Re: ICC Cricket World Cup 2011
^^when has the Guardian ever written anything positive about Pakistan cricket...
lolz on Caged Panda remark...its below the belt...and just because they loss 1 game due to a major hiccup...
They did mess up and so did Kamran...but Guardian's columnist's are far from being fair and balanced.
Re: ICC Cricket World Cup 2011
Guardian is like Aapa Khairan of neighborhood. Who keep lid on their lagiee bujhaiee untill they get the first chance to pass the steam...
Re: ICC Cricket World Cup 2011
Guardian is like Aapa Khairan of neighborhood. Who keep lid on their lagiee bujhaiee untill they get the first chance to pass the steam...
yep like bu-aa or bibi who keeps toh on everyone in the neighborhood and keeps making sly remarks on anyones mistakes.
Re: ICC Cricket World Cup 2011
This wc is taking too long to kick into gear.. apart from a few good matches, there are many kachra ones.
Re: ICC Cricket World Cup 2011
^^true...
But that's why you have Pakistan...
:D
to make things interesting when no one will ever expect....
Re: ICC Cricket World Cup 2011
PAKISTANS OPENING WOES CONTINUE -
Given Ahmed Shehzads entry in NewZealand and how this last pitch was just the same, I am sure this is a team mgmt strategy for him to not hit out...
Let him play his natural game...atleast that way Pakistan might get 50+ in 5-10 overs before 1 wicket goes down...
Re: ICC Cricket World Cup 2011
Taking nothing away from Bangladesh's victory but their rollercoaster win over England today is further proof that in limited overs cricket any result is possible not just between two evenly-matched 'established' sides but also between a minnow and a good team. It all comes down to your performance & motivation to win on the day (among other factors such as mental strength and luck/umpiring decisions). It does not mean that Bangladesh are suddenly a better side than England. The reality could not be further from the truth. You would still expect England to beat Bangladesh 95% of the time. But Bangla aided by home advantage, a boisterous crowd and an off colour England side managed to pull off an amazing win. Even then they nearly conspired to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory towards the end!
Historical data and form go out of the window in limited overs contests. Noone can really say that Bangla were in great form prior to this game having been destroyed (54 all out) by Windies the other day
Pakistan beat Sri Lanka but who is to say that Sri Lanka would not have beaten Pakistan in a repeat match the very next day. NZ thrashed Pakistan but who is to say that Pakistan would not have outplayed the same team on another day, such is the nature of limited overs contests. The same holds true for other teams and matches with the possible exception of Australia because they are less unpredictable & mentally tougher than other sides. Hence you (atleast I do) still expect them to win
Do not be surprised if Pakistan comprehensively beat Zimbabwe and then get destroyed by Australia or even if Pakistan lose against Zimbabwe and then go on to beat an in-form Australian side!
Re: ICC Cricket World Cup 2011
^^ Man that is darn serious. I need some 
with that…
Pakistan can beat any side if they play to their potential.
Re: ICC Cricket World Cup 2011
Eggjacktly :cobra:
Re: ICC Cricket World Cup 2011
DRAMAY BAAZ AT WORK…THEY SHOULD SIT HIM OUT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TOUR OR SEND HIM BACK…
LET ASAD SHAFIQ KEEP …SEND UMAR BACK AND GET A WICKET KEEPER SWAPPED OUT IN HIS PLACE …
Umar Akmal uncertain for Zimbabwe clash
Osman Samiuddin in Pallekele
March 12, 2011
http://www.espncricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/129300/129364.2.jpg
A finger injury led Umar Akmal to miss practice © AFP
Pakistan will continue to sweat over the finger injury to Umar Akmal after the batsman, again, missed practice. His chances of playing in Pakistan’s game against Zimbabwe on Monday are uncertain.
Umar travelled with the team to Pallekele stadium near Kandy for an optional training session on Saturday but didn’t bat, his right index finger still strapped. He did some running and nothing else. The nature of the injury isn’t clear and scans and X-rays have revealed no fracture.
