[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Captain1: *
I think 18 hours more to go.
[/QUOTE]
oh thanks, i was thinking its gonna start today, so another day to go.
Good! My boss won’t be in till noon atleast and I have to cancel my lunch appointment so I can watch it at work on the GS link 
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Chandbeti: *
^
SaadiaB: this thread is going to be the liveliest one of all, for this is dedicated to the decider.
The match starts at 4 A.M est.
[/QUOTE]
lets toast to that.
Me too, I will watch it from wort too, if the boss comes in the room, i will switch to work 
cant wait for the match
Send for Taufeeq Umar
Kamran Abbasi
March 23, 2004
No doubt Pakistan will be disappointed by their performance in Lahore on Sunday, but the urgent question is, will they have learned anything? They know already that this Indian team is just as composed chasing a large total as it is setting one; that their own bowlers sometimes go pop when they are supposed to go bang; and that bowling second under lights at Lahore is a hazard because the dew turns the ball into a bar of soap.
What’s new? Not much, but some topics are now taboo — Inzamam-ul-Haq’s captaincy for one. Pakistan limped to defeat at Lahore, with barely a whimper. Rashid Latif believes that capitulation was pre-planned, and the robustness of the response from players and officials is unprecedented (another taboo). Whatever the reason, Inzamam’s bowling changes were uninspiring, and his use of the sixth bowler was baffling. On the evidence of the last few months it is clear that Inzamam is barely able to juggle five bowlers effectively, let alone adding a sixth to the mental arithmetic. No wonder he wants only five bowlers again. But does Inzamam’s inability to juggle all his balls make the sixth bowling option a bad strategy?
A second area of bewilderment is the erratic form of Pakistan’s bowlers. Extras are an eternal embarrassment to Pakistan, but the sheer scale and persistence in this series suggests a lack of careful preparation or composure, or both. The fast men have also forgotten about the yorker length that we had come to expect as second nature. Pakistan has an advantage in the quality and depth of its bowling that has been shamelessly squandered, notwithstanding the benign surfaces and sublime Indian batting.
These are both complex areas. Pakistan’s batting and fielding continues to improve but the bowling is stuck in reverse. Javed Miandad, with all his pride, may have to call for a bowling coach after all. More difficult is the Inzamam situation. The captaincy has turned him into a true gladiator with the willow, but he is a lost boy in the field. Inzamam needs better advice and he needs to listen to it. This is where Moin Khan and Yousuf Youhana must support their captain.
But one change is urgent and clear-cut. Javed once told me that quality players can perform in both forms of cricket — pick the best and they should do the rest. Certainly there are grey areas, and some strategic flexibility is essential, but there can be no dispute over Taufeeq Umar’s ability. Not so long ago Rahul Dravid was labelled a one-format wonder, but he is now India’s most valuable player in all cricket. Surely Taufeeq carries similar potential for Pakistan? A century in the warm-up game showed that he is ready for the first team. It is folly to ignore him.
Who should he replace, though? Well, criticising Younis Khan is another taboo. People like his polite manner, humble no-frills approach, energetic fielding, and run-a-ball twenties and thirties. But for all that is worthy about him it is hard to remember the last time Younis won Pakistan a match (answers on a postcard please). Whereas with Shahid Afridi — everyone’s favourite punch-bag — you only have to think as far back as Rawalpindi. Top sport rarely works out for nice guys, and for all the goodwill towards Younis he simply does not turn enough games Pakistan’s way. Taufeeq Umar, by contrast, certainly will
Source: Cricinfo.com
One more for Taufeeq :k:
I second the opinion that either of the Imran's should've been included in the squad for the last 2 ODI's rather than Taufeeq Umar.
For all his good performances in recent games, his game isn't suited to complement Yasir well. Both are inning builders rather than flashers. That Taufeeq's going through a purple patch is the reason for his new-found aggression. He's too fidgety when forced to go for shots early on. Even in the warm-up game, it was Nazir going great guns for most of the match and Taufeq only opened up once he settled in.
Asking both Yasir and Taufeeq to build innings is ridiculous and impossible, one will have to be the agressor. Taufeeq is too uncertain going for big shots too early, and Yasir's wicket too valuable to throw away.
Kamran Abbassi’s article makes sense. Now that Taufeeq’s coming in for sure, it’d be a better option to retain Afridi for that extra bowling option and axe Younis Khan. We’ve lacked quality spin all series.
The situation warrants Saqlain to be included and it might even pay off. But that might be a risk the current play-it-safe and predictable selectors may not want to take.
It’s all or nothing tonight, and we’re gonna win it insha’Allah! 
There’ll be fireworks in Lahore tonight baby. see all you zinda-dil log at the after partay and celebrations! 
How do you "second" that opinion? I think he is asking for Taufeeq Umar in the squad, not any one of the 2 Imrans.
Captain sahib, I was seconding the opinion voiced by sambrialian and others earlier in this thread.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Diablo Kazama: *
Captain sahib, I was seconding the opinion voiced by sambrialian and others earlier in this thread.
[/QUOTE]
you didn't quote the original opinion and your post appeared next to the article which led me to assume that your opinion was for the article :)
DK, that’s what we pay you the big bucks for. 
Isn't nice to add date, time of tha match in the very first post ? :S at least the thread must start with something realated to the match!
kia karayn, logo ko thread start karnay ka shoq to hay, lekin kia karayn
koi baat nahi, seekh jayen gai log :D
HowZZZzattt Kaptaan :D woi woi ;)
khair ...waisay when and where is match ? so I can tell how much Pakistan will score :D
I see Inzimam and Miandad have both been going public in their criticism of extras given by Shoaib and others. I really don't see what this is going to achieve. This should be kept private unless you are going to put your money where your mouth is and replace the guilty bowlers with someone else.
Seems like quite a few agree that Nazir should have been considered as a squad member at least. I think an opener who can take advantage of the first 15 overs tomorrow might well be the key to us matching up to the Indian bats.
I would’ve agreed with you Xtreme had it not been for the spectacular performances of Brett Lee after Ponting’s public criticism of the former. But then again one could always argue that there is one hell of a difference in the team culture of Pakistan and Australia.
But I don’t find anything wrong with Inzi and Miandad’s public outbursts really. In fact, I’d like Inzi to be even more assertive especially during the game. If a bowler can’t control his extras, banish him to third man and let him know that what he’s doing is not on. But that might not work with Pakistan 'cause even our spinners will overstep for some reason. 
Tonight 3:30 AM (US CST i.e. Dallas/Chicago time)
I agree that it really wan't much of extras that cost us the match. It was our lower score, and field not set according to bowler's capability.
Maybe Sambs but putting too much blame on the bowlers isn't really fair. When you are bowling to Tendulkar and Sehwag within the first 15 overs on a flat track...it takes a special effort to keep the rate in check.
If we had three different pace bowlers to the ones getting the flak...do you think they would be able to stop Tendulkar? Maybe our batsmen could be a bit more aggresive like the Indians were throughout the innings in the last match? Are Indian bowlers better than ours? Or maybe our batsmen aren't quite as good?