Top 4 reasons Why Pakistani team is favourite for ICC world Twenty (T20)

A lot of cricket gurus consider pakistan as the favourites for the ICC world Twenty20 & I second them all. Here are the 4 reasons why exactly is it:

1-

Pakistan has won more T20 games than any other team in this world with winning ratio of about 79%. This is because they understand this shorter version well than other people. On the other hand, consistency has never been Pakistan's cup of tea, which is not at all required in this format of the game.

2-

Pakistan has some super match winners designed for this format which could single handedly lead them to victory both with the bat & the ball. These include Shoaib malik, Misbah-ul-haq, Umer gul & Shahid Khan Afridi.

With these top cards they can win the match from any situation & could do any miracle required both with the ball & the ball.

3-

This is something which i call the blessing in disguise. Having been denied access to the wonderful IPL, the pakistani guys had trainings camps & a rigorous domestic T20 championship which means more prepared yet fresh legs for pakistan in the worldcup.

4-

You know, pakistani guys are really difficult to beat when they are motivated about something. With no International cricket in Pakistan and stripping them off for the world cup 2011 could really motivate them to bring the trophy back to the country.

The media talkings by the pakistani team players reflect this thought.


Having said all this I'm not giving any guarantee that with all these things, pakistan is bound to play good in the cup! U know...they could be zero out of heroes' outfit but they certainly are the favourites for the top slot!

Pakistan Twenty20 (T20) playing Team - ICC Twenty20 (T20) World Cup June' 09

Hello readers! Welcome back after quite a long time! finally...I've got a bit of time and decided to update this blog.

I'll today post the Pakistani T20 squad for this world cup. The Pakistani Squad is as follows:

Younis Khan (Captain), Ahmed Shehzad, Fawad Alam, Kamran Akmal (Wicketkeeper), Mohammad Aamer, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Gul, Misbah-ul-Haq, Saeed Ajmal, Salman Butt, Yasir Arafat, Shahzaib Hasan.

There has been pne major change in this formation, which is the coming in of Iftikhar anjum in Place of always injured Shoaib Akhtar

Twenty20 Worldcup ready for a take-off

Twenty20 cricket is the modern and very appealing form of Cricket. Its due to its amazing popularity that ICC has decided to organize Twenty2o International Worldcup. The first ever Twenty20 worldcup, held in SouthAfrica, is going to start from today.12 teams will participate in this Worldcup which will take approximately 2-weeks before its completion. Since its start in England in 2003, Cricket's shortest form has proved spectacular due to its fast paced kind of nature.

There will be a fantastic and colorful inauguration ceremony to kick-off the things. It will be broadcasted Live on all major sports channels throughout the world at around 2:30 GMT. All of the Pakistani viewers can watch it live and exclusive at Geo Super!

Around 2 hours after the inauguration ceremony we are going to have the first and today's mainevent match between WestIndies Vs Southafrica. Southafrica ,having quite an experience in Twenty20 cricket and home advantage, is considered as second favourite behind the ODI champion Australia.

All of the teams are divided in 4 groups(A,B,C & D) with each group constituting 3 teams. The top 2 teams from each group will take it over to the next round. The top eight teams in the 2nd round will be divided into two groups, where top two from each group will make it to the semi-finals.

Talking about the history of Twenty20 internationals ,only 19 matches have been played so far since the first Twenty20 international in February 2005. But even then almost whole world have recognised the growing popularity of this version of cricket, therefore having domestic twenty20 cricket tournaments in Pakistan, Southafrica, WestIndies with India soon joining the list.

The team combinations have changed quite a bit for this Twenty20 when compared against the regular One day Internationals. Indian batting stars Sourav ganguly, Rahul dravid and Sachin Tandulkar are sitting out while the dashing wicket-keeper batemen Mahindra Singh Dhoni has been promoted for the job of Captain. Dhoni has an amazing strike rate of around 98 in ODIs but is yet to score a single run in twenty20 Internationals.

Australia are going into the tournament without the legendry pacemen Mc.Grath, who recently retired from International arena, and the emerging player of the year 'Shaun Tait' but the speedstar Bret Lee,Who missed the ODI worldcup due to injury, is back in action this time.

Srilanka are forced to go into the tournament without the lethal Murali ,who is suffering from injury, while the hosts have surprisingly rested their star ODI all-rounder Jacque Kallis.

