A Proud Day For Afghanistan Cricket

It was a momentous occasion for Afghanistan with their first official ODI against a major team at their unofficial home of Sharjah on a Friday evening under lights which is a local holiday in the United Arab Emirates. As always it was jam packed in Sharjah. It was an electrifying atmosphere as expected. Afghanistan’s skipper won the toss and didn’t hesitate to bat first. Pakistan on the other hand played their full strength team with 3 front line bowlers and Umar Akmal keeping wicket. Wahab Riaz was playing his first international for the men in green since May when he played in the St Kitts test match in the Caribbean tour.

Pakistan bowled out the Afghanistan side in the 190s as Shahid Afridi picked up his 8th 5 wicket haul and 6th MOM in the last 12 months for Pakistan. Pakistan cruised to victory in clinical and professional style with Younis Khan scoring an unbeaten 70 at over a run a ball whereas Captain Misbah made an unbeaten 40 to guide his side over the line by a 7 wicket margin. Earlier Imran Farhat made his 4th ODI half century in his last 10 innings since making his comeback in the team. Pakistan will be taking on England in the 1st of 4 one day matches on Monday from Abu Dhabi. Pakistan have won all of their last 14 internationals and this was their 7th ODI win in a row.

New Coach Required

Waqar hands in his resignation. Zimbabwe tour will be his last. Although Waqar may not have been the greatest tactician in the world, no doubt he gave the team the stability it required in tough times. He did have somewhat of a dispute with Afridi on selection matters which led to his retirement; however in his job description he was a member of the selection panel so therefore cannot really be blamed. Best of luck to Vicky in his future plans.


This year under him Pakistan's record was: Played 25: won 16, lost 8, drawn 1


He took over the position after the winless and disastrous tour of Australia where as many as 4 players received indefinite bans. During his time in charge Pakistan reached the semi finals of the 2010 T20 WC and 2011 50 over WC. 2010 was arguably the worst year which had hit Pakistan Cricket and Waqar overcame the problems such as the spot fixing scandal, Zulqarnanin run away fiasco and incompetent chairmanship.


Waqar has medical and family issues and therefore his decision should be respected and rightly accepted. He currently resides with his kids and family in Sydney.


Waqar was no doubt a champion bowler and great servant for Pakistan Cricket. He claimed as many as 789 international scalps in his illustrious career. His services and hard work always deserves to be remembered and appreciated.


Sources are suggesting Mushtaq Ahmed has expressed an interest in coaching.

For those of you who are unaware, Mushtaq has been part of the England set up and taken the team to new heights where they won the T20 World Championship, only lost 2 out of their last 10 tests against Australia and reached the all important world number 1 spot on the ICC test rankings. He was one of Imran's cornered tigers during the 1992 triumph at the MCG on 25th March 1992. He generally is a character and comedian who tends to get on well with players. Moreover, Pakistan have been relying on spin as a key area of strength in the absence of Amir and Asif which is the area the former Pakistan and Sussex legspinner who was renowned for his vicious spinning googly will specialise in.

Foreign coaches like during the golden Bob Woolmer days or Geoff Lawson for that matter will be an option that could be looked into, however under the current climate that is unrealistic and unlikely.

Will Yasir Shah Finish Off Afridi’s International Career Completely?

One of the new faces on Pakistan’s tour of Zimbabwe this September will be that of Yasir Shah. He is a conventional legspinner primarily with the ability to turn the ball both ways, but also a handy lower order batsman. He has a lovely Qadir like imitated bowling action. Generally known to be an attacking and exciting type of bowler.

 Abdul Qadir himself rates and backs his abilities highly. He has been doing well with Pakistan “A” for some time. He was a member of the 30 man preliminary squad for the 2011 World Cup along with spinners like Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman and Zulfiqar Babar. Also, he captained a domestic team during a 20/20 tournament last year.

He is only in his 20s, but fairly experienced domestically. I think if he performs well & is given a reasonable number of chances he can fit it at the number 8 spot for some time to come in ODIs at least. Best wishes to him.

Considering Afridi’s antics, behaviour, discipline, loud mouthed stupidity on national television, dramas, hassle, high level unprofessionalism, controversies, selfishness & internal politics I am hoping Yasir Shah will be able to impress and make a name for himself. However, I have also been following Yasir’s progress as a cricketer for some time and am pleased by the way he has risen through the ranks. He has been waiting patiently & is a deserving performer. Both of these reasons are why I really want Yas to do well. Mohsin Khan has hinted each member of the 16 man squad will get at least 1 outing on the 6 match tour next month.

Should Afridi Be Sacked as T20 Captain?

-Afridi has won 1 out of his last 8 T20s as captain & that win was a dead rubber against New Zealand on Thursday December 30th 2010 when the series was already lost. Generally a very poor record for a team who were former champions.

-Since fully taking over the LO captaincy Afridi has won only 5/16 T20s as skipper including a gentle victory against Bangladesh.

