Sachin Tendulkar may well be playing his last ever international series in Australia, starting from December 26. I am sure a lot of fans will be hoping that Tendulkar will get his 100th hundred and will become the first man to do so. But Tendulkar has not scored a century in quite a while; it may not be unsurprising if he can not get one in Australia either.
Tendulkar is argubly one of the greatest cricket batsmen of all time. It will be a good fairwell for the legend, if he can get the ton in Australia.
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Friday, December 23, 2011
Can Pakistan Continue The Good Work After Misbah Retires?
Pakistan cricket team has done excellent under the captaincy of Misbah Ul Haq, who was out of the team before being named captain. Under his captaincy, the team has barely lost a game against any opposition.
The big question is, can Pakistan continue this good form when he finally retires? Misbah is currently 37 year old, which means he may retire very soon. Knowing Pakistan's controversial cricket culture, there is a good chance Pakistan may have a hard time finding a suitable captain.
The solution I can think of is, have a young captain for the ODI and twenty20 team. When Misbah retires, the ODI captain can replace him. Personally I feel, Mohammed Hafeez can be a good captain.
The big question is, can Pakistan continue this good form when he finally retires? Misbah is currently 37 year old, which means he may retire very soon. Knowing Pakistan's controversial cricket culture, there is a good chance Pakistan may have a hard time finding a suitable captain.
The solution I can think of is, have a young captain for the ODI and twenty20 team. When Misbah retires, the ODI captain can replace him. Personally I feel, Mohammed Hafeez can be a good captain.
Dav Whatmore - Can He Take Pakistan To A New Height?
Dav Whatmore has been contacted by PCB to take the coaching job. There is a good chance Whatmore may become the next head coach of Pakistan national team. Whatmore has accomplished a lot as a coach; Sri Lanka became world champion under him and Bangladesh reached super 8 for the first time under him too.
The best thing about Whatmore is his ability to bring the best out of team. His no nonsense attitude has worked wonders in the past. If a coach like him can gel together with controversial Pakistani cricket culture, there may be good news for Pakistan ahead.
We just have to wait and see what happens; but he can take Pakistan to a new height that is for sure.
The best thing about Whatmore is his ability to bring the best out of team. His no nonsense attitude has worked wonders in the past. If a coach like him can gel together with controversial Pakistani cricket culture, there may be good news for Pakistan ahead.
We just have to wait and see what happens; but he can take Pakistan to a new height that is for sure.
Bangladesh - Going Backward Or Just A Temporary Slump In Form?
Since the world cup 2011, Bangladesh are having a very tough time in the international cricket arena. The way things are going, Bangladesh may be in for a rough ride in near future as well.
Bangladesh started off their post world cup campaign with a series against Australia, where they lost 3-0. It was not the whitewash that was the worrying sign, but it was the lack of spirit Bangladesh showed against the #1 ODI team. In all 3 ODIs, Bangladesh simply gave up in the middle of the match.
After that, Bangladesh toured Zimbabwe where their performance was atrocious. They lost the test against Zimbabwe, who returned to test arena after a big break. To prove it was no fluke, Zimbabwe again beat Bangladesh 3-2 in the ODI series. That was the first time Bangladesh lost a series against Zimbabwe since 2006. Nasir Hossain was a good find in that tour, however overall the team did not look very spirited.
Against West Indies, the performance was slightly better. Bangladesh won the twenty20 game, but they lost the ODI series 2-1. Against West Indies (who are generally not good at playing spin), Bangladesh can be expected to win in home soil with their slow left arm bowlers. But West Indies negotiated the Bangladeshi spinners effectively. Bangladesh won the 3rd ODI convincingly though, bowling out West Indies for 61. Overall, it was a disappointing performance considering Bangladesh beat New Zealand 4-0 last year.
In tests against West Indies, Bangladesh did good in the 1st Test. The debutant Elias Sunny had a good game, taking 6 wickets in the first innings. However, due to poor drainage facility the game ended in a draw (which could have ended in a win for Bangladesh). In the 2nd test, West Indies won convincingly. Overall, Bangladesh did good against West Indies but not quite good enough.
Bangladesh took on Pakistan after that; Pakistan literally toyed with Bangladesh. Not a single game had a close finish, the entire tour was a complete disaster for Bangladesh. They lost twenty20, ODI series (3-0), test series (2-0). This was probably the worst series for Bangladesh in 2011.
Bangladesh was expected to lose against sides like Pakistan and Australia, however the worrying sign is they are not looking spirited. Ever since Jaimie Siddons was removed as the head coach, Bangladesh seemed to lose the plot a bit. The current coach Stuart Law has a job to do, to get the team back on track.
Bangladesh started off their post world cup campaign with a series against Australia, where they lost 3-0. It was not the whitewash that was the worrying sign, but it was the lack of spirit Bangladesh showed against the #1 ODI team. In all 3 ODIs, Bangladesh simply gave up in the middle of the match.
