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*Official* Group A General Discussion

pup11

International Coach
Pakistan for me could spoil the party for a few teams in the knock-out phase but I just don't see enough discipline in their batting line-up to consistently put up decent runs on the board against good sides.

Younis and Misbah have brought a certain amount of improvement in that area, but still Pakistani line-up is full of hit or miss sort of players who on their day might prove too much for any opposition but can't see them making through all the three knock-out games.
 

salman85

International Debutant
The point about consistency gets thrown around a lot,but what needs to be kept in mind is that you don't need to be consistent for the whole tournament.You can afford a couple of losses in the group stage,and still make it to the last 8.In Reality,you can afford to be inconsistent in the group stages,and only need to be consistent for the next 3 games to win the tournament.

Works perfectly for a team relying on short bursts of form like Pakistan.
 

pup11

International Coach
The point about consistency gets thrown around a lot,but what needs to be kept in mind is that you don't need to be consistent for the whole tournament.You can afford a couple of losses in the group stage,and still make it to the last 8.In Reality,you can afford to be inconsistent in the group stages,and only need to be consistent for the next 3 games to win the tournament.

Works perfectly for a team relying on short bursts of form like Pakistan.
Yeah that's the point isn't it, you gotta win three games in a row during the knock-out phase so therefore you would need certain amount of consistentcy and luck for that, Pakistan is a such a hot & cold side that there form keeps fluctuating from one game to the other and during the knock-out that could hurt them.
 

straw man

Hall of Fame Member
Well, I've plotted New Zealand's path to winning the World Cup. Nostradamus has spoken - these are the nine no-nonsense guaranteed steps to World Cup glory. Place your bets now. Doubters be warned.

Step 1) Beat Kenya.
Step 2) Do the expected thing and lose to Australia. Do not under any circumstances beat Australia, as this will cause teams to mentally move NZ from 'speed bump' to 'possible threat'. It's important not to peak early.
Step 3) Tactical loss to Zimbabwe, confirming to everyone that New Zealand are a bunch of complete no-hopers with no chance whatsoever in the tournament.
Step 4) Batsmen get themselves into form with a confidence boosting 320 batting first against Pakistan. Then bowlers bowl half volleys and half-trackers to Abdul Razzaq and Shahid Afridi as Pakistan get there in 37 overs.
Step 5) Manage to beat Canada comfortably, despite John Davison scoring a quick 70 from 40 balls.
Step 6) Narrowly beat an understrength Sri Lanka (who have already qualified) and sneak into the quarter finals on net run rate.
Step 7) Somehow end up playing the West Indies in the quarter finals. They have one of their off days and self destruct batting first. NZ limp to 153/6 in entirely unconvincing fashion and take the match.
Step 8) Play South Africa in the semi final. They enter the match as overwhelming favourites and do what South Africa does best.
Step 9) The Indian papers have already printed their celebratory headlines for the next day. But MS Dhoni has a nervous breakdown under the pressure while NZ play out of skins and beat India in the final. The stars align... This is just going to be the 1-in-20 day when everything goes right.

<Picture of Vettori holding up the trophy>
 
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smash84

The Tiger King
Yeah that's the point isn't it, you gotta win three games in a row during the knock-out phase so therefore you would need certain amount of consistentcy and luck for that, Pakistan is a such a hot & cold side that there form keeps fluctuating from one game to the other and during the knock-out that could hurt them.
AWTA

Well, I've plotted New Zealand's path to winning the World Cup. Nostradamus has spoken - these are the nine no-nonsense guaranteed steps to World Cup glory. Place your bets now.

Step 1) Beat Kenya.
Step 2) Do the expected thing and lose to Australia. Do not under any circumstances beat Australia, as this will cause teams to mentally move NZ from 'speed bump' to 'possible threat'.
Step 3) Tactical loss to Zimbabwe, confirming to everyone that New Zealand are a bunch of complete no-hopers with no chance whatsoever in the tournament.
Step 4) Batsmen get themselves into form with a confidence boosting 320 batting first against Pakistan. Then bowlers bowl half volleys and half-trackers to Abdul Razzaq and Shahid Afridi as Pakistan get there in 37 overs.
Step 5) Manage to beat Canada comfortably, despite John Davison scoring a quick 70 from 40 balls.
Step 6) Narrowly beat an understrength Sri Lanka (who have already qualified) and sneak into the quarter finals on net run rate.
Step 7) Somehow end up playing the West Indies in the quarter finals. They have one of their off days and self destruct batting first. NZ limp to 153/6 in entirely unconvincing fashion and take the match.
Step 8) Play South Africa in the semi final. They enter the match as overwhelming favourites and do what South Africa does best.
Step 9) The Indian papers have already printed their celebratory headlines for the next day. But MS Dhoni has a nervous breakdown under the pressure while NZ play out of skins and beat India in the final. The stars align... This is just going to be the 1-in-20 day when everything goes right.

<Picture of Vettori holding up the trophy>
:laugh:

awesome post..........
 

Bahnz

Hall of Fame Member
Well, I've plotted New Zealand's path to winning the World Cup. Nostradamus has spoken - these are the nine no-nonsense guaranteed steps to World Cup glory. Place your bets now. Doubters be warned.

Step 1) Beat Kenya.
Step 2) Do the expected thing and lose to Australia. Do not under any circumstances beat Australia, as this will cause teams to mentally move NZ from 'speed bump' to 'possible threat'. It's important not to peak early.
Step 3) Tactical loss to Zimbabwe, confirming to everyone that New Zealand are a bunch of complete no-hopers with no chance whatsoever in the tournament.
Step 4) Batsmen get themselves into form with a confidence boosting 320 batting first against Pakistan. Then bowlers bowl half volleys and half-trackers to Abdul Razzaq and Shahid Afridi as Pakistan get there in 37 overs.
Step 5) Manage to beat Canada comfortably, despite John Davison scoring a quick 70 from 40 balls.
Step 6) Narrowly beat an understrength Sri Lanka (who have already qualified) and sneak into the quarter finals on net run rate.
Step 7) Somehow end up playing the West Indies in the quarter finals. They have one of their off days and self destruct batting first. NZ limp to 153/6 in entirely unconvincing fashion and take the match.
Step 8) Play South Africa in the semi final. They enter the match as overwhelming favourites and do what South Africa does best.
Step 9) The Indian papers have already printed their celebratory headlines for the next day. But MS Dhoni has a nervous breakdown under the pressure while NZ play out of skins and beat India in the final. The stars align... This is just going to be the 1-in-20 day when everything goes right.

<Picture of Vettori holding up the trophy>
:laugh::laugh:

My personal vision of the final is that India will pile up 398 batting first, but that Jesse, furious at being ignored during the 1st round of IPL bidding, and tetchy from nearly 2 months without a drink, blasts a 180 to get New Zealand on track. With the score on 320/3 after 40, he's sweated off so much weight that he gets tangled up in his own, now oversized, gear going for a quick single and gets run out. After his dismissal, we lose wickets steadily and with one ball to go are 394/9. Chris Martin (flown in due to a horror run of injuries to every competent ODI bowler in the country) then comes out and french cuts Zaheer for a 6 to win the tournament.
 
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