Cricket: India face Pakistan in World T20 tune-up

Mohammad Hafeez welcomed the chance to play against India before the tournament starts on Tuesday.

COLOMBO: Arch-rivals India and Pakistan will get an early chance to size up each other ahead of the World Twenty20 when they clash in a high-profile practice match in Colombo next Monday.

The match, part of the warm-up schedule drawn up by the International Cricket Council, is the only one of 12 practice games that will be beamed live by the host broadcasters.

Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez welcomed the chance to play against India before the tournament starts on Tuesday.

“It is usually a high-pressure game and good for us to experience it early,” Hafeez told reporters in Colombo on Wednesday night.

India coach Duncan Fletcher said his team’s two warm-up matches — the other is against host Sri Lanka on Saturday — will be important preparations for the main event.

“We have come here with the belief that we can win the World Twenty20 and it is crucial we get attuned to the conditions,” Fletcher said. “We have obviously got a good build-up.

“We look forward to the two warm-up games which will give us the preparation we require for the tournament.”

India and Pakistan have been drawn in separate groups for the preliminary league, but will meet in the Super Eights round in Colombo on September 30 if the seedings go to plan.

The two nations have played just two official Twenty20 internationals against each other, both during the inaugural world event in South Africa in 2007.

The league match in Durban ended in a tie with India winning the bowl-out, before the two sides met again in the final in Johannesburg, which Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s Indians won by five runs.

Bilateral cricket ties between the two nations, which had been suspended since the Mumbai attacks in 2008, are set to resume later this year when Pakistan tour India for three one-dayers and two Twenty20 games.

Why Ajmal deserved the ICC nomination

Ajmal took 120 wickets across formats over the last year; not enough to impress the ICC evidently © Getty Images  Enlarge

Related Links News : PCB officials to skip ICC awards over Ajmal snub News : Pakistan could boycott ICC awards over Ajmal omission News : ICC rules out Ajmal award inclusion News : PCB objects to Ajmal omission Players/Officials: Vernon Philander | Saeed Ajmal Teams: Pakistan | Pakistan Sites: Cricinfo ICC Site

Many of us expected to see Saeed Ajmal on the shortlist for the ICC's Cricketer of the Year. The history of these awards dates back to 2004, and so far the only Pakistani name on the honour roll is that of Mohammad Yousuf, who won Test Cricketer of the Year in 2007. Of the nine Cricketers of the Year so far (the title was shared in 2005), six have been batsmen, and one a batting allrounder. We knew the 2012 list would be dominated by batsmen too, as such lists and awards usually are. But there has always been a bowler in the mix. Who else for 2012 but Ajmal?

The PCB was right to act on the fans' widespread sense of disappointment by lodging an official protestwith the ICC. The feeling has been compounded by a misconception still prevailing in some quarters that Ajmal's exclusion was similar to Graeme Swann's in 2010. Swann was included after a public outcry; the fact that Ajmal hasn't been feels like a double insult.

But the two cases are different. Swann hadn't made it onto the longlist, which is picked by a five-member panel of selectors in a consensus exercise, that allows for decisions to be reconsidered. Ajmal has made it onto the longlist but failed to garner enough support at the next level, a private ballot by the 32-member voting academy that whittles the longlist down to a handful of nominees. This is a confidential exercise handled by a major management consulting firm.

In a nutshell, while Swann failed to get selected, Ajmal failed to get elected. The ICC is arguing that selections can be reconsidered but elections cannot be overturned. The voting academy's failure to pick Ajmal can be likened to one of those irksome umpiring decisions where everybody heard the snick except the guy who needed to raise his finger.

There is not much you can do with the resulting frustration, except just soak it up. The PCB is making noises about going one step further, by threatening to boycott the awards. That would be a silly dead-end reaction, leading to nothing productive. Ajmal's exclusion may be a bad umpiring judgement hitting Pakistan like a kick between the eyes, but there is no DRS here. Every now and then you just have to accept an unfair outcome and move on. It happens in cricket all the time.

As for the judgement itself, it remains perplexing why Ajmal would be omitted by members of the voting academy. This rather grandly named body comprises distinguished former players, respected media figures, representatives from the elite panel of referees and umpires, and Clive Lloyd, who chairs the ICC's influential cricket committee. It is charged with vigorous pursuit of the truth, but on Ajmal it has stumbled.