After that, Bangladesh toured Zimbabwe where their performance was atrocious. They lost the test against Zimbabwe, who returned to test arena after a big break. To prove it was no fluke, Zimbabwe again beat Bangladesh 3-2 in the ODI series. That was the first time Bangladesh lost a series against Zimbabwe since 2006. Nasir Hossain was a good find in that tour, however overall the team did not look very spirited.
Against West Indies, the performance was slightly better. Bangladesh won the twenty20 game, but they lost the ODI series 2-1. Against West Indies (who are generally not good at playing spin), Bangladesh can be expected to win in home soil with their slow left arm bowlers. But West Indies negotiated the Bangladeshi spinners effectively. Bangladesh won the 3rd ODI convincingly though, bowling out West Indies for 61. Overall, it was a disappointing performance considering Bangladesh beat New Zealand 4-0 last year.
In tests against West Indies, Bangladesh did good in the 1st Test. The debutant Elias Sunny had a good game, taking 6 wickets in the first innings. However, due to poor drainage facility the game ended in a draw (which could have ended in a win for Bangladesh). In the 2nd test, West Indies won convincingly. Overall, Bangladesh did good against West Indies but not quite good enough.
Bangladesh took on Pakistan after that; Pakistan literally toyed with Bangladesh. Not a single game had a close finish, the entire tour was a complete disaster for Bangladesh. They lost twenty20, ODI series (3-0), test series (2-0). This was probably the worst series for Bangladesh in 2011.
Bangladesh was expected to lose against sides like Pakistan and Australia, however the worrying sign is they are not looking spirited. Ever since Jaimie Siddons was removed as the head coach, Bangladesh seemed to lose the plot a bit. The current coach Stuart Law has a job to do, to get the team back on track.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Is It The Beginning Of The End Of Indian Dominance?
India is currently the number 1 test team in the world. They are also the current world champion. However, Their recent abysmal performance in England was surprising. India is currently trailing in the series by 0-2; this is a series where people (including myself) expected India to do better.
Is it the end of Indian dominance? The answer is probably yes; I personally feel India will go down a bit now. If I am not wrong, India will tour a few countries in the next few months. I am predicting India will lose most of these away series and will lose ranking points. India may also lose a few senior players over the next few years, which means they may have a tough time in the test arena.
India will still be a dominant force in home condition, I feel. But they may struggle when they play away.
Is it the end of Indian dominance? The answer is probably yes; I personally feel India will go down a bit now. If I am not wrong, India will tour a few countries in the next few months. I am predicting India will lose most of these away series and will lose ranking points. India may also lose a few senior players over the next few years, which means they may have a tough time in the test arena.
India will still be a dominant force in home condition, I feel. But they may struggle when they play away.
England - The New Number 1 In Test Cricket?
England is currently ranked #2 in ICC test ranking; they are about to become #1 after winning two consecutive tests against India. England is leading the series 2-0, with 2 more games still left.
Now the question is, do England deserve to be the number 1 test team in the world? Compared to other countries, I have to say England deserve the #1 spot. However, some people may argue they still have something to prove before they can be called as undisputed #1.
A #1 team should win both home and away. Over the years, England's test record in the subcontinent has not been very impressive, which is why some people may not call England #1 just yet. Until England beat India in India, they may not want to call them the best team in the world. Those who follow cricket closely knows how hard it is to beat India in India.
In conclusion, England is a very effective team and will probably become #1 after the ongoing series ends. But they should beat teams away too on a regular basis, in order to become a true #1.
Now the question is, do England deserve to be the number 1 test team in the world? Compared to other countries, I have to say England deserve the #1 spot. However, some people may argue they still have something to prove before they can be called as undisputed #1.
A #1 team should win both home and away. Over the years, England's test record in the subcontinent has not been very impressive, which is why some people may not call England #1 just yet. Until England beat India in India, they may not want to call them the best team in the world. Those who follow cricket closely knows how hard it is to beat India in India.
In conclusion, England is a very effective team and will probably become #1 after the ongoing series ends. But they should beat teams away too on a regular basis, in order to become a true #1.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Shahid Afridi vs Ijaz Butt - another controversy in pakistan cricket
Shahid afridi and Ijaz Butt episode is just another addition to the ever growing list of controversies that revolve around Pakistan cricket. It all started when captain Shahid Afridi and coach Waqar Younis had problems with each other during the West Indies tour.
After the tour was over, Shahid Afridi told in the media that Waqar needs to mind his own business. As a result, PCB stripped Afridi from captaincy which Afridi did not take with a kind heart. Afridi made himself unavailable for the Ireland tour and later on retired from international cricket. Afridi however said, he may come back if the current PCB administration changes.
Ijaz Butt, the chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board, took away the NOC (No Objection Certificate) from Afridi in order to punish him. NOC is a certificate that boards give to players to play in foreign clubs.
