Pakistan vs Sri Lanka | Asia Cup Final 2014 | Dhaka | 8/3/2014 | Pre-Match Discussion

[ahmedzee]

Last time Sri Lanka won a final it was against Pakistan in Canada

 

[hussain.r97]

My Lineup for the finals

1.)Sharjeel
2.)Shehzad
3.)Hafeez
4.)Fawad
5.)Misbah
6.)Umar Akmal
7.)Afridi
8.)Umar Gul
9.)Mohammad Talha
10.)Saeed Ajmal
11.)Junaid Khan

Maqsood has been in poor form, therefore I drop him for Sharjeel....
Rehman had a shocker, so drop him for Junaid Khan...

 

[Justcrazy]

If Pakistan want to strengthen the batting Anwar Ali is better choice than Bhatti.

I think bowling is fine , thus Anwar Ali .

Ali should come in instead of Rehman , and Junaid for

 

[SuperMAG77]

Shehzad
Hafeez
Fawad
Akmal (wk)
Misbah (c)
Maqsood
Afridi
Bhatti
Talha
Ajmal
Junaid

 

[hussain.r97]

no he's not.

Played well against India and had a run out then was given wrongly out against Bangladesh when he clearly didnt edge it.

Seems like people dont watch the actual match and make their judgements on the scorecards.

Ok, maybe calling it horrible form is an exaggeration, but he isn't in the same form he was in a couple of months ago, and I think Fawad makes the cut ahead of him, unless Sharjeel is injured. The reason we need Sharjeel is so that we get a quicker start. Maqsood looked scratchy against SL, and hasn't really scored in the other 3. He did get run out, but he has still looked scratchy compared to him 2 months ago. Just my opinion, I've got nothing against Maqsood, he's a great player, I just think maybe its better to leave him out for this one...

 

[London_Lahori]

Junaid will obviously come back in for Rehman.

Main question is where do you fit in Sharjeel? For me he has to be in the team and opening

 

[Logical]

Ok, maybe calling it horrible form is an exaggeration, but he isn't in the same form he was in a couple of months ago, and I think Fawad makes the cut ahead of him, unless Sharjeel is injured. The reason we need Sharjeel is so that we get a quicker start. Maqsood looked scratchy against SL, and hasn't really scored in the other 3. He did get run out, but he has still looked scratchy compared to him 2 months ago. Just my opinion, I've got nothing against Maqsood, he's a great player, I just think maybe its better to leave him out for this one...

On what basis can you say Maqsood is out of form? Played a calm and needed role against India in the chase. Then got a bad decision against Bangladesh. So what message are you sending out by dropping him? On what basis can you drop him? That even if you get run out and get a bad decision the following game you will be dropped?

Batting shouldn't be played around with at all, for once after ages we are showing some consistency in batting so lets not mess up the chemistry. Youngers need to be given a long run. Even though i dont like Sharjeel at all, i believe he will be a sitting duck on Australian pitches with his non existent foot work but he deserves a fair run as well.

Id like Sharjeel to come in for Rehman. Fawad can be the 6th bowler if needed.

 

[Commander]

We need to drop Maqsood now. He is in bad form. For me, the following lineup seems to be really good:

1. Sharjeel Khan
2. Ahmad Shehzad
3. Mohammed Hafeez
4. Fawad Alam
5. Misbah-ul-Haq
6. Umar Akmal
7. Shahid Afridi
8. Umar Gul
9. Mohammed Talha
10. Saeed Ajmal
11. Junaid Khan

In this case, we will have 3 genuine pacers, 3 genuine spinners, and one part timer in Fawad Alam if we have to bowl another couple of overs.

In case we need to strengthen our batting even more, we can replace Talha with Anwar/Bhatti.

We are good to go!

 

[pakistanigoneaussie]

1. Ahmed
2. Professor
3. Fawad
4. Akmal - wk
5. Misbah
6. Maqsood
7. Afridi
8. Bhatti /talha
9. Gul
10. Ajmal
11. Junaid

 

[Amjid Javed]

The key for tomorrow is how well our bowlers bowl against SL, In general our bowling hasnt beenup to scratch in the tourney and needs to fire and restrict SL. Even though our batting is our weaker suit i think we will be able to combat SL pretty average bowling attack.

 

[Sherlock]

I would drop Sharjeel and Maqsood.

Hafeez
Shehzad
Misbah
Akmal
Fawad
Anwar Ali
Afridi
Gul
Talha
Ajmal
Junaid

 

[Amjid Javed]

Only change i think pakistan need to make is Rehman out and junaid in and team will have a pretty balance look to it, anwar Ali for Talha maybe could be another possible option.

 

[steelo green]

Only change i think pakistan need to make is Rehman out and junaid in and team will have a pretty balance look to it, anwar Ali for Talha maybe could be another possible option.

I agree. Good batting line up, from 1-7 can bat and Gul is good for a few runs as well. Hopefully it doesn't come down to that. Shehzad and Hafeez, Akmal, Afridi are all in form. Fawad just played fantastic. We should be able to not even go near the tail as long as we bat as we can and not throw it away, we should be fine.

Anyone got a pitch reading? If it's a batting pitch, you chase.

 

[mumtaz]

Sharjeel has to sit this one out. Junaid should come back in place of Rehman. In case its a square turner, then Rehman can play instead of Talha. I would keep Gul whose bowling well with the new ball but should be kept away from death over duties.

 

[Kianig89]

As per reports Maqs out Sharjeel in Rehman out Juni in

Tail would be like this Afridi Gul Ajmal Talha Junaid

Afridi need to turn up once more

 

[Justcrazy]

Pakistan taking a big risk by Playing at number 7

In Final you should not take such a risk.

