Pakistan Players MOM Record This Year

Pakistan has had a 64% winning record this year across all forms of the game. In 26 matches 17 of the times a player has been given a MOM from Pakistan’s side. Here are the players with the most man of the match awards tallies this year in ascending order.

1)Mohammad Hafeez=4 (having 3 in the space of 5 ODIs against the WI including WC QF)
2)Misbah ul Haq=3 (one in test against New Zealand, one in ODI against NZ, one in ODI against WI)
3)Shahid Afridi=2 (back to back against Sri Lanka and Canada in WC)
4)Umar Akmal=2 (both in WC against Kenya and Australia)
5)Ahmed Shehzad=2 (one in ODI against New Zealand and one in ODI against WI)
6) Abdur Rehman=1 (test in Hamilton earlier in the year)
7) Taufiq Umar=1 (latest test in St Kitts where Pakistan won by 196 runs. He made 135 in 2nd innings and was involved in 25% of the wickets through his catching)
8)Asad Shafiq=1 (World Cup debut against Zimbabwe)
9)Junaid Khan=1 (in match against Ireland on 28/05/11)

MOTS awards.
WI ODI series: Mohammad Hafeez
WI Test series: Saeed Ajmal (batsmen let him down in Guyana test otherwise no doubt he would have been MOM there)
NZ don't do MOTS for some odd reason or the other.

Hafeez Opening The Bowling Against England In Test Cricket Due To Their Left Handers?

Hafeez has opened the bowling for Pakistan in Twenty20s, ODIs and test matches with success and that element of surprise. It’s “outside of the box thinking” which has been enforced by either Afridi or Misbah over the time Hafeez has been in the side. He is an underrated bowler. He is so damn nagging accurate with his line, length, control & varied trajectories. He bowls according to his field placements and sets high standards of himself and his fielders. Containment is his strength. He bowls economically. He is a reliable operator. Against left handers specifically Hafeez is a demon. He drifts the ball, inserts a fair deal of revs in the air, and gets the odd one to go straight on with the arm which creates enough doubt and uncertainty in the mind of the striker, but also can get the ball to turn and bounce from a length and bring the slipper into play. He has a simple action with that “kink” allowing him to second guess the batter and adjust his delivery accordingly. He is a thinking bowler. He is a cunning bowler.

WI left handed opener Devon Smith has been a bunny of his who has been dismissed 6 times consecutively when the two have encountered (5 of them being LBW). The professor has had him in a complete tangle. However, he has had weaknesses against off spinners throughout his career.

Just wondering here whether Misbah opens with the Professor against England in the UAE with Cook and Strauss opening up for them. Gul and Riaz opening together is probably not best because both are the same type and neither is an out and out bowler with the new red cherry. Hafeez can provide that “surprise package” and trouble these two prolific run getters. When he has got wickets and breakthroughs in test cricket it has been as a result of his own guile as opposed to batsmen mistakes and errors. He has provided breakthroughs at crucial times. I think Hafeez can pose some serious questions against these lefty’s early doors. Hopefully this is considered. I think this will be more effective than seeing Umar Gul running in and Strauss happily letting 3 or 4 an over go through to the keeper, Wahab Riaz sending down legside half volleys or bowling short and wide for Strauss to square cut him to the fence or even Tanvir Ahmed ambling in with his military medium only to be spanked through the covers. This is worth a try. Even if Hafeez doesn’t get a breakthrough he is unlikely to go for many. Strauss is not keen to come forward whereas Cook pushes hard at the ball. Hafeez could work these over.

10 Things You Are Hoping To Witness in Zimbabwe

1) Misbah Ul Haq scoring a ton in one of the games and showing everyone why exactly he was a nomination for ICC cricketer of the year. Captain leading from the front and continue relishing the responsibilities which he has been doing ever since his appointment. Adding more to his highly impressive run tally for 2011.

2) A debutant getting a MOM.

3) Azhar Ali or Asad Shafiq or even both for that matter reaching their maiden international century.

4) Adnan Akmal scoring his first international half century for Pakistan.

5) Winning all 3 formats (however I feel there might be an upset on the cards considering our inexperienced bowling attack & Zimbabwe’s recent performances against Bangladesh where they won both series.) Team must avoid complacency and ensure they get the results clinically. Will be a fitting end to Waqar’s tenure if this happens. I am sure he’ll do his level best to keep the boys focussed.

6) Yasir Shah bowls impressively on his debut.

7) Sohail Tanvir revives his career and confidence on the international stage.

8) Not allowing Zimbabwe to cross 500 overall in the test match from both 1st and 2nd innings. You might argue I am pushing this inexperienced pace attack but we have Ajmal and have faith in our untried rookies.

9) Not allowing Zimbabwe to post scores of above 250 in ODIs and 160 in T20s.

10) Winning the test by at least 5 wickets or 200 runs. Preferably finishing the job off inside 10.5 sessions or less. Margin of victory should be a comprehensive and convincing one.


MOTS predictions:
Test: Younis Khan/Azhar Ali/Hafeez
ODIs: Misbah ul Haq
T20: Saeed Ajmal

Spot Fixing Scandal - A Year On

It’s been exactly a year since the NOTW publications regarding the spot fixing scandal were revealed. It was this weekend last year. A gloomy day at Lords in more ways than one as Michael Atherton mentioned on commentary on the final day of the test series when the players made their way out to the middle on the back of high suspiciousness.

