Tuesday, March 8, 2011
PCB re-launches its website
"Get ready to play in India"
Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan has asked skipper Shahid Afridi to get prepared to play its knock-out stage matches in India.
"I don't agree that we should be voicing our views publicly on what our preferences are as far as playing the quarterfinals and semifinals are concerned," Imran told Geo Super.
Afridi had recently said that his team would try to win all its matches in group A and finish at the top of the table in order to avoid playing the quarterfinals in India.
Afridi added that his team would prefer to play its knockout games in either Sri Lanka or Bangladesh.
But Imran felt that if the arch-rivals face each other in the quarterfinal or the semifinal stage on the Indian soil, it would be good for Pakistan.
"Remember India would be under greater pressure playing Pakistan any knockout match at home. They know well the expectations of their people when they normally play Pakistan and this is the ICC Cricket World Cup," said Imran.
The three nations jointly hosting the 2011 World Cup -- Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh -- will get to play their knockout matches, if they make it that far, at home venues irrespective of where they finish in their groups.
The 1992 World Cup winning captain said if he was in Afridi's place or that of the team management, he would have started a psychological battle by proclaiming his team would want to play India in India during the knockout stage.
"In the 1992 World Cup before the semifinals I told the media that I have asked Wasim Akram to bowl as fast as he can and forget about the wides or no-balls. Wasim came to me on the morning of the match asking me: 'Skipper what is this'? and I told him this is only for the opposing team. You bowl with discipline. Mind games have a big role to play in cricket," said Imran.
The former cricketer said that though he had his views and the team management have theirs but he personally would not be voicing concerns about playing in India.
"Why give out a public message that we don't want to play in India, it sends out the wrong message to our opposing teams," he said.
Asked about the statement made by Pakistan manager, Intikhab Alam on his (Imran's) views on team composition, the cricketer-turned politician said his only concern was that Pakistan should be prepared for the quarterfinals.
Intikhab told reporters that while everyone had a right to his/her opinion and views, but Pakistani team was aware of what they were doing.
"I still say we need to be more attacking in our team selection. When you play eight batsmen you are sending out negative vibes. If the pitch is seaming or not good for batting it makes sense to play Abdul Razzaq at number eight but given the conditions in the three host countries so far I still say we must play with five specialist bowlers including two specialist spinners," Imran said.
"I have concerns and worries about this team as far as the quarterfinals are concerned. They will obviously qualify that far but they should be ready for that match. It is good they are chasing against New Zealand," he added.
Imran also pointed out that Pakistan should experiment at this stage and find the ideal combination before the start of the quarterfinals.
Afridi had recently said that his team would try to win all its matches in group A and finish at the top of the table in order to avoid playing the quarterfinals in India.
Afridi added that his team would prefer to play its knockout games in either Sri Lanka or Bangladesh.
But Imran felt that if the arch-rivals face each other in the quarterfinal or the semifinal stage on the Indian soil, it would be good for Pakistan.
"Remember India would be under greater pressure playing Pakistan any knockout match at home. They know well the expectations of their people when they normally play Pakistan and this is the ICC Cricket World Cup," said Imran.
The three nations jointly hosting the 2011 World Cup -- Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh -- will get to play their knockout matches, if they make it that far, at home venues irrespective of where they finish in their groups.
The 1992 World Cup winning captain said if he was in Afridi's place or that of the team management, he would have started a psychological battle by proclaiming his team would want to play India in India during the knockout stage.
"In the 1992 World Cup before the semifinals I told the media that I have asked Wasim Akram to bowl as fast as he can and forget about the wides or no-balls. Wasim came to me on the morning of the match asking me: 'Skipper what is this'? and I told him this is only for the opposing team. You bowl with discipline. Mind games have a big role to play in cricket," said Imran.
The former cricketer said that though he had his views and the team management have theirs but he personally would not be voicing concerns about playing in India.
"Why give out a public message that we don't want to play in India, it sends out the wrong message to our opposing teams," he said.
Asked about the statement made by Pakistan manager, Intikhab Alam on his (Imran's) views on team composition, the cricketer-turned politician said his only concern was that Pakistan should be prepared for the quarterfinals.
Intikhab told reporters that while everyone had a right to his/her opinion and views, but Pakistani team was aware of what they were doing.
"I still say we need to be more attacking in our team selection. When you play eight batsmen you are sending out negative vibes. If the pitch is seaming or not good for batting it makes sense to play Abdul Razzaq at number eight but given the conditions in the three host countries so far I still say we must play with five specialist bowlers including two specialist spinners," Imran said.
"I have concerns and worries about this team as far as the quarterfinals are concerned. They will obviously qualify that far but they should be ready for that match. It is good they are chasing against New Zealand," he added.
Imran also pointed out that Pakistan should experiment at this stage and find the ideal combination before the start of the quarterfinals.
Kumar Sangakkara slams ICC
Kumar Sangakkara slammed the ICC for "chopping and changing" the 2.5 metre rule in LBW decisions in the middle of the ICC Cricket World Cup.
The ICC on Monday issued fresh guidelines to match officials that even though the distance between the stumps and the point of impact is 2.5 metre or greater, on-field umpires can reverse not out LBW decisions even if the ball is hitting a part of middle stump.
According to the previous rule, the leg-before could be reversed by the on-field umpire in such cases only if the ball was hitting the centre of the middle stump.
The fresh guidelines were issued after the on-field umpires applied the 2.5 metre rule in LBW decisions differently in the ongoing ICC CWC.
While the umpire in the India-England match refused to change his not out decision of Ian Bell, his counterpart in the India-Ireland match altered his not out decision against an Irish batsman.
Sangakkara said his side would have liked more consistency from the world governing body and not a change in rules in the midst of a tournament.
"I think the ICC has got to be careful not to make rules seem confusing for human use. Chopping and changing during a tournament is going to add to the confusion," he said.
"The best the ICC could have done was make sure that the technology was set before the ICC CWC, rules and parameters are set before the tournament.
"We would have liked a lot more consistency so that everyone understands the rules better," he told 'Times Now' channel.
According to the previous rule, the leg-before could be reversed by the on-field umpire in such cases only if the ball was hitting the centre of the middle stump.
The fresh guidelines were issued after the on-field umpires applied the 2.5 metre rule in LBW decisions differently in the ongoing ICC CWC.
While the umpire in the India-England match refused to change his not out decision of Ian Bell, his counterpart in the India-Ireland match altered his not out decision against an Irish batsman.
Sangakkara said his side would have liked more consistency from the world governing body and not a change in rules in the midst of a tournament.
"I think the ICC has got to be careful not to make rules seem confusing for human use. Chopping and changing during a tournament is going to add to the confusion," he said.
"The best the ICC could have done was make sure that the technology was set before the ICC CWC, rules and parameters are set before the tournament.
"We would have liked a lot more consistency so that everyone understands the rules better," he told 'Times Now' channel.
Razzaq may soon bat at number three for Pakistan
Well placed sources in the team have said that the proposal to send Razzaq up the order has been discussed but the management had decided to mull further on it and see how the opening pair performs in the remaining matches.
The 32-year old, who has played 46 Tests and 257 One-day internationals, was used before at the crucial number three position as a pinch hitter and was pretty successful in the 1999 World Cup.
Presently Razzaq is filling in the role of the second allrounder in the side after captain, Shahid Afridi and is coming into bat as low as number eight but shares the new ball.
Former Pakistan greats Imran Khan and Wasim Akram believe that the experienced allrounder is being wasted at number eight and the team management needs to look at the option of dropping one batsman and playing an extra bowler in the World Cup.
Wasim though feels that sending Razzaq at number three may not be a good idea.
"That was 11 years back and he is now older. But definitely the management can look at the option of having Kamran Akmal open the innings and move all the batsmen up the order one spot that would allow them to play an extra pacer or spinner and also take load off Razzaq as a new ball bowler," he told Geo Super.
The sources said the idea was that Razzaq can also be sent up the order at number three for some lusty hitting if the opening pair gives a solid foundation. Kamran can then come down the order to shore up the batting.
"The feeling is that if Razzaq clicks in one or two games at number three with his clean hitting it will give Pakistan a big edge over the other teams," one source said
Imran's bat raises Rs 8.5 lakh for Pak flood victims
Pakistan was ravaged by one of the worst floods in more than a century last August which left at least 1,600 people dead besides rendering thousands homeless.
More than $1 million (3.67 million dirhams) was collected during the charity event - Pakistan Appeal - organised by United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) to support the flood victims at city's Burj Khalifa's Armani Hotel on Friday.
The event featured speeches from UAE's minister of higher education and scientific research Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, former Pakistani prime minister Shaukat Aziz, UN special envoy for assistance to Pakistan Engin Soysal and Imran Khan.
Bin Mubarak also donated $27,224.59 (one million dirhams) to the cause.
