Friday, June 12, 2009

Lankan M Factor too much for Pakistan

Pakistan started the game off the wrong foot from the very first ball of the match; literally!

It kept getting worse with Dilshan and Jayasuriya going great guns.

But then, as always Afridi came on and boom boomed with the ball like he has always done, and brought Pakistan back into the game.

Ajmal provided wonderful support and Gul finished off brilliantly to restrict Sri Lanka to a chaseable total.

Was quite a fight back then.

But Pakistan, who now show their mercurial nature in the same match as well, started their innings of the wrong foot once again.

Salman Butt beaten all ends up of a Matthews dopply bopply. I still don't understand why they continue to persist with him!

Shoaib Malik started off watchfully but got his act together before throwing it away.

Kamran Akmal hardly faced any deliveries and was run out, for which only he was to blame. That 2 second hesitation did him. Why? Why stop? The single was on!

Misbah disappointed. He just couldn't get going.

Shahid Afridi, well what do I say. He's lost it with the bat. He just can't do it anymore and the sooner Pakistan realise that they can't count on him with the willow the better. Let him dominate with the ball.

Despite what everyone has said about Younis Khan being an average captain, not a capable twenty20 batsman, one that doesn't take risks, he has done really well with the bat in all the matches.

But he has had no support from anyone else.

His 50 off 37 deliveries today followed scores of 46* off 31 deliveries against England, and 36 off 20 deliveries against Netherlands.

Good scores, good scoring rates, but no one to support.

That has been the story of Pakistan in this ICC World Twenty20.

They managed to keep the Dilshans, Jayasuriyas, and Sangakkaras quiet, but at the end the Lankan M factor - Malinga, Murali, Mendis, and Matthews proved too much for them.

On the brighter side though, we are still not out.

Pakistan can beat New Zealand tomorrow, and Ireland on Monday to still qualify for the semi finals.

However, for that to happen, they have to get their batting act together. And fast!

Good news is that Razzaq will be back tomorrow, and Pakistan always does well with their backs to the wall.

Make your pitch on this post...



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20 Pitched:

  1. SledgeHammer said...
     

    Not sure if Murali and Mendis had any impact. Pak was comfortable against the SL spinners, as always.

    It was self-destruction. Misbah played a horrible innings. Considering he's probably our #1 T20 batsman, his innings was pretty pathetic. SR of 75 while chasing???

    Credit to Pak bowling. Yes, Tanvir bowled badly, but they quickly took him off and fought back.

    Not sure of Pak's Fawad Alam strategy at all. I guess it will remain a mystery.

    Somehow I haven't found myself too disappointed by Pak's losses. Four thrashings (two warmups and to official), with a respite against Netherlands means the team is not there to win. And that would fit well the captain's strategy of fun and games and WWF(E). It's hard to get behind a team that has no interest in playing.

    Windies vs SL is my dream final. With Windies to win it.

    Not rooting against Pak, but can't say I'm fully behind them either.

  2. farooq syed said...
     

    i think we handled the spinners really well, younis in particular, just dont understand misbah and his crazy dance while facing the spinners, i have played some cricket and the coaches always told me to have a good balance, but misbah on the other hand is just running from left to right without any sucess, he is such a good hitter of the ball but he screwed himself and the team with this unneccesary movement, i think his innings lost us the game, hope we can win tommoro, very optimistic becuz of the character we showed with the ball and with razzaq returning.. i hope we dont persist with the useless salman butt, malik can open the innings with razzaq coming in at 4

  3. Wasim said...
     

    Qadir made sure that he squeezes Younis Khan's batting options he deliberately created a hole at the top by selecting Ahmed Shahzad and Salman Butt now the MF is blaming every other person if he had any integrity he should have resigned on the first intervention but we all know these are lies. He is the one who consistently ignored Nasir Jamshed. He is also responsible for selecting an out of form Tanvir everybody knows he is completely off color why he missed it. He has shown his typical vindictive akhroat nature against Younis Khan.
    Pakistan doesn't stand a chance.

  4. Stani Army said...
     

    I think we play Murali and Mendis the best from all the teams.

    Our opening bowles lost us the game. The Sri Lankan ones showed us how to do it.

  5. khansahab said...
     

    Qadir was the best selector Pakistan has had in recent times. He has given a strong statement about politics in the team. He has exposed that Younis and Malik were playing politics, these things are only conspiracy theories until an "inside man" exposes them, which is when they become reality.

    Tanvir's claim to fame is only T20 cricket. Had Tanvir not been selected the fans would have been very upset. At the moment Tanvir is one of the most popular players. How could anyone have dropped him before the most important T20 tournament?

    Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but I have personally seen Nasir Jamshed sitting out in domestic matches because of malaria and flu. Domestic commentators talked about it, his coach and team mates talk about it. His immunity level is low and he needs expert medical advice.

    And he needs to stay away from mosquitos. He's a good player no doubt, just needs to look after his health a bit more. Plus before the RBS Cup he was in poor form whereas Butt has been performing consistently in domestic cricket.

  6. Wasim said...
     

    I don't think that Murali or Mendis had any impact on the game.
    I think Misbah was the main culprit today.

    Younis khan did every thing right except playing Tanvir and Butt.
    He is experienced enough to spot when a player is out of form.

    I don't think Malik and Misbah are playing upto their potential.

  7. Wasim said...
     

    And Qadir was just an innocent bystander just watching:)

    He was the chief selector where was his integrity when he selected Malik after he found that he was conspiring against Younis.

    That Malaria happened long time ago, he played the whole RBS tournament their was no justification of ignoring him or Imran Nazir. Similarly his selecttion of pace bowlers was also poor. Both for the Dubai series and this tournament.

  8. Q said...
     

    Firstly guys, Murali and Mendis DID have an impact on the game.

