Feb 26 - Sri Lanka v Pakistan

[Gurjot95]

Pakistan and SriLanka both really played very well, that match was the most thrilling match of ICC WC 2011 until now

Not sure, Eng-Ireland was more thrilling since no one expected them to come that close. The match reached the last over but you don't expect everytime team scoring 18 runs in last over with 2 wickets left.

Anyways. good win for Pakistan. Looks a lot better team now than they were in past. They are now also one of the contenders to win WC.

 

[SaiSrini]

How would that find him form?!?

Hunger to bounce back. Lot of players have found that being benched helps.

 

[sami ullah khan]

How would that find him form?!?

He is gone complacent. With the knowledge that he can be dropped, he will try harder and may get back to his old ways.

 

[Paki007]

Eng-Ireland was more thrilling since no one expected them to come that close

Are you sure Eng-Ireland?

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

i think mathews should come ahead of silva on this showing. silva couldn't dab the singles, he was on 30 from 66 when he started attacking. Mathews can rotate the strike and keep the score moving, i think they are being unfair on him leaving him as a hard hitting finisher only. it was silva that seemed intent on waiting to the death overs to bash about, they should put him lower down if that's how he wants to play.

 

[BKB1991]

Impressive win. Beating the Lankans at thier home is a great achievement. We were brilliant with the bat and the bowl, but nearly screwed up with the field. Loads of improvements still needed for us to be considered a championship winning team.

The batting was good. Younis and Misbah played brilliantly in the middle stages, and I think we do have a batsman too many. With the next game against Canada, I think we can afford to experiment a bit. Would like to see Razzaq up the order so he can get some form and see if he can play as a true batsman in the team. Umar Akmal seems to be the most likely to miss out, but I wouldnt be surprised if Pakistan throw out Shehzad and promote everyone a spot.

Personally speaking I would like Riaz and Ajmal to come back next game. Ajmals an aggresive bowling option, unlike Rehman. Furthermore Riaz adds more spice to the bowling attack. Opening the bowling with Razzaq seems to be a defensive option to me atleast, but realistically thats the only place he can bowl.

Umar Gul needs to sort himself out. Hes easily one of the best death bowlers, but hes been experimenting too much. If you can bowl such classy yorkers, then why are you changing your length?

Pakistan XI:

Hafeez
Shehzad
KAkmal
Younis
Shafiq
UAkmal
Afridi
Razzaq
Riaz
Gul
Ajmal

Got some changes that lineup, and its unlikely they will play that XI, but I would like to see them have a go. Ideally I would try and experiment with Razzaq at 3 and see how he goes. Akhtar and Misbah are also rested, And see what the likes of Riaz and Shafiq can do.

 

[War]

^He is terribly out of form. He needs sometime on the benches IMHO.

Terribly out of form?. Really?.

Ha sry but i dont buy that. The last few ODI series PAK have played before this WC vs ENG, SA, NZ i saw nothing more than superb death bowling form Gul about 70% of time. Sure their has been a few games (30% of the time) in the last couple of months where he has had some expensive spells, but thats can be forgiven especially for a bowler with such a special. I would think as a PAK fan you be encouraging him to produce those 70% performances, like 90% of time, instead of calling for him to be dropped based on a few performances TBH.


As a AUS fan thats what i do with Tait. He as you would be aware of is wild & can irritate you with the amount of wides & loose balls that he bowls. But when he gets it right, he is almost unplayable. So one must always back & encourage him (unless he really is bowling awful).

----------

And I don't think anyone can do worse than Kamran Akmal. He is not a specialist keeper. Pakistan tried umar Akmal with gloves in a few T20s and he did not drop anything. He looked better than his bro tbh.

K Akmal is a specialist career that what he was since youth cricket IIRC. What would be more fair to say is that he a specialist keeper that is prone to to many errors - which is why PAK selectors have lost patience with him in tests, but are trying with him in ODIs/T20s.

I remember seeing those T20s in NZ when U Akmal kept. Yea he didn't drop anything, but thats just T20s, time is shorter compared to ODIs. I guess your selectors didn't feel it was enough time to test him out with the world cup so soon.

Plus giving him the gloves could probably affect his batting & you certainly dont want that part of his game affected during the world cup.

 

[Rehan_24]

Pakistan definietly needs an extra bowler in big matches. They have to make this decision quick before the Quarter-Final. Now the Dilema is that whom they should really drop??? Shehzad and Hafeez are not an options because Shehzad has so much potential and talent and his 2 centuries on his waist, one against newzeland and one in the practice game before World Cup. Hafeez is looking in great form as well and is a utility cricketer because he bowls well too.

Kamran Akaml isnt a good keeper but He is a specialist so Umar Akmal shouldnt be replacing him plus Kamran Akmal can give the benefit of first 10 circle overs if one of the two openers out quickly as Kammi is an aggresive player and hits the ball well. Misbah and Younas are the backbone of Pakistan Batting Lineup. Razzaq is a dangerous batsman at the deat but he is getting wasted at number eighth. I believe that Umar Akaml should be dropped and instead of him there should be an extra bowler either Ajmal or Riaz. You dont need batting till number 8, thats a bit defsenvie approach. Afridi has to make a bold decision in this matter.

Also, I don't know why he give one of the death overs to spinners, First he used to give these overs to Ajmal, and now having lost the confidence in him, now he is giving death overs to hafeez. These things can strongly backfire. Its difficult to hit a six to a fast bowler than to spinners.

And Yes never drop Umar Gul. On his day, His reverse swing is unplayable. Instead of doing that, play with a one more bowler by dropping a batsman.

 

[BKB1991]

I dont think hes lost confidence in Ajmal, its just that Rehman took his chance in NZ and capitalised on it. Plus it adds variation to our bowling.

I'd prefer Ajmal though. More of a wicket-taking option

 

[ksduded]

I dont think hes lost confidence in Ajmal, its just that Rehman took his chance in NZ and capitalised on it. Plus it adds variation to our bowling.

I'd prefer Ajmal though. More of a wicket-taking option

I think Ajmal is the best bowler in the Pakistan side.... he was dropped because of the NZ series and then Afridi also does not like his fielding.... plus Rehman is decent with the bat.

But given that we have Razzaq coming at 8, I would prefer a wicket taking option in Ajmal....