ICC Champions Trophy 2017

[Velocity]

I know it's a long shot and by no means I'm downplaying Bangladesh, but anyone fancy a Ind-Pak final?

It would be a miracle if Pakistan would beat England. I find it very unlikely still.

 

[zwarrior]

If there is one thing to know, that's never take Bangladesh lightly. They may not be one among the top teams yet, but they will make you work for each run and wicket.

 

[Rehan_24]

What a great show by Indian team. A complete mature performance. Totally outplayed South Africans. Kholi is no doubt by far the best batsman in the world at the moment. He feels like Ricky Ponting at times. Leading his side to victories coming at No. 3. They Deserved the Semis Spot.

On paper, It seems a Final between India Vs England but In Cricket, You never know. I am dreaming big though. An India Pakistan Final

 

[LiveLoveABD]

What a great show by Indian team. A complete mature performance. Totally outplayed South Africans. Kholi is no doubt by far the best batsman in the world at the moment. He feels like Ricky Ponting at times. Leading his side to victories coming at No. 3. They Deserved the Semis Spot.

On paper, It seems a Final between India Vs England but In Cricket, You never know. I am dreaming big though. An India Pakistan Final

Step by step. Sri Lanka first!

 

[LiveLoveABD]

Everyone is over-estimating Pakistan. They beat SA on the power of their bowling, which let's face it will always be good. You just stand on some street in Pakistan and you'll see 2-3 guys bowling serious gas. It's just their DNA to produce quality bowlers. But, it doesn't absolve their abysmal batting. On these wickets, you can curtail teams to 270-280 if you bowl seriously well, nothing below that unless a team self destructs. For Pakistan to chase 270/280 in 40 overs is a very steep task and I have no faith in them. I still feel Sarfaraz and Malik bat too low.

PS- 40 overs because Hafeez will waste 60 balls. (He needs to be dropped)

 

[aditya123]

Everyone is over-estimating Pakistan. They beat SA on the power of their bowling, which let's face it will always be good. You just stand on some street in Pakistan and you'll see 2-3 guys bowling serious gas. It's just their DNA to produce quality bowlers. But, it doesn't absolve their abysmal batting. On these wickets, you can curtail teams to 270-280 if you bowl seriously well, nothing below that unless a team self destructs. For Pakistan to chase 270/280 in 40 overs is a very steep task and I have no faith in them. I still feel Sarfaraz and Malik bat too low.

PS- 40 overs because Hafeez will waste 60 balls. (He needs to be dropped)

Lets not oversell Pakistan`s bowling either. Yes, they looked good against SA but so did India y`day. On good batting tracks their bowling will struggle as well. SL have a more modern batting lineup which will attack the bowling.

 

[Rehan_24]

I think you both are bit under-estimating Pakistan. There can be no comparison between Indian bowling and Pakistan bowling similarly there is no comparison with each other's batting either. Indian bowling has always been medicore to poor. They won games majorly because of their strong batting. And in Pakistan's case, It is with their bowling even though we have produced some World Class batsmen as well time to time. India has always struggled in its pace department for long. I have never seen any pace bowler consistent with them apart from Srinath and Zaheer Khan. The spin department has been good though with Kumble, Harbahjan and now Ashwin (ODI) but they didn't touch the sky heights relative to other World Class spinners

PS: On yesterday's match, I must speak on SA. They really looked down and out with their body language right from the start. It appeared that they served the winning dish to India themselves. Right from the beginning, It didn't look SA which we normally see.

 

[aditya123]

I think you both are bit under-estimating Pakistan. There can be no comparison between Indian bowling and Pakistan bowling similarly there is no comparison with each other's batting either. Indian bowling has always been medicore to poor. They won games majorly because of their strong batting. And in Pakistan's case, It is with their bowling even though we have produced some World Class batsmen as well time to time. India has always struggled in its pace department for long. I have never seen any pace bowler consistent with them apart from Srinath and Zaheer Khan. The spin department has been good though with Kumble, Harbahjan and now Ashwin (ODI) but they didn't touch the sky heights relative to other World Class spinners

PS: On yesterday's match, I must speak on SA. They really looked down and out with their body language right from the start. It appeared that they served the winning dish to India themselves. Right from the beginning, It didn't look SA which we normally see.

