Showing posts with label Pakistan vs South Africa T20. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pakistan vs South Africa T20. Show all posts
Thursday, April 15, 2021

Babar Azam - The Best in the World


Posted by Q at Thursday, April 15, 2021 Pitched (4)
That Pakistan are not good at chasing is something we have heard and witnessed for as long as Pakistan has been playing international cricket.

Despite that fact, in the 6 completed limited over matches on their current tour of South Africa, Pakistan have completed 3 successful run chases and have once come to within 17 runs of a mammoth target of 342.

Moreover, the 3 successful run chases have included their third highest ever chase against South Africa in ODIs, and two of their highest chases ever in T20Is - both within a period of 4 days.

In the first T20Is against the Proteas, Pakistan chased down 189 with a delivery to spare, on the back of a fighting unbeaten knock of 74 off 50 deliveries by Mohammad Rizwan.

That 189 was the highest total ever chased by Pakistan in a T20I.

Till last night, when Pakistan made chasing 204 look like a cakewalk.

Rizwan was instrumental in this chase as well with another unbeaten knock of 73 off 47 deliveries.

But the man of the hour was Babar Azam.


Newly crowned as the number one ranked batsman in ODIs, Babar celebrated that achievement by playing one of the best innings ever played in a T20 international.

Babar made the chase look so easy that Pakistan reached their target with a full two overs to spare!

I have never witnessed such a masterclass of an innings in a T20I. Not by a Pakistan batsman, not by any batsman.

It was truly majestic.

Babar's 122 came off only 59 deliveries and included 15 boundaries and 4 sixes.

From the get go, he was in charge of the chase, hitting boundaries in every over, running with supreme urgency with Rizwan, finding gaps with precision, turning good deliveries into run scoring opportunities, and clearing the boundary with such finesse.

The best part about Babar's innings was that not once did he seemed rushed, not once did he try to slog, not once did it seem it was about power hitting. It was completely flawless classical batting with text book shots.

He did it with such ease that it left everyone from his teammates to the opposition and all the viewers completely awestruck.

I have already gone back and viewed his innings another 4 times since the match ended and I have no doubt in my mind that I have witnessed the best T20I knock ever in the history of the game.

Babar also broke a number of records with his majestic innings, including:

1. His 122 is now the highest individual score by a Pakistan batsman in T20Is, overtaking Ahmed Shehzad's 111* against Bangladesh in 2014.

2. 122 is also the highest ever score by a captain in a T20I chase, and the 4th highest ever by a captain in a T20I.

3. It is also the second highest ever score by a batsman while chasing in T20Is. Babar was unfortunate to miss out on the record 125 scored by Evin Lewis against India in 2017.

4. Babar reached his maiden T20I century off 49 deliveries, the fastest 100 ever by a Pakistan batsman in T20Is. And in all limited overs cricket, there is only one Pakistan batsman who has scored a century off fewer deliveries - Shahid Afridi - one off 37 deliveries and another off 45.

5. His opening partnership of 197 with Rizwan is now the highest partnership ever in T20Is by Pakistan, going past the unbeaten 143 put on by Shehzad and Hafeez against Zimbabwe in 2013.

6. It is also the highest ever partnership in a chase in T20Is, eclipsing the unbeaten partnership of 171 between Kane Williamson and Martin Guptill against Pakistan in 2016.

7. The 197 run partnership is also the highest while chasing in all T20 cricket.

8. It is also the 4th highest ever partnership for any wicket in T20Is, and the highest ever in a match involving two of the top 8 ranked teams.

9. Babar smashed 15 boundaries in his innings, which is the most number of boundaries hit by any batsman in a T20I chase.

10. It is also the second highest number of boundaries in a T20I innings by any batsman, just 1 behind the 16 hit by Aaron Finch against Zimbabwe.

On top of all these records, it was also Pakistan's highest ever successful chase in T20Is.

Babar was truly marvelous. The innings was a rare gem, and if you missed it you must watch the highlights. On repeat. Multiple times.

With every season, Babar has grown in stature. He is the best batsman in Pakistan, we all knew. Now, he has claim to the tag of being the best batsman in the world too!

Make your pitch on this post...

Share this post...