This is a big blow for Pakistan cricket in my opinion, because Afridi is a valuable player in the LOI format. Afridi and Ijaz Butt recently met in Islamabad and they came to a fruitful agreement. Afridi got back his NOC but is still retired until the administration changes.
After the tour was over, Shahid Afridi told in the media that Waqar needs to mind his own business. As a result, PCB stripped Afridi from captaincy which Afridi did not take with a kind heart. Afridi made himself unavailable for the Ireland tour and later on retired from international cricket. Afridi however said, he may come back if the current PCB administration changes.
Ijaz Butt, the chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board, took away the NOC (No Objection Certificate) from Afridi in order to punish him. NOC is a certificate that boards give to players to play in foreign clubs.
This is a big blow for Pakistan cricket in my opinion, because Afridi is a valuable player in the LOI format. Afridi and Ijaz Butt recently met in Islamabad and they came to a fruitful agreement. Afridi got back his NOC but is still retired until the administration changes.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Spot Fixing Scandal - A Blessing In Disguise For Pakistan?
Cricket world was shocked when spot fixing saga broke out back in August 2010; a british newspaper called "News Of The World" performed an operation and exposed a betting group consists of several Pakistani players.
The players that were originally accused of fixing were - Wahab Riaz, Salman Butt, Umar Akmal, Kamran Akmal, Mohammed Aamer, Mohammed Asif and Umar Amin. Out of the these 7 players, 3 of them received punishments while 4 others managed to get away due to lack of sufficient evidences.
All 3 of them are currently banned from international cricket for a few years; is it a blow for Pakistan or a blessing in disguise?
A few months ago, many people could have said it was the final nail on the coffin of Pakistan cricket. There were people demanding Pakistan to be banned from cricket world. Thankfully Pakistan team management reacted properly and now Pakistan probably have a clean team where players give their 100%.
After the spot fixing scandal, Pakistan got a team which managed to did very decent. They drew series against South Africa, beat New Zealand and then reached the world cup semi final. They also just won the series against West Indies, which shows probably spot fixing saga was a blessing in disguise for Pakistan.
Still Pakistan have a long way to go. They have to ensure they do not get wrapped up by controversies.
The players that were originally accused of fixing were - Wahab Riaz, Salman Butt, Umar Akmal, Kamran Akmal, Mohammed Aamer, Mohammed Asif and Umar Amin. Out of the these 7 players, 3 of them received punishments while 4 others managed to get away due to lack of sufficient evidences.
All 3 of them are currently banned from international cricket for a few years; is it a blow for Pakistan or a blessing in disguise?
A few months ago, many people could have said it was the final nail on the coffin of Pakistan cricket. There were people demanding Pakistan to be banned from cricket world. Thankfully Pakistan team management reacted properly and now Pakistan probably have a clean team where players give their 100%.
After the spot fixing scandal, Pakistan got a team which managed to did very decent. They drew series against South Africa, beat New Zealand and then reached the world cup semi final. They also just won the series against West Indies, which shows probably spot fixing saga was a blessing in disguise for Pakistan.
Still Pakistan have a long way to go. They have to ensure they do not get wrapped up by controversies.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Bangladesh In World Cup 2011, Failure Or Success?
Bangladesh, one of the co-hosts of world cup 2011 failed to qualify for the quarter final, after getting thrashed by the powerhouse South Africa. It was a disappointing end to the Bangladeshi campaign after they put up a spirited performance against England.
Now let's look at the team performance of the team as well as individual performance of every player in this world cup:
Team performance:
Bangladesh have played 6 games, won 3 and lost 3. West Indies had similar records yet they made it to the quarter final. With 3 victories, Bangladesh also could have been in the quarter final but that did not happen. So what went wrong?
They lost the 3 games in humiliating manners, that was what went wrong. Had they lost those 3 games with more dignity, they could have edged out West Indies in net run rate. In the end, West Indies and Bangladesh had equal points but West Indies qualified because of the more superior net run rate.
Bangladesh's bowling was outstanding I feel, because of bowling strength they managed to win those 3 games. I have to say batting wise they did very poor, barring the first game against India. Fielding was average, there were fumbles and missed run out opportunities and also some brilliant catches.
Individual Performances:
Tamim Iqbal (my rating: 5/10)
He had a very disappointing tournament, considering he is one of the best batsmen for the last 4 years. He scored a fifty in the opening game against India, but he was clearly struggling to score runs. It was not a fluent innings. If you take away that innings, you can see he had a very quiet tournament.
Imrul Kayes (my rating: 8/10)
Contrary to his opening partner, Imrul Kayes was clearly the best batsman of Bangladesh in this world cup. He had 2 fifties, both of those fifties resulted in Bangladeshi victories. He was also decent in the first 2 games, where openers put up partnerships of at least 50 runs.
Junaid Siddique (my rating: 3/10)
I think he was very disappointing, he did not play his role in an efficient manner. He did not get any fifty which was horrible, considering he comes to bat at one down position.