	It all boils down to this: in contrast to Philander, Ajmal took more wickets, was a force in all three formats, was involved in more wins for his side, and defeated the top-ranked side more often

Ajmal himself has shrugged this matter off without much fuss. He is a straight, open, plainspoken man, with a hearty innocence that utterly charms and disarms. There is no posturing about him, no grandstanding, no contrived theatrics. The only thing crooked and mysterious about him is his bowling, which has taken him to a sustained hover around the top of the ICC rankings.

Three of the four names picked for the 2012 Cricketer of the Year shortlist are batsmen, which means that Ajmal's competition for this spot had really only been with Vernon Philander, the talented South African bowler. Given their relative contributions and influence, the preference for Philander over Ajmal sends out a worrisome message. At best, it suggests that the academy members need a refresher in some of the basics. At worst, it affirms the existence of an unspoken caste system in world cricket, well into the 21st century.

During the review period for these awards, Philander played nine Tests to pick up 56 wickets at an average of 16.57 and a strike rate of 33.1 (he also played a solitary ODI, in which he took 1 for 39). Ajmal did far more. His figures over the same stretch include 12 Tests, 23 ODIs, and nine T20Is, for a collective haul of 120 wickets. Although his overall average and strike rate are higher than Philander's, if you pick out Ajmal's best nine Tests, his tally in this parity comparison turns out to be five wickets higher, at an average (20.11) and strike rate (47.98) that are fantastic by spinners' standards.

In terms of opposition quality and impact, Philander picked up three Man-of-the-Match and one Man-of-the-Series awards, while Ajmal collected two match awards and two series awards. Philander's nine Tests included five wins for his side; Ajmal's best nine included six wins. Philander had two victories against the top-ranked Test side; Ajmal had three. It all boils down to this: in contrast to Philander, Ajmal took more wickets, was a force in all three formats, was involved in more wins for his side, and defeated the top-ranked side more often. Ajmal easily holds his own against Philander in Tests; and he did so much more heft besides.

This episode may be an affront to Ajmal and his huge fan support, but its greater significance lies in the opportunity it provides to the ICC. One would be surprised if it doesn't trigger some sort of reform within the voting academy - either a review of its composition, or of the voting mechanism, or a stringent set of fresh guidelines impressed on each member. "Academy" is a hallowed and lofty term, evoking sanctity, precision, and intellectual depth. A few more gaffes like this one and it will begin to sound like a caricature

Spokesman of PCB apprises that a meeting of senior officials was held at PCB today

Lahore September 17, 2012: Spokesman of Pakistan Cricket Board apprises that a meeting of senior officials was held at PCB today. Chairman PCB presided the meeting. Following decisions were taken in the meeting:

The Pakistan Cricket Board believes that the omission of Saeed Ajmal’s name from the short-lists of Cricket of the year and Test Cricketer of the year is injustice to the talent and achievements of the said player. The PCB feels that the ICC’s process of the short-listing needs to be reviewed and there should be mechanism to correct errors.

Although the PCB has strongly registered its protest with ICC already and has conveyed them the sentiments of the people of Pakistan and fans and legends of cricket on this issue, yet to underpin our principled stance on Saeed Ajmal’s case it has been decided:

1.     The matter will be raised in the upcoming CEC meeting of the ICC and a review of the process would to be sought to avoid any such incidents in future. Corrective measures would be suggested.

2.     The PCB will impress upon this issue at other forums of cricketing community and all necessary input will be sought to devise a mechanism which is performance based and is acceptable to a wider segment of cricket fans.

3.     Although the PCB’s stands with reservations on the issue yet it is decided not to boycott the awards ceremony and as a token send some squad members to the event. However no senior board official will attend the ceremony. 

Umar Akmal must shun reckless approach to make lasting impact

Umar’s ODI form has been more than satisfactory (691 runs in 21 innings) with eight half-centuries. -File photo

PAKISTAN may boast of the second-best success ratio in the history of Twenty20 Internationals, but their prospects of grabbing their second world championship crown would arguably hinge on a number of factors.

Saeed Ajmal, the best spinner currently in world cricket, carries the main load for the men attired in green. Saeed is a proven performer whose deeds over the past year in all three forms of cricket are unmatched on the international arena.

But the same, unfortunately, can’t be said of Umar Akmal, the young batsman whose entry into international cricket three years ago was no less than sensational with a Test debut century (129 v New Zealand) at Dunedin which came on the heels of a maiden One-day International hundred (an unbeaten 102 at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium) in only his third appearance three months earlier, on the tour of Sri Lanka.

Sadly, these are the only three-figure innings that Umar had thus managed in his chequered international career.

