Re: Pakistan VS New Zealand | 8th March
^ I think that batting first will be a good idea as wicket is predicted to shed lots of turn and reverse swing..........:)
Re: Pakistan VS New Zealand | 8th March
New Zealand brace for in-form Pakistan
The Preview by George Binoy
March 7, 2011
Match Facts
March 8, Pallekele
Start time 14.30 local (09.00 GMT)
http://www.espncricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/129500/129531.2.jpg
The Big Picture
The pressure on the Test teams in Group A, unlike those scrumming in Group B, is of a milder nature. The teams in Group B are securing quarter-final qualification first and looking after their positions in the process. Unless Zimbabwe scores an unlikely upset, however, all four Test teams in Group A are ensured of a place in the knockouts. They are merely jostling for places at present. Of the strongest, New Zealand are the weakest. Their opponents on Tuesday, Pakistan, are the only team to win everything so far.
New Zealand have beaten Kenya and Zimbabwe - by a ten-wicket margin no less - and another victory against Canada will see them through. It’s that brittle performance against Australia, however, that is an indication of the difficulty they will face against formidable sides. On paper, like previous New Zealand teams, this one also has the facets of a fighting outfit.
They have explosive hitters, theoretically bat extremely deep, and have an abundance of bowling options, fast and slow. Their fielding, as ever, is among the best. Their problems are a combination of form, poor technique, and impatience that led to several batsmen chasing and edging wide deliveries against Australia. It’s the batting that needs fixing first, for without runs on the subcontinent there is little hope, and they’ll have to do it against one of the tournament’s most in-form bowling attacks.
The odds on Pakistan being the only team with a 100% win record halfway into the league stage would have been rather high at the start of the World Cup. They weren’t being talked up in the lead-up to the tournament - the spot-fixing scandal and the uncertainty over the one-day captaincy overshadowing their performances on the field. But they put Kenya and Canada away and in between those victories toppled tournament favourites Sri Lanka.
Their middle order has largely been solid, and the one time it failed - against Canada - their bowlers raised their game to meet the challenge. They’ve met and beaten New Zealand in a one-day series immediately preceeding the World cup. Play to potential and Pakistan will expect to dispatch them again tomorrow. Slip, and it could be the opening New Zealand need to rediscover their efficient game.
Form guide
(completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand WLWWL
Pakistan WWWLW
Watch out for…
… Shahid Afridi the bowler, who has been a vastly more dangerous opponent than Afridi the batsman in recent years. He is the leading wicket-taker in the tournament, with 14 from three matches, including two five-wicket hauls. He tests batsmen with legbreaks, straighter ones and googlies. And then there’s the fast ball that tears at batsmen at 130 kph, leaving them no time to react if they’ve come ill prepared. Afridi has at least four more matches to beat Glenn McGrath’s tournament record of 26 wickets - in 2007 - and needs 13 more. He, as always, is Pakistan’s talisman in the field, and if New Zealand give him a foothold, he will swarm all over them.
Tim Southee won’t be ranked high on the list of the tournament’s most dangerous bowlers but he’s done tidily so far, picking up seven wickets at an average of 12.42 with an economy of 3.43. He swings the ball both in and out, bowls a probing wicket-to-wicket line, and has a useful yorker during the end overs. The challenge for him, however, is to strike and maintain a low economy on the subcontinent, where conditions are different from the ones he thrives in. Pallekele is an unknown quantity and there are indications that the pitch there could be faster than elsewhere.
Team news
New Zealand completed a clinical dismantling of Zimbabwe to put their campaign back on track and there seems to be no reason to change that winning combination. Brendon McCullum suffered from some soreness but is expected to play against Pakistan.
New Zealand (probable) 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Brendon McCullum (wk), 3 Jesse Ryder, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 James Franklin, 6 Scott Styris, 7 Nathan McCullum, 8 Daniel Vettori, 9 Kyle Mills, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Hamish Bennett.
Pakistan are likely to make one change and bring back Shoaib Akhtar, who missed the game against Canada, for Wahab Riaz. Abdur Rehman, the left-arm spinner, is recovering from his leg injury but is unlikely to be risked against New Zealand.
Pakistan (probable) 1 Ahmed Shehzad, 2 Mohammad Hafeez, 3 Kamran Akmal (wk), 4 Younis Khan, 5 Misbah-ul-Haq, 6 Umar Akmal, 7 Abdul Razzaq, 8 Shahid Afridi, 9 Shoaib Akhtar, 10 Saeed Ajmal, 11 Umar Gul.
Pitch and conditions
Misbah-ul-Haq said the pitch was hard and had grass, indicating that there would be bounce. Daniel Vettori agreed, but no one can say for certain. Pallekele hasn’t hosted an international game before. New Zealand, however, have played at the venue located in the hills near Kandy and bowled out a Sri Lanka A side for 91. The weather forecast is thankfully clear.
Stats and Trivia
- Pakistan lost their first World Cup match against New Zealand in 1983. They won the next six.
- Younis Khan averaged 21 and 12 in the previous two World Cups with a high score of 32. He’s averaging 42.66 in this one with two half-centuries in three innings.
- New Zealand’s openers, Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill, average 135 and 118 in this World Cup. They have been dismissed only once each in three innings.
