Pakistan vs Scotland, 41st Match, Group 2 at Sharjah | T20 World Cup 2021
Pakistan 189 for 2 (Rizwan 79*, Babar 70) beat Namibia 144 for 5 (Wiese 43, Williams 40, Imad 1-13, Hasan 1-22) by 45 runs
As Mohammad Hafeez trudged off in Sharjah after a cameo of 31 off 19 balls, Pakistan waited intently. With five overs to go and a solid platform built, surely this was the time to send in Asif Ali, the star of their wins against New Zealand and Afghanistan, for a late blitz ahead of the knockout stages?
When he was confirmed as a replacement for the injured Sohaib Maqsood last month, the usual clichés about experience and a big-game mentality were trotted out but they could hardly have been further from the truth. In fact, Malik had not scored a half-century in an ICC event since the 2009 Champions Trophy; in leapfrogging the reserves, Malik seemed to have been picked on reputation rather than reason.
So it was no surprise that when Malik sauntered off 25 minutes later, he did so having ended that 12-year run without a fifty at a world tournament and with the crowd chanting his name, rather than Asif's. Naturally, a low-pressure slog against Scotland's spinners offered limited practice for closing out a game against Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood next week, but it added to the sense that everything is clicking for Pakistan.
By this point in his career, Malik's preference for spin bowling should be clear. In T20 cricket this year, he has been dismissed every 18.2 balls against seamers compared to 39.6 against spin; his role in Pakistan's middle order is to target the final overs of spin before Asif takes over at the death against the seamers. "It's a no-brainer: you just don't bowl a spinner in front of Shoaib Malik," Shan Masood said on ESPNcricinfo's T20 Time Out.
It was a surprise decision, then, for Kyle Coetzer to leave Brad Wheal's final two overs unbowled, meaning Malik faced only four balls of pace across five overs. He got going by clobbering Mark Watt - Scotland's best bowler of the competition - over long-off, using his long levers and letting his bottom hand take over to clear George Munsey on the rope.
Shoaib Malik added some quick runs, Pakistan vs Scotland, T20 World Cup, Group 2, Sharjah, November 7, 2021
Shoaib Malik added some quick runs•AFP/Getty Images
After blasting Saafyan Sharif over midwicket and then long-on as he missed his yorkers, twice straying into the slot, Malik ruined Chris Greaves' figures in the final over, hitting the final four balls of the innings for three sixes and a four to take Pakistan to 189, an unassailable total even on a pitch offering Sharjah's new trademark: low bounce from a good length.
Greaves was a bold choice for the final over, despite his figures of 2 for 17 after his first three: he had enjoyed several lucky escapes when drag-downs were pulled to boundary-riders on the bounce, and Malik was always one step ahead, setting himself deep in his crease when he dropped short and skipping down
Pakistan 189 for 2 (Rizwan 79*, Babar 70) beat Namibia 144 for 5 (Wiese 43, Williams 40, Imad 1-13, Hasan 1-22) by 45 runs
As Mohammad Hafeez trudged off in Sharjah after a cameo of 31 off 19 balls, Pakistan waited intently. With five overs to go and a solid platform built, surely this was the time to send in Asif Ali, the star of their wins against New Zealand and Afghanistan, for a late blitz ahead of the knockout stages?
When he was confirmed as a replacement for the injured Sohaib Maqsood last month, the usual clichés about experience and a big-game mentality were trotted out but they could hardly have been further from the truth. In fact, Malik had not scored a half-century in an ICC event since the 2009 Champions Trophy; in leapfrogging the reserves, Malik seemed to have been picked on reputation rather than reason.
So it was no surprise that when Malik sauntered off 25 minutes later, he did so having ended that 12-year run without a fifty at a world tournament and with the crowd chanting his name, rather than Asif's. Naturally, a low-pressure slog against Scotland's spinners offered limited practice for closing out a game against Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood next week, but it added to the sense that everything is clicking for Pakistan.
By this point in his career, Malik's preference for spin bowling should be clear. In T20 cricket this year, he has been dismissed every 18.2 balls against seamers compared to 39.6 against spin; his role in Pakistan's middle order is to target the final overs of spin before Asif takes over at the death against the seamers. "It's a no-brainer: you just don't bowl a spinner in front of Shoaib Malik," Shan Masood said on ESPNcricinfo's T20 Time Out.
It was a surprise decision, then, for Kyle Coetzer to leave Brad Wheal's final two overs unbowled, meaning Malik faced only four balls of pace across five overs. He got going by clobbering Mark Watt - Scotland's best bowler of the competition - over long-off, using his long levers and letting his bottom hand take over to clear George Munsey on the rope.
Shoaib Malik added some quick runs, Pakistan vs Scotland, T20 World Cup, Group 2, Sharjah, November 7, 2021
Shoaib Malik added some quick runs•AFP/Getty Images
After blasting Saafyan Sharif over midwicket and then long-on as he missed his yorkers, twice straying into the slot, Malik ruined Chris Greaves' figures in the final over, hitting the final four balls of the innings for three sixes and a four to take Pakistan to 189, an unassailable total even on a pitch offering Sharjah's new trademark: low bounce from a good length.
Greaves was a bold choice for the final over, despite his figures of 2 for 17 after his first three: he had enjoyed several lucky escapes when drag-downs were pulled to boundary-riders on the bounce, and Malik was always one step ahead, setting himself deep in his crease when he dropped short and skipping down
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