Pakistan Cricket

At the last possible opportunity, Pakistan finally secured a win on their tour of Bangladesh, with a 328-run victory on Saturday.

After being swept by their hosts in the three-match ODI series, as well as losing the one-off Twenty20 international, Pakistan saved their best for the Test leg of the trip.

In the first match in Khulna, their bowlers proved unable to ram home their advantage and force a victory.

The Tigers roared back in their second innings to survive comfortably in the opener, losing only six wickets as they occupied the crease for 136 overs.

However, when the series moved on to Dhaka, Bangladesh reverted back to type.

Pakistan piled on 557 for eight declared, and in reply the home side were bowled out for 203. Once again they were in survival mode, only this time they did not come close to achieving their goal.

Set a nigh-on impossible target of 550 with the match only just beyond its halfway point, they failed to even make it through to the final day of the contest. 

Leg-spinner Yasir Shah was the pick of the Pakistan attack in the final innings with four wickets, but it had been a team effort. The batsmen had scored runs early to set the game up, allowing the bowlers to go to work with the reassurance of knowing they had a big total on the board. 

The 328-run triumph not only secured the series but also means Pakistan sit in third place in the ICC rankings, as pointed out by Dennis Does Cricket:

Pakistan are now ranked 3rd in the Test rankings. It's Misbah's fault.

— Dennis Does Cricket (@DennisCricket_) May 9, 2015

However, the positive result should not paper over the cracks of what has been, in the main, a disappointing tour.

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan was in attendance for the final Test in Dhaka. His presence perhaps had the desired effect in the short term, but it seems he is already contemplating changes. 

Per Umar Farooq of ESPN Cricinfo, Khan said before the final match got underway: 

There are concerns back home with regard to Pakistan's performance, and I will talk to the coaches, manager and captain to find out the reasons for our unsuccessful tour. 

But I am not here to take immediate action.

We have decided that we will sit down and assess the situation after the tour to see what is to be done with the team and the strategy.

He added that he was looking to “address the issues in the long run” and in particular questioned the fitness levels of those appearing in the first-class game back in Pakistan.

It seems, for once, Pakistan’s cricketing powers are at least thinking beyond the immediate future.

There is an understanding that there is no quick fix, no short road to success. That is refreshing to hear from the PCB, an organisation that has been prone to overreacting to negative results in the past.

The tour to Bangladesh has highlighted some areas of concern, particularly in the 50-over game.

However, the Test series showed that, under the leadership of the experienced Misbah-ul-Haq, it is not all doom and gloom.

Saj Sadiq pointed out the contrasting fortunes for Pakistan in the different formats in the following tweet:

Contrasting fortunes of Pakistan's Test & ODI teams :-
Tests : Last 7 series, only 1 series loss
ODIs : Last 5 series, lost all 5#Cricket

— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) May 9, 2015

Pakistan should be cheerful considering they will soon get to host international cricket again. Zimbabwe will arrive for two Twenty20 fixtures and a three-match ODI series later in the month of May.

Perhaps a return to familiar surroundings can help lift their limited-overs form.

There is no place like home, particularly for a team that has not played in front of their own support since March 2009.

Not long after Misbah-ul-Haq hit an uncharacteristically fast half-century, it became quite clear that Pakistan were very much in control of the second Test against Bangladesh.

After amassing 557 in their first innings and restricting Bangladesh to 203 in their first-innings response, Pakistan showed real intent. With two days remaining in the match and miles to go, Bangladesh were always going to have a tough time getting a positive result.

The hosts' openers fought valiantly on Day 3, but they needed to get through to the close of play without losing a wicket. At one stage, it looked like they might. Junaid Khan and Imran Khan provided no real threat to the batsmen at the crease and runs started flowing relatively freely.

Then, just as the close of play was looming, an inspired moment from the skipper saw Yasir Shah brought into the attack for the first time in the second innings. The leg-spinner started off steadily. Shah had a great first innings having taken three for 58 at an economy rate of 3.74. Every over he bowled served as a reminder of why leg spin can be such a joy to watch, but it wasn’t until his wicket on Day 3 that everyone really sat up and took notice.

In his second over of the second innings, Shah delivered a ball that can only be described as something like Shane Warne’s “Ball of the Century” to dismiss Imrul Kayes. It was poetry in motion. Pakistan need nine more wickets to seal a series victory against Bangladesh, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if Shah takes at least half of those.