Quotes
“We’ve not been able to put consistent team performances together. That’s pretty much where we’ve let ourselves down in the past. Hopefully there is some confidence from the Zimbabwe game. If we can bring the same performance in this game then it’s going to be huge for us in the tournament.”
Daniel Vettori hopes his team will build on the Zimbabwe win
“They just can’t target me, because before me there are three or four batsmen who can get hundreds. They can’t wait for me only. We are playing with six batsmen so every batsman is important.”
Misbah-ul-Haq attempts to divert New Zealand’s focus from him.
http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc_cricket_worldcup2011/content/story/504695.html
Re: Pakistan VS New Zealand | 8th March
That is one weird a$$ pic up there, it looks like one head on two bodies. Freaky!
Re: Pakistan VS New Zealand | 8th March
^^ yeah cricinfo tweeted it calling it just that...but then I was like "why the he** did you even take it....dummies.."
Re: Pakistan VS New Zealand | 8th March
according to ary news ajmal, wahab out shoaib, rehman in!
Re: Pakistan VS New Zealand | 8th March
Daro nai betaa… ye tumhe khaa thori jaaenge.. 
Vettori urges N. Zealand not to fear Pakistan
By Shahid Hashmi (AFP) – 9 hours ago
PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka — Skipper Daniel Vettori said Monday that New Zealand would focus on their own game and not worry about formidable Pakistan in their World Cup match on Tuesday.
Pakistan, inspired by captain Shahid Afridi, who has taken a tournament-best 14 wickets with his leg-spin, have won all three matches and top Group A with six points.
New Zealand, who beat Kenya and Zimbabwe by ten wickets apiece but lost to Australia by seven wickets, have four points from three matches.
“The game, like against most teams, is about yourself and trying to work out how you could actually get the best performance out of yourself because that’s pretty much where we have let ourselves down in the past,” said Vettori.
The captain, whose side lost a home one-day series to Pakistan that ended only last month, said he was aiming for consistency.
“We have not been able to put that consistent team performance together, so that’s what we are asking,” said Vettori, whose team were whitewashed in one-day series against Bangladesh and India last year.
“If we can get right in ourselves then we have more of a chance than if we worry about Pakistan,” said Vettori, whose country has lost six of seven World Cup matches against their opponents.
The pitch at the Pallekele stadium is an unknown for both teams but Vettori expects a batsman-friendly surface.
“I think we are expecting it to be a little bit quicker than most grounds but still it will be a batter-friendly wicket,” said Vettori, whose openers are in top form.
Martin Guptill and Brendon McCullum hit unbeaten half-centuries in New Zealand’s win over Zimbabwe on Friday.
Vettori said the teams knew each other well due to their recent clashes.
“We are fortunate that we played a lot against them lately so we are pretty familiar but they are pretty familiar with us so it’s going to be a tough game but hopefully there is some confidence from the Zimbabwe game,” said Vettori.
And the New Zealand captain said he hoped key batsman Ross Taylor would fire.
“I think your best players are the ones who win the World Cup and Ross is obviously one of our very good players. He has high expectations from himself and he wants to perform,” said Vettori.
“I expect him at one stage in this tournament to win a game for us and hopefully it’s tomorrow.”
Re: Pakistan VS New Zealand | 8th March
Pakistan have not chased in this world cup so far. Will be interesting to see how they fare chasing a total under lights
Re: Pakistan VS New Zealand | 8th March
WOW amazing picture.
Re: Pakistan VS New Zealand | 8th March
Guys enjoy this song and get the heat of Paki Patriotic blood :jhanda:
Re: Pakistan VS New Zealand | 8th March
^LOL.....
Good song, but how is it related here? Roh-e-Quaid say New Zealand ko harany ka wada kartay hain? :D
Re: Pakistan VS New Zealand | 8th March
^ abay enjoy karo gaana till the match started, baal ki khaal na utaro 
Quad-e-Azam say waada hay k iss dafa saaray matches jeetaingay ham… inshAllah
agar nai jeetay to koi baat nai…waaday sab wafa nahi hotay, next time jeet jaingay…
main thing is do not lose the hope and focus on target!!! Keep trying till u get success:jhanda:
Re: Pakistan VS New Zealand | 8th March
:k:
Re: Pakistan VS New Zealand | 8th March
The official mascot of Pakistan Team has come in... :)
Pakistan will thrash N.Z :)
Re: Pakistan VS New Zealand | 8th March
Pakistan 
Re: Pakistan VS New Zealand | 8th March
**Pakistan My Team 
Love you Boys
Go and Thrash the Neighbours of Aussies 
Pakistan Will Win Today 
**
Re: Pakistan VS New Zealand | 8th March
Good Luck guys :@:
Re: Pakistan VS New Zealand | 8th March
Forecast: warm and sunny weather with a max. of 30 C
Re: Pakistan VS New Zealand | 8th March
Thank God there will be no rain
Re: Pakistan VS New Zealand | 8th March
Re: Pakistan VS New Zealand | 8th March
New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat
This is going to be a test for Pak batters, chasing a total under lights
cricinfo
Ali Abbas: "This is a good toss to lose for Pakistan. All three matches they have won defending scores time to test their run chasing ability."