-Pakistan might be missing players like Malik and Mohammad Aamir in the Twenty20 format who were instrumental in the 2009 triumph, but today West Indies were missing their star players & still got the job done AND also during the New Zealand series the Kiwis were without Vettori and Brendon but still successfully defeated Pakistan 2-1.

His personal performances in this format have not been up to the mark either & as matter of principle he has to take on the responsibility for the defeats being in the hot seat.

In this format specifically the 3 key requirements to be successful are: selection, strategy and form. All of these are in the hands of the captain & he has to be held accountable. He is by far the worst T20 captain Pakistan have had by a country mile. How one wished in an ideal world we had a "Younis Khan" like champion captain right here and right now! He was strategically & tactically outstanding.

From title holders to minnows.

Should Afridi be sacked as T20 captain?

Will Pakistan enter the next T20 WC with a new captain?

Options

-Abdul Razzaq for T20 WC 2012. He will bat himself at number 3 guaranteed. He deserves the honour as a farewell. Razzaq is still part of the plans for T20 cricket. He wants to have a swansong next year. However, for ODIs he is finished. The T20 and ODI squad was announced together as one overall. Hence, he is not selected NOW but he is not totally out of contention. Think big!

-Imran Nazir. Captained successfully domestically & if they really think out of the box who knows.

-Misbah Ul Haq. Has captained once before in T20s internationally & Pakistan defeated Australia in the UAE. For the 2012 T20 WC he could be a very suitable & even idealistic choice to conclude his LO or even overall career.

Many more as well.........

Afridi's T20 record as captain is abysmal. He might have been one of the best T20 players in the world at one point and key in Pakistan's success in this format but he has now been a key factor for the decline and terrible dip in T20 form. If Pakistan are serious about winning the next T20 WC they must make a change. You simply cannot expect to do well in the tournament when you're going in with such a poor record under the given leader. A fresh and bold change might just be the magical spark in fortunes which are required. There are several options available. A youngster could captain & be the wiser option as it is 20/20 after all and generally a stage for youngsters to settle, impress and grow. There are several choices who could walk in this team who have proven natural "captaincy material" from the youth and first class circuit.

Pakistanis Should Be Proud

In anticipation of the great win I had prepared this: 30th March 2011 is a day to remember:

India Defeated by Pakistan in a World Cup Semi Final in Mohali. What history made. What performance shown. What drama seen. What scenes displayed. What jubilation experienced. Pakistan to take on Sri Lanka in a sub continental final on Saturday in Mumbai. Both teams will be playing in their 3rd World Cup Final having clinched the title once previously and the other time ended up as runners up. Which will it be this time? For now well done the lions in green. You have made us proud. It is a great occasion and one that will live in the memories of all Pakistanis who got to witness it!

Reality was different.

So near, yet so far. A successful and memorable World Cup campaign in many ways more than one comes to a heart breaking end with Pakistan defeated by arch rivals India by a margin of 29 runs in Mohali's second Semi Final. India book their place in Saturday's final against Sri Lanka. Pakistan only have their below par batting and undesirable tactical defensiveness to blame.

Nonetheless, well played India and lets accept this defeat gracefully. We should be proud of what our team has accomplished when not many people gave them a chance. They have exceeded expectations and had some key highlights during the tournament to take pride out of. They made their mark on the globe once more and restored a sense of direction. So as a Pakistani fan/follower let's put this symbolically tough defeat into perspective and consider what could have been and what actually has been achieved in order to reach the climax stages. Let's not get down on ourselves without forgetting the good.

Leading Run Scorers For Pakistan in the tournament:
Misbah Ul Haq-248 including 3 50s average: 50.
Umar Akmal-240 include 2 MOMs average: 48.

Leading Wicket Takers For Pakistan in the tournament:
Shahid Afridi 21 wickets
Umar Gul 14 wickets

Wahab Riaz

There were so many calls for the youngster to be dropped at the expense of the speed star for the heavily hyped clash but the management decided against it and stuck with their emerging left arm fast bowler who had been part of a successful combination and featured in some fantastic wins. I personally stressed in my preview that the management were in the best position to decide on Akhtar. I would not have liked to see Wahab dropped as I rated him highly and he had been impressive in his short career. He had the pace, variety, heart and old ball credentials to knock over the best in the business and had been a superb find. As it turned out he was the star of the show which rose to the wonderful occasion and arguably should have also been awarded the MOM. The surprise package provided a sense of cutting edge to the attack and produced tremendous deliveries against a high profile batting line up in front of a packed house in Mohali and beyond. A performance to remember. A day he shall certainly not forget. He pulled the game back, got Pakistan into a winning position where they could effectively have taken the game away from the opposition and dismissed the dangerman (Yuvi) on his home hunting ground with a superb reverse inswinging yorker which shocked an excitable crowd.

Slow scoring to blame?