Pakistan didn’t even bother going out to train that morning, the situation got so bad. An unforgettable history which damaged the game and country’s integrity. An all time low for the cricket mad nation.

Since that date the former captain has been providing punditry on television which undoubtedly was shameful and sickening enough considering here was a guy who sold out his country’s name and is able to attract attention and air his views publicly, despite the hot water he was standing in and the damage he has done.

Since then Mohammad Amir has appeared for Addington CC in the Surrey league and faced the chance of having his suspension extended as this was against the boundaries of his ban, however recently he has escaped further punishment, despite the breach. Nonetheless he has been warned severely.

Since that date the trio obviously have never appeared for their country again, received minimum 5 year bans all around which was the outcome of the hearing in Doha in February, been banned from playing domestic and club cricket associated with respective country boards and face an ongoing criminal trial in court which they have been busy preparing for. Could Pakistan cricket get any lower?

However, in perspective there is of course the argument that this was a minor victory for the game in the sense that awareness was raised, realisation began to kick in & serious measures could be adopted to prevent these things from occurring in the future. It was a wakeup call for governing bodies, fellow players, fans in denial and authorities. Hopefully things can only get better from here on in and the the lowest times have past for this beloved game we all so passionately follow.

Super Over Exhibitions on Finals Day Decides the Course of the Day at Edgbaston 2011

The amount of major 20/20 games which are going down to the wire i.e. super over nowadays is getting unbelievably crazy. I can name at least 4 domestic SFs or finals this year which have been determined by a 1 over slog fest just at the top of my head. Personally, I prefer to see a super over ahead of a bowl out and feel the idea works well to settle a tie, but as we saw yesterday in rain affected shortened duck worth Lewis games sides are usually neck or neck right to the end and therefore a tie is always a chance. Should duckworth lewis be applied in such a short version of the game? Remember the England/WI pool game incident during the 2010 WT20 where WI won chasing not much inside a 6 over slot having been outplayed for the first half and even the opposition captain acknowledged England were hard done by. Perhaps duck worth lewis is too much of unfair interference in 20/20, especially in pressure games when so much hard work and dedication goes into reaching the latter stages of the tournament. You’d expect something fairer and squarer surely? I don’t buy into the fact that there is no better alternative, the game requires flexibility.

Nevertheless, congratulations to Leicestershire.

2003=Surrey
2004=Leicestershire
2005=Somerset
2006=Leicestershire
2007=Kent
2008=Middlesex
2009=Sussex
2010=Hampshire
2011= Leicestershire

Abdul Razzaq = Best T20 Player in the World

1) T20 WC win with Pakistan 2009

2) ICL win with underdogs Hyderabad Heroes 2008

3) Domestic T20 with Sialkot Stallions 2010

4) Domestic T20 with Lahore Lions 2010 (straight after he transferred)

5) T20 win Hampshire 2010

6) T20 win Leicestershire 2011 (straight after he transferred)

What a player!

2011 ICC Test Team Of The Year & ICC Awards Nominations

Short-lists of nominees (in alphabetical order)
*
Individual Awards
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Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Cricketer of the Year

Hashim Amla (SA)
Alastair Cook (Eng)
Sachin Tendulkar (Ind)
Jonathan Trott (Eng)
*
ICC Test Player of the Year

James Anderson (Eng)
Alastair Cook (Eng)
Jacques Kallis (SA)
Jonathan Trott (Eng)
*
ICC ODI Player of the Year

Hashim Amla (SA)
Gautam Gambhir (Ind)
Kumar Sangakkara (SL)
Shane Watson (Aus)
*
ICC Emerging Player of the Year

Azhar Ali (Pak)
Devendra Bishoo (WI)
Darren Bravo (WI)
Wahab Riaz (Pak)
*
ICC Associate and Affiliate Player of the Year

Ryan ten Doeschate (Ned)
Hamid Hassan (Afg)
Kevin O’Brien (Ire)
Paul Stirling (Ire)
*
ICC Twenty20 International Performance of the Year

Tim Bresnan (Eng) – 3-10-3-4 v Pakistan, Cardiff, 7 September 2010

JP Duminy (SA) – 96 not out (54b, 10x4, 4x6) v Zimbabwe, Kimberley, 10 October 2010

Tim Southee (NZ) – 4-1-18-5 v Pakistan, Auckland, 26 December 2010

Shane Watson (Aus) – 59 (31b, 6x4, 3x6) v England, Adelaide, 12 January 2011
*
ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year

Charlotte Edwards (Eng)
Lydia Greenway (Eng)
Shelley Nitschke (Aus)
Stafanie Taylor (WI)
*
David Shepherd Trophy for ICC Umpire of the Year

Aleem Dar
Steve Davis
Ian Gould
Simon Taufel
*
ICC Spirit of Cricket

MS Dhoni (Ind) – for his recall of Ian Bell during the second Test match between England and India at Trent Bridge, July/August 2011

Jacques Kallis (SA) – for twice during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 walking after clarifying with the opposition fielder if they had caught the ball cleanly
*
LG People’s Choice Award

Hashim Amla (SA)
MS Dhoni (Ind)
Chris Gayle (WI)
Kumar Sangakkara (SL)
Jonathan Trott (Eng)