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Pakistan (129/4) seal an emphatic six-wicket victory against Sri Lanka (128) to take 1-0 lead in the 3-match T20I series

Which side will win the 1st T20I?

  • Total voters
    4
  • Poll closed .
Fakhar will never work lower down the order, he must open with Farhan.

Push Saim to 3 and the rest stays as it is.

Only one of Salman or Babar plays, and since Salman is captain, he should play.
 
Aqib_mustafa said:
With shadab performing oh boy pakistan has a team to win the world t20 shadab has excellent numbers in t20 world cups with usman tariq abrar and saim pakistan should be really happy with their team chances 4 good spinners game on.
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Sorry bro we have no chance if we crawl to semis i will be happy
 
Usman Chadda said:
Fakhar will never work lower down the order, he must open with Farhan.

Push Saim to 3 and the rest stays as it is.

Only one of Salman or Babar plays, and since Salman is captain, he should play.
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He works once in a 5-6 innings opening also. Need to find/develop suitable middle order batsmen after the WC.
 
shadab looks the best batter my days......only positive so far and also need to sort teh team combo out no need to play so many bowlers
 
Shady settling in nicely, should try Nafay in the next 2 games. Although the point here is to give Usman practice on SL pitches so dont think Nafay will be tried here.
 
Rizwan can slot in this team, more and more evidence. When the opposition scores 128, the chase becomes very easy. Faheem Ashraf his place has to be under a scanner the fact that unlike him WasimJr is a proper bowler
 
Rana said:
As long as Babar is a member of the team/squad
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I did not mention babar as he's not here in this series
These players are passengers
Faheem
Babar
Agha
Usman khan
Also fakhar is no longer the player he used to be apart from farhan all pakistan batters need 6 balls before they score first runs they waste balls and cant catch up any score over 150 we have no chance unless farhan fires
 
Thoughts from Pakistan players in the post-match presentation:

Salman Agha: I wasn't expecting dew because of the weather earlier in the day. There was a lot of dew after the first 5-6 overs of the second innings. I thought 150 was going to be a challenging total looking at the way the ball was holding up in the first innings. But after looking at dew in the second innings, I thought 170-odd was needed. We know what we need to do in the World Cup. We know our roles. I want the team to field well, that's the area we need to improve on. I need to work on playing full tosses, that has become a weakness.

Shadab Khan | Player of the Match: When you are coming back from an injury, it's always tough to play at the international level. You are starting from zero. Very happy with today's result. Playing in Big Bash helped me. I got confidence in my bowling and batting. I tried to do simple things. The surface was helping me. You have to assess the conditions. The ball was holding a bit so I tried to bowl a little more fuller. As a player you always want to play at the highest level (about the upcoming T20 World Cup). Our team did so well. Mirza and Wasim set the tone for us. It made things easier for us spinners.
 
Balanced if we leave Agha, keep Fakhar on the bench. Keep Rauf out. Bowling option highlighted. I feel if we get Shadab in, we can play him middle order as he plays good against spin. I will prefer muqeem over abrar in the playing 11 in that case to give variety. Batting positions 5,6,7,8 can all interchange based on situation

1. Farhan
2. Saim (right Off Beak)
3. Babar
4. Shadab (right Leg spin)
5. Hasan Nawaz
6. Mo Haris (wk)
7. Mo Nawaz (left Orthodox)
8. Faheem
9. Shaheen
10. Salman Mirza
11. Sufyan Muqeem (left Chinaman)

Bench
12. Wasim jnr
13. Abrar
14. Fakhar
15. usman tariq

reserve
16: Usman Khan (wk)
17. Abdul Samad
18. Naseem
 
zahid01 said:
I did not mention babar as he's not here in this series
These players are passengers
Faheem
Babar
Agha
Usman khan
Also fakhar is no longer the player he used to be apart from farhan all pakistan batters need 6 balls before they score first runs they waste balls and cant catch up any score over 150 we have no chance unless farhan fires
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The problem is, that you cannot justify the exclusion of any passenger as long as Babar is included. Pakistan have lost credibility now.

Dropping anyone whereas Babar brought back on the back of nothing makes no sense.

I’m shocked at how Babar will be going to the World Cup but Hassan Nawaz and Mohammad Harris are not even in contention at the moment. The have the fastest T20 hundreds for Pakistan!
 
How was Rizwan’s chasing skills of 120 last year in NY

In fact, how was it today chasing 128 in Perth?

So how did you come to the conclusion that Rizwan slots into this team? Because it will be harder to chase 160+ scores? Rizwan is good for that?
 
Rana said:
The problem is, that you cannot justify the exclusion of any passenger as long as Babar is included. Pakistan have lost credibility now.

Dropping anyone whereas Babar brought back on the back of nothing makes no sense.