In my view Kamran, Hafeez, Asad all gave their wickets away with poor shot selection. The pressure was mounting on Younis and Misbah even before they arrived at the crease. You cannot expect them to do the rescue job time and time again. Playing catch up is not the way they operate. Either they should be able to command the game forward by batting higher up the order and stamp their authority that way or they should be used as seeing the game through and accumulating on a good start. They got caught in between where their effectiveness is nothing. Younis was totally out of sorts by his high standards and Misbah struggled, but he hung in there and battled through. Throughout the tournament there was a lack of innovation and aggression from the captain and management in the team composition and batting strategy which proved costly. Overall, this probably was the ODI swansong for both Misbah and Younis and we have to think towards the future. Throughout, the tournament they did well and were key for the success Pakistan experienced in reaching the final 4. However, they could and should have got 261 against India's bowling and the whole batting performance and mindset must be assessed if any post mortem reviews are to be held on the matter.

Food For Thought

As it stands Pakistan have lost their 5th World Cup Match against India. Yet to beat India on the big stage. They have been knocked out at the semi final stage for the 4th time in 6 occasions during Cricket World Cup history. They have never won a World Cup semi final against a team other than New Zealand. They have been knocked out in the semi final stages during ICC tournaments for the 3rd time consecutively to go along with defeats in the 2010 ICC World TwentyT20 Championship against Australia and 2009 Champions Trophy against New Zealand.

Final

The all Asian Final promises a lot and both Sri Lanka and India thoroughly deserve their places. From a neutral eye it should be an interesting and well matched up contest. From a Pakistani point of view, I guess there is something we can psychologically take out of regardless of the outcome. For example, if Sri Lanka wins we were the only team which defeated them during their campaign to glory. Likewise if India wins at least we can say we were defeated by the champions who were heavily regarded as hot favourites for the title by many pundits.

The Match Winner Who Is A Costly Weak Link

Afridi's defensive mindset and negative selection policy is seriously hurting Pakistan's chances of winning this World Cup. The most infuriating aspect of all is the fact that this is an open World Cup where there is no stand out team and Pakistan genuinely have the resources to flourish as well as the favourable modified structure, but some mind baffling decisions and strategies are standing in their way of going the distance just like the liability of Kamran Akmal's shoddy keeping. Legendary greats like Wasim Akram and Imran Khan have lashed out and repeatedly warned the skipper of the dangers such an approach can bring during the big games. Surely this should be enough to convince him? Whether he takes on the highly logical and recommendable advice or not it totally within his court, but it certainly can bring the team down and become exposed in the big games. Whether fortune is kind to him and he is able to get away with it is left to be decided. However, the warning has been given in advance and Pakistani fans can almost be prepared to be disappointed with only their leaders at the centre of question. To rely on sheer individual brilliances to overweigh the areas of vulnerability is arguably unreasonable thinking and a step too far. There has to be desirable planning, balance, effective composition and intention in place which simply do not seem to exist in his dictionary. Either he has to immediately come to terms and get a grip or leave 170 million hearts banking on exceptional incidents to happen on the playing field which is risky territory to be in even for a dangerous and multi-talented side like Pakistan, but it can be done, but why would you want to over complicate things at the expense of depth, utility and safety? Hence, I was never in favour of him leading the side in the World Cup prior to the build up and captaincy corundum as hopes would have been significantly more secure, maximisation of effectiveness and intact under the leadership of Misbah or Younis for example where they would have assessed the situation and confidently had a solid game plan in place in an attempt to extract the best out of the unit as a whole as opposed to purely operating on emotion and instinct which is not bound to get you far alone whereas it could be moral shattering if the slightest of things do not go accordingly. There is widespread indications that he is behind Rehman's inclusion in the starting line up rather than Ajmal. Usually a captain has a high say in his wanted selection and therefore suggestions are pointing towards Rehman favourability who is not necessarily fulfilling the requirements or bringing in the credentials to complete the attack. There are possible explanations of him having fall outs with Ajmal after his personal attacks against him in the media during the course of the South African series in the United Arab Emirates. Also, he does not seem to be fussed by playing 8 batsmen which has been unnecessary and opening soft spots in other departments. This is rather futile and reducing the team's chances of bringing out the best usefulness. As Wasim Akram sarcastically stated something along the lines of :" Afridi must learn he cannot always play his friends in the team and some spaces have to go for others." At times one gets the impression he himself wants to be the show pony with his face in the action all the time rather than considering the needs and wants of other star attractions in the team namely Razzaq and Umar Akmal who are getting limited opportunities with the bat and are not been given defined roles and acknowledged for their credentials in the manner they should. Failing to think one step ahead of the opposition and instigate plans out of the ordinary such as taking a Power Play earlier on rather than just following the flow of the game and waiting for things to happen. The arrogance, yelling and stressfulness in the field only lets others down too and gets the better of him at times. He sometimes watches like a spectator or gets into the skins and teeth of his players. He has also been guilty of leaking out misleading information in the press and dressing room secrets which others have correctly highlighted and criticised him for. The unwillingness to utilise or unleash the surprise package in Junaid Khan just adds to the list. Was Afridi really ready to manage more than what he is himself as a player and human being?