His impetuosity has already cost him a Test spot which was there for the taking; Umar hasn’t been part of that XI since the Bulawayo Test against Zimbabwe just over a year ago because he has failed to heed the advice to adopt a selective approach in shot-making.

This habitual recklessness at the crease has been a cause for concern for Pakistan because Umar’s Twenty20 form in reality is in decline. Since October 1, 2011 the diminutive right-hander has managed to muster just 93 runs (averaging a miserable 10.33) in nine innings of 10 Twenty20 Internationals.

His best T20 score in this period is 22 against England at Abu Dhabi last February. In contrast to his struggles in the shortest format, Umar’s ODI form has been more than satisfactory (691 runs in 21 innings) with eight half-centuries.

One debatable reason for Umar’s lack of runs in limited-overs cricket could be the batting order. In a well-publicised interview in April this year, the 22-year-old lamented that his spot at No 6 is two places too low.

“It’s a matter of the batting order that I’m not able to score big runs,” Umar had argued then. “When batting down the order, sometimes I have to bat in a crisis if the top order collapse. And sometimes I get fewer overs to bat otherwise I have the tendency to score in three figures.

“If I bat at the top of the order, then it would be easy for me to extend my innings and convert those 30s and 40s into substantial knocks,” he said.

However, the facts in Umar’s case present a different picture and his whole approach needs to change if he is to make an impact in the mega event.

Pakistan’s inexplicable capitulation in the final game of the recent T20 series against Australia in Dubai yet again exposed the brittleness of the team’s batting. Now Mohammad Hafeez and his men can’t afford a similar catastrophe at the ICC World Twenty20 or it will be curtains for them before they know it.

Overall, Pakistan’s track record in the briefest form is quite impressive though. Having already played the most number of Twenty20 Internationals to date — 58 to be précise — Pakistan’s success ratio of 60.34 is the best after South Africa’s 65.21. In addition, the only bowlers to claim 50 or more wickets in this format are all Pakistanis — Saeed Ajmal, Umar Gul and Shahid Afridi.

However, on the batting chart, Pakistan lag behind with Afridi’s 801 runs in 50 matches being the highest aggregate, followed by Misbah-ul-Haq (788 in 39), Kamran Akmal (778 in 41), Shoaib Malik (754 in 44) and Umar Akmal (714 in 34).

New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum is the leading Twenty20 International run-getter (1,443 in 48 matches) while the out-of-favour England star Kevin Pietersen (1176 in 36) is the only other player to make the four-figure mark.

Pakistan, despite their hot-and-cold style, are very much in contention for the coveted trophy. But they need all their resources to fire as a unit. They simply can’t afford a misfiring Umar Akmal who is already feeling the heat, mainly because of his own undoing.

Clint McKay predicts big things for Pat Cummins

Colombo: Australian fast bowler Clint McKay has urged the cricket fraternity to watch Pat Cummins, a superstar in the making during the forthcoming World Twenty20 tournament. Though he is in the dark about his own selection in the final eleven, McKay has given tips to Cummins to have an "unbelievable" impact on the tournament. The 19-year-old gave a preview of his capabilities in a contrived "super over" during a friendly against New Zealand. Having taken 2-13 in the match, Cummins conceded just one single from the super over in which New Zealand captain Ross Taylor and lower order batsman Doug Bracewell could hardly lay bat on his thunderbolts. He dismissed Bracewell with his last ball, before Shane Watson and David Warner waltzed to 13 from their over. A leading Australian daily quoted Mckay, as saying: ‘‘He (Cummins) was excellent, and he’s going to be a superstar.’’ McKay added: ‘‘He will have an unbelievable impact, not only on this tournament, but on world cricket. He’s got all the attributes. He’s fast, he can swing it, he’s got a level head and people have to realise he is only 19 still. So, he’s going to have some good days and bad days and I just think we need to let him go and watch him because he’s going to be unreal.’’

Twenty20 WC: Australia could face their ‘Zimbabwe Moment’ against Ireland

Colombo: Australia begins the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka this week facing their potential "Zimbabwe moment" when they come up against Ireland.

There is a fear that if George Bailey`s team is upset by Ireland in their opening match this Wednesday in the Twenty20 World Cup, it could eclipse their most embarrassing performance by to date, the 1983 World Cup loss to Zimbabwe.

