A Big Test For Canada!

Exactly One Month Today Afridi/Misbah will walk out for the toss at this very venue for the 2011 CWC Final! 6 games away from getting there NOW! The count down is beginning to heat up and it feels so damn good. This could be 1992 re-lived! We wish PCT every success. The nation needs it for countless reasons.



So Far

Warm Ups

Beat Bangladesh by 89 runs

Lost to England by 67 runs


Group Stages

Beat Kenya by 205 runs

Beat Sri Lanka by 11 runs


A month today the World Cup Final will be contested at the Wankhede Stadium. This platform could potentially be absolutely buzzing with excitement, national fever & proud followers? The thought already is adrenaline pumping!

However, there is still a long way to go for the men in green and the pressure, intensity & toughness will increase as the 49 match tournament progresses. Hence, they must maintain consistency and set their sights on reaching the quarter final stages undefeated which will put them in an excellent position to go all the way and lift the silverware at the end of it all and also make their routes and chances significantly easier if we consider alternative instances they may well have found themselves in.

Early signs are certainly promising nonetheless and with hope they can only build on this and get even better and better as there are areas where standards can be raised i.e. opening slot, fielding, new ball dilemma, utilizing Razzaq properly in the batting department so he can define his role in this side and so forth.

Although Pak have won both their games so far, legendary World Cup winners like Wasim Akram and Imran Khan have voiced some concerns which are perfectly reasonable and have been stressed by many desirable writers too. Pak still seem to be very conservative, mindful, unwilling to think outside the ordinary, inflexible to take initiative and play more aggressively and send a bold intent about their belief, strategy and really using their full strength team combination to maximum effectiveness. This includes not playing an extra front line seamer, promote Razzaq in a more meaningful impact position and selecting a left arm darter ahead of an unorthodox world class offie. However, with Rehman’s and Misbah’s absences tomorrow, this should open the doors and give the management more to think about as many key names are warming the bench!

Tomorrow they take on Canada from the Premadasa. An opportunity to carry through the momentum forward. A chance to execute their plans once more in a convincing manner. A chance to check out others and experiment with the best possible combinations and strategies. Considering the woefulness of Canada so far in the tournament, a one sided affair is inevitable.




Can Afridi do it?

Leading World Cup Wicket Takers in all tournaments so far. So far Afridi has figures of 18-3-50-9 in 2011. Can he get the record for the most wickets in a WC tournament? If this start is anything to go by, not much can stop him from achieving it. Predict where the Pakistani skipper will conclude on once this tournament concludes? I reckon 24!

1975 Gary Gilmour 11
1979 Mike Hendrick 10
1983 Roger Biny 18
1987 Craig McDermott 18
1992 Wasim Akram 18
1996 Anil Kumble 15
1999 Shane Warne 20
2003 Chaminda Vaas 23
2007 Glenn McGrath 26