ICC World T20 (Sri Lanka 2012)

And Ajmal continues to torture the English - what a bowler - just love

ah! what a performance by Afghanistan, they go down fighting, well done Afghanistan!  in fact had they taken their catches properly they must have won easily... and one more thing I'd like to say, Shapoor Zadran and Dawlat Zadran made that new ball talk like anything and were at least 10 times better than the Indian new ball pair of Irfan and Zaheer... with this bowling God save India!

Edited by sam_ahmed - 19 September 2012 at 7:33pm

Balaji isn't bad. He seems short of match practice - I rate him better than all others except Zaheer in India

Watson not too shabby - opened the batting AND the bowling. Took 3-for and scored a 50. Nice start from him. When he's in form, Australia do really well. People are saying Australia aren't a chance because they don't have a spinner, but let's not forget we have Brad Hogg in this format and he's bowling really well. I think if they can get David Hussey in the side instead of Christian, then Australia will be very formidable.

Balaji is a nothing bowler and the fact that AFG's bowling looked better than the bowling of the World Champions tell a lot about the standard of this world champion side's attack. India are not going any further than super 8's in this tournament, not when they're going to have RSA, AUS and PAK clashing against them, sorry.

Correct Mystery. Australia won the 2003 World Cup (Hogg was the replacement for Warne, who was done for doping, and he did a wonderful job to say the least), 2007 World Cup (again, Hogg excelled) and the 2009 Champion's Trophy. Hogg was in the 2007 World T20 Squad and did NOT play a single game, and Australia lost that tournament. Perhaps Hogg is some sort of lucky charm.

Australia's weakness is definitely the middle order. White's reinclusion is questionable, despite some decent form. In fact, one of Australia's best T20 batsmen for my money is actually Phil Hughes. I would not have minded if he was in this squad, at all. Bailey has actually done a lot better than people have expected, his runs so far in limited overs cricket have been useful (but he'd never been in my first XI). David Hussey is one of the best ever T20 cricketers and no doubt he should be in the first XI - for both his batting and bowling (Australia can definitely do with a second, useful spinner and Hussey certainly fills that role).

My team , as per the squad would be:

1. Watson (opening bowler as well)
2. Warner
3. Hussey, M
4. Hussey, D
5. Bailey* (although I don't believe he should be in the side, wouldn't bother batting him any lower)
6. Maxwell
7. Wade
8. Hogg
9. McKay
10. Cummins
11. Starc

Forget about Dan Christian, another useless inclusion. Australia, with Watson being such a useful all-rounder in this format, could easily play 8 batsmen if need be. I definitely think you could get 4 overs from either Hussey or Watson in this format, but I'd rather McKay being there in the side than White.

Nothing wrong with your team there Mystery, nothing at all. Except Hughes and Mitch Marsh are not in the squad. Hughes absolutely crunches the ball, and his ability to hit square of the wicket and straight is actually very useful in this format. I also really rate Mitchell Marsh as an all rounder, particularly as a batsman and one guy I'd pick ahead of Maxwell is Steve O'Keefe - who is a much, much better spinner and still a good batsman. Johnson and Nannes aren't bad bowlers to have in the side either. Australia has good players for this format, I wish they could settle with a side and just make Watson the captain (more the adequate choice as captain in my opinion).

Doesn't look like we'll be getting any upsets this tournament, the big teams have 'turned up' and every team knows there's a chance at winning the trophy at the end. Windies are formidable in this format because they have a lot of dashers through out their batting line up and a very handy spinner in Narine, who can pose problems for this Australian middle order. I fully expect Australia to be at their best, otherwise this may well be the last time Bailey captains or even plays for Australia - all is on the line for him, and he has to make sure he gets 100% out of this side (and he really, really needs to play Hussey, D instead of Christian)

RSA beating SLN easily in a 7 over game, AB showing his class once again and a nice aggressive start by Amla as well. 

No mystery, irrespective of who wins India will be placed in Group B with AUS, RSA and PAK. These groups won't change no matter who comes 1st or 2nd.

The positions A1, A2, B1, B2, etc... are decided based on last ICC WT20 results mystery and won't change, they have nothing to do with how teams end up in their respective groups in this event.

Thank you very much Dhoni to going through our comments and Made pathan to open the innings to play 5 bowlers, as i see from here onwards if we play 5 bowlers in super eight we will be unstopable, vs Aus 3 spinners (Bhajji, Ashwin and Chawala) and 2 medium pacers( Zaheer and Pathan). Some people will say Pathan will be flopped if he opens, let him try for some more matches, if he succeed, it will be very good for team, becuase being a opener he is very good for the team to play 5 bowlers.

Interesting fact about teams being bowled out for less than 100 is that in the season or year after they won the ICC World Twenty20, India (74 v Australia), Pakistan (89 v England) and England (88 v West Indies) were all bowled out for under 100.

I have completely different views of Starc. Yes he is sharp, but I would not rate him ahead of Cummins or Pattinson. He is not test match material for me yet. He takes a lot of wickets on bad balls. I know its a bad analogy, but for the lack of a better one, he reminds me of Agarkar, who was an average bowler (Starc is much better) yet ended up taking loads of wickets in one dayers.

Yes Sam agree SA have strong chance but there is always something that is missing in them which just really does not make them the winner but one thing is for sure each of us here are sure of Pakistan as all have predicated Pakistan.
I agree with Zuhair that Starc does not look test standard but that was before he met Wasim Akram after that he is a completely different bowler when i first saw him he looks really lose type and basically at most a Odi bowler but since than he looks the real deal but i do agree that Cummings are Pattinson are much more talented skill wise but all these 3 will surely be top bowlers in coming years.