappointing 11 by skipper Shahid Afridi – caught Vaas, bowled Harris – counted for little thanks to an onslaught by Kamran’s brother Umar.

Abdul Razzaq provided support with an unbeaten 20 from just 11 balls, with two boundaries, but the innings required the impetus provided by Umar Akmal. The Australian Ian Harvey was cracked around for 15 from his solitary over and the other Afghan Hamid Hassan was walloped for 42 from just 3 overs. Umar Akmal completed a deserved half-century, finishing on 51 not out. He hit three fours and as many sixes to steer the Pakistanis to a respectable 165 for 5 from their 20 overs.

Reply:

While this match was never about the result, the MCC Eleven wanted to give a good account of themselves. Middlesex’s John Simpson failed at the top of the order, splendidly caught by Umar Gul for 4. The former Rawalpindi Express, Shoaib Akhtar was the beneficiary, but even in the absence of Salman Butt, Pakistani fielding needs work.

Blizzard benefited from two reprieves as he anchored MCC’s innings  with a splendid 73. His half-century included 5 fours and two sixes and took just 38 balls, but he should never have got close. His first escape came before he got going when a substitute dropped a regulation chance. The error was compounded with a scandalous drop by Fawad that was harder to miss than catch.

Lara brought up MCC’s hundred, but that boundary required the aid of a misfield by Shahzaib. Lara’s 37 included five fours. He too enjoyed an extra life, but that chance was a difficult diving effort at gully by Gul. The bowlers deserved better support in the field and Gul decided to leave nothing to chance, bowling both Lara for 37 and Ganguly for 2.

With time running out and the run rate creeping up Ian Harvey had to try something drastic. It cost him his wicket as Akhtar rearranged his stumps for him. That left MCC needing 18 to win from the final over of the innings bowled by Mohammad Aamer. The hope for MCC was that Blizzard was on strike. He began with a huge six over long-off, but Aamer had the last laugh, bowling him.

Blizzard’s 59 ball knock included six fours and three sixes in a magnificent effort that fell just short of victory. Gul’s four overs were expensive, costing 35, but he picked up the prized wickets of Lara and Ganguly. Meanwhile, Saeed Ajmal conceded just twenty from his four, but was wicketless. Razzaq and Afridi were very expensive and Aamer chipped in with the vital wicket of Blizzard, but the pick of the attack was Akhtar, whose 2 for 19 was both effective and miserly.

Development:

A strong Pakistan is essential for cricket and the sport is crucial for the country to challenge intolerance and develop the phenomenal talent it has at its disposal. “It is a young team,” said Ganguly. “It will be a tough few months against Australia and England. They are tough sides. England has just beaten Australia in the one-day series, so it’s going to be a make or break series for them to do well. It’s good that the Pakistanis turned up here.”

But what will it take for Pakistan to progress? “They have to play well,” Ganguly explained. “It’s going to be a tough series for them – six Test matches against two tough teams. It’s going to be important for them to stand up and deliver. They need to put up gutsy performances and that’s the way they need to play these series. There will be hard times and if they hold back, they could be washed away, but if they stand up and be aggressive and gutsy they will come out well in this series.”

Despite a mild dust up with Afridi, Ganguly sees the Pakistani captain as an important figure in the resurgence of Pakistani cricket. “As I have said they generate a lot of talent,” Ganguly said. “It’s just about showing them the right way and I’m sure Afridi has got the responsibility in doing that. If he can get those boys together on the park and get them to play together they can win Test Matches.”