Yasir Shah at his best... Shane Warne reborn. pic.twitter.com/zvsWcdlfgd

— MANI (@M4NIII) May 8, 2015

Yasir Shah at his best... Shane Warne reborn. pic.twitter.com/zvsWcdlfgd

— MANI (@M4NIII) May 8, 2015

Leg spin is not an easy thing to do. While spinners have become more and more valuable in limited-overs cricket, many have struggled in the longest format of the game.

South Africa’s Imran Tahir is a prime example of how leg-spinners can struggle in Tests because they so often lose patience and get frustrated when things do not go their way. But spinners, and especially leg-spinners, still have a crucial role to play in the longest format of the game. 

Their ability is something far more mystical than the so-called mystery spin. Those leg-spinners who show even an inkling of ability deserve to be treated like royalty, and their talent should be nurtured because they are worth their weight in gold.

This yasir shah is absolutely brilliant. Every single wicket in this test has been a reminder to how potent leg spin is in tests.

— Well Pitched (@WellPitched) May 8, 2015

It's imperative for the survival of the game of cricket that Adam Milne and Yasir Shah go on to have great careers.

— - (@slothhdad) May 8, 2015

Yasir Shah is already 29 years old, and he has played just six Tests for Pakistan. In those Tests, he has taken 30 wickets (with more likely to follow in this Test). They have come at a slightly high average of 30.63, but this is why it is so important to manage leg-spinners properly. Yes, they will go for runs, but when they are backed up and supported by their fellow bowlers, and when the pitch has something in it for them, they can completely destroy batting lineups.

Perhaps only those who follow domestic cricket in Pakistan closely would have been aware of Yasir Shah’s existence before today. Now, he is the cricketer everyone is talking about.

With the right management and a little bit of luck, many will be talking about him for years still to come. 

Pakistan took a firm grip on the second Test after a Bangladesh batting collapse on Day 2 in Mirpur.

After declaring on 557-8, the visitors reduced Bangladesh to 107-5 in their first innings at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.

			Runs	Minutes	Balls	4s	6s
Hafeez	c Mushfiqur Rahim	b Shahid	8	19	16	1	0
Aslam	c Shahadat Hossain	b Islam	19	101	58	2	0
Azhar Ali	c Mahmudullah	b Hom	226	556	428	20	2
Younus Khan	c Hom	b Shahid	148	240	195	11	3
Misbah-ul-Haq		b Shakib	9	24	22	0	1
Shafiq	c Mahmudullah	b Hom	107	217	167	9	1
Sarfraz Ahmed	not out		21	25	21	3	0
Riaz	c Kayes	b Islam	4	7	9	0	0
Yasir Shah	lbw	b Islam	0	3	1	0	0
Extras		5nb 2w 0b 8lb	15
Bowler			Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Shahadat Hossain			0.2	0	4	0
Sarkar			17.4	1	57	0
Shahid			31	10	72	2
Islam			51	3	179	3
Hom			16	0	76	2
Shakib			30	3	136	1
M Haque			3	0	12	0
Mahmudullah			2	0	12	0
Kayes			1	0	1	0

Pakistan resumed on 323-3, and Azhar Ali went on to make a maiden double century.

Azhar began the day on 127 and soon passed his previous Test best of 157 despite the loss of captain Misbah-ul-Haq for just nine as he was bowled by Shakib Al Hasan.

They progressed to 428-4 at lunch as Azhar and Asad Shafiq batted freely.

Azhar's 200 came up off 406 balls, and Asad's sixth Test century followed soon after from 149 balls.

Best individual scores in test matches at Mirpur. pic.twitter.com/m6g9HtrThH

— PTV Sports (@PTVSp0rts) May 7, 2015

Their 207-run partnership ended as Azhar holed out to long off from Shuvagata Hom's bowling for 226. Asad departed in identical fashion 17 balls later for 107.

Misbah declared at tea and then saw opening bowler Junaid Khan strike twice in his opening five overs.

Tamim Iqbal, a double centurion in the first Test, was trapped lbw for four, and Mominul Haque was caught behind for 13.