Labels: , , , ,


Sunday, April 11, 2021

The Rise of Mohammad Rizwan


Posted by Q at Sunday, April 11, 2021 Pitched (2)
Having made his debut for Pakistan in 2015-16, Mohammad Rizwan did not become a permanent feature in Pakistan's starting line ups till the end of 2019, when Sarfraz Ahmed fell out of favor with the selectors and team management.

Rizwan has not looked back since he became Pakistan's number one choice for wicket-keeper; and while he has been great behind the stumps, it is his achievements in front of them that have impressed everyone.

Last night, opening the innings for Pakistan against South Africa in the first T20I of the 4 match series, Rizwan was assertive in an unbeaten knock of 74 that guided Pakistan home in the final over of the innings.

Rizwan's was the perfect innings that was required for a successful chase of a daunting target of 189.

Rizwan's last 5 innings in T20 internationals read: 89, 104*, 51, 42, 74*.

All but one of those innings have been match winning ones.

While his career T20I average is a decent 36.5, it his numbers since becoming a permanent feature of the team that are truly remarkable.

In 17 T20Is since November 2019, Rizwan has scored 449 runs at an average of 56.1 and a strike rate of 132.4. 

He has also shone in Test Matches for Pakistan during this period with 741 runs in 12 Tests at an average of 46.3.

Since he became Pakistan's permanent wicket-keeper in Tests and T20Is in November 2019, he has been the top performing wicket-keeper with the bat in the world.

In Test matches since November 2019, only Jos Buttler has scored more runs than Rizwan, however at an average that is 10 runs per innings lower.

Rizwan's average is right up there and he has more 50+ scores than any other wicket-keeper in the world during this time.

Even in T20Is, only Buttler has more runs than Rizwan during this time; however Rizwan has hit his runs at an average of 80!

Rizwan is also the only wicket-keeper who has scored a T20I hundred during this period.

With the way he is currently playing, he will surely surpass Buttler's tally during this 4 match T20 series against South Africa.

In T20Is, Rizwan has shone as an opener. He has scored his century and all 3 of his T20I fifties while batting at that position.

As an opener, Rizwan sits alongside the best in the business, with a batting average that is twice as much as the next best.

Look at how well Rizwan's numbers as a T20 opener compare with those of Babar Azam, who is one of the best batsmen in the world, and was also ranked the number one T20 batsman for a long while.

Like last night, Rizwan has played a number of match winning knocks in both Tests and T20Is since becoming a permanent feature of the team.

His stock has risen quickly and he has fast become one of Pakistan's most dependable batsman in these two formats of the game.

He is clearly the best wicket-keeper batsman in the world at the moment.

Rizwan has not been able to demonstrate this form in ODIs, but if he keeps continuing in this vein in T20Is and Tests, it is not long before he will be able to do the same in ODIs.

Make your pitch on this post...

Share this post...


Labels: , , , ,


Monday, February 15, 2021

Babar Azam the Captain - Pakistan the Winner


Posted by Q at Monday, February 15, 2021 Pitched (2)

Pakistan completed a T20I series win over South African last night with a spirited chase of a relatively steep target, ending a successful home campaign against the visitors.

2-0 in Tests and 2-1 in T20Is - not a bad first full series as captain for Babar Azam.

Despite a victorious series, there are people worried about Babar's captaincy and form.

But I am not really sure why.

At the end of the day, the only thing judgments on Babar should be based on, are results.

And results for Pakistan under Babar's captaincy are exemplary!


Early days still, however one can't criticize a captain with a record such as Babar's. Fine don't praise him just yet, but criticism is quite unnecessary.

It may not be his technical ability that has resulted in all these wins for Pakistan, but something seems to be working.

Maybe the players are responding well to him, maybe he is a lucky captain, maybe it is his decision making.

It really doesn't matter if the end result is a win for Pakistan!

His batting form has also been questioned and I get that he just completed a Test series without a century and a T20I series without a fifty.

But he did score 77 in the second test that helped steer Pakistan out of trouble. And he did score 44 off 30 in the third T20I that set up Pakistan's successful run chase and series win.

And in his first ODI series as captain, Babar smashed a 125 and a 77.

I think Pakistan's captaincy is in fine hands and the results show that too. This is just the start, and the future looks promising with Babar at the helm. Give him some time, and then make your judgment calls.


Make your pitch on this post...

Share this post...


Labels: , , , ,


Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Pakistan turn it around in T20s


Posted by Q at Tuesday, March 05, 2013 No Comments


Make your pitch on this post...