Key Observations. Pakistan beat Zimbabwe in Kandy. Now Bring on The Aussies!

Pakistan beat Zimbabwe rather comprehensively as they eased to victory in Kandy by 7 wickets in a rain shorted Group A match. Pakistan now take on Australia on Saturday in Colombo in their final Group fixture. From now on in, all games will be full of pressure, tension, intensity, anticipation, challenge as the tournament really gets into serious mode. There will be no soft fixture anymore and every match will be symbolically indescribable, full of meaningfulness and of utmost importance as Pakistan look to re-live the memorable bells of 1992 in the 10th ICC Cricket World Cup jointly being hosted by Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India. Where Pakistan conclude in their group and who they will take on in the Quarter Final stage will be fully determined by the end of the week. It will be imperative they get much as possible going for them in order to be an ideal state and frame of mind to deliver when it matters and it does not come any better than breaking Australia's 33 match undefeated World Cup record come Saturday.

My Analysis

-Shehzad has 44 runs in 5 innings at an average of 8.8. He is really struggling for form and confidence. It will be a really brave move if they continue to persevere with him from here on in and one could not really complain about dropping him at this stage as far as form is concerned.

-Abdur Rehman averages 83 runs per wicket and just has 14 wickets to his name in 19 one day internationals . He is making his reputation clear as a really defensive average operator and is no match winner whereas we have a world class threatening match winner sitting on the bench and watching from the side lines. Do you think England will select Yardy ahead of Swann? Do you think South Africa will select Patterson ahead of Tahir? How difficult is it to select your best and most effective players? A darty left arm container who bowls on the pads or a crafty off spinner who can bamboozle batsmen, turn the screws in a match situation and attack the opposition in a unique manner? The logic behind Rehman being the main spinner is mind baffling.

-Umar Gul has notched up 10 scalps in 5 matches at an average of just 16. Arguably Pakistan's best bowler in the tournament so far? He currently stands as one of the leading wicket takers in the tournament at this point in time. He has bowled with skill, responsibility and firepower and could be a front line candidate to take the new ball as well now. He has shown he can control it and attack up front when the chance has been given which should give some significant food for thought for the skipper.

-There are areas and poor patches where Afridi's captaincy has been dysfunctional, unmanageable and negatively lacklustre. This includes the under reluctance to play a purposeful 7-4 combination, take incentive and seize the initiative by flexibility in the batting order, failing to push for Ajmal's inclusion in the starting line up, misusing the referral system unnecessarily or childishly and being incapable to control proceedings on the field when the heat is on and everything is not coming easy. This could be a front line downfall as highlighted previously before the tournament. The talisman needs to get a serious grip and share the responsibility equally with the senior men around him and utilise their highly regarded input/services as much as he possibly can or needs to because the opportunity to do well is unquestionably here and it would be rather disappointing if they fail to capitalise by being brought down within themselves.

Akmal Distractions

Pakistan take on Zimbabwe tomorrow from Kandy. The weather is a concern.



Umar Akmal is apparently "injured"



Kamran Akmal's internal politics along with nepotism is destroying Pakistan Cricket. Hard to believe that UAs injury was genuine. This has not been the first time that when Karman's place is on the line something drastically happens to change his fortunes so he can somehow retain his place in the line up. Fishy news indeed and we have every right to be speculative.

Which way around do you think it is?

1) Umar is deliberately faking an injury to save Kamran's place in the team?
2) Kamran is playing dressing room games and pressurising the youngster to play it dirty so he is not side-lined?

Personally I believe its number 2 but either way this is an act of shamefulness and questions the national pride of the brothers who are seemingly more concerned with personal interests. The management have strictly and correctly warned the duo that if there is a any repeat of what happened following the SCG debacle it will not be tolerated which puts their future with the Pakistan Cricket Team in question. These two might be sleeping uneasy now.

Shahid Afridi has earned a reputation of firmly criticising and attacking his own players in the open media, but when it's Kamran Akmal he does not say a word. Mind blowing stuff from Pakistan's captain.

Any observer who follows the game in any detail and technical seriousness will know that Umar is technically a better and more advanced keeper than Kamran. He may be called a make shift keeper but he has excellent reflexes and sharp footwork as we have seen previously and when you compare him to someone like Kamran, Umar is far superior with the gloves. Therefore, there should be absolutely no hesitation in making him the premier keeper. The irony is that Kamran is actually worse than a make shift keeper!!!

Even leading media sources are insulting Kamran. Cricinfo has been calling him a 'prat' and to be frankly honest we really cannot blame them one bit. The match winning drop machine must go for good.

The chances of Kamran scoring tomorrow if he plays are high though. There is a pattern that he always lift his performance levels when his place is on the line and he is under the firing line, but then does nothing much after to follow it up and we then wait for another disastrous keeping exhibition down the line. So even if he does end up scoring tomorrow, people must not get carried away.

