Bangladesh v Pakistan, World Cup 2011, warm-up

Shehzad, Misbah star in Pakistan win

Mohammad Isam

February 15, 2011

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Pakistan 285 for 9 (Shehzad 103, Misbah 100) beat Bangladesh 196 (Razzaq 3-31) by 89 runs
Scorecard

The innocuous practice game had more reasons to be forgotten than to be remembered despite the centuries by Ahmed Shehzad and Misbah-ul-Haq and Junaid Siddique's brave approach. Pakistan beat Bangladesh convincingly by 89 runs at the Shere Bangla Stadium in Mirpur and it was a game that reminded Bangladesh of holes in their system and gave the young Pakistan batsman ideal practice ahead of their first big tournament.

The Pakistan dressing room went through a nervy first 90 minutes before settling in with the 152-run stand between Misbah and Shehzad, but the battle for the 'story of the day', as far as the locals were concerned, would be a tight contest between the ticket bungle-up and Bangladesh's four dropped catches.

When Shehzad walked in with Mohammad Hafeez to open the innings, the ground was half-full with most of the ticket-holders left stranded at a nearby indoor stadium with vouchers in hand. Shehzad cut and drove with ease though wickets fell quickly for Pakistan. After Hafeez drove straight at Mahmudullah at cover, Kamran Akmal and Younis Khan succumbed as soon as spin was introduced, Kamran miscuing a drive and Abdur Razzak foxing Younis for 5.

The game changed as soon as Misbah took over, with each left-arm spinner looking more ineffective than the other. Razzak and Suhrawadi Shuvo bowled a poor line and their frustration was compounded by dropping catches off each other at long-off when Shehzad was on 42 and 56. Hafeez too had a let-off when Siddique dropped him on 16, a simple chance at midwicket, while Mohammad Ashraful found Shahid Afridi's skier at mid-off hard to handle.

"The four dropped catches were a bit disappointing. Razzak has never been our best fielder but the others were really disappointing," Jamie Siddons, the Bangladesh coach, said. "I'm glad it was a practice game and not the 19th."

Shehzad's batting gave Pakistan hope as it reaffirmed his position at the top of the order alongside Hafeez, who did a fine job in New Zealand. Shehzad latched into anything short and there were many opportunities. He hit nine boundaries and a six in his 122-ball 103. "I think he looked really good and he has been doing well since the New Zealand tour where he got a century in the last game," Pakistan's coach Waqar Younis said. "He is in superb touch, and for a young man to be so responsible at such a big stage, it was great."

It was Misbah's timing, however, that caught the eye, his run-a-ball 100 had four big sixes and eight boundaries. He was severe on the spinners, cutting and punching the ball with ease, a handy lesson for batsmen on both sides.

Bangladesh's chase had a terrible start when Tamim Iqbal played down the wrong line to Abdul Razzaq's first delivery of the innings. Siddique's courage to open up his game was a surprise. Some of his boundaries were exquisite, mainly forcing the ball down the ground but even making room to hit Razzaq over covers. But he holed out to Asad Shafiq off Wahab Riaz, whom Siddique had struck for a six over square-leg an over ago. His 28-ball 38 included six boundaries and the six, and he added with Imrul Kayes, who made 39.

Bangladesh's experiment to use Mushfiqur Rahim at No. 4 failed and so did Ashraful after he struck a boundary off his first ball. Razzaq picked up Shakib and Ashraful after he took out Tamim. Once the game slipped out of Bangladesh's grasp, they used a longer batting line-up to give their batsmen a go before the big game against India on February 19. The result ensured a few more tense net sessions for Siddons and Shakib.

Shoaib Akhter On World Cup 2011

World Cup 2011

World Cup defining moment for Pakistan - Shoaib

Mohammad Isam in Mirpur

February 13, 2011

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	Shoaib Akhtar: "I want people to realize that still, very honourable people play for our country." © Getty Images Enlarge
Related Links Players/Officials: Shoaib Akhtar Series/Tournaments: ICC Cricket World Cup Teams: Pakistan

Shoaib Akhtar has called the upcoming World Cup his last, claiming it to be the "defining moment" of Pakistan cricket and perhaps of his own career. In a characteristically free-wheeling chat, Shoaib reaffirmed that he wanted to stay fit throughout, and end the tournament with the trophy in hand.

"Is this the twilight of my career? Yes. It is very special, playing in the sub-continent's World Cup," Shoaib said in Dhaka. "I am not sure about how long I'm going to be playing, but I will try to make sure it is full of memories".

