Beware of the wounded tigers

While the 2019 World Cup title is a couple of steps away from being clinched by either Australia England or New Zealand 1992 champions Pakistan are home licking their wounds and waiting for their next chance to impress the worldDoubtless it is a heartbreaking time for Sarfaraz Ahmed amp Co Not often does a team exit a World Cup despite ending up on the same points as a side which made it to the semifinals ndash in this case New Zealand whose superior Net Run Rate saw them make it to the Top 4Also it is near unimaginable that a team which picks itself up to win four games in a row doesnt qualify for the knockout stageDespite not making it to the semifinals Pakistan can actually look back fondly on this World Cup They had a horrendous start to the tournament They had no business to lose the way they did against the West Indies but found form at various times to beat England New Zealand South Africa Afghanistan and Bangladesh They didnt hand Australia an easy win and they had a rainedoff game against Sri Lanka ndash a match that they would have been expected to win considering how poorly the islanders fared at this World CupNaturally Pakistani fans were gutted The hopes that were raised through their teams 2017 Champions Trophy triumph on English soil went up in smoke Sarfaraz the leader was a hero then Two years later his critics even have a problem with him yawningPakistans former players have been more than just critical Fast bowling greatturnedcommentator Wasim Akram was livid at the decision to field against India at Old Trafford There was merit in his angst over not being asked for advice since he knew the conditions like the back of his hand having played county cricket for LancashireShoaib Akhtar came up with a barrage of bouncers as it were I dont understand how can a captain be so brainless couldnt Sarfaraz think that we dont chase well he said on his YouTube channelAmidst the turmoil surrounding Pakistan cricket there is optimism And at the heart of that optimism there is talent and promise youth and passion Shaheen Afridi was one of the most promising seamers to emerge from this World Cup He turned in some terrific spells against New Zealand 328 and Bangladesh against whom he claimed six for 35 Had Sir Richard Hadlee been watching in New Zealand he would have been impressed with Shaheens seam position At 19 he has shown he can handle pressure even when batsmen get after himIs there anyone who doesnt want Mohammad Amir to do well With 17 scalps he has been one of the best bowlers in the tournament and displayed superb control throughout He held his own even when Pakistan were confronted by bigscoring players It shouldnt be forgotten that of the five wickets India lost at Manchester on June 16 three Hardik Pandya MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli were claimed by AmirHaris Sohailhellipnow thats the name which will never be forgotten by the South Africans It was this exciting batsmans 89 at Lords that played a big role in them exiting the World Cup And we must believe Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur when he said One of the alltime brilliant innings that Ive seen Wonder what made the Pakistan thinktank ignore him for the initial games including the clash against India If Haris doesnt flatter to deceive too often hell turn out to be one of Pakistans most enduring playersThe innings that Babar Azam constructed against New Zealand showed he has truly arrived in international cricket His unbeaten 101 steered Pakistan through a difficult chase and kept them in the tournament Babar has been touted as the next great Pakistan batsman someone who can go on to have the achievements of MisbahulHaq or Younis Khan and someone with the natural talent of a Mohammad Yousuf or Saeed Anwar He had shown glimpses of brilliance over the last few years but was yet to come good in a big event This tournament provided ample proof of his ability and temperamentShadab Khan a legspinner with plenty of potential grabbed some crucial wickets in the tournament He has good control and impressive variations apart from being capable of delivering with the batImad Wasim is a player who hasnt performed on a consistent basis Maybe this World Cup could give him the confidence to turn into a valuable allrounder His 49 not out ensured Pakistan didnt succumb to Afghanistan at Leeds on June 29 and deservedly bagged the man of the match award He followed that up with a 43 against Bangladesh at Lords Equally commendable was what Imad said at the press conference on the teams arrival in Islamabad where he was asked about the misfortune of not qualifying for the semifinals despite winning their last four league games I dont believe in luck We should make our own destiny We should work hard Results are not in our hands mdash the things that are controllable are in our handsPakistan cricket is bruised But players like Imad are not falling in the valley of selfpity like other whining teams would do had they been in a similar situation There is hope And like Andy Dufresne Tim Robbins wrote to his good friend Red Redding Morgan Freeman in the film Shawshank Redemption Hope is a good thing maybe the best of things and no good thing ever diesCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates