Kamran Abbasi
Afridi's kiss takes Pakistan to Lord's
Pakistan's talisman was the difference
Kamran Abbasi
25-Feb-2013
"I just blew him a kiss," smiled Shahid Afridi, when asked about his on-field exchange with Jacques Kallis. It was a kiss that sent Pakistan to Lord's, as Afridi won an old-fashioned battle of allrounders.
Afridi decided to spread the love as he killed South Africa's chances of lifting this World Cup.
Full postEssential, thrilling, fascinating
South Africa pose a severe threat to Younis’s stated dual ambitions of winning this World Cup to uplift the people of Pakistan and to honour the memory of his previous coach and mentor, Bob Woolmer
Kamran Abbasi
25-Feb-2013
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Pakistan fans should outnumber South Africans at Trent Bridge today, and Younis Khan’s team will require every last breath of support if it is to defeat the tournament's most formidable opponents. Has any Pakistan team's progress ever acquired greater significance?
South Africa pose a severe threat to Younis’s stated dual ambitions of winning this World Cup to uplift the people of Pakistan and to honour the memory of his previous coach and mentor, Bob Woolmer. Behind an inane grin Younis is a serious fellow.
His Pakistan are shaping up nicely in this tournament--it would be wrong to imagine the coach has any significant influence. A varied and aggressive bowling attack has allowed the batsmen to slowly find their form. But the concern is that Pakistan may be facing South Africa a match too early.
Full postWhy lose overs under lights?
This ICC World Twenty20 has been a fabulous tournament
Kamran Abbasi
25-Feb-2013
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I write this on behalf of England fans at The Oval for the Super Eights match on Monday. I was in the crowd to enjoy the unique spectacle of England and Pakistan playing on the same day but against different opposition. Delight at Pakistan's progress was tempered by the manner of England's defeat. In fact, you woz robbed.
Paul Collingwood should have paid attention to the weather forecast and batted second. But the rain interruptions were cruel to England since the revised target favoured Chris Gayle's cultured sloggers. England were admirable in their passion to stay in the tournament but a packed house at The Oval deserved better.
International cricket administrators must decide who the game is for? Supporters were drenched twice but still committed to watching West Indies bat 20 overs, which was possible as conditions remained fine well after the match finished.
Full postMoment of joy after torrid two years
Pakistan produced a clinical performance to qualify for a second consecutive World Twenty20 semi-final
Kamran Abbasi
25-Feb-2013
Pakistan produced a clinical performance to qualify for a second consecutive World Twenty20 semi-final. Tougher challenges lie ahead but Younis Khan will be pleased to have avoided a potential banana skin.
As with other minnows who do not play regular international cricket, Ireland’s bowlers posed more of a challenge than their batsmen. Boyd Rankin, in particular, troubled Pakistan with his pace and bounce.
Nonetheless, a solid if unspectacular performance ensured that Pakistan posted a total that was way beyond Ireland. Kamran Akmal was the backbone of the effort, with Shahzaib Hasan, Shahid Afridi, and Abdul Razzaq playing handy cameos.
Full postGul deserves praise not suspicion
Umar Gul's outstanding performance against New Zealand was notable for his mastery of line and length
Kamran Abbasi
25-Feb-2013
Umar Gul's outstanding performance against New Zealand was notable for his mastery of line and length. It wasn't notable for its extravagant reverse swing. Gul has every right to claim that he has become the leading exponent of Twenty20 fast bowling. He was formidable in South Africa two years ago and he is so again.
Gul's brilliance is his ability to bowl his chosen length at will, either yorker, back of a length, or on a good length. He rarely errs by bowling a half volley. At the death, this predominantly yorker attack has become almost impossible to plunder runs off. This is the result of years of hard work and battle against injury. Gul is an intelligent bowler with absolute control over his armoury.
