Pakistan didn't execute any skills against West Indies, they just executed themselves

“We’ve just got to execute our skill sets.” - Any Player/Coach/Trainer/Physio Ever Executing basic skills is the foundation of a successful cricket team. When you’re a young age-group cricketer, it’s not nets that take up your training sessions, it’s catching drills, long barriers, target practice and routines. This Pakistan team, like the last, and the one before that and before that, don’t really like basic skills. You get the sense Pakistani cricket teams are made up entirely of those kids at school who just wanted to hit the ball hardest furthest, and bowl it fastest furthest. [caption id=“attachment_2113833” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] This Pakistan team, like the last, and the one before that and before that, don’t really like basic skills. AFP[/caption] Commentator Nick Knight said on air that there was a discernible difference in the way Pakistan and West Indies and the rest of cricket’s major nations go about their pre-match routine. They lack intensity, concentration, focus and a sense of purpose. In the eyes of Pakistan and West Indies pre-match routines are a procedure not a necessity. Young kids hate fielding drills in practice, but the more cricket you watch and the more cricket you play, you come to realise that fielding is actually pretty cool. You can look like a super hero in the field. Andre Russell knows this, Dwayne Bravo knows this and Kieron Pollard knows this. Pakistan don’t know this. Pakistan are not young kids. Unless it’s 1992 and Imran Khan is captain, talent alone is not enough to win matches consistently, especially in an age when every other team is executing their skill sets and enjoying their fielding. But talent should be enough to avoid humiliation. But sadly this Pakistan team doesn’t have much talent. No one actually knows how many catches Pakistan dropped against the West Indies. Some say it was seven, some say eight, although six is probably closer to the truth. People genuinely lost count. And it wasn’t just the catches. It was pressure on the ball. Intensity. Concentration. Focus. Ones became twos and twos became fours. Pakistan were ragged, rugged and untidy. Pakistan conceded 89 runs in the final six overs of West Indies innings. Pakistan bowled 14 wides and conceded 23 runs in extras. West Indies scored 310. Pakistan have never chased a score of more than 280 in Australia or New Zealand. It was no different against the West Indies. After 19 balls Pakistan were 1-4. Three of the top four scored ducks. After 19 balls the match was over. Nasir Jamshed was out pulling a ball from outside off stump. Ahmed Shehzad drove at a ball too short to drive. And Haris Sohail cut straight to point. They were not ‘got out’. They ‘got themselves out’. Next Pakistan play Zimbabwe in what has now become a must-win match. Younis Khan’s position in the side is surely under threat. In 2015 he has scored 1, 7, 9, 11, 25, 19, 6 and 0. Just a few months ago Younis was scoring Test runs for fun. But this is not Test cricket. This is high-octane ODI cricket. But Younis has hundreds of matches of international experience so who cares if he can’t score any runs? Umar Akmal and Sohaib Maqsood showed what Pakistan are truly capable of. Despite being young players without hundreds of matches of experience they batted with restraint, maturity and caution and both scored fifties. Sure, the match was all but over but it showed that this team and its integral players have the skills. It’s just a case of executing those skills. Because against the West Indies the only thing Pakistan executed was themselves.