Over 20 million people in Pakistan were affected by the floods.
"I take this opportunity to urge all of you to provide the hand of help. I thank the UAE for its generosity and my thanks to UNICEF for their help. I would like to announce that so far we have succeeded in collecting 100,000 dirhams for the victims of the floods," Aziz said.
"Afridi, like Imran, inspires men"
Intikhab Alam, coach of Pakistan’s 1992 WC winning squad and manager of the current side, sees a lot in common between Afridi and Imran Khan.By Rajarshi Gupta in Kandy
Intikhab was Pakistan's first ODI captain and his contribution to cricket in the country is still part of folklore. He was coach of the sensational 1992 squad, which won the ICC Cricket World Cup in Australia and his stature in Pakistan's cricketing circles has only grown ever since. As manager of the current team, the 70-year old legend continues to share his experience with a group of talented but mercurial players.
Dogged by some controversies in the past, Pakistan seem to be a rejuvenated lot and look well on course for a place in the quarter-finals of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.
Intikhab was Pakistan's first ODI captain and his contribution to cricket in the country is still part of folklore. He was coach of the sensational 1992 squad, which won the ICC Cricket World Cup in Australia and his stature in Pakistan's cricketing circles has only grown ever since. As manager of the current team, the 70-year old legend continues to share his experience with a group of talented but mercurial players.
Dogged by some controversies in the past, Pakistan seem to be a rejuvenated lot and look well on course for a place in the quarter-finals of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.
ESPNSTAR.com spoke with Intikhab at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy, as the former all-rounder kept a watchful eye on his wards, who were training hard ahead of their clash against New Zealand.
Rajarshi Gupta: You were manager of the 1992 ICC CWC winning squad and manager now. Nineteen years later, you are managing another Pakistan side in the ICC CWC. How do you compare the two teams?
Intikhab Alam: Fact of the matter is you can't compare the 1992 WC winning side with the present one. Things have changed. It was a different team altogether. We had world-class players in that side like Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younus - all super-stars. There are no super-stars in the current team, apart from one or two, which helps. Before we came here, people never rated us. They had different takes on the players but we were very strong from inside and we had worked very hard physically. The energy level in the field has gone up, which is very important in the last 10 or 15 overs. If your energy level doesn't drop, you win most of your matches. Shahid Afridi has done a fantastic job as captain. Everybody likes him, he is very positive and he leads from the front. The most important aspect is that when the captain is performing, then it's a different ball-game. You become even stronger if you are performing well. He gives very positive signals to the players and they look up to him. We have enough ability in the side and we play to our full potential, we are a dangerous team and can beat any side in the world.
RG: This Pakistan side appears to be well-balanced. Your expectations of the side must be soaring.
IA: I personally feel, looking at the other sides, we have a very different team. We have four different spinners, which no other side has. We have a leg-spinner (Afridi), a left-arm spinner (Abdur Rehman) and an off-spinner (Saeed Ajmal), who can bowl the doosra and we have another spinner in Mohammad Hafeez, who is a batting all-rounder. We have a good pace-attack and a power-house in the middle-order - Afridi, Umar Akmal and Abdul Razzaq. If we get a good launching pad, they can score runs very quickly against any attack. So far, I am happy we are working together and the dressing room is very happy, very congenial. Peaking at the right time is, of course, important.
RG: You may not be able to compare sides but from the way Afridi leads the side, does he remind you of Imran Khan in 1992?
Rajarshi Gupta: You were manager of the 1992 ICC CWC winning squad and manager now. Nineteen years later, you are managing another Pakistan side in the ICC CWC. How do you compare the two teams?
Intikhab Alam: Fact of the matter is you can't compare the 1992 WC winning side with the present one. Things have changed. It was a different team altogether. We had world-class players in that side like Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younus - all super-stars. There are no super-stars in the current team, apart from one or two, which helps. Before we came here, people never rated us. They had different takes on the players but we were very strong from inside and we had worked very hard physically. The energy level in the field has gone up, which is very important in the last 10 or 15 overs. If your energy level doesn't drop, you win most of your matches. Shahid Afridi has done a fantastic job as captain. Everybody likes him, he is very positive and he leads from the front. The most important aspect is that when the captain is performing, then it's a different ball-game. You become even stronger if you are performing well. He gives very positive signals to the players and they look up to him. We have enough ability in the side and we play to our full potential, we are a dangerous team and can beat any side in the world.
RG: This Pakistan side appears to be well-balanced. Your expectations of the side must be soaring.