England have a bunch of ODI stars plus some Twenty20 specialists but their chance in the tournament will still be hovering over Flintoff's performance and fitness.

Pakistan, on paper, look to have a great side particularly targetting the Twenty20 situations. The team will be working under the new leadership of Shoaib malik. Pakistan have quite a no. of hard hitters like Afridi and Imran Nazir which really boost their chance in thier 20 overs Worldcup. But they will surely miss their speedster Shoaib Akhtar ( ahh...really???) who is back to pakistan after creating yet another issue. He was sent back to Pakistan after he thrashed Muhammad Asif with a bat.Just like Southafrica, Pakistan has also ommited their star Batsmen and 2007 test player of the year Muhammad Yousuf,who seems to join ICL this year.

Pakistan actually have the best record in this format with 3 wins out of four matches they played, while their Faisalabad wolves are the world club champions in Twenty20 cricket.

England,Pakistan,Srilanka,Zimbabwe and Australia are amongst the number of teams with coaches participating in their first major tournaments.

Shoaib sent home after Asif row

Pakistan paceman Shoaib Akhtar has been sent home from the World Twenty 20 after a bust-up with Mohammad Asif.

Shoaib, who was already on probation for a disciplinary breach last month, confronted team-mate Asif during practice in Johannesburg on Thursday.

Shoaib admitted to hitting Asif with a bat, causing bruising to his left thigh and prompting a team investigation.

"A decision has been taken to call back Shoaib after an initial inquiry," said Pakistan chief executive Shafqat Nagmi.

"The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) fully endorses this decision. Shoaib Akhtar will be returning on the first available flight.
"No one will be spared if he flouts the rules and team spirit. What has happened is something that has shocked us."

Shoaib Akhtar said he intended to reveal more about the explosive clash shortly. "I was provoked and I will brief the media about it when I return home. I have never hit anyone like that and I am very sorry," the 32-year-old said.

"What happened was not good but I am a human being and what can happen in a random fit of anger, is unbelievable."

Naghmi added that a detailed inquiry into the "unfortunate incident" would be held when the player returned to Pakistan.

Shoaib's actions have been condemned by a number of former Pakistan stars.

"Senior players have a responsibility in the team and what Shoaib did was sad," Aamir Sohail commented.

"Anyone behaving like this should not be in the team. His act has brought shame to the team and the nation," said former fast bowler Waqar Younis

Rameez Raja, now a cricket commentator, said both players were "the temperamental type".

But he added: "This behaviour is not acceptable. I don't see him playing in the immediate future for Pakistan.

"I don't think he will get much support from the fans as well - people seem to be tired of his tantrums."

National Aacdemy coach Aaqib Javed said Shoaib should never be picked for Pakistan again.

"There must be a life ban imposed on him because this is anincident that has embarrassed all of us and is a black mark for our cricket community," he commented.

The incident occurred just five days before Pakistan play their opening World Twenty20 fixture against Scotland.
Media manager Dr Ehsan Malik insisted Asif would be fit to start that game, saying: "Asif has a bruise on his left thigh but he has had X-rays and has been cleared. He is fine as far as I know."

But Shoaib's future as an international cricketer could now be in doubt.

The 32-year-old was looking to relaunch his career after 16 months in which he has played just one Test and four one-dayers, mainly due to fitness problems.

He has been dogged by controversy for much of his career, and was banned for two years after failing a drugs test last October before having the suspension lifted on appeal.

Asif was also handed a reprieve after receiving a one-year ban for a similar offence.

Last month he was fined for leaving a training camp in Karachi without asking permission, though the penalty was suspended for two months and the bowler placed on a six-week probationary period, again on appeal.

Now we play on good batting tracks all the time, they've made laws about bouncers and free hits for a no-ball

Shoaib Akhtar

Shoaib also courted controversy on Thursday when he hit out at cricket's administrators, claiming rule changes and pitch conditions in the modern game favour batsmen over fast bowlers.

"Cricket should be about fast bowlers, not batsmen," he said. "Spectators like to see fast bowlers running in, hurting people, and pitches that make batsmen struggle for runs.

"But now we play on good batting tracks all the time, they've made laws about bouncers and free hits for a no-ball."

And it has emerged the Pakistan Cricket Board will refer Shoaib's comments to the "to the Disciplinary Committee for action under the Players Code of Conduct as contained in the Players contract".

A statement added: "The PCB is committed to a zero tolerance policy regarding indiscipline."