*Official* Match 17 - Canada v Pakistan

[James]

Canada v Pakistan
Thu Mar 3
R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
09:00 GMT | 14:30 local | 20:00 EST | 19:30 CST | 17:00 WST

Canada Squad

Ashish Bagai (captain/keeper), Rizwan Cheema, Harvir Baidwan, Balaji Rao, John Davison, Parth Desai, Tyson Gordon, Ruvindu Gunasekera, Jimmy Hansra, Khurram Chohan, Nitish Kumar, Henry Osinde, Hiral Patel, Zubin Surkari, Karl Whatham, Hamza Tariq

Pakistan Squad

Shahid Afridi (captain), Misbah-ul-Haq, Abdul Razzaq, Abdur Rehman, Ahmed Shehzad, Asad Shafiq, Junaid Khan, Kamran Akmal (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Hafeez, Saeed Ajmal, Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Akmal (wicketkeeper), Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Younis Khan

[salman85]

Expect to see a lot of changes.Maybe Shoaib and Gul will be rested to give Wahab and Junaid Khan a game.I'm pretty sure Ajmal will come in for Rehman,and hopefully he can put in a great performance.Also,i'd like to see Asad Shafique get a game,but i really don't know who he should replace.Dropping Misbah and Younis is out of the question,so maybe drop Shahzad,move Kamran up to open the innings,and leave the no.3 spot for Asad.

[Howe_zat]

While I think Riaz especially deserves a game and Akhtar likely needs a rest, I'd be disappointed to see Pakistan make all those changes. I know Canada have been awful but come on, it's still a World Cup game.

[salman85]

I agree with that,but this is going to be the only game in the tournament where they can try out the bench.Shoaib should definitley be rested so he is fresh for the game after this.The other 2 can be avoided though,but i don't see that happening.

[Agent Nationaux]

I think Pakistan will go with the following team

Hafiz
Shehzad
Kamran
Younis
Shafiq
Umar
Afridi
Razzaq
Ajmal
Wahab
Junaid

Misbah and Abdul Rahman will be rested because they have minor injuries (nothing to worry about, they will be OK by the next match).

Akhtar needs to be rested and so should be replaced by Junaid Khan. I think they will also replace Gul with Wahab.

[Blaze 18]

Misbah-ul-Haq and Shoaib Akhtar are likely to be rested according to cricinfo. Do they really need the rest, though ? There is quite a lengthy break between games for all teams. If the said players are carrying niggles, then I guess it's fair enough.

[Fusion]

Originally Posted by Blaze 18

Misbah-ul-Haq and Shoaib Akhtar are likely to be rested according to cricinfo. Do they really need the rest, though ? There is quite a lengthy break between games for all teams. If the said players are carrying niggles, then I guess it's fair enough.

Misbah is resting an injury. Not sure about Shoaib though.

[salman85]

It's better not to risk Shoaib for this game.He has regained fitness,and should be given a rest whenever possible.There is always that hint of danger that he might collapse when you overplay him.

[Agent Nationaux]

Originally Posted by salman85

It's better not to risk Shoaib for this game.He has regained fitness,and should be given a rest whenever possible.There is always that hint of danger that he might collapse when you overplay him.

This is what I think, but the problem is that he could lose all that momentum from the Sri Lankan game if we rest him.

[Blaze 18]

Originally Posted by salman85

It's better not to risk Shoaib for this game.He has regained fitness,and should be given a rest whenever possible.There is always that hint of danger that he might collapse when you overplay him.

They are only playing a game every four-five days aren't they ?

[Turbinator]

Can Canada pull an Ireland?

[Blaze 18]

Nah. Pakistan's bowling attack is much better than England's, and Canada don't have the batsmen to pull off a decent chase (or set a good total). The only thing I am looking forward to is the possible Rizwan Cheema-Shoaib Akhtar battle. When the two sides last met in an international match, Rizwan made good on his promise to hit Akhtar for a six (I read this somewhere; haven't checked if it is true).

[Dhoni_fan]

Just hoping Canada can give a better showing than they have so far, I know how much work they are putting in back home and how hard they are trying the results have not been suggesting that, although the performance against England in the warm up game was encouraging!

[smalishah84]

lol.........Canada favorites so far

[salman85]

Originally Posted by Blaze 18

They are only playing a game every four-five days aren't they ?

Yeah.But Shoaib's fitness history is shambolic.No point in taking even the slightest of risk on him.