IA: I personally feel, looking at the other sides, we have a very different team. We have four different spinners, which no other side has. We have a leg-spinner (Afridi), a left-arm spinner (Abdur Rehman) and an off-spinner (Saeed Ajmal), who can bowl the doosra and we have another spinner in Mohammad Hafeez, who is a batting all-rounder. We have a good pace-attack and a power-house in the middle-order - Afridi, Umar Akmal and Abdul Razzaq. If we get a good launching pad, they can score runs very quickly against any attack. So far, I am happy we are working together and the dressing room is very happy, very congenial. Peaking at the right time is, of course, important.
RG: You may not be able to compare sides but from the way Afridi leads the side, does he remind you of Imran Khan in 1992?
IA: They are two different personalities. I am very happy with Afridi at the helm - he listens to the management, which is a very good thing. The coach (Waqar Younis), myself and the captain - we all sit together and decide things and that is very good. It's not a one-man show. We take each other's consensus and we take decisions on merit. Imran did that too. We always talked about strategies. He didn't take decisions of his own. Both Afridi and Imran inspired their men and that is the most important similarity between the two.
RG: You are known to be a strict disciplinarian but it must be a challenge managing a mercurial side like Pakistan.
IA: I personally feel the management has a back-room job and make sure things are alright. I have seen in my experience of 50 years, as a player, as a captain and in the management that if your communication with seniors and juniors is good, you will not get into any problem. The only time you get into trouble is if your communication is not right. If we drop someone, we tell them why or if a player is going through problems, I sit with him and talk to him like my own son. We don't try to give favours to seniors. Everyone knows what's happening and no one is kept in the dark. That is very important. You have to set an example - if there is a curfew, then everybody has to observe it.
RG: Would you say this is the most disciplined Pakistan side you have seen in years?
IA: It is. You have to say that. For the past eight months, we have been through some very difficult times and mentally we have become very strong. The controversies in the past and have actually helped us become strong. Once you become mentally tough, you can go through any situation. Touch-wood, things have been going well and we will be peaking at the right time - it happened in 1992 also - the team peaked at the right time. Once you start believing in yourself, that is the turning point.
RG: You are known to be a strict disciplinarian but it must be a challenge managing a mercurial side like Pakistan.
IA: I personally feel the management has a back-room job and make sure things are alright. I have seen in my experience of 50 years, as a player, as a captain and in the management that if your communication with seniors and juniors is good, you will not get into any problem. The only time you get into trouble is if your communication is not right. If we drop someone, we tell them why or if a player is going through problems, I sit with him and talk to him like my own son. We don't try to give favours to seniors. Everyone knows what's happening and no one is kept in the dark. That is very important. You have to set an example - if there is a curfew, then everybody has to observe it.
RG: Would you say this is the most disciplined Pakistan side you have seen in years?
IA: It is. You have to say that. For the past eight months, we have been through some very difficult times and mentally we have become very strong. The controversies in the past and have actually helped us become strong. Once you become mentally tough, you can go through any situation. Touch-wood, things have been going well and we will be peaking at the right time - it happened in 1992 also - the team peaked at the right time. Once you start believing in yourself, that is the turning point.
RG: Despite a clean slate, there are still some problems with the side on the field. Are you worried?
IA: Yes, but at the same time, we are still winning. We always discuss things very minutely and we don't let anything slip and everyone has been reminded about this. I am sure when it really matters, we will come good, God willing. We have told them to focus on their game and give their 100% on the field and be sincere to their team and yes, it is working.
IA: Yes, but at the same time, we are still winning. We always discuss things very minutely and we don't let anything slip and everyone has been reminded about this. I am sure when it really matters, we will come good, God willing. We have told them to focus on their game and give their 100% on the field and be sincere to their team and yes, it is working.
Vettori believes Kiwis can beat Pakistan
New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori has a simple formula to beat the Pakistan team. "If everyone can try out how to focus on getting the best out of themselves, then we can win the match," said Vettori on the eve of their important league match against Pakistan at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.Vettori does not want to focus on the strengths and weakness of his team or of the Pakistan team.
"We have been playing each other a lot. We all know each other's games very well. As a team we have not been able to put up a consistent performance together," he added.
"What is needed to beat Pakistan are the simple plans but often we have let ourselves down. If we can get ourselves up then we have more of a chance to beat Pakistan," said Vettori, whose team have managed to pick only four points and that too against Kenya and Zimbabwe after a loss to Australia while Pakistan have six points from their three games.