Right now, India has a more potent pace attack than Pakistan. We may live in the past if we want, which is what is the biggest problem with Pakistan cricket right now. India are struggling to find a place for Umesh Yadav and Shami in the XI. Pakistan have traditionally had the edge over India in pace bowling but I don`t think that is the case right now. The attack we fielded y`day was probably the weakest in the last 3 games. However, SA`s stage fright meant that they did not even challenge us.

Pakistani analysts think SL are a weaker side than them but I do not totally agree here. I do not say this because I`m an Indian supporter. SL in both their games have shown enough spark to suggest that their batting is definitely superior to Pakistan. Remember that Pakistan were not clean through against SA either had it been a full game. Had Pakistan beaten SA in a full game, I`d have labeled them favorites. On the other side, SL were bossing the chase against SA as well till some real suicidal runouts along with the absence of Mathews which hurt them. Its not going to be easy for Pakistan. If SL get to field first, they will be hard to beat for Pakistan. On the other hand, Pakistan are`nt really good at chasing either. That`s a real tricky choice to make.

I predict this to be the best game of the tournament so far. Also, the weather for this week looks really good. The CT has suddenly come to life starting with the Pak-SA game.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

Right now, India has a more potent pace attack than Pakistan. We may live in the past if we want, which is what is the biggest problem with Pakistan cricket right now. India are struggling to find a place for Umesh Yadav and Shami in the XI. Pakistan have traditionally had the edge over India in pace bowling but I don`t think that is the case right now. The attack we fielded y`day was probably the weakest in the last 3 games. However, SA`s stage fright meant that they did not even challenge us.

Pakistani analysts think SL are a weaker side than them but I do not totally agree here. I do not say this because I`m an Indian supporter. SL in both their games have shown enough spark to suggest that their batting is definitely superior to Pakistan. Remember that Pakistan were not clean through against SA either had it been a full game. Had Pakistan beaten SA in a full game, I`d have labeled them favorites. On the other side, SL were bossing the chase against SA as well till some real suicidal runouts along with the absence of Mathews which hurt them. Its not going to be easy for Pakistan. If SL get to field first, they will be hard to beat for Pakistan. On the other hand, Pakistan are`nt really good at chasing either. That`s a real tricky choice to make.

I predict this to be the best game of the tournament so far. Also, the weather for this week looks really good. The CT has suddenly come to life starting with the Pak-SA game.

Superb post! 100% AGREED! SL have lots of injuries though.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

PS: On yesterday's match, I must speak on SA. They really looked down and out with their body language right from the start. It appeared that they served the winning dish to India themselves. Right from the beginning, It didn't look SA which we normally see.

To be very honest with you and I don't mean to brag here but I've rarely missed an ABD innings. At the time he got out, he was in motion and the wicket looked like a 'batting paradise' while he was batting. When he can cut square of the wicket on his toes keeping the ball down or dab it to third man on his toes keeping the ball down, he's in complete control of his game.. I say that from all these years of trying to bat like him and watching him bat. The ball before he got out you'd have said SA had their noses slightly ahead.. So all this BS of 'SA never turned up' is basically something that people on TV look for to say because they have to say something, but the reality is that the game was decided in those 10-15 mins of mayhem orchestrated by FDP. I have a lot of respect for Faf but he was the deciding factor in yesterday's game..

I know this won't mean anything to anyone but I was watching with my dad and I told him that he'll get run out.. And it happened in 2 overs! It's amazing what fans can feel.

 

[Markkkkk]

Kholi is no doubt by far the best batsman in the world at the moment.

I disagree. Yes he's a class batsman but he's far from being undoubtably the best.

 

[Rehan_24]

Right now, India has a more potent pace attack than Pakistan. We may live in the past if we want, which is what is the biggest problem with Pakistan cricket right now. India are struggling to find a place for Umesh Yadav and Shami in the XI. Pakistan have traditionally had the edge over India in pace bowling but I don`t think that is the case right now. The attack we fielded y`day was probably the weakest in the last 3 games. However, SA`s stage fright meant that they did not even challenge us.