			Runs	Minutes	Balls	4s	6s
Tamim Iqbal	lbw	b Junaid Khan	4	4	4	1	0
Kayes		b Yasir Shah	32	93	46	6	0
M Haque	c Sarfraz Ahmed	b Junaid Khan	13	40	34	2	0
Mahmudullah	c Azhar Ali	b Riaz	28	59	32	4	0
Shakib	not out		14	43	27	1	0
Mushfiqur Rahim		b Yasir Shah	12	28	24	3	0
Extras		0nb 2w 0b 2lb	4
	Bowler		Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
	Junaid Khan		6	2	26	2
	Khan		7	0	31	0
	Riaz		8	1	33	1
	Yasir Shah		5.5	1	15	2
	Hafeez		1	1	0	0

Leg-spinner Yasir Shah also picked up two wickets, pegging back Imrul Kayes' leg stump for 32 and then bowling Mushfiqur Rahim (12) with a googly with the final delivery of the day.

Between those wickets, Mahmudullah (28) had coughed up a Wahab Riaz bouncer to Azhar Ali at short leg, and Bangladesh need another 251 to avoid the follow-on.

Pakistan piled on the runs on the opening day of the second Test against Bangladesh in Mirpur.

Younis Khan and Azhar Ali scored centuries as the tourists reached 323-3 at stumps at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.

			Runs	Minutes	Balls	4s	6s
Hafeez	c Mushfiqur Rahim	b Shahid	8	19	16	1	0
Aslam	c Shahadat Hossain	b Islam	19	101	58	2	0
Azhar Ali	not out		127	343	258	13	0
Younus Khan	c Hom	b Shahid	148	240	195	11	3
Misbah-ul-Haq	not out		9	18	18	0	1
Extras		5nb 1w 0b 6lb	12
	Bowler		Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
	Shahadat Hossain		0.2	0	4	0
	Sarkar		11.4	1	32	0
	Shahid		21	6	43	2
	Islam		30	2	102	1
	Hom		8	0	47	0
	Shakib		14	0	68	0
	M Haque		2	0	8	0
	Mahmudullah		2	0	12	0
	Kayes		1	0	1	0

The hosts won the toss and elected to field, but their attack toiled. Their quest not aided by the loss of new-ball bowler Shahadat Hossain after only two deliveries with a knee injury.

Injured Shahadat Hossain unlikely to bowl
He has to be stretchered off the field during the lunch break#BANvsPAK pic.twitter.com/ZmmhJmS9mg

— Cricket Crazy Fans (@criccrazyfans) May 6, 2015

Despite the opening-over injury to Shahadat, the Tigers made inroads in the morning session and removed both openers before lunch.

Mohammad Hafeez made a double century in the drawn opening Test but edged Mohammad Shahid behind for just eight.

The score had moved to 58 when Sami Aslam played an aggressive shot to left-arm spinner Taijul Islam only to be caught by Shahadat, who was still on the field at that point before aggravating his injury during lunch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JCWriHMFaw

Azhar was on 18 when he nicked Shahid to slips, only for a no ball to be given, and he took full advantage of the reprieve.

Azhar and Younis scored in excess of four runs per over in the middle session to push the score to 196-2 at tea and both brought up their centuries after the adjournment.

Younis reached his 29th Test century off 142 balls with Azhar more circumspect as he reached three figures for the eighth time in Tests from 211 deliveries.

Younis Khan is faster than Sangakkara, Kallis, Dravid, Lara, Mahela, SWaugh and Chanderpaul to 29 Test centuries. #BANvPAK

— Cricket Records (@cricinfo_record) May 6, 2015

They brought up the 300 shortly after the second new ball was taken with their 250-run stand for the third wicket a record in matches between the teams.

Younis departed for 148 late in the day, slicing Shahid to Shuvagata Hom in the gully, but Azhar remains unbeaten on 127.

Pakistan are looking for their first win of the tour after losing all three one-day internationals and the Twenty20 match between the sides before last week’s drawn Test.

If anyone ever needed an example of just how different the limited-overs format is to the Test format, point them to the current Test between Bangladesh and Pakistan.

After copping a severe beating in the one-dayers and the one-off Twenty20, Pakistan have bounced back tremendously in the first Test against Bangladesh to finish Day 3 on 537 for five, with a lead of 205 in the bag.

A central figure in their fightback has been Mohammad Hafeez, who notched up an impressive double century on Thursday. Hafeez had a pretty disastrous one-day series, but with patience and resilience he has turned things around and put Pakistan firmly in control.

Many congrats Mohammad Hafeez - maiden double ton! Skill and patience in equal measure...