Pakistan (probable) 1 Ahmed Shehzad, 2 Mohammad Hafeez, 3 Kamran Akmal (wk), 4 Younis Khan, 5 Misbah-ul-Haq, 6 Asad Shafiq/ Umar Akmal, 7 Shahid Afridi, 8 Abdul Razzaq, 9 Wahab Riaz, 10 Saeed Ajmal, 11 Umar Gul.

I would move Afridi and Razzaq up a position and play Junaid Khan as well rather than Shafiq in the middle order. Gives us an extra front line bowling option and a genuine new ball bowler, but it looks like they're going to stay with their 8 batsmen defensive strategy even against a weaker side. Good riddance.

Possibly they are playing Shafiq as a keeper in which case that is totally understandable, but still even if they are doing that one of the openers has to make way for the 7-4 combo. I'm beginning to accept that they are going to go with a 8-3 combo from here on in, but this is something they may well regret big time down the line. Afridi and Waqar are showing how hopeless they are in planning a strategy to become a champion side and extract the best out of the team by using full strength well balanced and attacking combinations. They are clueless in bringing the best out of others and showing game awareness, something which Younis, Misbah and Malik have done really well when they had the captaincy in their hands. Sir Imran will be tearing his hair out at Afridi right now! He has the resources, just not using them properly!

Team Confirmed by ARY News who have got it right each time so far:-

1) Shehzad
2) Hafeez
3) Kamran (WK)
4) Younis
5) Misbah
6) Shafiq
7) Afridi
8) Razzaq
9) Wahab
10)Gul
11)Rehman

A Wash Out Today BUT Plenty to digest, think about and look forward too......

Today rain intervened and washed out a mouth watering contest at the Premadassa which was a replay of the 2007 CWC Final in Barbados. Following this frustrating the result witnessed today the points tables of the respective groups make the following reading.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc_cricket_worldcup2011/engine/current/match/433577.html

So far Pakistan have performed well and produced 3 winning results, but the lack of surprise, creativity, innovation and aggression from Afridi and Waqar has been heavily disappointing. It has not reflected in the results and everything has been easily overshadowed. However, valuable opportunities to set the impetus have been missed which could be harmful in the latter stages of the tournament. In reality, both Waqar and Afridi seem to be defensive and laid back in leadership. So far it has not been exploited, but don't rule out the possibility. Generally and traditionally, this is not the way teams including Pakistan have had successful campaigns in the past. Time to get a grip and have a plan "B" in mind before it's too late. Afridi is an aggressive cricketer, Waqar was an aggressive pacer, but as leaders they are almost certainly the opposite.

We are very hopeful, determined and optimistic to see Pakistan lift the 2011 Cricket World Cup and hence we run a page and post updates, provide information, quotes, stats and insights. We always want what is best for Pakistan Cricket and a conservative game plan is not the way forward. There are significant areas of concern and at times we have failed to really capitalise. Pakistan have a very good shout of winning this World Cup, especially after the great start. Therefore, it is of utmost importance they take full advantage of their strengths and opportunities which they are not doing at present, despite the positive outcomes. With a predictable and defensive strategy this could turn out to be a downfall down the line. Legendary cricketers like Imran Khan and Wasim Akram have been critically reinforcing the aforementioned points so if you disagree why don't you go and complain to the greats of your country as well who know the game inside out. In order to become a champion side bold measures have to be taken and this is a clear weakness of the current management and captain, the desire to win is there, but they are not doing themselves any favours. The team are doing well at the moment, but they could really set the intent, stamp their authorities and maximise effectiveness otherwise this could turn out to be a regrettable policy.

In Afridi's last 15 matches prior to the World Cup he took 14 wickets at an average of 49! In 3 matches in the World Cup Afridi has taken 14 wickets at an average of 5.2! How things have changed so quickly and magically is hard to digest. Afridi is making his presence felt and establishing his reputation as a "big match player." From absolute mediocrity where his place was in question to absolute brilliance to take the world by storm at the mega event to capture the imagination and backing of the whole nation. Boom Boom, we salute you!

Tomorrow South Africa take on England from Group B. All eyes on Imran Tahir. The Pakistani born leg spinner will be in action and so far he has already made an impact in this World Cup with 7 scalps in just 2 matches. He has all the variations and control and looks to be in good form and enjoying his cricket. Watch out for him. He could have a key part to play. England on the other hand, will be looking to bounce back hard following the upset against Ireland earlier in the week. The bowling and fielding standards must be lifted in order to stand a chance.

Afridi Bowling Brilliance

King Afridi Spins Out Canada

Pakistan 184 all out (Umar Akmal 48, Misbah 37)
Canada 138 all out (Afridi 5/23)
Pakistan Win By 46 runs

http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc_cricket_worldcup2011/engine/current/match/433574.html













Phew! Glad that was over and done with! Everything Sahibzada Mohammad Shahid Khan Afridi turns to, turns to gold! The enigmatic entertainer is invincible. Turning out to be unplayable in the CWC. He is breaking records and leading the way. Pakistan make it 3/3 and mathematically qualify for the knock out stages. 6 more wins to go........

