On the 4th innings marvel that is YK and eternal whiners

The fact that Pakistan won their first test series in almost 4 and half years didn’t prevent some rather immature fans from whining about the result of the 2^nd test. The whiners complained that Pakistan teams approach to the target was gutless, tame, and what they called “phattu mentality” of the captain and coach robbed us from clean sweeping the miserable Kiwis.

Some of them would rather have Pakistan lose and draw the test series then to DRAW a test match from a winning position so shamelessly. The legacy of the cornered tigers they say has been disgraced by the utter nonchalance Misbah ul Haq displayed in the afternoon session chasing 274.

Maybe my fellow fans are forgetting that this is test match cricket and this team is still a work in progress. The team only has one world class batsman in the shape of Younis Khan (when he was on the crease the chase was still on) who can be expected to chase down totals in excess of 250 on a 5^th day wicket.  I didn’t expect them to chase down the total after we were in trouble at 43/3 and risked losing the match. Considering how much turn a part-timer like Mohammad Hafeez was getting on the 4^th day it was always going to be a challenge for the sometimes brittle Pakistani batting lineup to go for the win.

Image Courtesy: Marty Melville/Getty Images

Only 3 things are certain in life, taxes, death and a Pakistan batting collapse. Could the team think tank really risk losing a series, that too after 4 long years just to win one test match? Would you have done the same, considering that only a keeper who is playing his 4^th test match and the tailenders were left behind?

This is exactly what has been ailing Pakistan cricket for the past 4 years, the disability to look at the bigger picture, the incapacity to stick on the wicket and tough it out.

Younis - Pak Crickets hottest commodity

Sure we all want some entertainment out of it, but this is REAL TEST CRICKET. The still relatively inexperienced team cannot slog their way out to a win when they do not have the necessary experience to deal with a collapse. This is test cricket we are talking about folks, not a gulli danda T20 slog-fest.

To sum it up, I think Misbah ul Haq and his men made a brave choice when they gave more importance to a long awaited series win rather than a senseless chance at glory.

Speaking of Younis Khan, has Pakistan ever produced a batsman more capable of handling the pressure of the 4^th innings the way he does? Well the stats definitely say a big NO to that. The man is a class above everyone who is playing test cricket for Pakistan right now, a true winner.

The incomparable Khan from Mardan has been there more often than not when the team is in crisis. It was absolutely cruel of the PCB and his fellow players (who rebelled against his captaincy) to keep him out of the test side for almost 2 years.

Here are some amazing stats of Younis Khan in the 4^th Innings of a test match. Oh, and Cricinfo tells me that he is second only to The Great Don Bradman in 4^th innings batting average.

Younis Khan 4^th Innings Stats

Matches – 23 | Innings 21 | Not Out 6 | Runs 887 | Highest 131 | Average 59.13 | 100’s 4 | 50’s 4