By Akhlaq Hanif
England’s hopes of winning the ICC World Twenty20 ended in miserable and gloomy overcast conditions last night at the Oval, but hopes of finishing the tournament with silverware would have been undeserving for a side, who failed to find any consistency throughout.
It’s surprising to believe that before the ICC World Twenty20 tournament go underway at Lords few weeks ago, that the current champions of India were the favourites to regain their crown and not the hosts. The England Cricket Board (ECB) were the men who were behind the idea and you would have thought England would be the masters of the game, but not to be.
A reason why teams such as India, Pakistan and South Africa have done so well in this year’s tournament has been the fact that they 20/20 game is played alot by their players. Whether it be playing for their country, or earning megabucks in India whilst entertaining packed crowds in the Indian Premier League, they play alot of it. Meanwhile, it was only this year that England’s Kevin Pietersen and all rounder Andrew Flintoff were allowed by the ECB to play in this year’s IPL tournament.
Pietersen was England’s best player in the tournament, come to the fore with crucial innings against Pakistan and India to help provide some much needed impotus for his team. But as the South African born Pietersen is the main star of the show, the supporting cast failed to help him in their quest for glory. Although notable mentions to opener Ravi Bopara, Owais Shah, who did their best to help get some big hits in their batting.
England lacked some sixes and except for Pietersen, there wasnt many others who stepped up to the plate to deliver the entertainment that full houses in the country’s cricket grounds had gone to see.
But some positives for them. Wicketkeeper James Foster proved why he should have been a contender for the position in all forms of the game with some quick thinking to his stumpings and general play. Graeme Swann and Adil Rashid showed why the use of two spinners in the 20/20 game can be so useful in helping slowing down the run rate in the middle overs. Pakistan and Sri Lanka have both proved how using two spinners can be runs and wicket taking opportunities for the fielding side. Rashid, playing his first competitive games for his country, impressed the pundits and commentators, with even some hinting towards the Yorkshireman to get a shock inclusion in the forthcoming Ashes squad.
The 20/20 game isn’t something England will be losing any sleep about, but if they want to improve their standing in this format of the game, then as the saying goes, “Practice makes perfect”. The ECB should allow players such as Pietersen, Flintoff and the likes of Graham Napier to play in tournaments such as the IPL. But this exit from the ICC World Twenty20 will be forgotten soon as a showdown with the men from Down Under awaits.