“There is some swelling still there so he didn’t bat today,” Intikhab Alam, the team manager said. “We will see as far as the game on Monday is concerned but it will take a couple of days still.” << What Inti is being lame here…tell the idiot to shape up or ship out…
Umar picked up the injury during fielding practice on Thursday and sat out Friday’s session as well though the management was eager to play down the injury then. It came soon after the loss to New Zealand, a game in which his elder brother Kamran played a central role, dropping three chances, prompting calls for his axing.
The Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi subsequently spoke of the possibility of Umar replacing Kamran as wicketkeeper. The injury means that will not happen now and Kamran is almost certain to retain his place, but the timing has led to talk of a repeat of what happened in the aftermath of the Sydney Test last year. Jang, a leading Urdu daily, reported that the pair had been spoken to by the management and told in no uncertain terms that a repeat of Sydney would not be tolerated.
Umar is the side’s second leading scorer in the tournament, with 167 runs in four games at nearly 42. He has only a solitary fifty though has got starts in a couple of other games. If he does sit out - and against a relatively weaker side Pakistan may be tempted to rest him - Asad Shafiq will come in. Shafiq had a long batting session in practice and will slot into the middle order.
Umar’s absence may also mean another chance for Ahmed Shehzad, who, had all players been fit, would probably have been dropped after a run of poor scores. But Pakistan are keen to stick with eight batsmen so he may be retained. There is talk of resting Shoaib Akhtar and bringing in Wahab Riaz, something Pakistan tried against Canada, or even playing with three spinners.
Afridi, Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hafeez, Umar Gul, Abdul Razzaq and Shoaib opted not to train today
Re: ICC Cricket World Cup 2011
All eyes on the brothers Akmal
A finger injury to Umar Akmal has lessened the chances of him replacing brother Kamran as Pakistan’s wicketkeeper in the match against Zimbabwe on Monday in Pallekele. Though the injury to Umar’s right index finger is not thought to be serious, it is unlikely now that the management will risk using him behind the stumps, allowing Kamran to probably retain his place in the XI despite his horror show in the 110-run loss to New Zealand on Tuesday.
Umar picked up the knock in fielding practice on Thursday at the Asgiriya stadium in Kandy, when he also kept wickets for a while. He sat out the practice session on Friday at the same venue, with his finger in strapping. According to manager Intikhab Alam, scans and an x-ray revealed no damage but no risks were taken in putting him through a practice session.
In the immediate aftermath of the New Zealand game, captain Shahid Afridi said they would consider using Umar as a wicketkeeper - a role he has filled in one ODI and three T20s - after Kamran fluffed three chances, including missing centurion Ross Taylor twice in three balls when he was on 0 and 8. Since then, despite criticism from all quarters, Pakistan have spoken of the need to back Kamran though they’ve stopped short of confirming his place in the XI.
**The timing and consequence of Umar’s injury is bound to raise eyebrows, especially in light of what happened after the infamous Sydney Test in early January 2010. ****Then, after another poor display behind the stumps from Kamran hurled the side towards a stunning Test defeat, Umar reportedly refused to play the next Test in Hobart if his brother was dropped. Eventually Kamran was replaced by Sarfraz Ahmed, despite telling the press repeatedly in the run that he would retain his place. The brothers were both subsequently fined by the PCB after an inquiry committee looked into the incident. **
As Umar sat out, Pakistan underwent an extensive, three-hours plus training session at the Asgiriya in which they simulated match-play in a bid to give their struggling openers some valuable batting time in the middle. With Waqar Younis umpiring and coaching, Umar Gul and Shoaib Akhtar took the new ball and bowled by turn to Ahmed Shehzad and Mohammad Hafeez, who in four matches have put on 11, 28, 16 and 5; the pair has 93 runs between them and neither has gone past 32 individually.
They didn’t particularly flourish today, being dismissed a few times each as Abdur Rehman and Abdul Razzaq also bowled. “We especially focused on the top order in today’s practice because they got out early in the previous games and didn’t get much practice with the new ball,” Misbah-ul-Haq said. “They practised for 20 overs so that they get used to it and have their confidence back. It was a good thing keeping in mind the match situation which will be helpful.”
