*Official* Emerging Nations Cricket Thread

[cnerd123]

It's NZ's domestic season too, I don't think it's that easy to host an international tournament involving 14 teams in a country where most of the grounds and resources are being used by their domestic leagues.

And it's not just grounds - it's accommodation for people involved, logistics for broadcasting and travelling around. IDK about NZ, but I do know that UAE is pretty excellent for all of that. It's a great place to host big events. And it helps that the ICC is located in the UAE too - much more convenient for them.

 

[Briggs]

I think this tournament could have been better if they had hosted matches in Sharjah instead of SZS. The conditions there are much more exciting for T20 cricket than SZ.

 

[cnerd123]

Poor batting effort. Going to need something special with the ball.

Sucks so much to lose so many key players before a tournament like this. I tired to make an XI of cricketers who could still be playing for HK right now, but aren't for various reasons. I got ten names:

Anshuman Rath* (left for India)
Chris Carter+ (retired to be pilot)
Babar Hayat (withdrawn)
Mark Chapman (left for NZ)
Irfan Ahmed (banned)
Tanwir Afzaal (withdrawn)
Ehsan Nawaz (withdrawn)
Nadeem Ahmed (banned)
Tanveer Ahmed (withdrawn)
Haseeb Amjad (banned)

The current squad is young and mostly home-grown, which is good, but how on Earth are we going to keep them and develop them until the next big opportunity like this comes along?

The bright side for HK right now is that their two toughest games came up first. Both Oman and Ireland are amongst the favourites to make the next stage. Not great to start with two losses, as it puts them under pressure, but they can expect easier games to come and can hopefully build some momentum going towards the end of this tournament. Just need to finish in the Top 4, and then all you have to do is win one more game from there.

Add in Jamie Atkinson - who misses tournaments like these due to his teaching commitments, but who would definitely be in the XI if available.

So yea, a whole XI of talented non-retired players who aren't playing for HK anymore due to various reasons. Sad stuff.

 

[Daemon]

They could have had the tournament in NZ? There are plenty of small grounds there and that supports T20 cricket as well and even similar conditions to Australia. No one is asking them to host the matches in Eden Park and other big stadiums. Do it just like the U19 WC. Show few matches per day on TV and have live stream for other matches. At least it wouldn't be as boring as the matches in SZS which we have seen in this tournament.

Why can't they just bring the boundaries in

 

[Briggs]

I know a player who used to be quite popular among Pak domestic and is currently playing in HK: Yasim Murtaza. I wonder why he doesn't get picked by HK? A tailor-made player for such conditions. From what I have seen HK dont have any player in their team who can hit the ball for long and spinners are average too.

 

[Briggs]

Kenya on the other hand absolutely hammering Bermuda.

 

[cnerd123]

I know a player who used to be quite popular among Pak domestic and is currently playing in HK: Yasim Murtaza. I wonder why he doesn't get picked by HK? A tailor-made player for such conditions. From what I have seen HK dont have any player in their team who can hit the ball for long and spinners are average too.

He hasn't met the qualification criteria yet.

Him and Zeeshan Ali have been two of the best players in our club cricket for a couple of years now. Played for HK 'A' in an unofficial tri-series against PNG last year. I'm sure they'll be in the setup once they qualify.

 

[cnerd123]

Why can't they just bring the boundaries in

It's all a conspiracy to screw us over IMO. They know HK players aren't used to boundaries more than 65m long.

UAE hitting some massive sixes here. They clearly have no issues with these boundaries.

 

[Briggs]

Why can't they just bring the boundaries in

Actually that's what they should do. T20 is all about hitting boundaries and quick cricket, Anyone who disagrees can argue with their mom. I have seen Nigeria team and most of their players are U19 and cant hit long balls so its unfair on them to have such long boundaries while teams like UAE are filled with expats from Pakistan.

 

[cnerd123]

Aren't the boundaries supposed to be massive in Australia anyways? Perhaps they're just trying to recreate that to benefit the players.

In any case, UAE are showing the boundaries and the pitches aren't the problem here. Heck even Kinchit Shah made the ground seem fine during his 79 against Ireland. HK's batting just not good enough to score at more than 6 RPO consistently in these conditions. And that will happen when you lose two of your best batsmen on the eve of the tournament.

 

[cnerd123]

Actually that's what they should do. T20 is all about hitting boundaries and quick cricket, Anyone who disagrees can argue with their mom. I have seen Nigeria team and most of their players are U19 and cant hit long balls so its unfair on them to have such long boundaries while teams like UAE are filled with expats from Pakistan.

UAE as a country is filled with expats from Pakistan mate.

 

[Daemon]

How are the playoffs structured for this tournament?

 

[Daemon]

Can a mod just create a new thread and merge all the posts from the past few days into it

 

[Briggs]

UAE as a country is filled with expats from Pakistan mate.

Most of them who have families there and been born and raised there. Why not select them? Why is it important to select only SC domestic rejects. Chirag Suri who has IPL experience didn't use to get selected for a while just because he was too young for UAE even though he was playing in IPL then. Rohit Singh, Alawi Shukri, Yodhin Punja etc where are these players? Why is it that only oldies from Pakistan are going to get selected. Ahmed Raza is currently the only player who has been born in UAE in the team.

 

[cnerd123]

How are the playoffs structured for this tournament?

1st in each group goes straight to semi-finals and WorldT20.
2nd vs 3rd in each group for the second semi-finalists, and the 3rd and 4th spots in the WorldT20.
Loser of 2nd vs 3rd plays the 4th placed in the group for the 5th and 6th spots in the WorldT20.

So basically you need to finish in the Top 4 out of 7 in your group to be in with a shot at making the WorldT20s.

HK not likely to finish there given we've lost 3/3 atm. Need wins over Jersey, Canada and Nigeria now. Before you'd back HK to be favorites in all 3 games, but now I'm not so sure. They're going to be lacking confidence too after this start to the tournament.

 

[cnerd123]

Most of them who have families there and been born and raised there. Why not select them? Why is it important to select only SC domestic rejects. Chirag Suri who has IPL experience didn't use to get selected for a while just because he was too young for UAE even though he was playing in IPL then. Rohit Singh, Alawi Shukri, Yodhin Punja etc where are these players? Why is it that only oldies from Pakistan are going to get selected. Ahmed Raza is currently the only player who has been born in UAE in the team.

presumably they don't get picked because they aren't good enough.

 

[Briggs]

presumably they don't get picked because they aren't good enough.

They are not gonna get any better if your club cricket is dominated by the same expats. Why should someone waste their time doing something for which they know they won't get any opportunities?

 

[Magrat Garlick]

How are the playoffs structured for this tournament?

not sure why quarterfinals are labeled repechage and the repechages named losers playoffs, but the graph is sound

 

[Briggs]

First ever 16 team T20 WC without HK. Which means there will be at least 2 new teams in the tournament and 3 new qualifiers.

 

[cnerd123]

They are not gonna get any better if your club cricket is dominated by the same expats. Why should someone waste their time doing something for which they know they won't get any opportunities?

didn't you just suggest HK go and pick Yasim Murtaza - a Pakistani FC cricketer who has just moved to the country 2-3 years ago - at the expense of their local home grown talent?