Asia Cup 2010 - Sri Lanka

[LongLegs?]

I don't see how Yuvraj's getting dropped. Unfortunately. No domestic cricket on the horizon and the India A squad's been picked.

Shoaib Akthar is just a step backwards...Pakistan produce so many quality quicks...surely there must be someone on the domestic scene better than an Akthar way past his peak.

 

[BKB1991]

Yes, but then again when have we learned to move forward.

 

[SaiSrini]

Akthar coming back? He is gonna break down soon anyways. Why does Pakistan need Akthar back?

 

[BKB1991]

Akthar coming back? He is gonna break down soon anyways. Why does Pakistan need Akthar back?

No Idea. True, he can bowl a match-winnings spell, but is it worth the risk.
Personally I would get an un-capped talented bowler and see where he goes with the WC only a year away.

Sri Lanka to win this. I somehow dont see India winning this, and Pakistan cant even come close. The batting is too weak. Although I do reckon we can beat the Bangladesh, we always do well against the minnows.
Our most likely lineup will be

Salman Butt
Khalid Latif/Khurram Mansoor/Yasir Hameed
Kamran Akmal
Younis Khan/Shoaib Malik
Umar Akmal
Shahid Afridi
Hammad Azam/Fawad Alam/Umar Amin
Mohammad Aamir
Mohammad Asif
Saeed Ajmal
Shoaib Akhtar/Wahab Riaz/Mohammad Irfan/Mohammad Sami


Bite of an opening dilemna for us. Kamran Akmal keeps on being used as an opener and sometimes in the middle order. The management really needs to sit down and decide on his place and stick till the World Cup. He bats well at the top, but I think No.3 would be ideal for him. This way if we dont really find a decent opener with Butt, Akmal can support him.
Malik is likely to come back straight into the lineup, and take the no.3 spot. If Younis also gets un-banned we may have a much stronger lineup, despite Younis never really being a great ODI player.
Would like to Hammad Azam now. From the U19 World Cup he as turned out to be a cool head and a good finisher, so it would be important for us to see how he does it here. Fawad Alam isnt a good finisher, so if he plays instead he probably should come early on as he is good rotating the strike.
The third bowler is a worry. Akhtar is likely to take the spot, although I would like to see someone else other than Akhtar or Sami. Both have been give numerous chances and its time we move on.
Abdur Rehman, considering his form, is unfortunate to miss out, but we already have two quality spinners.


Looking over to the squad just realized there was no Latif and Azam. Azam's case is even more interesting. Didnt play in the T20 WC and now they drop him

 

[LongLegs?]

Azam still has a lot to prove. Looks a better 50 over player that a 20 over player however, and perhaps should've picked him for this and not the T20 World Cup.

Rehman will most probably be in the 15 though, you'd think. He won't make the 11, but yeah.

Aamer, Asif, Ajmal and Afridi provide a great attack with variety. Just need one more bowler. Gul would've probably played if he wasn't injured, but hasn't been in the best form recently.

 

[BKB1991]

Azam still has a lot to prove. Looks a better 50 over player that a 20 over player however, and perhaps should've picked him for this and not the T20 World Cup.

Rehman will most probably be in the 15 though, you'd think. He won't make the 11, but yeah.

Aamer, Asif, Ajmal and Afridi provide a great attack with variety. Just need one more bowler. Gul would've probably played if he wasn't injured, but hasn't been in the best form recently.

 

[nuffa]

This is really dumb, why are all of the matches at the same stupid ground?

because the broadcaster has demanded that all matches should be Day/nighters and Dambulla is the only ground with floodlights which is currently available. Other grounds are having makeovers for the WC.

 

[Params7]

I don't see the problem with Akhtar if he's fit, he should play. Pak could use some talent and icon figures in their team.

 

[Flame_Blader1]

Please tell me Dambulla is not the ground where if you bat second you are basically screwed....

 

[pcfan123]

I don't see the problem with Akhtar if he's fit, he should play. Pak could use some talent and icon figures in their team.

Because he is a washed up herpes infected old twat. Whats the point of bringing him back? especially in a nation blessed with fast bowlers.


Might as well bring Mushy out of retirement as well then

 

[Brook]

Urgh hate these stupid series.

 

[McLOVIN]

^ Ya me too. If there was 4 other strong Asian teams, I can understand. But a 4 team series?? (which used to be 3). They are always playing each other any ways. Why do they need an extra series for that?

May be in 10-15 years when Afg, China, Hong Kong, UAE are decent teams...

MacLovin added 3 Minutes and 39 Seconds later...

And this whole thing was created to bring out new teams from Asia. Just like CT was created to get new nations involved. And those ideas are longgg gone.

 

[ali_ed2001]

It's kinda ridiculous. If one day they axe players, the next day they revoke their decision and call back the same guy. PCB is probably the most disorganized board in the history of cricket.

More like the most disorganized board in the history of any sport. I have never seen any other board that is as incompetent and corrupt as PCB.

 

[Brook]

This could have been a chance to trial a test league sort of thing but no, just more ODIs

And yes I realise it's been around for a while. It would be fine if they didn't play each other so often anyway.

 

[Mike23]

Please tell me Dambulla is not the ground where if you bat second you are basically screwed....

Nope at Dambulla it's not the case of 'win the toss, win the match' that honour goes to the R.Premadasa.