Share this post...


Labels: , , , ,


Sunday, March 3, 2013

Pakistan vs South Africa - Big Difference in T20 Experience


Posted by Q at Sunday, March 03, 2013 No Comments


Make your pitch on this post...

Share this post...


Labels: , , , , ,


Friday, June 19, 2009

The World Reacts to Shahid Afridi


Posted by Q at Friday, June 19, 2009 Pitched (12)
Ceci Masters, of Ceci & Mel fame, continues her great work with photoshop to give us this gem!

I know one particular blogger who would love this.

Hence, appropriately I will start with her reaction.

Amy: I mean, what do I even say? Afridi is just f*cking awesome, when he gets going.

Jrod: Can’t you just see him clad in leather from head to toe, whipping a ball gagged South African in a gimp mask that he’s already strung up before him.

Dileep Premachandran: Afridi, whose uselessness with the bat in recent times has been in stark contrast to his brilliance with the ball. But sent in at No.3 and given license to express himself, he caught South Africa cold.

King Cricket: The man is a warped genius blessed with some kind of invisible forcefield that protects him from reason and common sense.

AP Webster: Whatever happens on Sunday, Afridi has confirmed what we already knew – after all these years, he’s still full of surprises.

Kamran Abbassi: Nobody swings more sharply between frustration and magic than Afridi. He epitomises Pakistan cricket. Today Shahid Afridi was magic. Pakistan fans will hope the spell can last another three days.

Bhaskar Khaund: Boom Boom finally filled that long overdue room.

George Binoy: He'll disappoint more often than not, but his successes are so spectacular that it's worth the heartbreaks.

SouLBW: Every few years or so, on a sunny afternoon somewhere around the world, Shahid Afridi shows up. Don’t count on him batting like Rambo fighting the gooks again, but over in the bowling aisles, Afridi is now a consistent champion.

Rob: Afridi played a classic innings and followed it up with a spell of leg-spin bowling that had the South Africans turning their ovens to gas mark nine

Dileep Premachandran: What can you do when Shahid Afridi suddenly remembers how to bat, when he abruptly flails Johan Botha thrice over cover in the same over? What can you do when he produces a magic delivery to Herschelle Gibbs?

David Hopps: But he is a perpetual menace, occasionally contained but never controlled. From the depths of his memory, he summoned what his former coach Geoff Lawson concluded was his "best innings for two years".

Andrew McGlashan: Everything Afridi touched turned to gold.

Tooting Trumpet: He is a delight for lovers of the game and fearful prospect for his opponents. We must enjoy him while we can, as the next implosion is never far away.

Stani: As for the bowling, we gave a few runs early on once again but then came the man of the moment, Shahid Khan Afridi.

Wasim: Afridi was the hero of the day.

Arjun Sen: It was one of those days for Shahid Afridi. A day where everything he tried, worked. He first regained his touch with the bat and then, continued his fine run with ball.

Len: Afridi – imperious.

Krishna: If it hadn’t been for Afridi’s half-century, Pakistan would have struggled to reach a fighting score.

Patrick Kidd: His economy rate of 5.4 over six matches is astounding, the best of anyone to bowl eight or more overs.

Poshin: He finally didn't self destruct. And what a golden arm he has!! Boom Boom Afridi.

With all this, I leave you at the end with one of the best moments of the game - Shahid Afridi's flying kiss to Jacques Kallis.

Make your pitch on this post...

Share this post...


Labels: , , , , , , , ,


Afridi Boom Booms Pakistan into the Final!


Posted by Q at Friday, June 19, 2009 Pitched (45)
Q's Call: The team that bats first will win. I don't think either team has the batting to chase down a total, while both have the bowling to defend any kind of score.

And that is exactly what happened!

Forget the 15-20 runs they didn't get at the end, forget Shoaib Malik who could not up the tempo, forget the Umar Gul fall on the head and dropped chance, forget the Kamran Akmal blunders behind the stumps, forget the Younis Khan blunder to not bowl Umar Gul his full quota.

What mattered at the end, is that Pakistan did it!

With 23 runs required off 6 deliveries, it was still anybody's game in my view.

Especially since 1 of the 3 Pakistan strike bowlers were not bowling.

But a 17 year old held his nerve.

When I was 17, I was struggling to pass through high school and still pursuing my first love.

Mohammad Aamir was bowling Pakistan to victory in a World Twenty20 semi final!