Eventually all players in the squad were given a run-out in the same situations; Younis Khan and Asad Shafiq batted together, Misbah and Afridi, Misbah and Razzaq and then Kamran and Razzaq; Wahab Riaz and Saeed Ajmal, who have played only one match each, bowled in tandem, mixing with Junaid Khan and Afridi. Younis kept wickets while Kamran was batting.
Though the beginning of the session lacked the energy of previous practices - understandable perhaps given the nature of their loss - the contests soon picked up. “At the moment our focus is on our own game and we will try to restore our confidence levels which were shaken in the game against New Zealand,” Misbah said. “We will try to line up all our basics in the game against Zimbabwe before and I have every hope that the side will bounce back.”
All eyes, however, were on the brothers Akmal and particularly Kamran’s keeping. He looked sharp and perky enough though there were a few fumbles as well. There was greater certainty with the bat, however, as he pulled and cut the faster bowlers to the boundary regularly while at the crease. Misbah sketched out the team line later, a growing show of support behind the wicketkeeper.
“It makes difference when you give such chances but then anyone can have a bad day, whether its keeper or anyone,” Misbah said. "As a team we have to stay together. We’re going to support each other, back each other because these are the players who commit mistakes and these are the same players who win you matches.
“It’s mentally tough for him in this situation and he has faced such situations before too. Our full effort is to support him because wicketkeeper is a key member of the team and the way he is, the way he comes back in difficult situations and gives good performances I hope he will make a comeback and do well again.”
http://www.espncricinfo.com/wcl/content/current/story/505634.html
Re: ICC Cricket World Cup 2011
Indian Parrot Predicted Pakistan as World Champion 2011-Times of India
visit Captain Corner: Indian Parrot Predicted Pakistan as World Champion 2011-Times of India
Re: ICC Cricket World Cup 2011
To walk or not to walk?
Should batsmen walk when they know they’re out? This World Cup has thrown up several incidents that have reignited the debate around walking, an issue that gained prominence in the 2003 World Cup semi-final between Australia and Sri Lanka where Adam Gilchrist walked back to the pavilion after an appeal for a catch against him had met with no response from the umpire.
Ricky Ponting, the Australia captain, and Gilchrist’s former team-mate, was in a similar situation against Pakistan on Saturday, where a caught-behind appeal against him had been turned down. Unlike Gilchrist, he stayed his ground. The decision was reviewed by Pakistan and he was adjudged out, but all along he knew he had nicked the ball.
**“There were no doubts about the nick, I knew I hit it, but as always I wait for the umpire to give me out. That’s the way I’ve always played the game,” Ponting said. **
The New Zealand-Pakistan game in Mumbai involved a controversial decision when what appeared to be clean, and a brilliantly taken, one-handed catch by Nathan McCullum off Mahela Jayawardene was ruled not out by the third umpire Amish Saheba as replays were possibly inconclusive. Jayawardene, once the catch was claimed, stayed his ground and ultimately got the decision in his favour.
“If I felt it was a clean catch, I would have walked,” Jayawardene said. “It was a 50-50 thing and it was fair it went to the TV umpire.”
However, “it depends upon the person,” Ross Taylor, the New Zealand captain for that game, said. “You look at Jacques Kallis. He asks the fielders if they caught it cleanly and he trusts the words of the fielders. You put it up to the batsman to make the decision and at the end of the day you just hope the technology is right and if the technology is not right, well then don’t use it.”
In India’s game against West Indies in Chennai, Sachin Tendulkar, a century away from completing 100 international tons, walked when he inside-edged Ravi Rampaul to the wicketkeeper as Steve Davis, the umpire, shook his head.
“It’s nice to see people walking but that doesn’t happen now I guess,” Waqar Younis, the Pakistan coach, said. He added that despite the availability of technology, batsmen could still take a chance with the replays. “There is a system in place now so that you can’t get away with it. I mean people still take chances and why not? Jayawardene took a chance and it went the other way.”
http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc_cricket_worldcup2011/content/current/story/507309.html
Re: ICC Cricket World Cup 2011
[quote]
The **New Zealand-Pakistan **game in Mumbai involved a controversial decision when what appeared to be clean, and a brilliantly taken, one-handed catch by Nathan McCullum off **Mahela Jayawardene **was ruled not out by the third umpire...
