ICC WT20 | Group C | Sri Lanka VS Zimbabwe | Hambantota, 18th Sep 2012

[TalhaSyed]

The start of the T20 World Cup 2012 is 50 minutes away and the first game is between Sri Lanka & Zimbabwe.

A very low key game to start the competition, however, with only 2 games in the first round every match is very important!

Should be a comfortable win for the hosts, however, as we have seen time & time again, you can never count any team out when it comes to the T20 format.

From Cricinfo:

6.30pm We won't have any fancy opening ceremony to declare the games open tonight, but this, the fourth edition of World Twenty20, will open in an hour's time with hosts Sri Lanka taking on Zimbabwe, two sides that used to be at around the same level in early '90s. A big hello and welcome then

This game will be a big test of how popular this tournament will be, being played as it is at one of the more remote cricketing venues in the world

Really hoping to see good crowds in the competition!

Nothing worse then a world cup game in an empty stadium as we saw in the 2007 World Cup.

Sri Lanka squad

DPMD Jayawardene*,
AD Mathews,
LD Chandimal†,
TM Dilshan,
RMS Eranga,
HMRKB Herath,
KMDN Kulasekara,
SL Malinga,
BAW Mendis,
BMAJ Mendis,
EMDY Munaweera,
MKPAD Perera,
NLTC Perera,
KC Sangakkara†,
HDRL Thirimanne

Zimbabwe squad

BRM Taylor*†,
E Chigumbura,
AG Cremer,
CR Ervine,
KM Jarvis,
H Masakadza,
S Matsikenyeri,
CB Mpofu,
F Mutizwa,
R Muzhange,
RW Price,
V Sibanda,
P Utseya,
BV Vitori,
MN Waller

 

[sazz]

I hope Zimbabwe surprises Srilanka

 

[TalhaSyed]

^^ You never know! Zim could catch SL cold

 

[Love Pakistan]

Lets go zimboes!!!

 

[TalhaSyed]

Zimbabwe win the first blow...they won the toss

Zimbabwe to bowl first!

 

[Green Leopard]

Stadium does not even look half full

Though this was during toss time, hopefully fans are streaming in

 

[TalhaSyed]

What are the chances that this will actually end up being the Super 8 groups?

 

[TalhaSyed]

Stadium does not even look half full

Though this was during toss time, hopefully fans are streaming in

Yup I was hoping that too!

Im guessing the toss took place 10 mins ago or so, so still 40 mins to go for the fans to come in!

 

[MAJID-SHAH]

Sri lanka will be batting first - been put in by zimbabwes skipper brendan taylor

 

[Mohsin]

lol i said before the tourney im expecting empty stadium BAR the SL games....i think i was being too kind!

First day of the tourney...host Nation playing...empty stadium

Looks like we're going to have West Indies mark 2

And we're going to have to deal with Paul Collingwood in the Sky Sports studio...gonna be a long tourney from a fan POV

 

[TalhaSyed]

Atherton & Collingwood on Sky Sports talking about how its wicket taking bowlers that win competitions like this & saying that Pakistan are strong when it comes to that mashallah

 

[AamchiMumbaikar]

Let's go Zimbos....

 

[TalhaSyed]

Which channel can I watch Misbah & Aamir as pundits?

 

[Green Leopard]

lol i said before the tourney im expecting empty stadium BAR the SL games....i think i was being too kind!

First day of the tourney...host Nation playing...empty stadium

Looks like we're going to have West Indies mark 2

And we're going to have to deal with Paul Collingwood in the Sky Sports studio...gonna be a long tourney from a fan POV

Collingwood is probably good to have since he is the only England captain to win a major ICC trophy, and obviously winner of the last World T20. So probably know more about the T20 game than the usual suspects Athers, Nasser, Ward, Knight etc.

 

[saj001]

I want to see packed stadium not empty.

 

[Mohsin]

I was going to support SL today as theyre the hosts and its always good to have the hosts in the tourney as it keeps the interest going...but seems like itll make no difference this year

C'mon underdogs!

 

[Shayan]

Opening game of 2009 - Netherlands beat England.

 

[TalhaSyed]

Really really hope that when the game starts the stadium has magically filled up!

 

[AamchiMumbaikar]

For hosting events like WC's either the host nation should be a multi cultural one (UK)/ crowd should really like the sport who come to the grounds (IND)

SL's case - It fits in neither of these categories

 

[shakil]

Jarvis and Vittori should provide a good start to the Zimbabweans.

Their spinner however are going to be hammered.

 

[saj001]

Come on Zimbabwee!

 

[Green Leopard]

Jarvis and Vittori should provide a good start to the Zimbabweans.

Their spinner however are going to be hammered.

First time going to see Vittori, heard he is suppose to be fast.

 

[Green Leopard]

Plenty of empty seats during national anthem time

not good tbh

 

[Mohsin]

lol even the National Anthems dont have any music it doesnt seem...no atmosphere, no electricity...this may actually bypass the 2007 50 over world cup in the Windies

 

[AamchiMumbaikar]

Next T20 WC should be in IND/ B'desh, one will see packed stadiums on most occasions

 

[Green Leopard]

oh no, after that humongous zim anthem, we have the ultra super long sri lankan anthem!!!

 

[Mohsin]

Next T20 WC should be in IND/ B'desh, one will see packed stadiums on most occasions

Next ones in Bangladesh i think

SA and England the 2 best places ATM for hosting tourneys

 

[Green Leopard]

SL national anthem is longer than a bollywood tune.

