Cricket great Boycott said that Shahid Afridi is the best bowling alrounder in the world at the moment. Shahid Afridi proved that by displaying fine alround performances, which inspired victory for Pakistan. New Zealand was beaten by Pakistan by huge 148 runs in the first ODI in Abu Dhabi.
In a crucial match between Australia and Pakistan, the former clinched the victory by 2 wickets while chasing the modest total of 205 set by latter. By this victory Australia reached the semifinals without dispute. In other side, India knocked out of the Champions Trophy even though they have convincingly won West Indies.
Australians are capable of peaking in to superior form in the crunch games. Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has told that they would beat Pakistan in tomorrow’s encounter and will directly qualify for the semi finals. As he points out, if Australia wins tomorrow, then the India-West Indies match happening day after tomorrow would become irrelevant. He categorically told his team want to be the number one team in the world again and preparing hard for that.
Twenty20 champions Pakistan is looking for avenging India in Champions Trophy for their defeat in the ICC world cup match before six years. These esteemed rivals are again battling on September 26 in Johannesburg. They have last clashed in 2003 world cup in which Pakistan set up a huge score of 270, which was tough to score with that bowler friendly condition. But Sachin and Sehwag’s fireworks followed by match winning innings by Rahul Dravid brought the match in India’s way.
Abu Dhabi and Dubai are all set to host ODI and Twenty20 matches between Pakistan and New Zealand in October-November period, revealed Pakistan Cricket Board. The final dates are to be sent to Cricket New Zealand told Ejaz Butt, Chairman PCB.
England Cricket Board in a press release told that the neutral matches between Pakistan and Australia would be played in Lords and Headingley next year. These two countries would also play Twenty20 matches in Edgbaston and Cardiff.
Pakistan’s coach Intikhab Alam is seeing India and Australia as the biggest threat for his team in the forthcoming Champions trophy to be held in South Africa in September. Alam has refused to comment on how Pakistan would perform in the tournament that is second best to the world cup.
One of prolific batsman of Pakistan Mohammed Yousuf has vowed to shine in forthcoming Champions trophy in a big way and by that want to silence his critics. Yousuf who returned back to Pakistan team from ICL has performed below par against Sri Lankan series and Pakistan have lost both test and ODI series.
Pakistan’s strike bowler Umar Gul was very keen to bowl against Indian to defeat in the upcoming encounter in Champions trophy on September 26 in Centurion.
Champions considered next big to world cup and the fever is catching up with all the eight test playing teams. Pakistan is always a team of talents and always unpredictable. Following the recent batting debacle by Pakistan, yesteryear’s batting mainstay of Pakistan has been appointed as batting advisor to Pakistan.