However, Vettori even went on to say: "I think they [Pakistan] are going to be a tough opposition throughout the tournament."
Vettori admitted that the win over Zimbabwe has boosted their confidence. "We have gained some confidence from the Zimbabwe game and I am happy my guys played well. So if we can repeat the same performance then it is going to be huge for us in this tournament." Vettori too is not sure of the wicket at Pallekele stadium. "We've practised on a strip and it seems it had good pace on it. We are expecting the wicket to be a little quicker than most grounds."
Skipper Afridi and Misbah string together a rebuilding partnership
His unconventional, fastish leg-breaks, flippers and zooters have left many bamboozled since the last couple of years, and right now, he looks to be Pakistan's biggest weapon. Afridi's deputy, Misbah-ul-Haq, was full of praise for his captain's wonderful bowling skills, which have become more lethal on Sri Lanka's slow wickets.
"I think in all conditions, especially here, Afridi is a difficult bowler to handle. He has variation, doesn't give time to the batsman. If he's bowling well, it's tough to play him, especially in these conditions, where he is getting the ball to grip the surface and drift it. It's tough for the batsmen to guess where the ball will go, how much it will drift," said Misbah. He feels the 'Afridi show' is helping the team no end. "His bowling is a strong point for us, especially the kind of aggression he's showing is very helpful for the team."
How well the team spirit is at the moment can be gauged when Misbah, an ODI captaincy candidate himself till some time back, goes on to praise Afridi the leader. "It's really good for a team that its captain is doing well. Every time we have played here, he has been the Man of the Match. However, others also need to play well and take responsibility. It takes pressure off him. Just because he's doing well doesn't mean that we put pressure on him," Misbah felt.
So, the talk about groupism (Misbah and Afridi supporters) therefore goes out of the window. Both work in tandem. "Of course, I give my input whenever it is required. We consult each other. He (Afridi) is doing the job very well, leading by example and is gelling the team well so whenever he needs my advice I give it and share my opinion with him," Misbah said.
Curiously, Pakistan hasn't had a team with senior players in good terms with one another.
Misbah, enjoying a rich run of form, knows well that the Kiwis will target him, but he underplayed that aspect. "They can't target just me, because before me there are three-four batsmen and if they get hundreds, then they won't be targeting me. Each of the six batsmen is important in our team," he asserted.
He also showed faith in Pakistan's struggling openers, Mohammad Hafeez and Ahmad Shehzad. "We have confidence in our openers. If they flop in one or two innings, it doesn't matter, it happens in cricket. Our top three are good, and there is no pressure on us if the top order fails. We senior players have to handle the pressure and that's the advantage of having us," Misbah said.
Misbah admitted that there were chinks in the Pakistani armoury, and they could be exposed on a wrong day for his team. "I think there is always some room for improvement. We need improvement in every department, especially in our batting, where we haven't used our Powerplays well," he said. Pakistan were shot out for 184 in 43 overs in their last game against Canada.
Playing at a new venue makes this unpredictable side's performance even more unpredictable. "We don't have stats of this ground, especially how it plays under lights. You have no idea how the pitch will play, though it looks hard and has grass. It is a tough situation for us, but you have to handle these things properly as professionals," he said.
As long as this 36-year-old dependable bat is around in the middle, Pakistan shouldn't have much to worry.
Akram predicts close Pak vs NZ contest
Former Pakistan skipper wants Pakistan to play offie Saeed Ajmal in all Cup games.By Jepher Christopher Nickels
"Every game is important and Pakistan 's plan should be to top the group. They won an important match against Sri Lanka , but they batted badly against Canada . On the other hand, New Zealand may not be consistent but are surely a dangerous lot," former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram told Mobile ESPN on Monday evening from Kandy.
"The Kiwis have a few match winners like Brendon McCullum, Ross Taylor and all-rounders like skipper Daniel Vettori and Nathan McCullum who provide variety in the team. So it will be a close game," he added.
When asked about Pakistan 's strategy ahead of the game, Akram said: "It depends what the team management opts for, but I want Saeed Ajmal to play this tournament."
Akram also hailed the depth in batting in Shahid Afridi's team. "With skipper Shahid Afridi, Umar Akmal and Abdul Razzaq coming lower down the order, Pakistan batting can actually be lethal against any bowling attack," he said.
