After winning five out of 11 Tests last season, Pakistan have yet to win a five-day game. In the meantime they have already been beaten 1-0 for the first time in 39 years by Australia in the home series.
In addition to this, they have lost six one-dayers out of 12 which reflects a sorry tale for how badly the home team is struggling to regroup under the new leadership besides persistent fitness problems.
The story on Thursday during the final work-outs was also not very different when skipper Aamir Sohail turned out to be the loneliest player on the field as rest of the team members were seen chit-chatting with each other and enjoying a cool and pleasant afternoon. The skipper also had a brief outing at the nets before taking off his protection equipments in dejection. Apparently, it looked that he was unhappy with the way the bowlers were bowling at him.
The fears that all was not well in the Pakistan camp were hinted by Aamir Sohail himself when replying to a question about the likely team, he bluntly said: ``I don't prepare the team. It is either done by the coach or the selection committee. I have no say in selectoral matters. I lead the players whosoever are given to me by the selectors.''
Upon investigations, it came to know that Sohail has decided to stay away from selection meetings after his request to include Zahid Fazal, Ijaz Ahmad Junior and Azam Khan was spurned by the selectors. Informed sources said Sohail had also exchanged words with coach Javed Miandad during the Sheikhupura one-dayer on the selection of Mohammad Akram over Shoaib Akhtar and the change in the batting order.
Besides the adjustment problems between the players and the captain, fitness has become a scourge for the Pakistan team. Celebrations of Waqar Younis' return to the Test side were suppressed with the news that at least three cricketers were suffering from chest infection while Shoaib Akhtar had already been left in Rawalpindi because of flu.
Ijaz Ahmad, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Saeed Anwar missed the training session but had net practice. Later a doctor was summoned who examined the trio in the dressing room. However, no official statement was released by the team management regarding the fitness of the three.
``Ijaz, Saeed and Inzamam are not fully fit,'' confirmed Sohail. ``I can't say at the moment if they are fit enough to play on Friday,'' he added.
Shoaib Akhtar's illness became a blessing in disguise for Aqib Javed who was summoned to Peshawar on Thursday morning, not by the selection committee.
``I don't know who called Aqib Javed?'' responded Shafiq Ahmad, a member of the selection committee, who later came to inform that Aqib had been picked for a sick Shoaib Akhtar.
Aqib was overlooked for the three one-dayers against Australia and followed up by two against Zimbabwe before being called for the series decider. It is for the first time since 1994-95 that Aqib Javed has been included in a Test side despite the fact that in his last Test season for Pakistan he had captured 29 wickets in six Tests.
With the wicket having a top green and expected to assist the seamers for at least the first two days, prospects are bright for Aqib to sneak into the team and once again form the deadly bowling combination with Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis with Mushtaq Ahmad as the wrist spinner.
While there were all sorts of problems in the Pakistan dressing room, Zimbabwe were buoyant and in high spirits after their come-from-behind 61-run victory over India in the one-off Test.
``We have been playing decent cricket and the recent victory over India is in our back,'' Zimbabwe skipper Alistair Campbell told reporters at the Arbab Niaz Stadium, adding: ``Success breeds success. The more and more you win, the more you learn how to capitalize from good positions.''
``They (Pakistan) are a very good side. They have two quality bowlers and more from to pick. They have an experienced batting lineup. It's difficult nowadays to face teams who are not good sides,'' Campbell added.
Campbell opined that his team was more experienced than the one that came here two years ago. He believed that the more his team played international cricket, the more it would gets the opportunity to learn from quality players ``and you definitely will be a better side. The results this year show that we are progressing and hopefully we will continue in our upward curve.''
Pakistan captain Aamir Sohail said his team was determined to earn some consolation after losing to Australia.
``Definitely we want to compensate for earlier loss. We can produce positive results if we learn from the mistakes we made against them (Australia) and try not to repeat them,'' Sohail said.
``Hard work will be the key to success and complacency will be the enemy in the series against Zimbabwe,'' he added.
Campbell and Sohail gave contrasting observations regarding the wicket.
``It has a thick layer of grass,'' said Campbell, adding: ``But at the same time I feel that it is under-prepared. It should be a low scoring match to be dominated by the seamers.''
Sohail remarked: ``I don't know if it is going to be a result-oriented track but whatever grass is there, it will vanish after first day's play. But the wicket itself is quite hard.''
Hanif Mohammad, who supervized the preparation of the wicket, said: ``It would be an exciting Test. After the second day, the wicket would ease out but on the first day, it is going to assist the seamers and it would also take a little turn. Any team winning the toss should bat first.''
When Zimbabwe toured Pakistan in 1993, Pakistan barely managed to win the Rawalpindi Test after the authorities left grass on the wicket. Bad light had saved Pakistan for another defeat in the same series at Lahore when the match was played on a quick track.
So far, Pakistan and Zimbabwe have contested 10 Tests with Pakistan winning six and losing just one. In Pakistan, the home side has played five Tests, winning three.
Teams (from):
Pakistan: Aamir Sohail (captain), Saeed Anwar, Ijaz Ahmad, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Yousuf Youhana, Moin Khan, Azhar Mahmood, Wasim Akram, Mushtaq Ahmad, Waqar Younis, Aqib Javed, Hasan Raza, Saqlain Mushtaq, Salim Elahi.
Zimbabwe: Alistair Campbell (captain), Grant Flower, Andy Flower, Murray Goodwin, Neil Johnson, Craig Wishart, Paul Strang, Heath Streak, Gavin Rennie, Andrew Whittall, Adam Huckle, Mpumelelo Mbangwa, Henry Olonga.
Umpires: Athar Zaidi (Pakistan) and George Sharp (England).
TV umpire: Said Shah (Pakistan).
Match referee: Cammie Smith (West Indies).