The man of the day though, was Shahid Afridi.

In hindsight, it was a mastermind to send him up the order in the previous two games, which allowed him to get into some sort of batting groove.

And today Afridi answered all those wishes and prayers of his fans who have not been able to witness a smashing knock for quite some time.

He took the game away from the South Africans in the first 12 overs itself.

Sure Pakistan should have got more, but 149 was always going to be tough on the Trent Bridge wicket.

Afridi, Ajmal, and Gul certainly proved that.

At the end,

South Africa remain the chokers.

Pakistan remain the volatile team that have strangely shown consistency in the 20-20 game to reach their 2nd final in as many World Twenty20 tournaments.

Flair and individual brilliance trumped consistency tonight.

On Sunday, come who may, Pakistan will be waiting!

To witness the experience that I went through along with 2 bored members and a contingent of some 30 Pakistan fans cheering at the top of their lungs in an adrenaline pumping game, read the LIVE updates, right here.

Make your pitch on this post...

Share this post...


Labels: , , , , , , , ,


Thursday, June 18, 2009

Younis Khan and Shahid Afridi the Key


Posted by Q at Thursday, June 18, 2009 Pitched (12)
"Younis Khan's press conferences have been one of the delights of the tournament. No one has enjoyed the cup more, it seems, than the relentlessly chipper Pakistan captain, every bit as cheery in defeat against England and Sri Lanka as he was in victory against New Zealand, Ireland and Netherlands"

That is Andy Bull describing the Pakistan captain in his semi final preview over at the Guardian.

Last week I wrote about how Younis Khan's "silly" smile and "absurd" statements may have been misinterpreted by many.

In a country where everything is misconstrued, almost, and where a harmful statement can be turned into a malicious one by the media, I believe Younis has accomplished something not many Pakistan skippers have.

Getting on the right side of the media, despite the team not being at its best against England and Sri Lanka.

Saad Shafqat over at Cricinfo calls it Younis Khan's master stroke!

And it very well may be just that.

Andy Bull also talks about Shahid Afridi and says,

"The heart of the side, though, is Shahid Afridi, a comic book creation who bowls leg spin with the cunning of Cardinal Richelieu and then bats with the foolhardy panache of all three musketeers rolled into one"

That is one of the best descriptions of Afridi that I have come across since Andy Zaltzman summarized his career in a few lines.

If Pakistan are to come out on top in their world twenty20 semi final against South Africa tonight, both Younis and Afridi will have to stand up and be counted for.

Younis has been their best batsman and Afridi, as Andy Bull says, their heart.

When Afridi is on song and chirping away in the field, you know Pakistan is on top.

It is a big game tonight. Most of the Pakistan fans I have spoken to have said, "I don't have a good feeling about tonight".

They are jittery. So is the team I'm sure.

But I am confident, but then that is just me. I always am. It says nothing about the team.

I have plans to watch the match with a large group of Pakistan supporters on a big screen. Usually when I am part of a plan like this, Pakistan fail to live up to their potential.

For our sake, and Pakistan's sake, I hope this trend does not continue.

Make your pitch on this post...

Share this post...


Labels: , , , , , , , ,


Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Consistency vs Unpredictability at the World Twenty20 Semi Finals


Posted by Q at Wednesday, June 17, 2009 Pitched (6)
At the business end of the World Twenty20, we have two teams that have displayed consistency and professionalism to reach the semi finals on the back of unbeaten runs.

On the other hand, we have two teams that at best are unpredictable and volatile that have got this far through their inconsistent bursts of flair, aggression, and individual brilliance.

Here's a look at the two semi finals of the World Twenty20.

South Africa vs Pakistan

Billing: Battle of the Bowlers

Pre-Tournament Calls: One was labeled as the favorites for the title; the other I labeled as the favorites.

The Past: They have clashed only once before in a T20 international that South Africa won, almost 3 years ago. South Africa have never gone beyond the semi final stage of an ICC World Cup tournament. The last 3 times Pakistan reached the semi finals of an ICC World Cup, they went on to play the final.

The Now: South Africa are unbeaten and also in the middle of a 7-match winning streak in T20 internationals, the most by any team. Pakistan have had an easy route to the final four having beaten only New Zealand, Netherlands, and Ireland.

Key Players: 2 of the 3 leading run scorers are from South Africa - AB and Kallis; top 2 leading wicket takers are from Pakistan - Gul and Ajmal.

