Pakistan dismiss concerns about balance

[Gotham Cronie]

Pakistan dismiss concerns about balance Pakistan may have a 100% record halfway into the group stage of the World Cup but concerns about the balance of the side refuse to go away. On Thursday, they completed an ultimately comfortable, but mostly tense, 46-run win against Canada, but their batting flopped under grey skies as they were bowled out for 184 in just 43 overs. In the end, Pakistan were indebted to captain Shahid Afridi, who ripped through Canada's chase, ending with his second five-for in three games. The opening pair of Mohammad Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad were separated early for the third straight game, but it was the inability of the lower middle order to rally that will be of greater concern. Pakistan have selected a deep batting line-up, with Abdul Razzaq coming in as low as number eight, to guard against precisely the kind of top order stutter they suffered against Canada. They have persisted with selecting only three specialist bowlers, relying on allrounders such as Razzaq and Hafeez to complete the fifth bowler's ten overs: so potent has Afridi been that he is increasingly a specialist bowler. Shahid Afridi is the leading wicket-taker in the World Cup to this point © AFP "Everyone has the right to give his opinion but we have not closed our eyes and ears," Intikhab Alam, the team manager, said on Sunday after a practice session. "The team management is doing its homework and whatever is in the best interest of the team they do it. In a cricket match 7-8 players do not perform every day. It is two, three players who get the job done." The side takes on New Zealand in Pallekele on Tuesday and a win would all but ensure a quarter-final spot. The teams recently played a six-match ODI series in New Zealand, which Pakistan won 3-2 (one game was washed out) but conditions here will be starkly different to those in New Zealand in January. For one, the venue is at considerable altitude. "This place is 2000 ft above the sea level and altitude affects the breathing so we're working hard on that," Alam said. "It's a tough game against New Zealand. We won the series against them but here the conditions are different. We will try to keep our 100 per cent record intact." As has been the case through the tournament, Pakistan underwent another focused practice session. On Monday, Alam said, the team will do batting and fielding practice only in order to give some players enough recovery time. Abdur Rehman, who missed the game against Canada with a leg injury, did train with the side and will bowl on Monday, though Alam said, "It's too early to say with which combination we will go into the game against New Zealand." http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc_cric...ry/504484.html

[hasanmehmoodkhan]

i thought they were already guaranteed a place ?

[Gotham Cronie]

Originally Posted by hasanmehmoodkhan i thought they were already guaranteed a place ?

No.

[insaaniyat]

Originally Posted by hasanmehmoodkhan i thought they were already guaranteed a place ?

In a sense they are, unless the minnows pull out some big upsets

[cricket_fan_1]

4 bowler strategy might backfire against the aussies...pakistan is very lucky to be in a relatively easier group which by default ensures a place in the quarters...they can mix and match their team combination till the quarters kick off

[SAF]

Originally Posted by cricket_fan_1 4 bowler strategy might backfire against the aussies...pakistan is very lucky to be in a relatively easier group which by default ensures a place in the quarters...they can mix and match their team combination till the quarters kick off

Sri Lanka is better than England
Australia is better than South Africa
India and Pakistan can go either way.

[kingusama92]

Originally Posted by Shahid Afridi's Fan Sri Lanka is better than England Australia is better than South Africa India and Pakistan can go either way.

Yes, but they also have Ireland and Bangladesh in their group. Much harder minnows then Canada, Zimbabwe or Kenya.

Thus, it is a harder group.

As far as the strategy is concerned. I don't know how much wiggle room the Pakistanis have. Plus, pitch conditions play a massive role in whether or not that extra bowler should be played. Our batting lineup can show its frailty in a matter or moments as it did against a weak Canadian team. If the ball is moving around, I would definitely want that extra batsman.

It's all up to the team management. Imran Khan is right that the team is lacking that extra bowler, but does the team have guts to make such a change? Is Afridi willing to take that risk and go with the genuinely attacking option?

It's a tough one indeed.

[PerfectionPersonified]

Originally Posted by cricket_fan_1 4 bowler strategy might backfire against the aussies...pakistan is very lucky to be in a relatively easier group which by default ensures a place in the quarters...they can mix and match their team combination till the quarters kick off

Sri lanks is better than SA, and England for Sure
Aussies are better than india
Pakistan is better than above all

Thanks

[ZenBowman]

The minnows in their group are certainly easier, but that's the luck of the draw, it shouldn't be used as an excuse. A team that plays well will qualify, regardless of group.

[cricket_fan_1]

Originally Posted by Shahid Afridi's Fan Sri Lanka is better than England Australia is better than South Africa India and Pakistan can go either way.

Originally Posted by PerfectionPersonified Sri lanks is better than SA, and England for Sure Aussies are better than india Pakistan is better than above all Thanks

some people don't even try to understand the full gravity of a post

carry on

[Gotham Cronie]

http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/sh...d.php?t=121215

[osee_bhai]

I think the fact that the bowling lineups are quite inconsistent in group B have made those teams look better than they are. We saw how easily SA went through netherlands, which has been beat by kenya and canada in recent times. Also Zimbabwe has consistently beaten Ireland, and sometimes Bangla too, however I still agree with the fact that group A is easier.


As for the actual topic, we are playing 6 batsmen, 1 keeper, 4 bowlers. Which is pretty standard from what all the other teams are doing, it's just that Pakistan likes to stock bowlers since we typically have alot of good ones. 2 of those batsmen can bowl (Hafeez, Razzaq can bowl 5 overs atleast), whereas 1 of those bowlers can bat (Afridi). Team balance on paper is pretty alright.
Also none of our frontline bowlers are good enough to be a number 8 (Amir was showing promise to be, Wahab could be in the future). Maybe Rehman could be right now. But that means no playing ajmal unless we go with 3 spinners/2 pacers.