India selecting Yuvraj Singh in what I think is a highly emotional decision, already people like Sourav Ganguly and Sanjay Manjrekar have raised concerns over his selection not just because of cricketing reasons but also because of Yuvraj's own health. Hrabhajan getting selected is also a poor selection on the face of it. He continues to be in terrible form. Personally I think the selctions of Dinda, Tiwary, Balaji and Chawla are also not very good esp considering the likes of Yusuf Pathan, Ambati Rayudu, Umesh Yadav and Rahul Sharma have been left out.

I'm happy with Pakistan's squad. in come Abdul Razzaq, Imran Nazir, Kamran Akmal and Yasir Arafat giving the team much needed fire power, this is a hell of a good team, some old names have been selected but I think this is a very fine selection for a WT20 event, only change I would have liked is Shehzad but I'm sure he'll get his due chance in the future. Raza Hasan is also an impressive selection.

RSA have got an impressive squad as well, Kallis is back but Smith is out, slightly surprising selection of Farhaan Behradein but he looks to be in good form... rest of the squad is as expected with the likes of Parnell and Botha coming back for LOI's. overall a good squad.

In the league stages the only realistic upset we can see is Bangladesh beating New Zealand, there is a slight chance of ZIM beating SLN but that still looks difficult provided SLN are playing at home, and ZIM may find Malinga very difficult to handle.

There is one other bowler who is very good and India may want to try, Shami Ahmed, believe me this lad will very soon make it to the national team.

I agree Mystery, Junaid should have been there, esp ahead of Sami if not Gul, but may be because they already have Tanvir as a left arm seamer they have gone for the pace of Sami, and also Junaid is particularly good with the old ball and in T20's the ball hardly gets old. Hammad yes, he should be a regular in the team, don't understand why they don't utilize him and groom him for future, Razzaq and Afridi won't be around for long, esp keeping the WC2015 in mind, Hammad must be given more chances.

However, based on the given squad, I would like to see this playing eleven in the WT20:

Hafeez, Nazir, Kamran, Shafiq, Umer, Malik, Razzaq, Afridi, Tanvir, Gul, Saeed.

I would prefer Shafiq because in the absence of Misbah you need someone solid in the middle order, although I admit if such is the case then Azhar was a better option, but Asad is not bad. Also with plenty of bowling options, PAK can afford to play an extra batsmen, this is where Kamran and Razzaq give brilliant balance to the side.

I really can't say who would win, I can safely say the above 8 + BD could win it 2012 T20 World Cup.Good for Cricket . I wish 50 overs was like that.

For me WI, IND, PAK, SA, SRL, AUS have good chances to reach the semis.

ENG, WI, SLN, NZL/BAN ... Making it to Group A 

IND, AUS, RSA, PAK ... making it to Group B

from Group A I'd expect WI, SLN to come through,lucky SLN as they have an easy group/

from Group B, which is a very very tough group, I'd expect PAK, IND to come through... this is very difficult to call but somehow I think these two teams have the edge.

so the semi finals could look like this:

WI v India

SLN v Pakistan

Final could be WI v Pakistan

winner could be anybody of those two.

 

My bro maybe spot on though, he reckons one the sub continent sides will win it.

WI also have Sunil Narine apart from the big hitters, his presence is invaluable, among the subcontinent sides, I think Pakistan is the strongest. I'd still stick with WI as the favorites to win, Gayle force will be the key and Gayle force, I think will win them this tournament.

Go PAK Go!!!

It's mid september so now the rains will not be that often Sledge and generally should stay away, SLN do get heavy rains again in mid October by retreating monsoons, but by then this should be done! 

This win was important for Pakistan because of two reasons, one it had been quite some time since they had beaten India in any format, any game, be it a warm up, this win should help them get over that mental block, and secondly, the ability and belief to be able to chase big targets, it has been a long time since Pakistan had chased down something challenging. Very important win to get the confidence going.

For India their poor bowling showed up once again, and a scary thought, what will India do if Virat Kohli fails, do they have the answers?

My pick to win the tournament champions - India. Shewag & Gambhir to be in superlative form . 

NZL can go down to Bangladesh but I doubt if they will, I think they have good players to overcome the challenge posed by the Bangladeshi's. I'd love to see BAN make it to the super 8's but just don't think it'll happen.