The tail is not good and too long.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Shame Rehman didn't get to bowl against BD. Despite his disastrous no balls, the pitches are suiting spinners more than seamers on these pitches. Rehman has done well for us in the past.

 

[choclate]

As per reports Maqs out Sharjeel in Rehman out Juni in

Tail would be like this Afridi Gul Ajmal Talha Junaid

Afridi need to turn up once more

thats not a bad tail- more of two bowling allrounders in the last 4- (Don't forget Gul is in a good 6 hitting stride)

 

[godzilla]

On what basis can you say Maqsood is out of form? Played a calm and needed role against India in the chase. Then got a bad decision against Bangladesh. So what message are you sending out by dropping him? On what basis can you drop him? That even if you get run out and get a bad decision the following game you will be dropped?

Batting shouldn't be played around with at all, for once after ages we are showing some consistency in batting so lets not mess up the chemistry. Youngers need to be given a long run. Even though i dont like Sharjeel at all, i believe he will be a sitting duck on Australian pitches with his non existent foot work but he deserves a fair run as well.

Id like Sharjeel to come in for Rehman. Fawad can be the 6th bowler if needed.

i agree with this, except that i would have junaid in for gul - if we really do have one of the best bowling attacks inthe world, i dont see the point in going in with six front line bowlers, go in with five and let them take the responsibility.

that team has a short tail, chances for the yougsters, two offies, a leggie, a left arm quick and a right arm quick - i think its very balanced.

1. sharjeel
2. shahzad
3. hafeez
4. alam
5. misbah
6. sohaib
7. akmal
8. afridi (the way he bats he doesnt need much support)
9. talha
10. ajmal
11. junaid

the only difficulty i see is that the batting has over the past few years always been short a man, so theyve had to bat carefully. adjusting to batting freely might not be something that comes easily.

 

[mussu-100]

I would drop Sharjeel and Maqsood.

Hafeez
Shehzad
Misbah
Akmal
Fawad
Anwar Ali
Afridi
Gul
Talha
Ajmal
Junaid

Anwar at 4 down?

 

[Sadevdesai]

I would rate SL slightly ahead .... Just slightly, since they have won all the games in the tournament. This by no means says that we cannot win .... mind you. If Afridi fires .... no way SL can survive, no matter who bats first. I am sure they have cooked up a plan for Afridi already. I am also sure that are not going to disregard the rest of our batsmen. If Sanga bats well for them, then we a situation to ponder. Hope Umpiring does not affect the outcome ..... that would be a real pits !!!! I am nervous .... as usual ... after what happened to our U19 guys. Something tells me though, we will somehow get over the line.

 

[shehzi]

@SYahyaHussaini

Asia Cup Final:Abdur Rehamn doesn't have a chance people think. But he might play if Afridi doesn't.

 

[shehzi]

@SYahyaHussaini

Asia Cup Final:It is still not known whether BOOM BOOM Shahid Afridi is playing or not.

 

[hadi123]

why do people not want Maqsood in? Only on sunday against the arch rivals in a pressure situation he scored 38 runs. I would bring Junaid Khan in for Rehman. I might drop/rest gul for bhatti if gul isn't 100% fit. I think SL should persist with priyanjan instead of chandimal who is out of form. I would bring back Malinga for thisara perera. If pakistan win tomorrow (hopefully) it will be 3 out 3 asia cups win hosted in bangldaesh

 

[CalculatedRisk]

Maqsood played a critical knock of almost 40 against India that got us into the match. His partnership was crucial. He was unfairly given out against Bangladesh.

 

[Mo_Ahmed84]

Would people rather we defend a total or chase one down? We have won our last 2 matches while chasing although both required an Afridi special

 

[Aman]

I would drop Sharjeel and Maqsood.

Hafeez
Shehzad
Misbah
Akmal
Fawad
Anwar Ali
Afridi
Gul
Talha
Ajmal
Junaid

Anwar for Maqsood?..

 

[BlackThunder]

Umar Gul will be literary eaten alive by the Lankan "lions" (hard to associate lions with Lanka) and Ajmal will be treated like a school kid by the troll Sanga and Mathews. Despite all this it will be a close finish with Pakistan choking at the end.

p.s If Mahela is playing he will get quite a few runs.

Sanga

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QanLXdnYo8w

 

[Anfield]

My gut says Pak will win!

 

[Justcrazy]

I would have played Anwar Ali for sure , to provide more dept in batting.

As it is pakistan have too many bowling options , look at Lanka they bat till number 9.

 

[thivakar]

Last time Sri Lanka won a final it was against Pakistan in Canada

In a tournament where Sri Lanka almost choked to Canada. At one point Canada had 5-6 wickets or something needing 20 runs of 22 balls or something like that.

 

[JibranAnsari]

Sharjeel
Shehzad
Hafeez
Misbah
Umar
Maqsood
Afridi
Bhatti/talha
Ajmal
Junaid
Gul

 

[AZ]

As per reports Maqs out Sharjeel in Rehman out Juni in

Tail would be like this Afridi Gul Ajmal Talha Junaid

Afridi need to turn up once more

I agree with this lineup to be honest, Sharjeel's quickfire 20-30 at the top could make the difference.

Sohaib has looked very poor at the crease and in the outfield in this tournament.

 

[Kiri]

Hello everyone. Good news is one time has to lose.

 

[LegendInzi]

Sharjeel over Sohaib? On what basis do you drop Maqsood? Looking scratchy is a criteria? He contrived a match-winning partnership against India and then was unfairly dismissed in Bangladesh game.

What promise exactly has Sharjeel Khan showed that he warrants a heroic comeback right into the winning combination returning from injury?