— Neil Manthorp (@NeilManthorp) April 30, 2015

Bangladesh looked out of their comfort zone. Their bowlers were always bowling too short, too wide, too this, too that, but that should not take away from Hafeez’s feat. It took immense concentration to reach the milestone. That he got out to the worst ball he had faced all day, playing one of the silliest shots he had played through his entire innings, will be merely a subtext to his feat.

But Hafeez’s knock should not come as too much of a surprise. With it came a most pleasant record. Hafeez now has the most runs in five consecutive innings in Test cricket for any Pakistan player and the fourth-most overall. He’s also the third-oldest Pakistan batsman to score 200 in a Test.

Most runs in 5 consecutive inns by an opening batsman in Tests:

G Gooch 756
S Jayasuriya 678
G Smith 671
Hafeez 642
Hayden 638#PakvBang

— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) April 30, 2015

Oldest Pakistan batsmen to score 200 in Tests:

Younis Khan 36y and 336d
Zaheer Abbas 35y and 140d
Mohammad Hafeez 34y and 195d

— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) April 30, 2015

In his last four Tests, Hafeez has scored 690 runs at an average of 115.00, including one fifty and two hundreds with the bulk of those runs coming in a series against New Zealand last year. He came agonisingly close to his first double century against New Zealand in Sharjah, managing 197 in the first innings before top-edging a half tracker and being caught at deep square leg.

While the double century in itself is impressive, even more impressive is that it has come away from home and it has come at a time when Pakistan still do not play any Tests on home soil.

An entire generation of Pakistani batsmen fell apart after the home ban. Of them, only Hafeez made it past the morass. Good knock here.

— Ahmer Naqvi (@karachikhatmal) April 30, 2015

It’s something of a stretch to suggest Hafeez is the only one to have survived the impact of no home Tests. He was not part of the squad that faced Sri Lanka when the terrorist attack that would subsequently see cricket taken away from Pakistan happened. A young Ahmed Shehzad was, and he has since gone on to notch up some impressive knocks.

Hafeez was part of the squad that played South Africa two years before, but that does not mean the lack of home Tests should be ignored.

For many young Pakistani batsmen, especially those who are just starting their career, no cricket at home means they have to work so much harder to achieve consistency. 

Playing their “home” tours in the United Arab Emirates has proved fruitful. For the young players who still play their domestic cricket in Pakistan, though, simply shifting to a different venue that is always away from home and having to adjust to that takes something special. And while Hafeez is something of a late bloomer, he falls into that category, too.

In the context of his career and this series, this double century is possibly one of the most crucial of his career. It’s now up to Pakistan to use this platform and kick on.

A career best from Mohammad Hafeez put Pakistan firmly in control on day three of the first Test against Bangladesh in Khulna.

The opener made 224 as the tourists reached 537-5 at stumps, a first innings lead of 205.

			Runs	Minutes	Balls	4s	6s
Hafeez	c Mahmudullah	b Hom	224	454	332	23	3
Aslam	c Mushfiqur Rahim	b Islam	20	50	36	2	1
Azhar Ali		b Hom	83	238	177	4	1
Younus Khan		b Islam	33	74	68	4	0
Misbah-ul-Haq	c Rubel Hossain	b Islam	59	161	122	4	2
Shafiq	not out		51	138	103	5	0
Sarfraz Ahmed	not out		51	57	54	3	2
Extras		4nb 3w 5b 4lb	16
Bowler			Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Rubel Hossain			22	3	82	0
Shahid			17	4	51	0
Islam			36	3	116	3
Hom			32	1	112	2
Shakib			31	3	122	0
Mahmudullah			4	0	30	0
Sarkar			1	0	2	0
M Haque			5	0	13	0

Pakistan resumed on 227-1, with Hafeez on 137, and they scored 106 runs in the morning session for the loss of Azhar Ali.

Azhar had added 18 to his overnight 65 when he saw off-spinner Shuvagata Hom peg back his middle stump with a delivery that turned through the gate.

Finally Shuvagata Hom gets one pass Azhar Ali's defence! A 227-run partnership comes to end. Azhar misses out on a 100. Pak 277/2 #BANvPAK

— Israr Ahmed Hashmi (@IamIsrarHashmi) April 30, 2015

Younis Khan (33) fell in the fourth over of the afternoon when left-arm spinner Taijul Islam beat the outside edge and hit off stump.

Hafeez surpassed his previous highest Test score of 197 and brought up his double century off 286 balls as he swept Taijul for two.