Raqibul Hasan (my rating: 4/10)
Although replaced by Shahriar Nafees in the last 2 games, he played most of the games in this world cup. Out of all those games he did fine against Ireland. Without his innings, Bangladesh might not have posted enough runs on the board and could have lost against Ireland. He was okay, but was nothing special.
Shahriar Nafees (my rating: 4/10)
He played 2 games, was not exceptional at any of them. In one game he scored 37 runs while playing 60 balls, in other game he scored under 10. He needed to contribute more against South Africa, as a #4 batsman.
Mushfiqur Rahim (my rating: 3/10)
He was a big let down with the bat, but was decent with the keeping gloves. He deserves a low rating because his batting was simply atrocious. I think he deserves to be dropped from the ODI squad for a while.
Shakib Al Hasan (my rating: 6/10)
Shakib did not do very good with the bat, but took wickets with the ball. As the number one all rounder in ODI ratings, I think he was a bit under par.
Naeem Islam (my rating: 5/10)
I think he did an excellent job with ball, but was equally horrible with the bat. His bowling was really effective in this world cup, he dried up runs and also took wickets. His batting needs more improvement though, considering he has a reputation of a good hitter.
Mahmudullah (my rating: 4/10)
He was good with the bat against England and also good with ball against South Africa, but if you remove those two achievements he had a below par tournament. He was very ordinary at times, I feel.
Suhrawadi Shuvo (my rating: 5/10)
He played only 1 game, however he did a decent job in that one game he played. He also played as a substitute fielder in certain games, where he felt his presences felt.
Abdur Razzak (my rating: 7/10)
He was clearly the best spinner for me in this world cup. He was among the wicket takers and he took wickets when it was needed. I think he did enough with the ball, although could have been a bit better as a tail ender batsman.
Shafiul Islam (my rating: 6/10)
He was simply way too expensive in most of the games. He did good against minnows (Ireland and Netherlands) and England, but other than that he was horrible. He took a lot of wickets which was good, however he should try to leak less runs.
Rubel Hossain (my rating: 7/10)
I think Rubel could have achieved more than what he achieved in this world cup. To me, he bowled way better than Shafiul but got less wickets. I think his performance was decent with the ball, considering he is a Bangladeshi pacer.
Mohammed Ashraful (my rating: 2/10)
He was good with the ball against Ireland, but he was selected as a batsman in the team in which he failed miserably. He was one of the most horrible batsmen of Bangladesh, without a question.
Nazmul Hossain (my rating: N/A)
He did not play.
Now let's look at the team performance of the team as well as individual performance of every player in this world cup:
Team performance:
Bangladesh have played 6 games, won 3 and lost 3. West Indies had similar records yet they made it to the quarter final. With 3 victories, Bangladesh also could have been in the quarter final but that did not happen. So what went wrong?
They lost the 3 games in humiliating manners, that was what went wrong. Had they lost those 3 games with more dignity, they could have edged out West Indies in net run rate. In the end, West Indies and Bangladesh had equal points but West Indies qualified because of the more superior net run rate.
Bangladesh's bowling was outstanding I feel, because of bowling strength they managed to win those 3 games. I have to say batting wise they did very poor, barring the first game against India. Fielding was average, there were fumbles and missed run out opportunities and also some brilliant catches.
Individual Performances:
Tamim Iqbal (my rating: 5/10)
He had a very disappointing tournament, considering he is one of the best batsmen for the last 4 years. He scored a fifty in the opening game against India, but he was clearly struggling to score runs. It was not a fluent innings. If you take away that innings, you can see he had a very quiet tournament.
Imrul Kayes (my rating: 8/10)
Contrary to his opening partner, Imrul Kayes was clearly the best batsman of Bangladesh in this world cup. He had 2 fifties, both of those fifties resulted in Bangladeshi victories. He was also decent in the first 2 games, where openers put up partnerships of at least 50 runs.
Junaid Siddique (my rating: 3/10)
I think he was very disappointing, he did not play his role in an efficient manner. He did not get any fifty which was horrible, considering he comes to bat at one down position.
Raqibul Hasan (my rating: 4/10)
Although replaced by Shahriar Nafees in the last 2 games, he played most of the games in this world cup. Out of all those games he did fine against Ireland. Without his innings, Bangladesh might not have posted enough runs on the board and could have lost against Ireland. He was okay, but was nothing special.
Shahriar Nafees (my rating: 4/10)
He played 2 games, was not exceptional at any of them. In one game he scored 37 runs while playing 60 balls, in other game he scored under 10. He needed to contribute more against South Africa, as a #4 batsman.
Mushfiqur Rahim (my rating: 3/10)
He was a big let down with the bat, but was decent with the keeping gloves. He deserves a low rating because his batting was simply atrocious. I think he deserves to be dropped from the ODI squad for a while.
Shakib Al Hasan (my rating: 6/10)
Shakib did not do very good with the bat, but took wickets with the ball. As the number one all rounder in ODI ratings, I think he was a bit under par.