"My personal target is to play every match and to leave 45-50 days after winning the World Cup," Shoaib said. "Obviously there's a huge difference between being 26 and 36. I have experience now but at the same time, I'm still bowling very quick, touching 145-150 kph easily." Shoaib used several adjectives to describe the Pakistan team ranging from "dangerous", "the most balanced" and the one having the cause it needs, but what stood out was him using the word "hurt" to describe the side.

"Obviously we are a very hurt side, whatever has happened in the last year or so. Pakistan needs a situation to gather themselves, and playing in India and Sri Lanka in the quarterfinals, that is going to really motivate us. I think the crowds, the situation, what happened to us, whatever the team has been through for the last six-seven months, that will inspire us. We are a very dangerous side but a very hurt side."

"We need to win at any cost, the team needs a situation, and what better situation than the World Cup. I think this is a defining moment for Pakistani cricket.

Shoaib's personal motivation for this tournament comes from proving people wrong, not just about himself, but the team too. "I wish Mohammad Amir was playing right now, I would have retired easily but it is not happening. That's what motivates me to come and play my last World Cup. I want people to realize that still, very honourable people play for our country."

On the field, Shoaib said that Pakistan's ability to swing the new and old ball both ways is their strong point. "The main advantage for us is reverse swing, that's where I think Pakistan team's strength lies. We have the best combination of reverse swing and new-ball fast bowlers. I think we can manage to put it out right," Shoaib said, adding that the slow nature of the wickets might yet hamper the fast bowlers but will assist the batsmen.

Of his possible duel with his old nemesis Sachin Tendulkar, Shoaib confirmed that he hasn't lost sight of the rivalry or of taking the important wickets.

The 2009 World Twenty20 triumph was perfect for the situation at the time in Pakistan, but Shoaib firmly believed that if they can do the job again this time, it could provide the people back home with more than just heroes or a trophy. "Pakistan needs to win this World Cup to bring back cricket to Pakistan, the charm back to the country. People of Pakistan are missing cricket, they are dying to watch players from all over the world playing against Pakistan."

World Cup 2011

'We should make the semi-finals' - Afridi

February 11, 2011

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	Shahid Afridi left for Dhaka on February 11 with the rest of the Pakistan team © AFP Enlarge
Related Links Players/Officials: Shahid Afridi Series/Tournaments: ICC Cricket World Cup Teams: Pakistan

For the first time in three World Cup campaigns, Pakistan enters with a fresh-looking squad. Disastrous first-round exits in 2003 and 2007 were compounded by the absence of new faces, with the team reliant instead on jaded stars. But for the 2011 World Cup, seven out of Pakistan's 15-man squad have not played more than 35 ODIs, and for eight, this will be a first World Cup. It is the kind of unknown they thrive on, the kind captain Shahid Afridi feels makes them "the most dangerous team at the World Cup."

Afridi's optimism is based on more than just the newness of his squad. Since the end of the Australia tour last year, Pakistan's ODI cricket has taken on the kind of swing that has marked their finest years: days of a complete, comprehensive ineptitude mixed casually with moments of such force they cannot be stopped.

They've lost more than they've won since the Australia tour - 10 losses, 8 wins - but they've pushed good teams to the very brink, usually in direst off-field circumstances. And the immediate run-in was much needed: a first ODI bilateral series win in over two years. "For some time now we've been trying to give the team an identity, a face on the field," Afridi told ESPNcricinfo before heading off to Dhaka.

"It's coming along. We've got some good young players in the set-up now, guys like Umar [Akmal], [Ahmed] Shehzad, Wahab [Riaz] mixed with some experienced guys. I see us as the most dangerous team at the World Cup." A number of the older heads have not played in World Cups before: Misbah-ul-Haq, the vice-captain, Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman.

The balance of a potential first XI, Afridi says, is right. Two of their openers have scored centuries in recent games and a third, dangerous option is back. The middle order has patience and power, old and young and the bowling spin and pace. "We've got options and I like that. We have batsmen like Younis [Khan] and Misbah who can play long innings, guys in the middle who are power-hitters. We have wicket-taking bowlers so I'm happy that we have a balanced side."

Though he has captained the ODI side through the last year, Afridi was only appointed leader for the World Cup last week, having led the side to the series win in New Zealand. He has said previously that not getting the captaincy wouldn't affect him, but criticism of his individual form - as there has been by some former players recently - has clearly irked him.

"There is uneducated criticism of my performances from former players on TV," he said. "They should know that over the last year [in 2010] I have scored the most runs and taken the most wickets for Pakistan."

Behind those numbers - he was 2010's leading Pakistani run-scorer and joint leading wicket-taker with Shoaib Akhtar - is a more complicated story. His batting has held more substance - two hundreds and nine scores between 24 and 65 in 18 innings - are important numbers. But the bowling has lacked the wicket-taking bite of the last couple of years, averaging 45.05 per wicket and taking less than a wicket per game.

