They often serve up disappointment and defeat. Their approach to the game sometimes makes one feel as if triumph is a distant dream. The next moment, they rise above all odds and expectations to blow spectators away. That’s the Pakistan cricket team.

The recent drubbing of team Pakistan in the ODI series against Bangladesh was termed by many as the ‘beginning of the end of Pakistan cricket.’ But the outstanding performance by the Azhar Ali-led squad in the next one-day series in Sri Lanka dismissed all such notions.

Pakistan thrashed the Sri Lankans in the five-match ODI series with 3-2 — a title which a visiting team attained after almost nine years. Team green won the first game by six wickets, while they lost the second ODI in a close contest. In the third match, Pakistan won the game by a huge 135 run margin. Victory in the fourth ODI bagged Pakistan the series.  Although our defeat in the last match by a whopping 165 runs stirred up some debate, the team’s overall victory was enough to squash any criticism.

A surprising and very welcome change was seen in  Azhar Ali’s style of leadership and his boys batted brilliantly — which was not a common sight under Misbah.

Another positive was that Pakistan never struggled to chase down a huge target — except in the last game where a gigantic 369 runs were put on board by the host team.

It is evident that Azhar Ali has learnt from the mistakes of the Bangladesh tour. His side bounced back promisingly and demonstrated improvement and commitment in all the three departments of the game.

Victory in the series has certainly brightened Pakistan’s chances for qualification to the Champion’s Trophy in 2017. But its place in the mega event could have been effectively secured had Pakistan won the series 4-1.

Azhar Ali is often compared with Misbah in terms of their approach to the game. However, the core difference between the two is that Ali gave his players the license to express themselves, while Misbah’s strategy was comparatively defensive.

Having played such a competitive game in the 50-over cricketing format, consistency should now be the key for Pakistan. Much has been said about the mercurial nature of the Pakistan cricket team. They perform brilliantly in patches but lack of stability in the batting order coupled with selection issues affects overall team performance.

Much responsibility also falls on the selectors who have to make their decisions based solely on merit. They must think in terms of the future and plan ahead, picking the best players to represent us, especially in view of upcoming major ICC events. The ICC Champions Trophy will be held in 2017 and the World Cup in 2019. Team green is in no way ready to be counted out just yet.