According to reports, playing a minnow like Ireland should be a bit of light practice, a little hit and giggle before the main event, but the past two years, have shown that players with the Baggy Green have been at the bottom of the heap in the quickest format of the game

Australia still sit below Bangladesh in Twenty20 rankings, and Ireland`s new bowling coach, Craig McDermott, who recently quit the Australian job, has been assuring his new charges they can beat Australia, according to Ireland captain William Porterfield.

"But he`s seen what we`ve got and he`s got a lot of confidence within the squad that we can go out there and beat anyone," Porterfield said of McDermott

Misbah to feature in panel of experts for World T20 championship

Islamabad: Pakistan`s Test and one-day captain, Misbah-ul- Haq is set to feature in the ICC World Twenty20 panel of experts lined up by broadcasters of the event.

"It is going to be a new experience for me to work on television. I got a good offer and also wanted to be part of the tournament so I accepted it," said Misbah, confirming that he had been given permission by the PCB to work during the tournament for the broadcaster and would be leaving for Sri Lanka on Sunday.

The Daily Times quoted Misbah, as saying, that since Pakistan`s next international assignments after the World Cup was the ODI series against India in December and the Test tour to South Africa, he would return home and focus on domestic cricket.

"Domestic cricket is the best way to keep in touch with the game because the coming series are very important for us as a team," he added.

Misbah was dropped as captain and player from Pakistan`s T20 squad before the Sri Lanka tour in May, effectively ending his T20 career, although Misbah himself has insisted he is fit enough to play in all three formats.

Pakistan``s former captain, Younis Khan, who also is not part of the national T20 team despite being a senior member of the Test and ODI sides, is also working as an expert on Pakistan Television after being rested for the recent One-day series against Australia.

Misbah said Pakistan is a multi-talented side and was capable of beating any team.

"The players are capable of doing well but they need to learn from their mistakes made in the Australia series," he said.

India clash with Pakistan in keenly awaited warm-up

Their tails up after an easy outing against hosts Sri Lanka, India would like to keep the winning momentum going when they take on arch-rivals Pakistan in their second warm-up game here tomorrow ahead of the ICC World Twenty20 beginning on September 18.

The Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Indian team would, however, want their batsman to come good against a superior Pakistani bowling unit to maintain a clean slate ahead of their World Twenty20 opener against Afghanistan on September 19.

Though, India won comfortably against the hosts in their opening warm-up game, they certainly need to put up a better show with the bat against Pakistan, who boast of quality bowlers like Saeed Ajmal and Umar Gul in their ranks.

Injury to opener Gautam Gambhir, who hurt his wrist against Sri Lanka, would be a concern for the Indians but Virender Sehwag along with other top-order batsmen need to redeem themselves against Pakistan following their dismal show with the bat in the first match.

India, in particular, would like Sehwag to fire against Pakistan and get some runs under his belt ahead of the tough battle ahead.

Virat Kohli, on the other hand, has been a consistent performer, but the young Delhi lad would look to settle down and get battle ready with a solid knock against Pakistan at the R Premadasa Stadium.

Yuvraj Singh, who made a comeback to world cricket after recovering from cancer with a cameo of 34 runs against New Zealand in the second T20 game in Chennai, also needs to get some more runs under his belt.

T20 World Cup: India vs Pakistan-Preview

Colombo: Their tails up after an easy outing against hosts Sri Lanka, India would like to keep the winning momentum going when they take on arch-rivals Pakistan in their second warm-up game here on Monday ahead of the ICC World Twenty20 beginning on September 18.

The Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Indian team would, however, want their batsman to come good against a superior Pakistani bowling unit to maintain a clean slate ahead of their World Twenty20 opener against Afghanistan on September 19.

Though, India won comfortably against the hosts in their opening warm-up game, they certainly need to put up a better show with the bat against Pakistan, who boast of quality bowlers like Saeed Ajmal and Umar Gul in their ranks.

Injury to opener Gautam Gambhir, who hurt his wrist against Sri Lanka, would be a concern for the Indians but Virender Sehwag along with other top-order batsmen need to redeem themselves against Pakistan following their dismal show with the bat in the first match.

India, in particular, would like Sehwag to fire against Pakistan and get some runs under his belt ahead of the tough battle ahead.

Virat Kohli, on the other hand, has been a consistent performer, but the young Delhi lad would look to settle down and get battle ready with a solid knock against Pakistan at the R Premadasa Stadium.

Yuvraj Singh, who made a comeback to world cricket after recovering from cancer with a cameo of 34 runs against New Zealand in the second T20 game in Chennai, also needs to get some more runs under his belt.