His captaincy still has many limitations, but he has found that golden spark in his bowling to overshadow everything else. Misbah is doing a good job as VC and playing his part too. Younis is also helping out.

Great fighting effort on the field today. The team is generally in great spirits and unity which always helps the cause. However as Afridi said in the post match presentation, it is a wakeup call for the top order.

Afridi's figures so far in this 2011 CWC: 28-3-73-14. Average of just 5.2! On track for something big! First Player in CWC history to take 4fors 3 times in a row. The BoomBoom is on fire. Pleasure to watch. Well bowled captain sahab. You are in the form of your life when it matters most! The gun player is taking one and all by storm.

Legends are both present in Sri Lanka for the 2011 CWC. One as head coach and the other as expert/commentator. Hopefully, they have both been working hard with the pacers i.e. Akhtar, Wahab, Junaid and Gul and sharing their advice, tips and experiences. WW was a deadly combination in the 90s era.



Same attack + Akhtar vs New Zealand. One of the following will be dropped. You decide?
1) Hafeez
2) Shehzad
3) Kamran

I would drop Kamran personally and give the gloves to Umar Akmal!

Moment Of The Day

1) Afridi's delivery to the dangerous Rizwan Cheema where he totally fooled him. It was the googly which Afridi gave some extra air. Rizwan's eyes lit up to go for an expansive shot and in the process the ball turned back and sneaked through the gate to clip the top of the off stump bail. It was undoubtedly a special feeling and a great piece of thinking and variation which was applied at the killer moment in the match.

2) Wahab Riaz's outstanding catch where he made excellent ground diving forward. It also brought up Afridi's second 5 for in the World Cup within just 3 games, a feat which has not been achieved before by any bowler. It was also the 5th 5 wicket haul in Afridi's career with 3 coming against minnow sides. Nonetheless, records and records.

3) Wahab Riaz's yorker to remove the Canadian number 11. The left armer changed the trajectory and came round the wicket and fired in a missile full and straight angling into the right hander and uprooting the stumps. Afridi gave us a smile in admiration as a relieved man. The moment belonged to him.

Just to clarify with everyone Pakistan are the first team to reach the quarter finals. That is that. However, they still have 3 Group Games left and it is important they top the group too in order to carry the momentum forward and make full use of an easier route which they deserve having put themselves in such a great position so early on. Pakistan reach the QF Stages for the first time since the 1999 CWC. Well done Cornered Tigers!

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

The Champion At His Best With The Ball

A Day To Remember In Colombo!

Pakistan
277/7 Misbah 83*(91)
Sri Lanka
266/9 Afridi 4/34





Summary and Assessment


Congratulations everyone to start off with as winning a WC fixture against a top class opponent is always a challenging stage to play on and a special feeling if you get the desired result. Even more so when you're playing on their home ground with a packed electrifying atmosphere. Therefore, this is a cause for celebration. Pessimists who previously were writing off the team's chances can now take a step back as this victory represents hope, optimism and the genuine potential of this unit as a threatening world beating force who could do wonders which include actually winning the World Cup as highlighted beforehand by many of the regular and experienced followers including myself, but that was the talking and now we are seeing the results shine in front of one and all. It was a truly brilliant performance today in a thrilling contest at Colombo and some key names came to the party and clicked under pressure. This should now definitely have kicked started the team campaign with a sense of pride and belief which should win the hearts and minds of the cricket mad but starved nation which has been dominated by hardships and turmoils. They could really do with a major global triumph to reunite the public and rejuvenate the national spirit in several walks of life. This soon might become a reality.



Key Notes

- Pakistan make it 7/7 and remain undefeated against Sri Lanka in WCs.

-Pakistan have won 5 out of their last 6 one day internationals.

-They currently stand at the top of Group A above Australia, Sri Lanka and New Zealand.

-Afridi is currently standing as the leading wicket taker in the World Cup with joint figures of 18-3-50-9 which is astonishingly good. This also suggests that the 5/16 against Kenya was not a one match fluke and that he has actually re-discovered that magical golden spark in his bowling which makes him a dangerous trump card match winner. What better time to find it than in a World Cup, especially when your captain!!! He could well conclude the tournament as the leading wicket taker. The early indications are pointing towards a special tournament for the experienced talisman.

-Misbah Ul Haq currently averages 148 in the tournament. Continuous brilliance from the Vice Captain.

Memorable Moments

1) Shoaib's delivery to Jayawardene where the ball swung prodigiously and shattered into middle stump. The top class batsmen was beaten through his defences in phenomenal fashion. It was a game changing moment which broke a potentially destructive middle order partnership and also inspired the whole of the Pakistan Team on the field.