Hence, the whiff of suspicion created by Daniel Vettori and some journalists is a disgrace. Why is it that when a man in green produces something special the immediate reaction is to cast doubt on that achievement? If it had been another country then the issue would not even have been raised.
Full postAfridi lights the fire
Umar Gul fried New Zealand at The Oval but it was Shahid Afridi who lit the fire, with a sprinting catch and some mesmerising bowling
Kamran Abbasi
25-Feb-2013
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Umar Gul fried New Zealand at The Oval but it was Shahid Afridi who lit the fire. Afridi's sprinting catch off Scott Styris was a delightful surprise for all Pakistan fans, and it set the tone for a sparkling performance and swung the psychology of the match in Pakistan's favour.
Let's be clear, Pakistan still have their problems. The fielding can be geriatric and the batting isn't entirely convincing but Pakistan's bowlers are becoming a formidable combination. The root of this is a varied bowling attack that can halt the run rate through aggression.
Gul produced a glorious record-breaking spell but his first wicket belonged to Afridi's exhilarating race to grasp Styris's soaring strike. By then Afridi had already bewildered New Zealand's batsmen with his array of drifters, spinners, and laser guided yorkers. For Afridi fans it is a relief that his bowling has become so formidable in cricket's shorter versions, else he might have been lost to the international arena.
Full postIt's the batting, stupid
Kamran Abbasi
25-Feb-2013
Pakistan thew away a golden opportunity to put themselves in a strong position to qualify for the semi-finals of the Twenty20 World Cup. A target of 151 was better than Pakistan could have imagined once the Sri Lankan Frying Pan and Battering Ram were laying into their opening bowlers.
The recovery from Pakistan's bowlers proved that their mix of speed and spin is capable of helping them succeed in this tournament. And, today, even the fielders managed a decent performance.
Full postSpin turns Orangemen to lemons
Kamran Abbasi
25-Feb-2013
Pakistan discovered that winning is more fun than losing, when they comprehensively defeated Netherlands at Lord's today. Netherlands played with spirit and had an even chance of qualification until Younis Khan introduced the spin pairing of Saeed Ajmal and Shahid Afridi.
From that point onwards, after the sixth over, Pakistan seized complete control of the contest.
Full postI'm missing the Badshahs and the <i>Badmashes</i>
Pakistan face a desperate, nerve-tingling struggle to beat Netherlands, a team of part-time cricketers, and progress in this World Cup
Kamran Abbasi
25-Feb-2013
Pakistan face a desperate, nerve-tingling struggle to beat Netherlands, a team of part-time cricketers, and progress in this World Cup. But victory will not be enough unless it is by a sufficient margin to ensure that Pakistan’s net run-rate is superior to Netherlands.
A washout—and rain is threatened at Lord’s—will mean that Pakistan will be eliminated.
Pakistan might point to the Dutch team’s freak victory against England as a stroke of misfortune but, ultimately, they only have themselves to blame. Pakistan’s preparations have looked lazy and their match performances have lacked sharpness.
Full postRubbish Pakistan make England look good
It is hard to pinpoint where Pakistan lost this match, as they lost it almost everywhere and every which way they turned
Kamran Abbasi
25-Feb-2013
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The major problem for Pakistan supporters is that their team hasn't even come close to winning any of the warm-up matches or the opening encounter against the hosts. It is hard to pinpoint where Pakistan lost this match, as they lost it almost everywhere and every which way they turned. Pakistan, in truth, have looked below par in every department, with the biggest concerns around the fielding and batting.
A lack of ability could be excused but a lack of competitiveness cannot. Pakistan's team has given the appearance of taking this whole tournament too lightly, which is a shock as this is Pakistan's opportunity to remind that world that it is a cricketing power that should not be ignored. On these performances, Pakistan can be easily ignored.
Younis Khan described the tournament as "fun" and something not to be taken too seriously as its main role is to entertain supporters. The miserable expressions of thousands of Pakistan fans in the stadium would beg to differ.
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