Naeem Islam (my rating: 5/10)
I think he did an excellent job with ball, but was equally horrible with the bat. His bowling was really effective in this world cup, he dried up runs and also took wickets. His batting needs more improvement though, considering he has a reputation of a good hitter.
Mahmudullah (my rating: 4/10)
He was good with the bat against England and also good with ball against South Africa, but if you remove those two achievements he had a below par tournament. He was very ordinary at times, I feel.
Suhrawadi Shuvo (my rating: 5/10)
He played only 1 game, however he did a decent job in that one game he played. He also played as a substitute fielder in certain games, where he felt his presences felt.
Abdur Razzak (my rating: 7/10)
He was clearly the best spinner for me in this world cup. He was among the wicket takers and he took wickets when it was needed. I think he did enough with the ball, although could have been a bit better as a tail ender batsman.
Shafiul Islam (my rating: 6/10)
He was simply way too expensive in most of the games. He did good against minnows (Ireland and Netherlands) and England, but other than that he was horrible. He took a lot of wickets which was good, however he should try to leak less runs.
Rubel Hossain (my rating: 7/10)
I think Rubel could have achieved more than what he achieved in this world cup. To me, he bowled way better than Shafiul but got less wickets. I think his performance was decent with the ball, considering he is a Bangladeshi pacer.
Mohammed Ashraful (my rating: 2/10)
He was good with the ball against Ireland, but he was selected as a batsman in the team in which he failed miserably. He was one of the most horrible batsmen of Bangladesh, without a question.
Nazmul Hossain (my rating: N/A)
He did not play.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Younis Khan, take a bow
As a regular cricket viewer, every time I hear "Younis Khan" I remember two words "honesty" and "integrity". That is right, Younis Khan is an honest and hard working cricketer who gives his 100% every time he comes out to play. It is very hard to find a good player in Pakistan cricket who is not involved in scandals.
As it turns out, Younis Khan is the only centurion for Pakistan in the last 5 tests. Against South Africa when the target was 451 for Pakistan in the 4th innings, a lot of people (including myself) expected Pakistan to collapse and lose badly. But Younis's gutsy century made sure Pakistan drew the test with dominance.
After all the scandals Pakistan cricket team went through over the last few months, this century from Younis Khan is certainly one positive aspect. The new test team after the demise of Asif, Butt and Amir is certainly looking promising.
As it turns out, Younis Khan is the only centurion for Pakistan in the last 5 tests. Against South Africa when the target was 451 for Pakistan in the 4th innings, a lot of people (including myself) expected Pakistan to collapse and lose badly. But Younis's gutsy century made sure Pakistan drew the test with dominance.
After all the scandals Pakistan cricket team went through over the last few months, this century from Younis Khan is certainly one positive aspect. The new test team after the demise of Asif, Butt and Amir is certainly looking promising.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
West Indies team without Chris Gayle?
West Indies batting is heavily dependent on Chanderpaul, Sarwan, Gayle, and Bravo. But out of all the players, I think Chris Gayle has the biggest role to play. West Indies team often wins games because of the cameos Gayle provides time after time. But what will happen after Gayle retires or gets injured?
I believe last time West Indies played a tournament without Chris Gayle was in the ICC Champions Trophy 2009. The team lost all the games. Before that series, West Indies got whitewashed to Bangladesh. It shows that without Chris Gayle, West Indies can be a very ordinary team.
Gayle is currently 30 years old, which means he should be able to play for at least 5 more years. West Indies seriously needs to start looking for new players who can be a candidate in being a suitable replacement for Chris Gayle.
I believe last time West Indies played a tournament without Chris Gayle was in the ICC Champions Trophy 2009. The team lost all the games. Before that series, West Indies got whitewashed to Bangladesh. It shows that without Chris Gayle, West Indies can be a very ordinary team.
Gayle is currently 30 years old, which means he should be able to play for at least 5 more years. West Indies seriously needs to start looking for new players who can be a candidate in being a suitable replacement for Chris Gayle.
Kamran Akmal - end of his test career as a wicket keeper?
Kamran Akmal, a regular Pakistani test wicket keeper for the last few years is not playing against England in Birmingham (2nd test of the series). He has been replaced by Zulqarnain Haider, a rookie with no ODI or test experience.
Kamran Akmal's faulty keeping behind the stumps as well as his ordinary batting most of the time has put Akmal's test career as a wicket keeper in jeopardy. Another bad news for Kamran Akmal; Zulqarnain scored a fighting 88 and probably gave Pakistan a hope of winning the test match.
If Zulqarnain continues to bat well and does not drop regulation catches, i do not find any reason why Zulqarnain should not be a regular test wicket keeper. In other words, I think it is time for Kamran Akmal to focus on ODI and twenty20 cricket and forget about being a test wicket keeper for a while.