Mohammad Hafeez finally breaks the 190s hoodoo. Reached his maiden double-ton. http://t.co/tBvPvPtnyJ #BANvPAK pic.twitter.com/MyAdaRWTsf

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) April 30, 2015

His 332-ball vigil came to an end when Mahmudullah took a sharp catch at leg slip when Hafeez gloved an attempted sweep off Hom.

Mohammad Hafeez maiden Test 200 @ 34 years 195 days. Only Younus Khan and Zaheer Abbas older for Pakistan while ,making a 200#BanvPak

— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) April 30, 2015

Pakistan were 421-4 at tea and Misbah-ul-Haq made a patient half-century before becoming Taijul’s third victim. The captain was on 59 when he top-edged a sweep to Rubel Hossain at backward square leg.

Misbah scores 27th test fifty off 105 balls. #BANvPAK pic.twitter.com/4rsU9xYJHB

— PTV Sports (@PTVSp0rts) April 30, 2015

Asad Shafiq and Sarfraz Ahmed increased the tempo late in the day and took the total past 500, becoming the fourth and fifth visiting batsmen to go past 50.

Both will resume on day four on 51 as they look to push their lead towards 300.

Mohammad Hafeez scored a century as Pakistan dominated the second day of the first Test with Bangladesh in Khulna.

Hafeez scored 137 not out as the tourists reached 227-1 at stumps in reply to Bangladesh’s 332.

			Runs	Minutes	Balls	4s	6s
Tamim Iqbal	c Azhar Ali	b Yasir Shah	25	108	74	3	0
Kayes	c and b Hafeez		51	164	130	6	0
M Haque	lbw	b Zulfiqar Babar	80	260	162	8	0
Mahmudullah	c Sarfraz Ahmed	b Riaz	49	138	123	6	0
Shakib	c Shafiq	b Zulfiqar Babar	25	76	61	3	0
Mushfiqur Rahim	c Misbah-ul-Haq	b Yasir Shah	32	99	71	5	0
Sarkar	c Shafiq	b Hafeez	33	70	55	5	0
Hom	not out		12	35	11	0	0
Islam		b Yasir Shah	1	10	11	0	0
Shahid	c Misbah-ul-Haq	b Riaz	10	10	15	2	0
Rubel Hossain	c Sarfraz Ahmed	b Riaz	2	6	10	0	0
Extras		7nb 0w 0b 5lb	12
Bowler			Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Junaid Khan			16	2	40	0
Riaz			26	7	55	3
Hafeez			18	5	47	2
Zulfiqar Babar			32	3	99	2
Yasir Shah			28	4	86	3

The hosts lost their final six wickets for only 96 runs earlier in the day.

Bangladesh resumed on 236-4 but lost key man Shakib Al Hasan early. He added only six to his overnight 19 before he was caught by Asad Shafiq at leg slip off Zulfiqar Babar.

Captain Mushfiqur Rahim (32) and debutant Soumya Sarkar (33) put on 62 for the sixth wicket, but the final five wickets went down in only 8.4 overs, with leg-spinner Yasir Shah and seamer Wahab Riaz picking up two scalps apiece.

			Runs	Minutes	Balls	4s	6s
Hafeez	not out		137	246	179	12	2
Aslam	c Mushfiqur Rahim	b Islam	20	50	36	2	1
Azhar Ali	not out		65	190	136	2	1
Extras		3nb 0w 0b 2lb	5
Bowler			Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Rubel Hossain			11	0	50	0
Shahid			7	0	29	0
Islam			16	2	43	1
Hom			8	0	34	0
Shakib			12	0	57	0
Mahmudullah			2	0	9	0
Sarkar			1	0	2	0
M Haque			1	0	1	0

Pakistan's openers began their reply aggressively. The 50 partnership between Hafeez and Sami Aslam came from only 67 balls.

Aslam had reached 20 in his maiden Test innings when he was dismissed after Bangladesh called for a review, with the teenager gloving left-arm spinner Taijul Islam down the leg-side to keeper Mushfiqur.

The visitors were 84-1 at tea and pressed on in the evening session, with Hafeez bringing up his eighth Test century off 123 balls.

100s in consecutive tests for Pakistan:
5 M Yousuf-
3 Z Abbas-
3 Mudassar-
3 Shoaib Mohammad-
3 Yousuf-
3 Younis-
3 @MHafeez22 -#BANvPAK

— Shahzad Tirmizi Syed (@shahzadtirmizi) April 29, 2015

Hafeez hit 12 boundaries and two sixes in his innings, sharing an unbroken 177-run partnership with Azhar Ali (65).