I’m shocked at how Babar will be going to the World Cup but Hassan Nawaz and Mohammad Harris are not even in contention at the moment. The have the fastest T20 hundreds for Pakistan!
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I absolutely agree hassan nawaz if not selected will be a blunder he should be batting at 4 they used him as a slogger and discarded him to accommodate babar aqib and selectors don't have a clue on modern day cricket we are still in the 90s era Henson knows how pcb think tank works he's just milking it win against minnows and say this is what I have done wait till the world cup they will be holding another surgery like the last world cup.
 
In an Ideal world this should be our squad for the Wt20,
1.Farhan
2.Saim
3.Fakhar
5.Hasan Nawaz
6.Nafay
7.Shadab (C) (No better option)
8.Nawaz
9.Waseem
10.Muqeem
11.Salman Mirza

12.Shaheen
13.Faheem
14.Usman Tariq
15.Muhammad Haris

What we will get sadly are 3 atleast key changes from above squad which are worse options.

Agha instead of Hasan Nawaz
Usman instead of Nafay
and Shaheen instead of Waseem.

And these 3 will most likely be difference between losing and winning.
 
It is ridiculous to see some fans' reaction over Usman's inning? How is his inning any different than KING's usual show? At least he did not get out after wasting deliveries! :D
 
Personally in the ideal team i would still like to go with Muhammad Harris as nafay is still untested in international, and even though Harris had many chances but still he has that dynamic game to give 25 (15) type innings atleast. And is defo much better than Usman tail ender khan, and in spin I would have picked faisal akram over Muqeem personally because i think he has better control and can get more purchase from the wicket.
 
Zeshan547 said:
In an Ideal world this should be our squad for the Wt20,
1.Farhan
2.Saim
3.Fakhar
5.Hasan Nawaz
6.Nafay
7.Shadab (C) (No better option)
8.Nawaz
9.Waseem
10.Muqeem
11.Salman Mirza

12.Shaheen
13.Faheem
14.Usman Tariq
15.Muhammad Haris

What we will get sadly are 3 atleast key changes from above squad which are worse options.

Agha instead of Hasan Nawaz
Usman instead of Nafay
and Shaheen instead of Waseem.

And these 3 will most likely be difference between losing and winning.
Click to expand...
We need to see how Nafay does before making a decision. Ideally he plays these next two games over Fakhar, who’s on the plane anyway.

Ultimately, PAK have a long term white ball middle order issue which needs sorting out post haste, after the WC. And that hopefully means not playing converted openers at 5 and 6.
 
Shadab Khan starred with an all-round display, claiming figures of 2-25 and later scoring an unbeaten 18 off 12 balls, as Pakistan secured a six-wicket victory while chasing 129 in the opening T20I against Sri Lanka at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Wednesday night.

After choosing to bowl first, Pakistan struck early when Mohammad Salman Mirza removed Kamil Mishara in the third over. Mohammad Wasim Jnr followed up in the next over by dismissing Pathum Nissanka (12 off 12, 2 fours), leaving Sri Lanka reeling at 15-2 after 3.2 overs.

Returning to international cricket after injury, Shadab made an immediate impact in his first over, dismissing Kusal Mendis (14 off 15, 2 fours) and Dhananjaya de Silva (10 off 10, 1 four) within three deliveries to reduce the hosts to 38-4 after 6.5 overs.

Charith Asalanka (18 off 15, 1 six) and Janith Liyanage, who top-scored with 40 off 31 balls (2 fours, 1 six), added 34 runs for the fifth wicket before Abrar Ahmed broke the stand in the 12th over, making it 72-5. Liyanage then forged another 38-run partnership with Wanindu Hasaranga (18 off 12, 3 fours) to lift the total to 110, but Abrar struck again in the 16th over to dismiss Hasaranga.

Abrar (3-25) claimed his third wicket in the 18th over by removing Liyanage, with the scoreboard at 127-7. Salman Mirza and Wasim Jnr wrapped up the innings soon after, as Sri Lanka lost their final four wickets for just two runs and were bowled out for 128 in 19.2 overs.

Salman Mirza delivered an impressive spell of 3-18 from four overs, while Abrar also took three wickets. Shadab and Wasim Jnr chipped in with two wickets each.

Chasing 129, Pakistan made a confident start through openers Saim Ayub (24 off 18, 3 fours, 1 six) and Sahibzada Farhan, who put on 59 runs in 5.4 overs before Saim was bowled by Maheesh Theekshana (1-31).

Farhan and captain Salman Ali Agha (16) added a further 35 runs for the second wicket, taking Pakistan to 93-1 at the halfway mark. Hasaranga provided a breakthrough by dismissing Agha early in the 11th over.

Farhan reached his eighth T20 half-century from 35 balls — hitting four fours and two sixes — but was dismissed in the 12th over with the score at 101-3.

Shadab then guided Pakistan home with an unbeaten 18 off 12, striking three boundaries as the visitors completed the chase in 16.4 overs with six wickets to spare.

