By: K. Gautam
Pakistan started the World 20/20 without Mohammad Yousuf (reportedly joined the ICL) and Shoaib Akthar (sent home for hitting his teammate with a bat). Is Pakistan missing these two accomplished performers? Hardly, at least for now. Misbah-ul-Haq (for Yousuf) and Sohail Tanvir (for Akthar) have been more than worthy replacements. The 33-year-old Misbah-ul-haq, a heavy scorer in Pakistan domestic cricket has done well against India and Australia. He almost won the match single handedly for his team against India and against Australia played a superlative innings, where he scored an unbeaten on 66 of 42 balls. He along with skipper Shoaib Malik played a serene knock after Pakistan was reduced to 46 for 4 in the 7th over. They dispatched the bad balls, ran their ones and twos sensibly and chased down the Australian target with 5 balls to spare, hardly having to resort to bravado.
Sohail Tanvir is just 23 and his unique left-arm bowling action has kept the batsmen guessing. His pace is very deceptive and he skids his deliveries, surprising the batsmen, as Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden found out. His bowling towards the death has been even more commendable, with well-pitched yorkers giving the batsmen hardly anything to hit. He has shown remarkable maturity for a debutant and played a major role in restricting Australia to just 164, when they looked good for at least 185. He has done well to complement the talented Mohammad Asif, and if he continues the good run, could play for Pakistan for a good number of years.
Ajith Agarkar and co. would do well to see the video clippings of Sohail Tanvir’s bowling at the death and learn a thing or two about not getting clobbered as they have been in the last 2 matches against Pakistan and New Zealand, if they intend to keep their hopes alive in the tournament.
Pakistan started the World 20/20 without Mohammad Yousuf (reportedly joined the ICL) and Shoaib Akthar (sent home for hitting his teammate with a bat). Is Pakistan missing these two accomplished performers? Hardly, at least for now. Misbah-ul-Haq (for Yousuf) and Sohail Tanvir (for Akthar) have been more than worthy replacements. The 33-year-old Misbah-ul-haq, a heavy scorer in Pakistan domestic cricket has done well against India and Australia. He almost won the match single handedly for his team against India and against Australia played a superlative innings, where he scored an unbeaten on 66 of 42 balls. He along with skipper Shoaib Malik played a serene knock after Pakistan was reduced to 46 for 4 in the 7th over. They dispatched the bad balls, ran their ones and twos sensibly and chased down the Australian target with 5 balls to spare, hardly having to resort to bravado.
Sohail Tanvir is just 23 and his unique left-arm bowling action has kept the batsmen guessing. His pace is very deceptive and he skids his deliveries, surprising the batsmen, as Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden found out. His bowling towards the death has been even more commendable, with well-pitched yorkers giving the batsmen hardly anything to hit. He has shown remarkable maturity for a debutant and played a major role in restricting Australia to just 164, when they looked good for at least 185. He has done well to complement the talented Mohammad Asif, and if he continues the good run, could play for Pakistan for a good number of years.
Ajith Agarkar and co. would do well to see the video clippings of Sohail Tanvir’s bowling at the death and learn a thing or two about not getting clobbered as they have been in the last 2 matches against Pakistan and New Zealand, if they intend to keep their hopes alive in the tournament.
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