Shoaib Malik Completes Dream ODI Return, but Consistency Must Follow

Tuesday night marked the first time in almost two years that Shoaib Malik played one-day cricket for Pakistan. During that time, it had been four years since Malik last scored a hundred or a half-century in one-day internationals. He notched an emphatic hundred as Pakistan cruised to a 41-run win over Zimbabwe in the first of three ODI.

It had been a long road to here for Malik, but an unbeaten 95 and an unbeaten 56 in Pakistan's domestic Twenty20 earned him a recall to the limited overs squads. His efforts in the T20s were distinctly average, but thanks to helpful conditions in Lahore on Tuesday, he managed to get a monkey off his back.

A combination of poor bowler and even worse fielding helped Malik’s cause, but that didn’t stop the celebrations, chief among those was tennis player and Malik's wife, Sania Mirza.

It was an impressive effort from Malik, his fastest ever hundred in an ODI and the second-fastest at the Gaddafi Stadium. It helped Pakistan post 375 for three in their 50 overs, the highest ever ODI total in Pakistan.

The runs might have been big, but there was nothing substantial about Malik's, or Pakistan's, approach. It was all calm and calculated, and the big total belied the modesty with which Pakistan went about their business. Sometimes, it’s these kinds of innings that are most useful to players who are battling for form.

While the runs might come easily, the confidence boost that comes along with it can often set in motion a good run of form. Malik is not without support in some corners of Pakistan, with former Pakistan skipper Javed Miandad recently criticising selectors for omitting Malik from the World Cup squad, according to DNAIndia.

One measly hundred won’t silence Malik’s critics, though. He will need to do much more than score a ton against an innocuous attack on a flat deck. It’s consistency that matters now. He has shown glimpses of it in the domestic T20, but he has never managed to live up to any of his domestic potential at international level.

Already 33 years old, Malik has been given another chance to prove that he belongs with Pakistan chief selector Haroon Rasheed, saying that he was recalled to the team because he offers something with the ball. He was quoted by Geo.Tv as saying:

In the absence of Ajmal, who needs some time to adjust to his remodeled action, we needed someone who could bowl, and Malik has shown some good recent form.

Malik will be keeping one eye on the prize of a World T20 next year. His experience as well as all-round ability holds some promise, but his numbers at international level simply do not stack up. With two more ODIs to go on a track likely to have plenty on offer for the batsmen and a very dubious Zimbabwe attack, Malik needs to keep up the consistency if he wants to keep his place in the team and keep his critics quiet.