For Sri Lanka, Hasaranga and Dhananjaya de Silva picked up one wicket each.
 
Fakhar WILL be playing all 3 games for sure. AND 3 against AU - they will switch him back to open; which is where he should always be in LOI's.

Usman is still a question mark, but him any day over Rizwan. Let's see how Nafay fares when gets a chance. Pak must choose to bat first in the next game if get the opportunity to test Usman in SL. I dunno if all games will get completed in SL for rain. Rain will be an issue during the WC as well. IT will be UBER important to slot all of the high SR players at the top to prepare for the WC rain effected games.
 
CricVet said:
Fakhar WILL be playing all 3 games for sure. AND 3 against AU - they will switch him back to open; which is where he should always be in LOI's.

Usman is still a question mark, but him any day over Rizwan. Let's see how Nafay fares when gets a chance. Pak must choose to bat first in the next game if get the opportunity to test Usman in SL. I dunno if all games will get completed in SL for rain. Rain will be an issue during the WC as well. IT will be UBER important to slot all of the high SR players at the top to prepare for the WC rain effected games.
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Fakhar has equally pathetic number opening in t20s. People really need to stop clubbing ODIs and T20s together.
 
Sachin fan said:
Fakhar has equally pathetic number opening in t20s. People really need to stop clubbing ODIs and T20s together.
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Only opened 7 times last year in T20Is - mostly against BD. He averaged almost 20 with not a great SR. He did well against India while opening in the final of ACC. If they just keep swinging his batting order from opening to the 7th, it won't improve him.

1767810272421.png
 
Mike Hesson shared following thoughts in post match presser today:

On the Match Performance
* "I just thought it was a very clinical performance. I was really pleased the way we started with the ball—just the way we attacked the stumps, we're able to control the game."
* "The fact Sahibzada and Saim put on what they did pretty much broke the back of the chase."
* "It was a very clinical performance probably outside of a little bit in the field which was a little bit untidy."

On Playing in Sri Lankan Conditions
* "I think the types of grass, the types of clay where the ball holds is important and quite different than Pakistan, you know, where the ball skids a little bit more."
* "A number of our players will get the opportunity to play against a very good Sri Lankan spin bowling attack... it is going to be a real challenge and one that we're looking forward to."

On the Spin Attack (Shadab Khan & Abrar Ahmed)
* "The ball spun today. It was not easy... you've got a couple of world-class spinners."
* "Shadab's been out of the game for a long time, but we know in conditions like this, he's good. They tried to put Shadab off his length early... so he went underneath the bat. It was pretty smart bowling."
* "We know that spin is a strength of ours. We know that we've got not only spinners that control the game but can attack."
* "We've spent the last 6 months to get all of those guys bowling well and then ultimately we've got some tough choices to make. But we probably think more about the squad rather than individuals."

On Squad Rotation and New Players
* "It was an opportunity for Nasim and Usman Tar to have a rest having played quite a bit and nice for us to get [Mir] and Wasim Jr. into the game."
* "We've got a couple of exciting batters in Abdul Samad and Khawaja Nafay... Abdul Samad would have played the tri-series if he hadn't got injured, so it'd be nice to get him a game or two as well."

On Babar Azam’s Absence and Role
* "The only batter that is not here is Babar Azam... Babar will slot back in where we need him. He provides a contrast to our batting group."
* "Babar is probably the little bit of that glue that, with his technique, brings everybody together."
* "We obviously are missing him here, but that provides those opportunities for players that might not necessarily be in the 11, but they could be in the 15 or they could be a backup."

On World Cup Prospects
* "I'd never say that [we are leading contenders] when you've got a 20-team competition, but what I would say is we've made some really good progress as a team."
* "We will be arriving at the World Cup as prepared as we can be... we know that any side that takes anyone lightly at the World Cup will be exposed and we don't want to be that."
 
The Bald Eagle said:
Mike Hesson shared following thoughts in post match presser today:

On the Match Performance
* "I just thought it was a very clinical performance. I was really pleased the way we started with the ball—just the way we attacked the stumps, we're able to control the game."
* "The fact Sahibzada and Saim put on what they did pretty much broke the back of the chase."
* "It was a very clinical performance probably outside of a little bit in the field which was a little bit untidy."
Click to expand...
This is a very important point. We for once tried to get ahead of the rate and maximise use of the powerplay.
 
Why didn't Babar play?

Because of Franchise commitments?

Or some other reason?

The WC matches will be in SL. This series gives a good opportunity to prepare for the conditions
 
tiger_khan said:
Why didn't Babar play?

Because of Franchise commitments?

Or some other reason?

The WC matches will be in SL. This series gives a good opportunity to prepare for the conditions
Click to expand...
bro hes gonna do the same thing regardless of conditions.

Better to give other players a shot who have played less cricket so they can be called upon in the WC.

Was good to see Agha come up the order to niumber 3. Didn;t work out but was a good move from him.
 
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