 

[Mohsin]

You know things are bad when the National Anthem, in the host country stadium sounds like its just being played from a cassette player with pin-drop silence in the stadium

 

[Death Magnetic]

Next T20 WC should be in IND/ B'desh, one will see packed stadiums on most occasions

2014 bang. 2016 ind.

 

[Green Leopard]

You know things are bad when the National Anthem, in the host country stadium sounds like its just being played from a cassette player with pin-drop silence in the stadium

thank goodness there is no opening ceremony!! Imagine how dull it would have been, it would've surpassed England '99!

 

[TalhaSyed]

Disappointing start so far however inshallah it gets better as the cricket gets going...im sure if we have a few good games it will draw the crowds in

 

[Mohsin]

thank goodness there is no opening ceremony!! Imagine how dull it would have been, it would've surpassed England '99!

lol England '09 was even better.....the opening ceremony washed out because of rain

Now that was tradition!

 

[TalhaSyed]

thank goodness there is no opening ceremony!! Imagine how dull it would have been, it would've surpassed England '99!

It would of been like the SLPL launch

 

[Mohsin]

Bit of swing but like the 2007 T20 WC...first ball goes for 4

 

[TalhaSyed]

1st ball :4 in T20 style

 

[AamchiMumbaikar]

Good swing...

 

[saj001]

Next WC should be in Pakistan.

 

[AamchiMumbaikar]

Just miss yaar.......

 

[TalhaSyed]

End of 1st over

4 . . . . .

SL 4/0

 

[TalhaSyed]

Brian Vitori to share the new ball

 

[*syed59*]

Dissappointing to see that stadium isn't full. This looks like the last match of a best of three bilateral series b/w SL and Zim.

 

[saj001]

Zimbabwe opening bowlers are faster than our bowlers.

 

[shah_1]

SL has the worst crowd I have seen .. empty seats

 

[Mohsin]

Im getting sick of this 'split the screen in half, showing the bowlers run-up' thing they do every over...it was annoying yesterday and its annoying today

Just show me the cricket

 

[TalhaSyed]

:4 for Dilshan

He'll be hoping for a 2009 Tourny repeat

 

[TalhaSyed]

I think I heard something on the caught behind as well.

 

[MAJID-SHAH]

Shaky start for the debutant lol

 

[asif9138]

good 2 overs by zim!

 

[iRfaN_LA]

Does anyone else think this vitori guy is chucking?

 

[MAJID-SHAH]

10/0 afer 2

 

[asif9138]

2 shouts//wow keep it tight

 

[BaaliSoda]

Does anyone else noticed that Brian Vitori's action having a kink ?

Also that split scree viewing is quite irritating (not showing either sides properly)

 

[TalhaSyed]

The Zim bowlers troubling these batsmen here!

 

[AamchiMumbaikar]

Jarvis has been impressive so far...

 

[Mohsin]

These are not good T20 conditions

 

[iRfaN_LA]

These pitches are good for seam bowling specially under lights. I am sure Tanvir will have a good time here.

 

[asif9138]

jarvis bowling good

 

[Amjid Javed]

Empty stadium, weather is usually rubbish. sri lanka! worst place in world to play cricket!

 

[sada90]

hope we don't see an early upset

 

[leatherface58]

Jarvis and Vitori got pace

 

[MAJID-SHAH]

:

 

[iRfaN_LA]

Does anyone else noticed that Brian Vitori's action having a kink ?

Also that split scree viewing is quite irritating (not showing either sides properly)

There we go, I noticed it too.

 

[BaaliSoda]

Does anyone else think this vitori guy is chucking?

Thank god there is one more person who has same doubt as mine. I am not alone on this

 

[AamchiMumbaikar]

Beauty from Jarvis....

 

[AamchiMumbaikar]

Dropped

 

[iRfaN_LA]

dropped. catches win matches.

 

[TalhaSyed]

Good effort by the fielder.

Never easy running backwards

 

[Tridibans_16]

Watched kp at the espnstar studios. Was kinda fun knowing he won't be there when English come here

 

[TalhaSyed]

Great bowling. Saw the batsmen moving back to give himself room to hit it over the top, however the bowler follows him and cramps him for room. Been impressed with the bowlers so far.

Gonna have a look at Vitoris action now

 

[Tridibans_16]

Empty stadium, weather is usually rubbish. sri lanka! worst place in world to play cricket!

+1 Worst place for a world cup. God knows how it will be during the Ind Pak game

 

[shakil]

Crucial catch dropped :faceplam:

 

[imranq]

why cant we just play all world cups in Australia or south africa ? No weather problems and great stadiums

 

[BaaliSoda]

Brian Vitori = Kamran Khan of Rajasthan Royals

Very suspect bowling action

 

[leatherface58]

This new guy Dilshan M looks like type player.

 

[RehanG]

vittori chucks big time

 

[imranq]

is vitori chucking ?

 

[TalhaSyed]

Top edge goes over the keepers head and lands safely!

The luck has favored the SL batsmen so far but the Zim bowlers have been unlucky!

 

[iRfaN_LA]

We just had the ODI world cup in the subcontinent. Why would you have another worldcup in SC? This is poor scheduling from ICC.

 

[TalhaSyed]

Vitori Malinga's Dilshan