2) Afridi dismissing Samaraweera with a gem of a delivery where he extracted sharp drift, dip and turn away from the right hander. The teasing delivery dragged him out of the crease and he lost his balance to provide Kamran Akmal with an opportunity to dislodge the bails in time which he successfully managed to do.

3) Afridi dismissing Sangakara in the deep at a crucial time in the match which pushed the game in favour of Pakistan and also brought up a famous landmark for him of reaching 300 ODI wickets. He is only the 2nd person behind Sanath Jayasuria to reach the milestone.

Potentially 7 more wins are on their way? Don't rule out the possibility of Pakistan winning the World Cup in style by being undefeated!

A Big Asian Group A Rivalry!

Afridi had the perfect start to the tournament with his magical 5 wicket haul against the Kenyans on Wednesday. He also scored a century in his last match he played against Sri Lanka. Also, scored 50s against them in the 2009 ICC WT20 Final at Lords and in his first T20 as captain. The 26th of February could be another memorable day for him as he leads the side with some personal confidence behind him.

Pakistan take on Sri Lanka tomorrow in their first real competitive match of the World Cup at Colombo. This will provide a stern test for Afridi's side and really give us an indication of where they stand and how far they could potentially go in the grand scheme of things during this World Cup. Continuing and consolidating on the winning and positive momentum will be crucial in order to help the green tigers peak at the right time and deliver when it matters during the knock out stages. Pakistan should be looking to win as many fixtures as possible in the group stages in order to aid achieving this and will want victories against Test Playing Nations: Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Australia as opposed to just turning over the minnows as expected. What's more is that if Pakistan are able to finish higher up in their group (preferably 1st or 2nd) they will gain an easier quarter final fixture against a lesser in form and prepared outfit and the likelihood is that they will not have to face firm tournament favourites, India on their home soil which looks an uphill task for any side at present. By finishing high up in the group, this should also help the cause in delivering in the knock out days in between the 23rd and 26th March by gaining that psychological edge which could be assistive in reaching the latter stages of the 10th ICC Cricket World Cup. This undoubtedly is a big game where the actual significance of a victory will show down the line as the tournament progresses and one looks back on at where things went well or went wrong for the goodness of the overall team campaign. The adrenaline must be pumping and the players must be raring to go like energetic school kids at the start of the holiday season.

Ahmed Shehzad
He will be a key name I am putting in the hat for this fascinating encounter at Colombo. He has a great deal of freshness, youthful exuberance, positivity and fearlessness about him. He has done exceptionally well in his comeback and made some eye catching and match winning contributions with his adorable stroke play and excellent intent. He looked off colour against Kenya, but I am expecting the selectors to persevere with him and for him to come out with a buzzing game plan to show what he is made of and announce himself to the world as a teenage batting superstar. The stage could be his. He has the talent. He generally has the form. This could be his day to shine and that too against a proper bowling attack?


Murali
Needs no introduction. The sky is the limit. A legendary world class bowler who holds records and has reached many illustrious milestones throughout his career. He is the second leading World Cup wicket taker of all time. This will be his 5th and final World Cup so he will want to start off well and what better place to do it than against Pakistan in their first real competitive match of the 49 match tournament. Could be a key factor. Pakistan will be need to be weary of him and do their homework.

I am anticipating a high scoring match here. If Pakistan bowl first and are able to restrict the Lankans to under 260, they will fancy their chances. However, they will definitely need a better opening start than what they got against Kenya in order to post a competitive and challenging total against the Lankans batting first. Either way, they will have to be at the top of their game to stand a chance. Given the strength and depth of Sri Lanka's batting and the nature of the pitches, an extra front line seamer will be a wise choice and open up the options for the skipper as well as prevent relying on liabilities which could be fatal. This will help in keeping control of proceedings out there in the field.

Sri Lanka have beaten Pakistan 7 out of the last 10 times the team have met and on paper they are the stronger unit. Pakistan have beaten Sri Lanka all 6 times the teams have met in a World Cup Fixture. At this particular venue where the match will be contested, Pakistan have won 5 out of 12 matches. Umar Akmal also made his maiden ODI century at this venue.

Sri Lanka have the edge, but as always you never quite known with Pakistan and there should never be any shortage of excitement and mysteriousness in their approach. The game is a big opportunity for them to stamp their authorities which could be crucial in the chain of events which follow as outlined above. Here's hoping from a Pakistani perspective they have realised its significance and take it with a sense of purpose. In closing, all eyes are firmly focussed on Colombo for this good old Asian Rivalry between two teams who have a decent shout of doing the distance right through to the Mumbai Final on the 2nd of April, but who is the better one at this stage?