Yet the pressure of leading in the field hasn't, he says, affected him. "The pressure is there as captain for sure, to keep everyone up on the field, to get everything going, to get the field right and to do well yourself but I enjoy that. You have good and bad days but I'm confident my bowling is fine at the moment."

Afridi's own World Cup record is poor. In 12 games, spread over three tournaments, he averages 11.36 with the bat and 39.85 with the ball, an aberration he is keen to rectify. "I've not been good at past World Cups, but my role and position has never been fully settled going into them. I go into this feeling better and much more positive and, importantly, my role and place is clearer than it has been in past tournaments. There are good times and bad times but I'm hoping this will be a good World Cup for us.

"Realistically, with the kind of team we have, we should really make the semi-final and of course we want to play the final and win it - everyone does - but we should make the semi."

Tanvir Ahmed, Mohammad Yousuf left out of World Cup

January 18, 2011

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	The left-arm pace of Sohail Tanvir was preferred over Tanvir Ahmed © AFP Enlarge

Pakistan's selectors have displayed an unusual consistency in their ODI squad, retaining all players bar one involved in the New Zealand ODIs for their World Cup campaign. Fast bowler Tanvir Ahmed, who is part of the 16-man ODI squad in New Zealand, is the unlucky one, missing out.

In opting for continuity, the selectors have not picked the veteran Mohammad Yousuf, indicating that his career is all but over. And as had been widely expected, they have remarkably not named a captain or deputy so far, leaving open the possibility that Shahid Afridi, who has been the limited overs leader, may be replaced.

The 15-man squad is generally low on surprise, and given that Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Amir and Shoaib Malik, four key players, are not cleared for selection, almost picked itself. It is a fairly fresh one also; eight of the players have no previous World Cup experience.

The batting spots are shared by a mix of the old and new, with Asad Shafiq and Umar Akmal the ones to keep an eye on, around Younis Khan. The presence of Misbah-ul-Haq will raise some eyebrows. He has only played two ODIs in 2010 and was dropped midway through Pakistan's last ODI series against South Africa.

The bowling has considerable variety, with Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Gul and Wahab Riaz expected to share the bulk of pace duties. Sohail Tanvir has a chance to resurrect his career after two injury-struck years. Much might depend on the spinners, with Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman providing contrasting support to the threat of Afridi.

Yousuf made the 30-man preliminary World Cup squad but hasn't played a one-dayer since he was recalled for the series-decider against South Africa last November in Dubai and made only 3. Though he has played 281 ODIs for Pakistan, he scored only one half-century in 10 matches last year and his World Cup experiences have generally been poor: he has only two half-centuries in 13 career World Cup matches.

The situation with the captaincy has built up steadily over the last few weeks. There has been increasing speculation that Afridi may be removed, the board not pleased with his regular public statements, including criticisms of his own side. He was retained as ODI captain for the New Zealand ODIs but his personal performance in the last ten ODIs doesn't help his case. He averages 20.9 with the bat and 48.7 with the ball. The move to name Misbah as vice-captain for the New Zealand ODIs is seen as a means of putting pressure on Afridi.

But before leaving for New Zealand, Afridi said he was not worried about the position. "I am not worried about the captaincy, it never worries me," Afridi told reporters. "I have never run after the captaincy in my entire career. It is something for the cricket board to decide. If they feel I am the right man they will appoint me and if they don't they will make someone else captain.

"I am a senior professional and I know what I have to do. I have to lead the team to win the series and perform well as player. I know our winning the series will be very important because if we win in New Zealand it will give us a boost for the World Cup."

Squad: Shahid Afridi, Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hafeez, Kamran Akmal (wk), Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Abdul Razzaq, Abdur Rehman, Saeed Ajmal, Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Tanvir, Ahmed Shehzad

Kamran, Misbah-ul-Haq in ODI squad to play NZ

Kamran, Misbah-ul-Haq in ODI squad

	Kamran Akmal returns to Pakistan's ODI team after not being cleared to play the Twenty20s and Tests against New Zealand © Getty Images Enlarge
Related Links Players/Officials: Kamran Akmal | Misbah-ul-Haq Series/Tournaments: Pakistan tour of New Zealand Teams: Pakistan

Wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal has been included in Pakistan's squad for the ODI series against New Zealand after being left out of the Test and Twenty20 squads. He exchanges places with his younger brother Adnan, who misses out. Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq, who played the first two ODIs against South Africa but not the final three, also finds a place, while opener Ahmed Shehzad returns to the side, suggesting he is being considered for Pakistan's World Cup squad.