He was also not in favour of playing three spinners and said the team should play pacers instead. "They got to go with at least three medium pacers. Afridi is bowling the best so they will have to pick between Abdur Rehman or Saeed Ajmal and I would prefer Ajmal because he is a wicket-taking bowler," Akram said.
The former swing specialist also praised Afridi for taking the team's pressure on his shoulders. "He is enjoying the pressure, he is performing in every game and he is actually playing much better. His leadership is improving as well. Pakistan should not lose any game from here on and must top their group. But after quarterfinals it's anybody's game."
Start giving us good starts, Afridi tells his openers
The Pakistanis have recorded three wins in a row but so far their opening batsmen — Mohammad Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad — have failed to click and for the Pakistan captain that’s a big cause for concern.
“We need a good start, our starts are not good considering the kind of players we have,” said Afridi, who almost single-handedly won Thursday’s match against underdogs Canada with 5-23 after Pakistan were bowled out for just 184.
In their first three World Cup matches here, the Hafeez-Shehzad partnership has just contributed a total 78 runs which is quite alarming considering the fact that two of Pakistan’s matches were against minnows Kenya and Canada.
Pakistan have the option of changing the opening combination by bringing in the experienced Kamran Akmal at the top but Afridi said that the tour selection committee will look into the matter ahead of Tuesday’s match against the Black Caps.
Afridi’s Pakistan beat the Black Caps 3-2 in their One-day International series in New Zealand last month but Afridi believes that the result won’t have much impact on their World Cup clash.
“I think that was a ODI series and this is the World Cup,” said Afridi.
“That (win) is behind us. Every team has come here well-prepared. I won’t say which team is favourite because the team that plays well on the given day will win. We will go all out for a win because it’s a very important game.”
On Thursday Afridi became the first bowler to capture three successive four wicket hauls in a World Cup and is now the highest wicket-taker of the tournament with 14 victims.
But the flamboyant allrounder has so far failed to impress with the bat. Is Afridi’s lack of form with the bat bothering him?
“I am doing my best in batting and bowling and hope that I will come good in batting too,” he said. “I always focus on my bowling first because that’s my strength.”
Since the tournament began, Afridi has taken up the role of a very demanding captain and is always seen running from one teammate to another with advice or instruction during the course of a match. In fact one of his senior players — Shoaib Akhtar — even decsribed him as somebody who is really ‘hyper’.
“As their captain, I can’t just stand there and wait because then the entire team will be affected,” smiled Afridi.
Afridi, 31, has picked up almost half the wickets for Pakistan in their last three games — a performnace that is beginning to raise question marks over the performance of the rest of the bowling attack.
“Personally I always try to give my my best,” he said. “The coaches too are helping the bowlers and we’ve been taking wickets whenever we’ve needed them.”
New Zealand brace for in-form Pakistan
The pressure on the Test teams in Group A, unlike those scrumming in Group B, is of a milder nature. The teams in Group B are securing quarter-final qualification first and looking after their positions in the process. Unless Zimbabwe scores an unlikely upset, however, all four Test teams in Group A are ensured of a place in the knockouts. They are merely jostling for places at present. Of the strongest, New Zealand are the weakest. Their opponents on Tuesday, Pakistan, are the only team to win everything so far.
New Zealand have beaten Kenya and Zimbabwe - by a ten-wicket margin no less - and another victory against Canada will see them through. It's that brittle performance against Australia, however, that is an indication of the difficulty they will face against formidable sides. On paper, like previous New Zealand teams, this one also has the facets of a fighting outfit.
They have explosive hitters, theoretically bat extremely deep, and have an abundance of bowling options, fast and slow. Their fielding, as ever, is among the best. Their problems are a combination of form, poor technique, and impatience that led to several batsmen chasing and edging wide deliveries against Australia. It's the batting that needs fixing first, for without runs on the subcontinent there is little hope, and they'll have to do it against one of the tournament's most in-form bowling attacks.
The odds on Pakistan being the only team with a 100% win record halfway into the league stage would have been rather high at the start of the World Cup. They weren't being talked up in the lead-up to the tournament - the spot-fixing scandal and the uncertainty over the one-day captaincy overshadowing their performances on the field. But they put Kenya and Canada away and in between those victories toppled tournament favourites Sri Lanka.
Their middle order has largely been solid, and the one time it failed - against Canada - their bowlers raised their game to meet the challenge. They've met and beaten New Zealand in a one-day series immediately preceeding the World cup. Play to potential and Pakistan will expect to dispatch them again tomorrow. Slip, and it could be the opening New Zealand need to rediscover their efficient game.
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