    Only Younis Khan played them well and with confidence.. he treated them the same way he did during his epic 313. With disdain!

    Misbah struggled against them and thats where they kept their stranglehold against them.

    Younis kept getting a boundary of every over against both, but Misbah could not do anything.

    Had our batsmen collectively fired against Murali and Mendis, we would have won the game.

    Don't forget the other half of the M factor - Mathews and Malings.. all our batsmen struggled against them.

  9. Q said...
     

    Sledge,

    The Fawad Alam strategy will not work if they continue to bat him at 7.. he needs to be higher than Afridi at the least..

  10. Q said...
     

    Farooq,

    Agree abt Misbah and those dances. Pathetic!

    Razzaq will definitely come in tomorrow but I'm not sure instead of whom.. Tanvir or Butt?

    I think Razzaq and either of Shehzad/Shazaib should replace Tanvir and Butt.

  11. Q said...
     

    Stani,

    Thats true. We do play Murali and Mendis the best out of all teams. I proved that with some stats in my lost battle with Damith over at BCC!

  12. Q said...
     

    Wasim, Khansahab,

    Regarding Qadir.

    I believe him when he says that he was not given an independent hand. Its true.

    The team in London right now is Younis Khan's team. He asked for Butt, Shehzad, and Shahzaib. Qadir wanted Khalid Latif. Younis also publicly backed Sohail Tanvir, not Qadir.

    Hence I don't agree with the fact that Qadir squeezed Younis Khan's resources.

    As for Nasir Jamshed.. remember he was in the squad that played Australia in Dubai.. he got injured in the first game and left. Hence he was the first choice opener but the injury kept him out. Shehzad's couple of 40s against Aus were enough to get him the nod ahead of Nasir.

    Again it was Younis Khan's call, not Qadir's.

    As for the conspiracy against Younis.

    I don't believe Qadir is being truthful about the fact that Malik was conspiring against Younis. Its publicly known that Qadir wanted 2 different captains for Tests and the shorter format - Younis for tests and Afridi for ODIs.

    Qadir wanted this as soon as he became selector but the PCB did not allow it. Hence Younis remained.

    Afridi knows that he has a chance to be captain and has been lobbying for it for a long time now. Since the Malik days.

    Afridi also has his own clique within the team who are backing him.

    This is obvious. Have u noticed how all the Afridi chirping and bucking up is not visible anymore in London?

    It was in Dubai as well during the Malik days, but not anymore.

    Why do you think that is?

    Here I would also like to say that I am a major Afridi supporter and want to see him as Pak captain, but I don't agree with the way he is going abt it.

    Anyhow.. Malik knows he doesn't have any chance of being Pak captain again. He also knows that his days as a test player are numbered.

    He is not conspiring against Younis. He was in fact supporting him. Which is why Younis is trusting him at number 3 and in crucial situations with the ball.

    Qadir has opened a pandora box and it isn't going to stop here. There will be more. Wait and watch.

    Before I end, I'll say what I always say - I have no evidence regarding any of this. Whatever I have written is hearsay and speculation.. a lot of people are talking abt it, and I just believe that smoke is only where there is fire.

    So believe what u may :-)

  13. khansahab said...
     

    Q

    Somehow the trio of Younis, Malik and Misbah is not working.

    I don't consider that as a world class middle order.

    There needs to be changes. There is no consistency in this order.

  14. Wasim said...
     

    Q it was in the newspapers yesterday that Qadir was not in favor of selecting Saeed Ajmal.


    Only Shahzaib was Younis Khans choice rest of them were all Qadir's picking. This has been reported by every sports journalist in the country.

    If Qadir was so righteous than he should have spoken in public and resigned when all these things were being done, I think now he is just trying to save his own reputation by giving these stupid and irresponsible statements at such a time.

  15. Q said...
     

    Khansahab,

    That's right but then what is the solution - Fawad Alam?

    Could be, but how do we fit him in?

    Younis Khan has been playing a lone hand so far. Malik and Misbah have failed him.

    I don't agree with the order though.. I would like to see Younis, Misbah, Malik rather than what it is and Fawad to follow would be better..

  16. Q said...
     

    Wasim,

    Exactly. Qadir did not want Saeed Ajmal in the squad. Ajmal was there cos of Younis.

    This proves that Qadir was not given a free hand.

    Qadir also did not want Akmal when he became selector...he wanted Sarfraz.. Akmal stayed cos of Younis.

    And if Qadir is right in saying that he did not want Malik, then the only reason Malik is there is cos of Younis.

    You know that Younis would have never accepted captaincy without having a say in the selection.

    I don't see anything wrong with that, cos it worked during the Imran Khan days.. but it only works if the players he selects are completely behind him.

  17. Krish said...
     

    The New Zealand match is a must-win match for Pakistan now. I think they should beat them, but it is incredibly difficult to predict with the form of the team changing by every match.

  18. Vedder said...
     

    Even if Pak beat NZ and Ireland they'd be counting on the Lankans to beat NZ (which is probable).

    Going on their performances in the WC so far...it doesn't seem like they pack enough batting or bowling power to overcome NZ's NRR of 4.00+.

  19. Q said...
     

    Krish,

    Yeah man.. if Pak lose its over for us.

  20. Q said...
     

    Vedder,

    If NZ does beat Lanka and it comes down to net run rates then it could really be anyone.. NZ's +4 is cos of their heavy win against Ireland.. in T20 the NRR changes quickly depending on the matches.. SL and Pak will play Ireland too and will have a chance to drastically increase their NRR..

    While NZ's will drop from matches against Pak and SL..

    Pak's NRR changed from -0.5 after the England game to +2.4 after the Netherland's game..

    Those kinds of jumps are not common in ODIs, but are in the shorter version..

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