Struggling Canada hope to compete

Match Facts

March 3, Colombo
Start time 14.30 (0900 GMT)

A game between two countries continents apart will be infused with a strong South Asian flavour on Thursday. Canada's been the adopted home of more than a million immigrants from the subcontinent, including the bulk of the national team, and the Toronto suburbs of Brampton, Missisauga and Scarborough, each with a significant South Asian population, will have some watching the potential mismatch with more than a reasonable interest.

There's much at stake for Canada. Their performances, including a meek surrender against Zimbabwe, have, in the eyes of many, justified the ICC's decision to shrink the next World Cup. Some of their more experienced players weren't picked in the World Cup squad; instead, five players from the Under-19 level, fresh to international cricket, were given a go, raising concerns over whether the best-available XV were selected. Their senior cricketers, Ashish Bagai and John Davison, have failed to step up. The only consolation is that their group members, Kenya, have had a worse time this tournament. For those at home with competing loyalties, a determined display against Pakistan would prove a satisfactory result.

Pakistan, eyeing a third straight win, would want a performance as dominating as the one against Kenya, but it remains to be seen whether they choose to tweak their combinations in a game with little room for surprise.

Form guide

(completed matches, most recent first)

Pakistan: WWLWW
Canada: LLLWW

Mohammad Hafeez: He has proven to be a reliable opener for Pakistan since the start of 2010, but has often been dismissed after getting a good look-in at the crease. Hafeez has made three half-centuries and a ton, apart from a spate of 30s, in the last year. He's gifted with timing, is solid in defence and has the ability to bat out an innings. The Canadian bowling offers him a a good chance to dig in.

John Davison: The oldest player in the competition and Canada's big-name player has had a horrible two games with ducks in each. There was little hope against Sri Lanka in a mammoth chase but his team needed a strong start from Davison against Zimbabwe, an opposition Canada had hoped to beat at the start of the tournament. Without any impetus at the start of the innings, the rest of the Canadian batting appears to switch focus to survival rather than pushing on. With so much responsibility on his shoulders, Davison needs to set an example.

The fitness status of Henry Osinde remains unclear, but it would be worth it to promote their frontline batsman, Zubin Surkari, and allrounder Rizwan Cheema up the order. They batted at No.7 and No.6 respectively against Zimbabwe, coming in well after the game had been decided. There is also talk of Davison moving down the order.

Canada (possible): 1 John Davison, 2 Nitish Kumar, 3 Ruvindu Gunasekera, 4 Ashish Bagai, 5 Rizwan Cheema, 6 Zubin Surkari, 7 Jimmy Hansra, 8 Tyson Gordon, 9 Khurram Chohan, 10 Harvir Baidwan, 11 Balaji Rao.

Left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman has been ruled out of Thursday's game with an injury to his adductor muscle; offspinner Saeed Ajmal could well make his World Cup debut. Misbah-ul-Haq has a hamstring niggle but is expected to be fit while there is uncertainty over whether Pakistan will rest Shoaib Akhtar. If they do, left-arm seamer Wahab Riaz could be picked.

Pakistan (possible): 1 Ahmed Shehzad, 2 Mohammad Hafeez, 3 Kamran Akmal (wk), 4 Younis Khan, 5 Misbah-ul-Haq, 6 Umar Akmal, 7 Shahid Afridi (capt), 8 Abdul Razzaq, 9 Umar Gul, 10 Saeed Ajmal, 11 Shoaib Akhtar/Wahab Riaz.

"Personally for me, it's more of a mental game. I am 40 years old and probably have those self-doubts... do I have the ability to perform at this level?"
John Davison admits his problem is in the mind.

"We are thinking about it [of resting Shoaib] but then again, at this age or time, sometimes rest is not good, because you want to get that rhythm and momentum going."
Waqar Younis