Pakistan had some early trouble, as it’s top order fell cheaply against a strong bowling lineup it was facing. It was a tense moment when Saud Shakeel and Saim Ayub came together to bat and there can be no doubt that the two players played the innings of their lives to all intents and purposes to revive the innings and set Pakistan on the way to an more or less respectable total.
The Situation Before the Partnership
Pakistan’s top order never came to grips with the opposition’s fast bowlers who were dictating the terms on basis of the conditions of the pitch. The top order then put in a pathetic performance for which they were rewarded with a score of 40 for 4 which put the Pakistan team on the back foot. The team required a rescue act and this has some how landed on the shoulders of Saud Shakeel, who has some experience in this tournament and Saim Ayub who is relatively new to international cricket but talented.
Saud Shakeel’s Composed Approach
Saud Shakeel is usually a very solid player who also shows a good level of technique while batting. As everyone is aware of the temperament he has and his miracle of handling pressure, it was Shakeel who decided to hold the ship. Since he entered the game, his purpose was rather obvious — to stay alive in the first fight and step by step create something for the team.
Karthik, still more circumspect than he usually was, began freely, observing the good balls and coming down the wicket only to score shots off the straight ones. He had a very good defensive technique, especially in not wanting to be dismissed early in his stay at the crease. His sense of shot placing was excellent, going for single and doubles, to reset the location of the server cross-court with consistency. Temperament of Shakeel was distinct; he was never under pressure despite the fact that the team was under pressure and successfully aimed at the goal.
Although at the start of the innings Shakeel hardly used his arms to hit but as the match went on he started to open up his batting. Such shots as the cover drives and those shots played through the leg region were a joy to be watched. Most striking, perhaps, was his adroitness in being able to adapt to the unfolding game situation in his batting. He could milk the bowling and also increase the tempo, keeping in mind not to let Pakistan lose more wickets in the company of Ayub.
Saim Ayub’s Aggressive Counter-Attack
At the other end, Saim Ayub proved to be a right-hand man of sorts to Shakeel’s solidity. A naturally aggressive batsman, Ayub used to go after the opposition bowlers in a very forceful manner. Still, the team was in a precarious state, and he didn’t duck from going for the big hits. Just as with his ground shots his foot work was excellent enabling him to get to the pitch of the ball and either drive or pull with power.
Nevertheless, Ayub was not a hare-brained fighter but a strategist. He was very selective in the balls that he went after, coming hard on the bad balls and bowled well at the good balls. His ability to identify areas of the field to target and hit boundaries meant that the pressure on Shakeel was reduced and the opponents undermined. Favourite shots: Self-assurance was also seen by Ayub, in his stroke plays, particularly the backfoot punches and drives through the off side.
Over the course of the partnership Ayub’s positivism began to translate into positive change in the favour of Pakistan. The bowlers, who were earlier on dominating their opponents, found it hard to restrict Ayub as he went on the attack as this prompted the bowlers to lose their length and line. This, in turn, enabled Shakeel to really get comfortable in the middle and carry on his attritional approach.
The Impact of Their Partnership
The combination of Shakeel and Ayub was not about the accumulation of runs, it was about resurrection. When Ayub got out after making a valuable fifty, Pakistan was in a far more comfortable state. Though Shakeel stayed on till he got his own fifty and helped Pakistan to a respectable score.
Ban and Mup were collectively worth more than 100 runs which was the match turning point. It showed that one needs players who can occur to the place, Shakeel good sense of patience and Ayub with aggression. Altogether, they managed to somehow transform what could well have been a dreadful innings into one that at least gave Pakistan something to work with.
In conclusion, the partnership between Saud Shakeel and Saim Ayub was a sheer class of the art of partnering. It reinforced basic concepts of game awareness, use of one’s strength and support between batsmen at the crease. Besides getting Pakistan out of a fix, their performance also proved that there are riches in the team’s pool as young as well as seniors rising to the occasion.
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