IRE can beat AUS, that is possible, if Stirling gets going and they have some good bowlers as well.

Ajantha Mendis doing some damage today, Zimbabwe mauled by Sri lanka... Mendis picking up 6!!!

I agree on David Hussey guys, beats me as to why he isn't in the team, one of the finest T20 players around for sure! I'd say he should play ahead of Maxwell.

As I had expected AUS have rised to the occasion and have looked good, their game against WI tomorrow will be a thriller, Gayle vs Watson should be thrilling to watch, they'll match each other for Six to Six!

SLN v RSA another very interesting battle, but I'd expect RSA to come through.

The first phase of this tournament appears to be meaningless, I don't really see PAK or WI losing their games to minnows either, the super8's though will all come down to how a team plays on that given day. This is as open a WC as it can get!

The second game agains showed why WI can never be predictable, so much for the tournament favorites, Gayle fired, but still AUS 100/1 at rain interruption and well ahead of the par score, I doubt if the game will restart now, it was absolutely pouring down. 

Once again AUS show why they can never be counted out and I must say we could get into a situation where AUS, RSA, PAK will all top their groups and still compete in the same group in super 8's... how pathetic!!! *Double face palm*

For Eg: last ICC WT20 winner - England (A1) Runner up - Australia (B1), 3rd - South Africa (C1) 4th - Pakistan (D1), similarly 5th to 8th of last ICC WT20 are put in as D2, C2, B2 and A2, if say for Eg: Ireland qualifies in place of Westindies then Ireland becomes B2, even if Ireland had beaten Australia, they would still have been B2, Australia are B1 and that won't change. I know it's a bit confusing but I hope I have made it a bit clearer.

The bottom line is the super 8 groups will look like this, no matter who comes first or 2nd in group stages:

Group 1 - WI/IRE, ENG, WI, SLN

Group 2 - PAK/BAN, AUS, RSA, IND

the ICC have done this so that fans can easily book tickets for matches involving their teams in Super 8's. For Eg; All Pakistan fans know Pakistan is D1, so when ever there is D1 game it means it is Pakistan's game, they can accordingly book tickets in advance, the only scenario Pakistan won't be D1 is IF Bangladesh Qualifies in place of Pakistan, then BAN becomes D1.

Anyways IND beat ENG, PAK beat NZL< we are all set for some exciting super 8 action in a few days time!

Lets not be complacent Mystery, I have my concerns, Group 2 is very very tough, Yes India for me are the weakest if we can call them weak but Remember they are still a fine side, and they still have Kohli who can do serious damage and the their spinners can trouble both AUS and RSA big time.

My picks will be different Mystery, I'd go with PAK and RSA, I think RSA have better players of spin like Hashim, AB and Kallis and also they have better seam bowlers than Australia. So my picks are RSA and PAK, but Pakistan will have to play some seriously good cricket, can't drop catches for God's sake!!!

Also one point I wanted to make since a long time, has anyone noticed how impressive Mitchell Starc has been over the last few games? He has been brilliant!!! forget Pat Cummins, forget James Pattinson... Mitchell Starc is the most happening thing in Australia and I don't have an iota of doubt about this lad's bright future.

Among Cummins, Starc and Pattinson, I think all of them are pretty much at par. I really like Pattinson, he has tremendous potential but he'll have to stay injury free, at the moment he breaks down too often.

yes, even sangakkara getting so many awards was a big surprise for me, what has he done in last one year, any major team SLN have beaten? or any major tournament they won? What significant has sanga done then? ... and Dharmasena ... *double face palm*

Hashim was scoring centuries every game and against the best attacks in the world on very difficult surfaces, poor lad hasn't got anything.

Anyways, back to the real thing, lets take it this way, if Pakistan can get through the super 8's, they'll have a real good chance of making it to the finals! (in the finals they may again face a team from their super 8 group )

 

The first game of the super 8's ending in a dramatic super over win for SLN. I really don't like these super overs, a tie is a tie and teams should share the points, NZL did so well and still got 0 points from the outing, this is quite ridiculous.

Tactical erros there by AB though, he is not exactly a good captain AB, I've noticed he makes errors every game, can't believe Botha bowled just 2 overs on that pitch!