Pakistani analysts think SL are a weaker side than them but I do not totally agree here. I do not say this because I`m an Indian supporter. SL in both their games have shown enough spark to suggest that their batting is definitely superior to Pakistan. Remember that Pakistan were not clean through against SA either had it been a full game. Had Pakistan beaten SA in a full game, I`d have labeled them favorites. On the other side, SL were bossing the chase against SA as well till some real suicidal runouts along with the absence of Mathews which hurt them. Its not going to be easy for Pakistan. If SL get to field first, they will be hard to beat for Pakistan. On the other hand, Pakistan are`nt really good at chasing either. That`s a real tricky choice to make.

I predict this to be the best game of the tournament so far. Also, the weather for this week looks really good. The CT has suddenly come to life starting with the Pak-SA game.

As for myself is concerned, I m not putting Pakistan favorites in today's game. It is 50% chances of both. But when you talk about the full game thing with SA. Pakistan was cruising through and ABD himself said that they were outplayed in every department by Pakistan. If Pakistan was ahead by Duckworth matter after 20 overs, It is being considered a full game.

When I talk about weak Indian bowling lineup. I certainly don't reflect the past. I consider the pace attack of Indian lineup pretty ordinary and we have seen that in the game against SL. You can see more of it in future. SA as said were really frightened for strange reasons. Probably, they had too much pressure of performance.[DOUBLEPOST=1497259020][/DOUBLEPOST]

I disagree. Yes he's a class batsman but he's far from being undoubtably the best.

I am talking about today's age, Interesting to know, Who do you think is best at the moment?

 

[aditya123]

As for myself is concerned, I m not putting Pakistan favorites in today's game. It is 50% chances of both. But when you talk about the full game thing with SA. Pakistan was cruising through and ABD himself said that they were outplayed in every department by Pakistan. If Pakistan was ahead by Duckworth matter after 20 overs, It is being considered a full game.

When I talk about weak Indian bowling lineup. I certainly don't reflect the past. I consider the pace attack of Indian lineup pretty ordinary and we have seen that in the game against SL. You can see more of it in future. SA as said were really frightened for strange reasons. Probably, they had too much pressure of performance.[DOUBLEPOST=1497259020][/DOUBLEPOST]

I am talking about today's age, Interesting to know, Who do you think is best at the moment?

What I meant was that if the Pak-SA game had gone the distance (50 overs), Pakistan would`ve found it really hard. If you have watched any Indian cricket over the last year or so, our real strength has been the pace attack. I believe that we have a better seam attack than India, and by that I do not mean the attack that played y`day (Shami, Bhuvi, Umesh, Bumrah). Just see the way the Indian seamers (Bhuvi, Shami, Umesh and even Ishant) bowled in the WI last year and compare it to the struggles of the Pakistani seamers in the WI. That was followed by some real good pace bowling on dead pitches at home. Pakistan have traditionally had the upper hand but that is not necessarily true here.

If you want to go only by one game, then every side this tournament has conceded big scores. SL were on top with the bat against SA as well and Pakistan got pummelled by India. NZ got carted around by Bangladesh and England and so did Australia. Some of the tracks have been really flat this tournament and despite that India`s bowling over the course of 5 games (including the warmups) so far has conceded 181/10 (v NZ), 84/10 (v BAN), 163/10 (v PAK), 322/3 (v SL) and 191/10 (v SA). On 4 out of 5 ocassions, they`ve been really good. Compare that to Pakistan who have conceded 350/6 (v BAN), 319/5 (v IND) and 220/9 (v SA). Pakistan have surely struggled more than India with the ball so far in England. Even in the past year or two, their ODI bowling has really struggled. That, and not their batting alone is a reason for Pakistan`s ODI struggles currently.

 

[CerealKiller]

Had Pakistan beaten SA in a full game, I`d have labeled them favorites.

I think we were favourites when the rain came. Malik is ice cool in situations like that (he could have got us close or at least salvaged the NRR in the India game, if Hafeez had not run him out), and Babar had settled. Plus Sarfraz was yet to come.

 

[aditya123]

I think we were favourites when the rain came. Malik is ice cool in situations like that (he could have got us close or at least salvaged the NRR in the India game, if Hafeez had not run him out), and Babar had settled. Plus Sarfraz was yet to come.

I`m not saying that Pakistan would`ve lost. It was in the context of the 2 sides. SL is coming in from a comfortable 300-run chase in a full contest and is not going to be a walkover unlike what guys like Md.Wasim, Rashid Latif and the Doc think.