Kamran Akmal's faulty keeping behind the stumps as well as his ordinary batting most of the time has put Akmal's test career as a wicket keeper in jeopardy. Another bad news for Kamran Akmal; Zulqarnain scored a fighting 88 and probably gave Pakistan a hope of winning the test match.
If Zulqarnain continues to bat well and does not drop regulation catches, i do not find any reason why Zulqarnain should not be a regular test wicket keeper. In other words, I think it is time for Kamran Akmal to focus on ODI and twenty20 cricket and forget about being a test wicket keeper for a while.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Pakistan batting legacy in test cricket - is it lost?
There used to be a time when Pakistan had a very solid middle order along with a world class top order. At that time, their tail-end batsmen can chip in with a few runs too.
Right now on 2010, Pakistani batting does not back up the fact they used to have a world class batting line up. Selectors that are in charge of selecting players for Pakistan, need to wake up and smell the coffee. In my opinion, batting talent is present in Pakistan but they are not getting groomed in a professional manner.
Let's take a look at two recent youngsters - Umar Amin and Azhar Ali. Umar Amin is yet to make an impact in the international scene. I understand, he is playing in England where batsmen often had to face tough conditions. His test batting average is showing 10.33 after 3 tests (excluding his 23 runs today at Birmingham), which is simply not good enough at the international level no matter how tough the conditions are.
Azhar Ali did not do too bad against Australia, but it had a lot to do with Australia's sloppy bowling in my opinion. Azhar Ali has been exposed by England so far. Unless Azhar scores at least a hundred, I do not think he should keep his place in the side for a long time.
At this moment, there is not a single batsman in the current Pakistani line up that looks like an international test batsman. It is an alarming sign and Pakistan selectors should do something about it.
Right now on 2010, Pakistani batting does not back up the fact they used to have a world class batting line up. Selectors that are in charge of selecting players for Pakistan, need to wake up and smell the coffee. In my opinion, batting talent is present in Pakistan but they are not getting groomed in a professional manner.
Let's take a look at two recent youngsters - Umar Amin and Azhar Ali. Umar Amin is yet to make an impact in the international scene. I understand, he is playing in England where batsmen often had to face tough conditions. His test batting average is showing 10.33 after 3 tests (excluding his 23 runs today at Birmingham), which is simply not good enough at the international level no matter how tough the conditions are.
Azhar Ali did not do too bad against Australia, but it had a lot to do with Australia's sloppy bowling in my opinion. Azhar Ali has been exposed by England so far. Unless Azhar scores at least a hundred, I do not think he should keep his place in the side for a long time.
At this moment, there is not a single batsman in the current Pakistani line up that looks like an international test batsman. It is an alarming sign and Pakistan selectors should do something about it.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Will Bangladesh surpass West Indies in the ODI ranking very soon?
Bangladesh has 52 points in ODI ranking currently, West Indies has 70 points. Which means, if Bangladesh somehow manages to win a few games against some top nations they can easily replace West Indies from the 8th position in the ODI ranking.
Bangladesh is supposed to play zimbabwe later in 2010 (if i am not mistaken), which they should win comfortably. Before that, they are supposed to host New Zealand that includes 3 ODI matches. New Zealand faced a very tough time last time they toured Bangladesh, even though they managed to win the series 2-1.
If Bangladesh can produce tracks suitable to the spinners, I think Bangladesh can give New Zealand a tough time again. I think the series against New Zealand will be a great opportunity for Bangladesh to come closer in terms of replacing West Indies from the 8th position in the ICC ranking.
Bangladesh is supposed to play zimbabwe later in 2010 (if i am not mistaken), which they should win comfortably. Before that, they are supposed to host New Zealand that includes 3 ODI matches. New Zealand faced a very tough time last time they toured Bangladesh, even though they managed to win the series 2-1.
If Bangladesh can produce tracks suitable to the spinners, I think Bangladesh can give New Zealand a tough time again. I think the series against New Zealand will be a great opportunity for Bangladesh to come closer in terms of replacing West Indies from the 8th position in the ICC ranking.
Who should be the captain of Pakistan cricket team in test matches?
After observing the first test between Pakistan and Australia at Lord's, I have to say it is not a bad move from Afridi to retire from test cricket. I think Afridi does not have what it takes to play in a test match. Afridi's bowling is not suitable for test, his batting has never been consistent either. In other words, I think there are better test players in Pakistan.
Earlier, I made a post where I stated Afridi can dug Pakistan out of the hole they are in currently. I stated some reasons why I thought like that. But after observing the first test match, I have to say Afridi may not be the right man to lead the team in test matches.
But if Afridi is not the right man to lead Pakistan in test matches, then who is? I am finding it a bit hard to answer this question. Quite honestly, Pakistan does not have a proper test team and none of the players in the team deserves to be captain in a test match. But since a cricket team needs to have a captain, I think Pakistan should appoint Salman Butt as a captain. Salman Butt is probably one of the least controversial cricketers in the Pakistan team at this moment, if anyone can be the captain I think Salman Butt is the one.