Strengths: 6 of the 10 leading wicket takers are from Pakistan and South Africa - Afridi, Van Der Merwe, Parnell, and Steyn in addition to the above 2.

Weaknesses: While South Africa's batting on paper looks extremely powerful, their 128 against New Zealand, 19 overs to chase 112 against England, and 130 against India were hardly convincing.

Pakistan's batting has hardly fired with their highest scores coming against Netherlands and Ireland, and their key batsmen failing miserably in run chases against England and Sri Lanka.

Meaning of Victory: South Africa to shed the chokers tag, Pakistan to show that they can compete with the best.

Q's Call: The team that bats first will win. I don't think either team has the batting to chase down a total, while both have the bowling to defend any kind of score.


Sri Lanka vs West Indies

Billing: Battle of the Dark Horses & Survivors of the Group of Death

Pre-Tournament Calls: Neither was expected to get this far, while one was expected to go home before the Super 8s.

The Past: They have clashed only once before in a T20 international, a week ago in a match that Sri Lanka won. The last time West Indies played an ICC World Cup semi final was 13 years ago, while Sri Lanka played one in 2007 and went on to play the final.

The Now: Sri Lanka are unbeaten. West Indies have only lost to the unbeaten teams and have come this far by beating Australia, India, and England against all odds.

Key Players: Dilshan is the leading run scorer; Bravo is the 4th highest run scorer. Malinga and Mendis are among the 5 leading wicket takers; Bravo is in the top 10.

Strengths: Sri Lanka have relied on Dilshan for fiery starts, while Jayasuriya, Sanga, and Jayawardene have chipped in every now and then; the Triple Ms have been completely unplayable with the ball.

West Indies, on the other hand, have relied on the individual brilliance of a Gayle, a Bravo, or a Simmons to win them games.

Weaknesses: Sri Lanka's batting is very top heavy; early breakthroughs could leave them in dire straits. West Indies need to rally around like a team and not rely on individuals to take them through.

Meaning of Victory: West Indies to play a final at Lord's after 26 years, Sri Lanka to set right a 10-year old title defence gone wrong.

Q's Call: Tough one. Majority of my calls have been wrong and I don't want to jinx the team I would like to see in the final.

For more about the 10 years of unfulfilled dreams of the 4 nations involved in the semi finals, read this.

It all gets underway tomorrow; will the role models of consistency trump the flair, or will the unpredictables rise to the occasion?

Make your pitch on this post...

Share this post...


Labels: , , , , , , , ,


Monday, June 1, 2009

Warming up with the Warm-ups


Posted by Q at Monday, June 01, 2009 Pitched (20)
Before tonight, India had never beaten New Zealand in a T20 game; while Pakistan had never beaten South Africa.

After tonight, that fact remains the same.

While the two favorites faced defeats in their ICC World Twenty20 warm-up games, the Aussies got past Bangladesh, and Ireland and Netherlands played a super over to settle a tie.

Take Aways from Day 1 of the Warm-Ups:
  1. Bangladesh cannot be taken lightly. Ask the Aussies.

  2. If teams don't get Shane Watson early, the Aussies will go on to score very high. Warner didn't play today but whether it is Watson-Warner ot Watson-Haddin, those will be one of the most explosive opening combos at the 20-20 world cup.

  3. Shakib Al Hasan will be one to watch out for.

  4. The minnows' matches will be more interesting than most people think. Amrit Mathur, I hope you're reading!

  5. Misbah can still manage to find the strangest ways to get out. And I thought he had run out of these weird ways.

  6. Pakistan need to include Fawad Alam in their middle order. Already!

  7. Mohammad Aamer needs to play instead of Tanvir or Rao.

  8. South Africa probably has the strongest batting line up in the competition.

  9. Ishant Sharma can take wickets in 20-20 cricket; he just take them for McCullum.

  10. In India's new colors, Rohit Sharma felt he was playing for the Deccan Chargers.

  11. Bhajji outplayed Ojha, even though Ojha looked better of the two.

  12. Batsmen should not look to hit Vettori out of the ground. Just play him for singles and twos.

  13. Styris can still play and Franklyn can hit them big!

  14. Don't take these too seriously, they're just warm-up games.

Make your pitch on this post...

Share this post...


Labels: , , , , , , , , ,


Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)