Pakistan have lost all four games on the tour in the 50- and 20-over formats of the game.

"I believe cricket suffered because of me."

Those were the words of Mohammad Amir in January 2014 when interviewed for the documentary Death of a Gentleman (h/t ESPN Cricinfo), as the Pakistani discussed his role in the spot-fixing scandal of 2010 that saw him hit with a five-year ban and six-month prison sentence. 

"Fans were disheartened because of me. I want to make them happy and win them over again," the fast bowler added. "They felt bad for cricket, I have to tell them that cricket is a gentleman's game and I am going to prove it."

Naturally, many will feel Amir doesn't deserve that chance. Regardless of his tender age, his vulnerability and inexperience, he—along with former team-mates Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif—dealt cricket an immeasurable blow, undermining the most sacred aspect of sport: the purity of the contest. 

Sport is what it is because, at any given moment, anything is possible. Its unpredictability is its defining feature. But for one summer under the watch of Amir, Asif and Butt, it wasn't.

Instead, it was predetermined. 

What followed was an elongated saga that saw the career of the world's hottest fast-bowling talent derailed. Though lamentable, it was necessary—cricket needs integrity more than it needs impressive speedsters. 

But now Amir is on the comeback trail, one that began as early as 2012.

Almost three years ago, the disgraced left-armer met with the Pakistan Cricket Board as part of his rehabilitation process. A year later in 2013, an International Cricket Council sub-committee reviewed the governing body's conditions imposed on banned players to open the door for Amir to use the PCB's practice facilities. 

By early 2014, the ICC had planned to streamline the return to cricket for banned players, before approving to changes to the anti-corruption code later that year that allowed disgraced players to return to domestic cricket ahead of the conclusion of their ban. 

In January this year, Amir was cleared to return to the domestic game, and in March, made a much-awaited but low-key appearance for Omar Associates in Pakistan's Grade-2 cricket. 

Inevitably, Amir's re-emergence will stir polarising opinions and contrasting emotions. He's a mouth-watering talent we want to see, yes, but he's also a player who committed sport's most heinous act. 

"I am coping with hell at the moment and nobody can understand how difficult it is to live away from cricket," the Pakistani said a year into his ban. "I made a mistake and paid the price for it, but everyone gets a second chance and I want it too."

Cynics will say remorse means little once the deed is done. But as noted by Mike Selvey for The Guardian, "unlike the pair sentenced with him—Salman Butt, then the Pakistan captain, and Mohammad Asif—he has been genuinely remorseful and fully cooperative with the ICC anti-corruption unit."

The same point was expressed by ESPN Cricinfo's Umar Farooq: "Unlike Amir, who pleaded guilty during the criminal investigation in London, Butt and Asif continued to insist they were innocent, even in the face of evidence against them, confessing only after they had lost all option of appealing against their bans."

Such a difference is a small but significant one. Remorse is important in these circumstances, particularly when you consider the anxiety and stress he candidly discussed experiencing during an interview with Michael Atherton for Sky Sports in 2012. 

"Everybody knows that prison is not a good place for anyone and nobody would feel proud to be there," he said, when asked about his time behind bars.

Whichever way you look at it, he paid a high price for a single moment of naivety, of weakness. He lost a blossoming career. He lost friends. He lost supporters. He lost respect. He lost a livelihood. He temporarily lost his freedom. 

"Cricket suffered because of me," he remarked, but due to one moment of credulity, he also suffered because of the nasty figures who linger within cricket. 

He, remorsefully, has endured consequences most won't ever comprehend. It's been a high price. A lesson learned. 

A comeback, a second chance, is an opportunity he deserves. 

The group stage is finally over at the World Cup. After what seemed like a million matches, we now know who the eight quarter-finalists are.

Sunday’s action centred around which nations would fill the remaining two spots from Group B, with both India and South Africa already through.

West Indies put themselves in pole position to go through with a six-wicket win over the United Arab Emirates at McLean Park in Napier, New Zealand.

Captain Jason Holder claimed four for 27 while Jerome Taylor picked up three wickets as the UAE were bowled out for 175.

The men from the Caribbean knew they needed to knock off the runs before they had faced 36.2 overs to seal their progress (barring an unlikely tie in the game between Pakistan and Ireland).