Salman Butt is doing good with the bat recently, hopefully the extra pressure of the captaincy will not distract his batting (assuming he will be appointed as the captain).
Earlier, I made a post where I stated Afridi can dug Pakistan out of the hole they are in currently. I stated some reasons why I thought like that. But after observing the first test match, I have to say Afridi may not be the right man to lead the team in test matches.
But if Afridi is not the right man to lead Pakistan in test matches, then who is? I am finding it a bit hard to answer this question. Quite honestly, Pakistan does not have a proper test team and none of the players in the team deserves to be captain in a test match. But since a cricket team needs to have a captain, I think Pakistan should appoint Salman Butt as a captain. Salman Butt is probably one of the least controversial cricketers in the Pakistan team at this moment, if anyone can be the captain I think Salman Butt is the one.
Salman Butt is doing good with the bat recently, hopefully the extra pressure of the captaincy will not distract his batting (assuming he will be appointed as the captain).
What happened to Kenya Cricket Team?
Kenya reached the semi final of the world cup 2003, which in my opinion was a bit shocking. But after that world cup, they did not make any significant amount of impact in a big tournament. I think Kenya cricket team should be invited by test playing nations on a regular basis. Because of lack of quality tournaments, I think Kenya cricket is in a very bad shape. I think they should be at the same level as Zimbabwe is by now, but that is not the case.
Maybe ICC can help Kenya cricket team financially. Kenya is without a doubt, one of the top 12 teams in the world. If ICC wants to spread the game of cricket globally, they need to help these cricket boards as much as possible.
Maybe ICC can help Kenya cricket team financially. Kenya is without a doubt, one of the top 12 teams in the world. If ICC wants to spread the game of cricket globally, they need to help these cricket boards as much as possible.
Ireland Cricket - What needs to be done?
Ireland cricket team managed to make an impact over the last 3 years. In 2007, they knocked out Pakistan and beat Bangladesh in the super 8 phase out of nowhere. To be quite honest, before 2007 I was not totally sure if Ireland could knock out Pakistan. Somehow and someway, they got the job done.
Ireland cricket team is one of the next candidates to get the test status in my opinion. I think it will not be a bad idea to give Ireland a full time ODI status. To me, Ireland should not be considered as an associate cricket nation; to me they are on the same level as Zimbabwe.
I think Ireland cricket board should make sure that their players do not play for other countries. Eoin Morgan and Ed Joyce (both of them are Irish) decided to play for England instead of Ireland, which is certainly a blow for Ireland cricket and it does not set a good example for the upcoming Irish cricketers. If Morgan and Joyce plays for Ireland, I have a feeling they can be a better cricket team and who knows maybe they can upset giants on a regular basis.
Ireland cricket team is one of the next candidates to get the test status in my opinion. I think it will not be a bad idea to give Ireland a full time ODI status. To me, Ireland should not be considered as an associate cricket nation; to me they are on the same level as Zimbabwe.
I think Ireland cricket board should make sure that their players do not play for other countries. Eoin Morgan and Ed Joyce (both of them are Irish) decided to play for England instead of Ireland, which is certainly a blow for Ireland cricket and it does not set a good example for the upcoming Irish cricketers. If Morgan and Joyce plays for Ireland, I have a feeling they can be a better cricket team and who knows maybe they can upset giants on a regular basis.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Twenty20 Cricket - a blessing in disguise?
I was not a big fan of twenty20 cricket a few months ago. However, I have to say twenty20 cricket is actually implementing positive attitudes in batsmen. In my opinion, Twenty20 cricket is going to benefit the batsmen in the long run compared to bowlers.
Nowadays, we see many teams scoring 300 and 350 quite frequently in ODI matches. Many teams are not scared of chasing 300+ scores. I think it has a lot to do with the arrival of twenty20 cricket (along with the 20 overs of powerplay batting sides can use).
I believe some people are suggesting that twenty20 should replace ODI (for example - Shane Warne). I have a huge problem with that. ODI cricket already has a tradition, there are already 9 world cups that were held in the past. If ODI is replaced by Twenty20 cricket, cricket will lose a lot of fans I feel.
What I am suggesting is, both Twenty20 cricket and ODI cricket should stay and co operate with each other in various ways.
Nowadays, we see many teams scoring 300 and 350 quite frequently in ODI matches. Many teams are not scared of chasing 300+ scores. I think it has a lot to do with the arrival of twenty20 cricket (along with the 20 overs of powerplay batting sides can use).
I believe some people are suggesting that twenty20 should replace ODI (for example - Shane Warne). I have a huge problem with that. ODI cricket already has a tradition, there are already 9 world cups that were held in the past. If ODI is replaced by Twenty20 cricket, cricket will lose a lot of fans I feel.
What I am suggesting is, both Twenty20 cricket and ODI cricket should stay and co operate with each other in various ways.
Is England going to win the Ashes again?