Pakistan Start With a Bang!

http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc_cricket_worldcup2011/engine/current/match/433563.html

Pakistan started their World Cup Campaign with a bang today by defeating Kenya by an overwhelming margin of 205 runs. It was a clinical all round performance with some record breaking performances as Pakistan eased their ways to a comfortable victory. Pakistan will want to use this victory as an opportunity to set up their tournament where they have gained that victorious tone which they can build on and carry through in the fixtures which proceed. This could be the start of what plans out to be a successful and memorable tournament for Afridi's side. The captain himself bowled magnificently and claimed some remarkable figures during a breath taking spell of leg spin bowling where he concluded with 8-3-5-16. He demonstrated a great degree of skill and uniqueness which absolutely puzzled the Kenyans as they faltered in quick succession against the brilliance of the Pakistani skipper. They struggled to combat his sharp drift, variations and dip he was getting which was always going to be a challenge for them to combat and counter, especially if he was on the money.

Earlier Pakistan amassed 317 having won the toss, despite the early losses of the openers with the score line at 12-2 after just 7 overs. Kamran Akmal played a good hand in re-building the innings and getting Pakistan on track with his 9th half century, Younis set the platform with the help of his class and experience to bring up his first half century in a World Cup encounter whereas Misbah played an important hand in accumulation and carrying the good work through in his first World Cup appearance, Mr consistent did not fail to live up to our expectations and continued his magnificent purple patch of form. However, it was Umar Akmal who stood out and played with freedom, intent, aggression and energy once the foundations had been laid and the situation was ideal for him to do what he does best! He notched up 71 off just 52 deliveries. The Kenyan bowlers were sloppy and undisciplined which helped the Pakistani cause with 46 extras contributing to the overall total.

On the whole, it was a perfect outcome and a victory which should be celebrated and applauded appreciably. The manner in which they went about their business and produced the goods is the area which should be looked at and not the strength or depth of the opposition. Moreover, in the previous WCs where Pakistan faced humiliation in the preliminary stages, they lost their opening fixture so perhaps this change is a refreshing spark of better things to follow?

Pakistan vs Kenya Tomorrow!

Pakistan's 2011 World Cup Campaign commences tomorrow when they take on Kenya in their opening fixture from Group A. It is highly significant that they set the tone, seize the initiative, set the standards and gain a moral boosting win in order to kick start their tournament where they stand a reasonable chance of realistically actually going the distance which is not at all beyond their sights and capabilities.

However, lets bear in mind the opponents we are playing actually reached the semis in the 2003 World Cup and we all have flashbacks of what happened on St Patricks day in 2007 where the Irish eliminated Inzamam's side in the preliminary stages. Therefore, complacency is never an option and Pakistan must ensure they turn up and deliver the goods.

My Line Up

Shehzad, Hafeez, Younis, Umar, Misbah, Afridi, Razzaq, Wahab, Junaid, Akhtar, Ajmal.

Warm Up Match vs. Bangladesh

Warm Up Game tomorrow (15th February) vs. Bangladesh. Will be televised. Valuable last minute preparations and its essential they take full advantage of its potential usefulness in the longer chain of events which follow. They should be following the footsteps of the philosophy “proper preparation prevents poor performance.”Should be interesting to see what happens in terms of team combinations and performance. Good Luck Pakistan!! Lets get this job done and dusted well.

2011 World Cup Pakistan Player Portrait Day!

Photo Shots of the Squad members displayed below




The young rockstar :) - AHMED SHEHZAD

The one and only! He has a burning ambition to win the WC and retire with a legacy. He has been prioritising and focussing on this since his comeback in the side in June at the Asia Cup. Probably will retire after it finishes. We have heard from himself that he hopes to be clocking up 95mph during this tournament!!! Best Wishes Shabby.....

What has Afridi done for Pakistan in ODIs?

Career Span

312 Matches

ODI batting averge=24

ODI bowling average=35

Judge Afridi as a 'bowler?'
Afridi bowling vs. New Zealand: 41-0-4-200 (average 50 runs per wicket)
Afridi bowling vs. South Africa: 50-0-6-258 (average 43 runs per wicket)
Afridi bowling vs. England: 43-0-4-229 (average 57 runs per wicket)

He can be a useful and effective operator every now and then when he finds a magical spark, however by and large his bowling is rather average by international standards and can no longer be solely used as an excuse to justify his continuous selection in the ODI team. His batting is heavily inconsistent and unreliable as we all know and by no stretch of the imagination something which could be banked upon to deliver. Afridi's bowling form does no longer possess the same threat, venom and attacking trump card tag which he has shown at times and overall stats in both departments do not make great reading although one could argue he has served well(barring a few moments of stupidity). In my view, generally a good long term servant but an average player if anything. A good World Cup campaign where he shows some responsibility and produces some match winning efforts could slightly tilt the balance in favour of his overall rating, but for now let's consider the bigger picture and face the reality.

Nevertheless, he is leading the side in the World Cup so your support is needed. He can be a key impact player who can be unstoppable when he clicks. Surely he wants to achieve some sort of ODI legacy to somewhat justify the over excessive hyped up fan base he has attracted over the last decade or will he simply be renowned as a Mickey-mouse one dimensional cricketer for his heroics in twentyT20? The next 2 months shall decide...........