March 1, 2010

World T20 champs, Unbeaten side of the summer & Chockers

Announcing a list of 30 probables may not be fair on most teams. Where India, Pakistan, Australia, England will be sad only 30 probables are allowed. West Indies, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Bangladesh will have to run a nation-wide talent hunt to choose 30 cricketers.

Pakistan have shown exactly why the format is tailor made for them. Runners-up in the first edition and champions in the second. They have talent in heaps as the match gets over in 40 at the most 42 overs!
This meaning they dont get bored to death fielding and start biting balls or get run-over by human trucks or want to have a dope in between overs. This is how their 30 list looks like : Imran Nazir, Imran Farhat, Khalid Latif, Mohammad Hafeez, Salman Butt, Shahzaib Hassan, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Naveed Yasin, Hasan Raza, Kamran Younis, Misbah-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Fawad Alam, Abdul Razzaq, Shahid Afridi, Yasir Arafat, Hammad Azam, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Umar Gul, Mohammad Aamer, Mohammad Asif, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Sami, Saeed Ajmal, Raza Hasan, Abdul Rehman, Kamran Akmal, Sarfraz Ahmed, Zulqarnain Haider.
No Shoaib Akhtar! No Tanvir. Too many new names, I cant comment anything. Strong team nevertheless.

The once mighty Aussies now running a 3-legged race with Ind and Saf for the top spot have had a phenomenal year. Barring the Ashes and the world T20 they won everything infact every game! Unbeaten until the last T20 against the Kiwis they seem to have now finally settled into a T20 combination.
The Pace attack looks the quickest set in a long time and hitters are no less. Aggression seems to be the key once again in the Aussie camp and dont be surprised if they manage to conquer the world T20 in their 3rd attempt.
Michael Clarke (capt), George Bailey, Travis Birt, Doug Bollinger, Nathan Bracken, Daniel Christian, Ben Cutting, Xavier Doherty, Brad Haddin (wk), Ryan Harris, John Hastings, Nathan Hauritz, Moises Henriques, Brad Hodge, James Hopes, David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Andrew McDonald, Shaun Marsh, Clint McKay, Dirk Nannes, Tim Paine (wk), Steven Smith, Shaun Tait, Adam Voges, David Warner, Shane Watson, Cameron White.
Graham Manou lost out its sad, Hodge is still considered is a big news in itself. Looks like a very strong and high profile list of contenders. Must be very difficult to get down to the final squad.

The Chockers oops.. Saffers have long proven to be the ultimate no.2 team in the world. They work hard, play well, win and when it comes to earning rewards they choke. That's what they do for a living basically.
Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis, Yusuf Abdulla, Hashim Amla, Loots Bosman, Johan Botha, Mark Boucher, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Herschelle Gibbs, Colin Ingram, Justin Kemp, Rory Kleinveldt, Charl Langeveldt, Ethy Mbhalati, Ryan McLaren, David Miller, Albie Morkel, Morne Morkel, Makhaya Ntini, Wayne Parnell, Alviro Petersen, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Rusty Theron, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Roelof van der Merwe, Johannes van der Wath, Vaughn van Jaarsveld, Morne van Wyk.

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