Last time England and Australia played for the Ashes Cup, England won. We have to keep in mind that the series was played in England, and England plays much better in test matches when they play on home soil.
This time however, England is going to defend the title in Australian soil.
If I remember correctly, last time England played a test series in Australia they lost the series 5-0. Even though that series had greats like Shane Warne and Glen Mcgrath, the current Australian side is not a weak one either.
My personal opinion is, England will be thrashed once again by Australia (4-0) given how they are performing over the last few months (particularly in test matches).
I think England needs to find a suitable opening partner for Andrew Strauss, if they want to compete against the Australians. Their pace bowling attack needs to be on target as well.
I do not see a lot of problems with the middle order, I think England has a decent middle order which should make the series interesting. I do not think spinner Swann will be very useful on Australian soil, but let's see.
This time however, England is going to defend the title in Australian soil.
If I remember correctly, last time England played a test series in Australia they lost the series 5-0. Even though that series had greats like Shane Warne and Glen Mcgrath, the current Australian side is not a weak one either.
My personal opinion is, England will be thrashed once again by Australia (4-0) given how they are performing over the last few months (particularly in test matches).
I think England needs to find a suitable opening partner for Andrew Strauss, if they want to compete against the Australians. Their pace bowling attack needs to be on target as well.
I do not see a lot of problems with the middle order, I think England has a decent middle order which should make the series interesting. I do not think spinner Swann will be very useful on Australian soil, but let's see.
Shahid Afridi - A 'savior' Pakistan has been waiting for?
Shahid Afridi is without any doubt one of the most well known cricket players in the world today. Anyone who follows cricket on a regular basis should know what this man is capable of. Even though he has a poor average with the bat, every time he comes to bat he brings fear to the opponents' hearts. Afridi also matured as a bowler over the last few years.
A few years ago, it was probably unthinkable to give Afridi the captaincy. He was irresponsible in his shot selections but he matured a lot as a batsman over the last few years. Somehow and someway, Afridi managed to become the captain of Pakistan cricket team and a few accomplishments have been achieved already:
- Ever since he became the captain, there is a new spirit in Pakistan cricket team which was missing for a few months (during the captaincy of Mohammed Yousuf, most notably).
- Pakistan qualified for the semi final in the world twenty20 under the captaincy of Shahid Afridi. Pakistan would have probably won the world cup again had it not for Michael Hussey.
- Pakistan did reasonably well in the Asia Cup, they were not outplayed.
- Pakistan beat Australia 2-0 in a twenty20 tournament, which is a big achievement I think.
- Most importantly there is no visible rift in the team right now. The team is looking united, which is a positive sign.
What I am trying to say is, Afridi is probably the most influential captain for Pakistan after Imran Khan. Afridi may not be the best player in the team, but he is certainly a captain who knows how to get the best from the team.
A few years ago, it was probably unthinkable to give Afridi the captaincy. He was irresponsible in his shot selections but he matured a lot as a batsman over the last few years. Somehow and someway, Afridi managed to become the captain of Pakistan cricket team and a few accomplishments have been achieved already:
- Ever since he became the captain, there is a new spirit in Pakistan cricket team which was missing for a few months (during the captaincy of Mohammed Yousuf, most notably).
- Pakistan qualified for the semi final in the world twenty20 under the captaincy of Shahid Afridi. Pakistan would have probably won the world cup again had it not for Michael Hussey.
- Pakistan did reasonably well in the Asia Cup, they were not outplayed.
- Pakistan beat Australia 2-0 in a twenty20 tournament, which is a big achievement I think.
- Most importantly there is no visible rift in the team right now. The team is looking united, which is a positive sign.
What I am trying to say is, Afridi is probably the most influential captain for Pakistan after Imran Khan. Afridi may not be the best player in the team, but he is certainly a captain who knows how to get the best from the team.
Mahmudullah, Imrul Kayes, and Mohammed Ashraful must be dropped from the team in all formats
Imrul Kayes - I do not think he has what it takes. He scores runs in ODI matches but He wastes too many balls. Nowadays, you can not afford to waste that many balls in the middle. I think Imrul Kayes should be replaced by Nazimuddin.
Ashraful - This guy is finished i think. He should retire and let Raqibul Hasan take his position.
Mahmudullah - He is not a team player i think. He wasted 81 balls to score 42 runs when the target was 348. His bowling is not that useful too. Maybe he can get a spot in test (although i am against it) but certainly not in ODI or twenty20 format. Mahmudullah should be replaced by Naeem Islam or some other rookie.
it is just my opinion after examining this team for the last few months.
Ashraful - This guy is finished i think. He should retire and let Raqibul Hasan take his position.
Mahmudullah - He is not a team player i think. He wasted 81 balls to score 42 runs when the target was 348. His bowling is not that useful too. Maybe he can get a spot in test (although i am against it) but certainly not in ODI or twenty20 format. Mahmudullah should be replaced by Naeem Islam or some other rookie.
it is just my opinion after examining this team for the last few months.
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