*Official* Match 10 - Sri Lanka v Pakistan

[Migara]

Herath has played all of 11 ODIs in his career. What exactly are you basing his form on?

The last ODI series against WI and in the provincial tournament Herath looked like the real deal, while Murali struggled. I'd play murali against all the other teams, but just take that one odd risk against Pakistan playing Herath against them. He has a good history of bowling well to Pakistan.

 

[Migara]

Kulasekera I thought bowled very well in his last few matches, including the tour games. But I agree Perera is the one to really look out for. In ODIs, I genuinely think he's among the best seam bowling allrounders in the world.

Kulasekara was good on non-SC wickets. In SC his figures are ordinary in last year.

 

[Howe_zat]

Tharanga has been getting stuck in the powerplay time and time again, and kills the momentum. He cannot play big shots and couldn't rotate the strike too. On the other hand Mahela is Willing to open the innings.

If Tharanga could neither score boundaries nor singles he wouldn't have so many runs behind him. It's easy to criticise a batsman for slow scoring if he routinely doesn't survive the first 10 overs, but clearly he typically does go on if he gets a start behind him. Dilshan will look to attack from the off so it's a good idea to have one opener being more becalmed.

I'm not saying he's one of the best out there, he's not. But I think he's an experienced international batsman with a good record and has a recent ODI century. That's nothing to sneeze at. They don't come along very often.

 

[Himannv]

You are only saying that because he is in our draft team.

 

[Howe_zat]

Blaze, your draft team is being used as the standard indicator of who to drop. Sorry but it's true.

Perera is the one to really look out for. In ODIs, I genuinely think he's among the best seam bowling allrounders in the world.

I also definately do not have Perera in my draft team.

 

[Himannv]

If Tharanga could neither score boundaries nor singles he wouldn't have so many runs behind him. It's easy to criticise a batsman for slow scoring if he routinely doesn't survive the first 10 overs, but clearly he typically does go on if he gets a start behind him. Dilshan will look to attack from the off so it's a good idea to have one opener being more becalmed.

I'm not saying he's one of the best out there, he's not. But I think he's an experienced international batsman with a good record and has a recent ODI century. That's nothing to sneeze at. They don't come along very often.

Thranga has never been too great at rotating the strike. He generally scores his runs by capitalising on the powerplay restrictions. He's quite useful when the ball is coming onto the bat without doing too much. Considering the pitch we're likely to play on, he's probably worth playing. Having said that, he's unlikely to be a good bet on other types of pitches and conditions. Very likely he'll struggle on those pitches where the ball isn't really coming on and those which have movement for the quicks.

All things considered, Mahela would be a good choice as opener which gives us an extra batting slot for the likes of Chandimal. Selectors messed up by not grooming Chandimal and Jeevan Mendis for this World Cup IMO.

 

[Migara]

Still grooming makes no difference. It's who gives the best BJ. They dropped Randiv after grooming him for ne year.

 

[smash84]

Sri Lanka to win despite a Misbah hundred under pressure and a few ill timed wickets from Shoaib..

I wonder if Pakistan will play Junaid Khan or Wahab Riaz tomorrow. I think it's a waste to play two specialist spinners when you've got several reasonably good part-timers in the side, especially against a side that plays spin bowling quite well.

I agree. They should pick only one of Abdur Rehman or Ajmal. An attack of Akhtar, Gul, one of Riaz or Khan looks formidable. With Riaz they get some batting down to number 9 since Abdur Rehman can slog a few good ones too. Abdur Razzaq gives them hitting power too but the batting is still weak.

I would say that the teams are much closer than what the poll suggests. I voted for SL because Pakistan have a weak batting line-up. The bowling looks good on paper.

 

[Himannv]

It's who gives the best BJ.

Agree about Randiv. Team would have been much stronger with him in it.

 

[smash84]

. It's who gives the best BJ. T

I hope you were not in the squad

 

[Blaze 18]

I would say that the teams are much closer than what the poll suggests. I voted for SL because Pakistan have a weak batting line-up. The bowling looks good on paper.

That is for sure. Like I said before the start of the tournament, Pakistan are being massively underrated.

 

[Xuhaib]

Pakistan are rated just about right noway near favourites but if one of the unfancied teams you want to put your money on Pakistan should be your horse.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

My team for this match would be

Ahmad Shehzad
Kamran Akmal
Younis Khan
Misbah ul haq
Umar Akmal
Shahid Afridi
Abdul Razzaq
Abdur Rahman
Umar Gul
Wahab Riaz/Junaid Khan
Shoaib Akhtar

I think Pak should go with their strength and go with the 3 specialist fast bowlers and a specialist spinner in Rahman. Ajmal is starting to be predictable and relies too much on the doosra. Rahman is also a much better batsman and fielder than Ajmal. Hafiz shouldn't play because he is always a walking wicket and if the whole team collapses, an additional batsmen isn't really going to help. This team also allows Razzaq to move one up the order so that he can contribute.

 

[Xuhaib]

jeetay ga bhai jeetay ga Pakistan jeetay ga.

 

[Lostman]

My line up would be: MJ, Dilshan, Sangakkara, Samaraweera, Silva, Mathews, Perera, Kulasekara, Herath, Malinga, Fernando.
Fernando has been doing well lately, and his venomous pace will be useful against players like Akmals and Afridis.

i literally LMAO, I know you like Fernando but I cringe every time I see him in the playing XI.
SL's version of Ajit Agarkar, utterly crap player that keeps getting selected for close to a decade.

And there is no way that Murali gets dropped either.
The XI i would like to see;
Tharanga, Dilshan, Sangakkara, MJ, Samaraweera,Mathews, Perera, Kulasekera, Malinga, Murali, Herath.

Ideally no Tharanga either, but with the selected squad this is the best we got.

 

[Lostman]

Thranga has never been too great at rotating the strike. He generally scores his runs by capitalising on the powerplay restrictions.

All things considered, Mahela would be a good choice as opener which gives us an extra batting slot for the likes of Chandimal. Selectors messed up by not grooming Chandimal and Jeevan Mendis for this World Cup IMO.

Thats being really generous to Tharanga, even in the PP his "boundary shots" include edges and slices to third man. Has no real leg side play to speak of either.

Completely agree with Mahela opening, could possibly have Silva in the middle order then.

 

[Howe_zat]

I for one am fascinated how Tharanga manages to score hundreds without any shots. Sounds like a valuable skill to me. At least keep him in the team for investigative purposes.

 

[Lostman]

I for one am fascinated how Tharanga manages to score hundreds without any shots. Sounds like a valuable skill to me. At least keep him in the team for investigative purposes.

^ that was good

 

[yours]

Agree, I'm finding it really hard to pick a winner. Pakistan will have to bat better at the top than they did against Kenya.

Pakistan will win Dont worry.

 

[Prad100w]

I for one am fascinated how Tharanga manages to score hundreds without any shots. Sounds like a valuable skill to me. At least keep him in the team for investigative purposes.

Gem!!!!