[/quote]
I didn't know Mahela Jayawardene played for Pakistan, :D
Re: ICC Cricket World Cup 2011
If the batsmen is also dazed by the situation then why not ask for the decision makers to do their job? Yes if you know as a batsman that you nicked it, there is still a chance that maybe it was off your pad, shirt or trouser, rather than bat or gloves? So I think its better to ask. However if a batsman chooses to walk then that should be entirely his decision and team mates should not beat him up. No controversy as far as I am concerned.
Re: ICC Cricket World Cup 2011
an oops by cricinfo staff..It should be Newzealand-Sri Lanka game…
Re: ICC Cricket World Cup 2011
HAROON LORGAT BELIEVES RADIOACTIVE RAINS COULD AFFECT THE ICC WORLD CUP 2011 FINAL
The Chief Executive Officer of the International Cricket Council (ICC), Haroon Lorgat, was apprehensive about the “radioactive rains” from the nuclear disaster in Japan. He believes that this could affect the ICC World Cup 2011 final, causing serious concern among the cricket playing nations. The mega tournament is being played with the utmost fervor and every country wants to see themselves into the final stages of this fiery competition. The final of the World Cup is to be played on 2 April at Wankhede Cricket Stadium,Mumbai.
On 11th March, Japan had to face one of the worst natural disasters in its history when a earthquake of a magnitude of 8.9 on the Richter scale struck the north-east coast of Japan. This caused a mammoth tsunami which left more than 10,000 people dead. To make the damage even worse, the tsunami severely damaged the nuclear power plant in Fukushima and caused severe panic in Japan.
The nuclear reactor has already started to emit immense radiation and all Asian countries have been forewarned of the radioactive material travelling through the atmosphere. If it rains within the Subcontinent then there is a possibility that the rain could be acidic and radioactive in nature. This has raised concerns for Lorgat about the fate of the World Cup final.
Logart has stated, “Rain is expected on April 2nd and it could very easily disturb the stable proceedings of the world cup final”. He further added, “Because of all the radioactivity in the air, there is a chance that the rain would make World Cup Trophy radioactive and could cost millions of dollars of loss to ICC”.
During the finals, it is traditional to place the trophy in open air. This is so that every player can see what they will receive if they win. This is a worrying situation for the ICC as they have spent millions on the ornamentation and polishing of the World Cup Trophy and they don’t want its gold to become radioactive with a downpour of nuclear rain. Physicists have also stated that the radioactive particles within the rain may turn the trophy’s color from light gold to deep blue.
Lorgat said, “We are also planning to take sushi out from the menu for the finalists as most of the tuna fish in the Pacific Ocean have been contaminated and we cannot risk the health of our international players”. Sushi has been picked as one of the specialties for the World Cup finalists and it is customary for players to be served sushi during the lunch break. Sharhad Pawar, President of the ICC, is quite disturbed by the whole issue and has insisted he will not break the Sushi tradition and has ordered some fresh Sushi from the nearest Japanese restaurant.
Lorgat has strongly advised the players to wear groin protectors during the post match ceremony as the radioactive particles within the rain could have some catastrophic effects in the future efficiency of the players.
Re: ICC Cricket World Cup 2011
Well we all missed this…
Smith resigns as Captain after QF Choke…
http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc_cricket_worldcup2011/content/current/story/508174.html
Smith the devastated captain ends it where it began
It’s been a memorable stint for Graeme Smith who, self-admittedly, has lasted longer than most captains do. But it is the inability to win a world title that will taint his stint as captain of one of the best South African ODI sides
Firdose Moonda
March 26, 2011
http://www.espncricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/129600/129657.2.jpg
Graeme Smith was South Africa’s captain fantastic, who would bat with a broken hand if need be, and if he was there all was well © Getty Images
Dhaka is going to be to Graeme Smith what Paris was to Lynn Barber. Barber, now a British journalist and whose story inspired the movie An Education, was whisked off to the capital of France when she was fresh out of school by an older man. There she learnt about the joys, and the heartache, of adulthood. There, she let life embrace her and realised how much can be lost when that embrace is broken. The same happened to Smith in the Bangladeshi capital.
