Imran Khan on Pakistan

Former Great Imran Khan Spoke on Pakistan Team few days back.

Pakistan has made an impressive entry into the Super Eights, where they will start their campaign with a game against Sri Lanka. Fans must have noticed how rusty they were against England the other day, but they were an improved lot against Holland.

If they can shake off the rustiness that has set in due to the lack of international cricket, Pakistan has the tools to do well in this tournament. T20 cricket is still at a work-in-progress stage, and teams are coming to grips with its frantic pace. However, one thing I have figured out is that bowlers who bowl to take wickets and slow bowlers who can vary their pace have a very good chance in this format.

Saeed Ajmal and Shahid Afridi have been very successful in both games because of the variety they possess. The former was bowling his doosras really well, and this made him very hard to face, especially for an inexperienced team like Holland. Umer Gul has also been one of the few pace bowlers to do well, and that’s because he bowls intelligently, with the aim of taking wickets and not merely to restrict runs.

It is imperative to have variety from a bowler's point of view. I do not subscribe to the view that bowlers are going to suffer at the hands of marauding batsmen. The fact of the matter is that you need to bowl only four overs, and if you prevent the batsman from settling down against you, it will be hard for him to hit you out of the ground. Most of the time, bowlers bowl like they do in the longer versions of the game, which allows batsmen to play predetermined shots. A lot of batsmen just line the bowler up for their next shot, and if you can surprise him, chances are you will restrict his scoring options. This is where Gul has succeeded so far, when even the likes of Brett Lee have been going for lots of runs.

The only area of concern for the Pakistanis is their fielding. They dropped Kevin Pietersen and he made them pay for it in the game against England. Good players do not keep giving you chances and it’s important to minimize mistakes on the field in T20 cricket because there is no time to make amends. The batting looks to be in good touch now, with every batsman getting some time in the middle. It's heartening to see Younis Khan, who has not been doing well in T20, getting a good knock in the last game.

I have often been asked whether I would have enjoyed T20 cricket. With all humility I would say that I would have excelled in this form. Even in my time, I used to love hitting sixes, and I always backed myself to clear the ground. As far as bowling is concerned, the challenge of keeping batsmen in check would have been a tremendous one for me, and since I always bowled to take wickets, I not have done too badly in that aspect of the game. All-rounders have an edge in this format, so I think I would have fitted in rather well. I always enjoyed playing under pressure, and T20 cricket does put a lot of pressure on players - it's a curious mix of pressure and fun which the players seem to be getting used to now.

That said, I would never have considered this format as the true test of my skill and calibre as a cricketer. The true test of a cricketer is whether he has talent, technique and temperament. Only success in Test cricket can prove that you possess all these three in ample measure.

Younis 11 Agaisnt Sri Lanka

Speaking at a press conference here at Lord's ahead of his team's Super Eights match against Sri Lanka, Younis said he has great expectations from his team.
'Sri Lanka are a good side. But it's also a good chance for us because I believe that if we make the right things at the right time, we can beat them easily.'
The Pakistan captain is hoping that his players will be able to counter the threat posed by Sri Lanka's spin duo of Muttiah Muralidaran and Ajantha Mendis.
'We are used to the Sri Lankan spinners now,' said Younis, whose team bounced back from a crushing 48-run against England to beat the Dutch by 82 runs and qualify for the Super Eights.
'I hope the batsmen will play well against them (spinners). Because of cold conditions the ball might not break here at Lord's. But that said, if you play your shots against a bowler like Mendis, there is always a chance that you might give away your wicket.'
Younis ruled out the inclusion of seasoned all-rounder Abdul Razzaq, saying that it would be difficult for the player to take the field against Sri Lanka after arriving here just before the Super Eights match.
'I don't think it's possible for him to come here after 16 or 17 hours of travel and then take part in the match right away.'
The Pakistan captain termed the inclusion of Razzaq as a great sign for his team and said he would include the all-rounder in the playing line-up as soon as he is ready.

T20 World Cup 2009 matches Fixtures

06 Jun,2009 1:00 PM GMT
AUS vs WI
Kennington Oval (The Oval), London
To be played


06 Jun,2009 5:00 PM GMT
IND vs BAN
Trent Bridge, Nottingham
To be played


07 Jun,2009 12:30 PM GMT
SA vs SCO
Kennington Oval (The Oval), London
To be played


07 Jun,2009 4:30 PM GMT
ENG vs PAK
Kennington Oval (The Oval), London
To be played


08 Jun,2009 12:30 PM GMT
IRE vs BAN
Trent Bridge, Nottingham
To be played


08 Jun,2009 4:30 PM GMT
AUS vs SL
Trent Bridge, Nottingham
To be played


09 Jun,2009 12:30 PM GMT
PAK vs NED
Lord's, London
To be played


09 Jun,2009 4:30 PM GMT
NZ vs SA
Lord's, London
To be played


10 Jun,2009 12:30 PM GMT
SL vs WI
Trent Bridge, Nottingham
To be played


10 Jun,2009 4:30 PM GMT
IND vs IRE
Trent Bridge, Nottingham
To be played


11 Jun,2009 12:30 PM GMT
D1 vs A2
Trent Bridge, Nottingham
To be played


11 Jun,2009 4:30 PM GMT
B2 vs D2
Trent Bridge, Nottingham
To be played


12 Jun,2009 12:30 PM GMT
B1 vs C2
Lord's, London
To be played


12 Jun,2009 4:30 PM GMT
A1 vs C1
Lord's, London
To be played


13 Jun,2009 12:30 PM GMT
C1 vs D2
Kennington Oval (The Oval), London
To be played


13 Jun,2009 4:30 PM GMT
D1 vs B1
Kennington Oval (The Oval), London
To be played


14 Jun,2009 12:30 PM GMT
A2 vs C2
Lord's, London
To be played


14 Jun,2009 4:30 PM GMT
A1 vs B2
Lord's, London
To be played


15 Jun,2009 12:30 PM GMT
B1 vs A2
Kennington Oval (The Oval), London
To be played


15 Jun,2009 4:30 PM GMT
B2 vs C1
Kennington Oval (The Oval), London
To be played


16 Jun,2009 12:30 PM GMT
D1 vs C2
Trent Bridge, Nottingham
To be played


16 Jun,2009 4:30 PM GMT
D2 vs A1
Trent Bridge, Nottingham
To be played


18 Jun,2009 4:30 PM GMT
T.B.C. vs T.B.C. (T20I 1st Semi Final)
Trent Bridge, Nottingham
To be played


19 Jun,2009 4:30 PM GMT
T.B.C. vs T.B.C. (T20I 2nd Semi Final)
Kennington Oval (The Oval), London
To be played


21 Jun,2009 2:00 PM GMT
T.B.C. vs T.B.C. (T20I Final)
Lord's, London
To be played

World Cup 2011

This post is the central idea of What were the real reasons that Pakistan was excluded from the World Cup Hosting teams and switching the matches to India.Is it a game,conspiracy or a right decision