Johnson Charles and Jonathan Carter duly hit half-centuries as West Indies cruised home with nearly six overs to spare.

Pakistan then made sure both they and West Indies would go through to the next round with a seven-wicket win over Ireland in Adelaide, Australia.

Sarfraz Ahmed hit an unbeaten 101 to steer the 1992 champions past their opponents' total of 237. It meant William Porterfield’s century ended up being in a losing cause, with the Irish missing out on finishing in the top four on run rate.

Latest Group B points table. WI above Pakistan and Ireland on net run-rate http://t.co/AhaucXohwh #CWC15 pic.twitter.com/B6jGiTaCuk

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) March 15, 2015

Shot of the Day

Plenty of sixes were struck on Sunday, but Sarfraz gets the award for the boundary that took him through to his maiden ODI century.

The wicketkeeper, who was rather strangely left out of Pakistan’s team for their first four matches, came down the pitch to loft spinner George Dockrell over mid-wicket.

Sarfraz Ahmed has been crucial in Pakistan's World Cup turnaround. He gets his maiden ODI hundred today #CWC15 pic.twitter.com/FiKMnt0Ez6

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) March 15, 2015

Sarfraz rightly celebrated reaching the milestone, but it had taken some rather farcical batting to give him the opportunity to get there.

Umar Akmal hit four boundaries on his arrival to the crease to rush Pakistan toward their target, only to go completely into his shell to make sure he didn’t deny his team-mate getting his hundred.

https://twitter.com/TheCricketGeek/status/577061413543346177

Sarfraz at thenon-strikers end #BackingGreen pic.twitter.com/XecWTSS6EU

— Cricket Ireland (@cricketireland) March 15, 2015

Just for a second, I thought Sarfraz was so wrapped-up in the victory target he hadn't noticed the personal milestone...

— George Dobell (@GeorgeDobell1) March 15, 2015

Catch of the Day

There weren't too many remarkable catches during Sunday’s action, with West Indies not helping matters by bowling six UAE batsmen in Napier.

However, Shahid Afridi did produce a smart grab to get rid of centurion Porterfield in Adelaide.

The experienced all-rounder is yet to have a big impact on the tournament—with either bat or ball—but showed he can still contribute in the field.

Having made good ground moving forward from his position at mid-on, Afridi dived low to pluck a poorly timed drive out of the air just before it was about to hit the ground.

A big wicket that! Afridi takes the catch to dismiss Porterfield for 107: http://t.co/JTjx0MYNaE #cwc15 #PAKvIRE pic.twitter.com/PNFLSjhSpd

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 15, 2015

Delivery of the Day

West Indies’ opening pair of Holder and Taylor were outstanding with the ball against the UAE.

Winning the toss allowed them to bowl first in what was a must-win match, and the duo relieved any potential nerves by quickly reducing the ICC Associates to 46 for six.

Holder bowled his 10 overs straight through, though he just fell short of claiming his first five-wicket haul in 50-over cricket.

Taylor, meanwhile, produced the best ball of the day. Having just driven the seamer for four previously, Khurram Khan was bowled emphatically by a full ball that knocked leg stump clean out of the ground.

Irish Eyes Still Smiling

Their team may have missed out on a place in the quarter-finals, but Ireland’s fans were still immensely proud of the players' efforts in Australia and New Zealand over the course of the last month.

They recorded victories over West Indies, Zimbabwe and the UAE, yet did not quite do enough to progress beyond the first hurdle.

Fantastic achievement for @Irelandcricket throughout the #CWC15 #BackingGreen #CWC15 pic.twitter.com/U3YYojAIPs

— Sport Ireland (@sportireland) March 15, 2015

Just some of the many memorable moments the the Boys and Green have given us over the last few weeks #BackingGreen pic.twitter.com/Zo6TuXOoFL

— Cricket Ireland (@cricketireland) March 15, 2015

A special mention to the #BlarneyArmy who no matter what were always singing loud, proud & #BackingGreen all the way! pic.twitter.com/jSfzpYYfYE

— Cricket Ireland (@cricketireland) March 15, 2015

Stat of the Day

Captains to be out 'hit wicket' in WC:
Misbah-ul-Haq (Pak) today,
JHarris (Canada) in 2003,
MOdumbe (Kenya) in 1996.#PAKvsIRE #CWC15

— Cricket Records (@cricinfo_record) March 15, 2015

Next at the World Cup

The tournament takes a short break ahead of the quarter-finals. The first knockout tie takes place on Wednesday, with the full schedule as follows:

Quarter-final line-up #CWC15 pic.twitter.com/Ifgy8NhYrV

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) March 15, 2015

Pakistan ended Ireland’s World Cup dreams with a seven-wicket victory in Adelaide.