... and to top off a already wonderful Friday for Pakistan was Australia's crushing win over India, absolute "murder in the streets" as sledge would say, well, this was a humiliation of some proportions.

This also means Pakistan have a chance to knock out both India and South Africa by winning against India in this high profile match, what a golden opportunity to book a place in the Semi - Finals and although this is still nothing as  compared to Mohali 2011, there will still be some revenge taken should they win today against their arch-rivals!

Pakistan just don't seem to believe they can beat India at a big stage just like how RSA don't seem to believe they can beat AUS at a big stage, the trend continues... at least until they meet sometime in another World Cup!

Hafeez, Afridi, Ajmal, Raza Hasan and a medium pacer Arafat... This is Pakistan? I don't know this Pakistan, The Pakistan I grew up watching had express fast bowlers bowling their heart out and making that ball talk... these spinners Pakistan have are still brilliant, world class... but this is not Pakistan, or at least I don't know this Pakistan. 

I want to see people with some character, people who walk out there and are ready to take up the challenge, that is what I have always seen in Pakistan, people with that never say die attitude. At the moment Azhar Ali and Umer Akmal are my future hopes, I have never seen Haris Sohail play but I've heard a lot about him, Sailkot may only play 2 games at CLT20 but I'll be interested in watching Haris Sohail, lets see if he is the answer to Pakistan's middle order woes.

There is Junaid, he is a must, There is Sadaf, even if Sadaf is 70% of what Asif was, I'll be happy, and Zuhair says someone like Aamer, I say why not Aamer himself? Aamer is not good, he is not excellent... Aamer is brilliant... 3 years later he should be picked, he can still have a 12-14 years career ahead of him and Pakistan will never look back, Yes what he did is terribly wrong but the kid deserves a second chance, why not?

I'm just hoping Watson is due a failure.

Anyway four most deserving teams made it to the semis (as always team that wins or makes it to semis deserves that spot ) .Final four standing SL vs Pak and Aus Vs WI.

Congratulations to all the 4 teams making it to the semis.

Secondly NZL played very very good cricket, better cricket than WI but still lost out because of two super over defeats (why can't a tie be a tie?), WI got through despite just one genuine win in the entire tournament so far (They didn't won a game in the group stages)

anyways I'm happy that Pakistan are through, however the game against SLN will be a tough one and I'd term SLN as the favorites. I thought India played good cricket, better than what I expected, they had two bad games, one against AUS and one against AFG.

Nothing to lose for Pakistan they should just go out there and play their game in the SF's, they have made it 4 in 4 SF's or better in ICC WT20's and on the trot they have made the SF's or better in the last 6 ICC events, mashallah. Well done Pakistan.

For India, the tournament was good one but will be dissapointed that they lost on NRR , but today maybe India should have gone in with an extra spinner in place of Rohit Sharma/Balaji, but so much happened in the press over selection/non selection of Shewag, maybe management did not want to take any risk and face the heat.

So now the team that made it to semis ...

AUS have Watson in prime form, the moment they lost Watson, they just set themselves 112 target to for a place in semi finals ... I feel they have made themselves severe damage by showing that attitude.WI should play Narine and Badree.

On SL vs Pak, it is difficult to pick who might qualify, Pak's spin will not be a threat to them while the same holds good for Pak, but I guess it is hosts time this time... almost every team in the tournament have had terrible days, except WI (to some extent) and SL that did not have a humiliation of some sorts, so I want the most consistent teams in finals.I will be very happy to see Gayle vs Malinga and Dilshan vs Narine .

I think Pakistan have now become the only team in cricket's history to have made it to the SF's or better of 6 consecutive ICC events. correct me if I am wrong.

WT20 07 - RUP 

WT20 09 - Winners  

CT 09 - SF's 

WT20 10 - SF's

WC 2011 - SF's

WT20 12 - SF's* (or better)

Pakistan 57/3 chasing 140 at halfway mark.Should be interesting final 10 overs.This could go anywhere!

EDIT: I should have stopped for a moment while posting as Afridi had come  ... 91/5 .. then 91/6

So one of the deserving team went to finals, now for the Gayle storm to hit tomorrow.