Smith started off his career as captain in Dhaka, during an ODI tri-series which also involved India. He was, in cricketing terms, not even out of school, having played the same number of ODIs as his age up to that point. Eight years later, he had just crossed the threshold into his 30s and was leading the team into what was supposed to be their defining campaign as World Cup contenders. It didn’t turn out that way and when he walked out onto the Shere Bangla field for the quarter-final against New Zealand, he was walking out to play his last match as captain. It ended, as it had begun, in Dhaka.
It’s been a memorable period for Smith who, self-admittedly, has lasted longer than most captains do. He has collected series wins over countries, both home and away, in almost as carefree a fashion as a little girl skipping along plucking flowers. It didn’t start that way. Shortly after Smith took over, South Africa lost series to New Zealand and Sri Lanka away from home. It was the shaky period of his captaincy, when he still wasn’t sure how to strike the balance between bullish and a bully.
As the years wore on and Smith matured, mellowed and moulded himself into a real leader, he was at the helm of South Africa’s regular wallopings of Zimbabwe and West Indies. He also conquered Pakistan, England, India and even Australia.
Yes, even Australia. The 438 game which South Africa came out on top of was the closest Smith came to winning a final. It was the decider in a five-match series and after South Africa’s bowlers had conceded 434, it looked as though it would be another final they could not win. Smith was part of the reason they did. He scored 90 and along with Herschelle Gibbs’ 175, laid the platform for a famous win.
The true tests of his leadership came in more tense situations and although South Africa, the team, has not been able to overcome pressure in an ICC event yet, Smith the man has. One of his stand-out moments as captain came in the Champions Trophy 2009. South Africa were chasing 324 against England in a must-win situation and Smith, tired of all the ICC-trophy failures, decided that he would take them over the line himself. He blasted 141, while no other batsman managed more than 36. When Smith reached three figures, South Africa believed. He was their captain fantastic, who would bat with a broken hand if need be, and if he was there, all was well.
But when he fell, off a top edge, the end was in sight. He walked off the Centurion field that day to a standing ovation and when he acknowledged the crowd and the sky, with a tear in his eye, it was clear the team meant more to Smith than any hundred ever could. South Africa lost the match by 22 runs and bowed out of another ICC event without getting close to the silverware.
Smith was devastated; it was a devastation he came to know when he firmed up his spot in the squad, as a replacement for Jonty Rhodes in the 2003 World Cup, one that haunted his tenure as captain and was there again at the end. It is the inability to win a world title that will taint Smith’s stint as captain of one of the best ODI sides in South Africa’s history.
Still, Smith is not planning on disappearing from the ODI set up, and is available for selection for the limited-overs sides, both 20 and 50 overs. “I feel like I still have a lot to offer SA cricket. I am looking forward to carrying on as a batter and a senior player,” he said. He has already performed the role of a senior player in the Twenty20 squad, which Johan Botha has been captaining since August last year, and said that he enjoyed being in the outfield and being freed of responsibility.
Smith’s form in ODIs in the last 12 months has dipped. His average, since March last year, has hovered just above 30, a fair bit away from the 40 he usually has. In 2011, in 12 ODIs, he has averaged 28.25 and has struggled, looking scratchy at the crease. He hopes that without the captain’s armband, he can work on his own technique and capitalise on his skills as his career reaches mid-life and then winds down. “Hopefully I can go away now and work on a few things and come back stronger in the later part of my career.”
He believes that he leaves the role with South African cricket “in a really exciting period.” Despite the disappointment of not winning in the knockout phase Smith said that players like Faf du Plessis and Imran Tahir make for a strong South African future. “If they keep those core bases in place and allow these guys to really develop, there is an exciting period ahead. The bowling in particular, the emergence of spinners and Dale [Steyn] and Morne [Morkel] are going from strength to strength.” The batting may still need some hardening up, which an in-form Smith can provide. Apart from experience at the top, Smith also hopes to be able to be the shoulder on which his successor can lean on. “I want to be a good support to the guy who gets the opportunity in the future.”
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s South Africa correspondent
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