After the West Indies’ comprehensive victory earlier, it was a winner-takes-all clash for third place in Pool B.

Ireland captain William Porterfield won the toss and decided to bat first. The opener led from the front making 107 in their total of 237.

			Runs	Minutes	Balls	4s	6s
Porterfield	c Shahid Afridi	b Sohail Khan	107	164	131	11	1
Stirling	lbw	b Ehsan Adil	3	15	8	0	0
Joyce	c U Akmal	b Riaz	11	40	18	1	0
N O'Brien	c U Akmal	b Rahat Ali	12	19	10	2	0
Balbirnie	c Shahid Afridi	b Haris Sohail	18	45	36	0	0
Wilson	c Riaz	b Sohail Khan	29	48	38	2	0
K O'Brien	c Maqsood	b Riaz	8	40	16	1	0
Thompson	c U Akmal	b Rahat Ali	12	13	15	1	0
Mooney	c U Akmal	b Riaz	13	26	19	1	0
Dockrell	run out (Sarfraz Ahmed)		11	14	8	0	1
Cusack	not out		1	4	1	0	0
Extras		0nb 10w 0b 2lb	12
	Bowler		Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
	Sohail Khan		10	0	44	2
	Ehsan Adil		7	0	31	1
	Rahat Ali		10	0	48	2
	Riaz		10	0	54	3
	Shahid Afridi		10	0	38	0
	Haris Sohail		3	0	20	1

Pakistan made the chase look easy, polishing off the total with 23 balls to spare, to set up a last-eight clash with Australia in the same city on Friday.

			Runs	Minutes	Balls	4s	6s
Shehzad	c Joyce	b Thompson	63	95	71	7	0
Sarfraz Ahmed	not out		101	201	124	6	0
Haris Sohail	run out (Balbirnie)		3	8	7	0	0
Misbah-ul-Haq	hit wicket	b Cusack	39	59	46	3	2
U Akmal	not out		20	36	29	4	0
Extras		0nb 13w 1b 1lb	15
Bowler			Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Cusack			10	1	43	1
Mooney			9	1	40	0
Thompson			10	0	59	1
Dockrell			6	0	43	0
K O'Brien			10	0	49	0
Stirling			1.1	0	5	0

Porterfield brought up his seventh ODI century from 124 balls and anchored the innings before being the fifth man to be dismissed in the 39th over.

WATCH: William Porterfield brings up his first World Cup century. Live on Sky Sports World Cup. #CWC15 #fireitup http://t.co/TAP7Lvsf4C

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) March 15, 2015

Ireland managed only 54 runs in the final 11 overs after Porterfield’s dismissal, with George Dockrell run out off the final ball of the innings, as Wahab Riaz picked up 3-54.

The highest partnership of the innings was only 48 as a series of batsmen got themselves in and then out despite Pakistan missing injured paceman Mohammad Irfan.

Pakistan have won chasing 16 times in Australia Chased 235+ 4 times (274/9, 274/4, 268/7, 254/5) #BingPredicts #DimagSay #PAKvsIRE #CWC15

— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) March 15, 2015

An opening partnership of 120 between Sarfraz Ahmed and Ahmed Shehzad gave Pakistan the confidence that they would not suffer the same fate as at the 2007 World Cup when they were knocked out by Ireland after losing their clash in Kingston by three wickets.

There was a mid-innings wobble when Shehzad (63) top-edged an attempted pull off Stuart Thompson to mid-on before Haris Sohail, replacing injured senior batsman Younus Khan, was run out for 3.

WATCH: Thompson finally makes the breakthrough as Joyce catches Shehzad at mid-on for 63. #CWC15 #fireitup http://t.co/NwFW7IwnUf

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) March 15, 2015

However, the 1992 champions, who lost their opening two matches, completed their fourth consecutive victory as Sarfraz made an unbeaten 101 and was supported by captain Misbah-ul-Haq (39) and Umar Akmal (20), who hit the winning runs.

The Irish, the only one of the four Associate Nations to beat a Test-playing country at the tournament, can go home with their heads held high after wins over West Indies and Zimbabwe plus the UAE.