Jacques Kallis 2015

Jacques Kallis will be hoping for an Imran Khan moment in 2015 aka 1992. 

Playing his fifth World Cup
World class all round performer
The World Cup is downunder
Finally hoping to add it to his medal

Misbah's ODI Record vs West Indies

Misbah has 9 half centuries in 15 innings against the West Indies.
Only one of those have come in defeat, that by 2 wickets too only.
96* last time he played against them in a world tournament.

Next game
21st February
Venue: Christchurch in NZ
Day Game

Prediction: Misbah MOM

England vs Scotland

England and Scotland are meeting in a one day international today. Both teams will also meet in the 2015 Cricket World Cup. They are in the same group. England lost their last international game against the Dutch in the ICC World Twenty20 which should warn them against any possible degree of complacency. England have had their fair share of struggles against minor teams, losing to both Ireland and Bangladesh in the last ODI World Cup, despite defeating South Africa, West Indies and managing to tie against India in the same competition. 

7th February

Waqar Younis coming back as coach according to reports for a second stint while Misbah is captain. That's how long Misbah has been in the job! Others are coming back after a 2.5 year gap, yet he is still here.

Misbah and Waqar were together for 7 Tests as Captain-Coach.
Won 3.
Lost 1.
Drawn 3.

In limited overs:
Won 7 out of 7.

Waqar may not be the greatest coach in the word, but he enjoys working with Misbah and thinks highly of him.

https://www.facebook.com/king.MUH/posts/659182674127435

Waqar's Reappointment

Wrong decision because:

1) During his era the spot fixing scandal happened

2) During his era Zuqlarnain's mysterious disappearance happened

3) During his era some criticised his conservative tactics, especially in WC11

4) During his era he had a fall out with a number of senior players

5) He himself resigned without completing his full contract and resigned because doctors advised him he was not medically fit to carry out a pressure job

6) He has done his time, had his chance

7) Just wants to be part of World Cups. Appointed in 2010, WC in 2011. Appointed in 2014, WC in 2015. Glory hunting? Will be resign again afterwards?

8) His overall record wasn't extraordinary as the head coach, although with Misbah it was in the second half of his tenure

Positives though:

1) Forms a strong positive bond with Misbah ul Haq when they work together as captain-coach

2) Will be able to work well with the bowling stocks being the great fast bowler he was

3) World Cup in Australia and he knows the grounds and conditions better than most there, being a Sydney resident

Prefer him over Moin, overall can't see the logic behind appointing someone who resigned himself under three years ago and someone who is blatantly glory hunting with the World Cup in mind. I don't believe in second chances in a leadership position unless someone did an interim job, was removed unjustly or comes back after a lengthy gap with different personnel around, not when he himself resigned like Waqar did. 

Waqar in Leadership Positions at World Cups for Pakistan 

2003 Captain

2011 Coach

2015 Coach

All in tournaments where 14 teams played in it.

4th March 2013

Geoff Boycott last played a first class match at 45 years of age

Stop complaining about Misbah's age

Gooch played at 41 for England
Imran Khan played at 39
The oldest player to play for Pakistan was 47 at last appearance

Mark Ramprakash retired from first class recently just shy of his 43th birthday

Sanath played his last game at 41 for Sri Lanka.

Brad Hogg played for Australia at 41 in World T20

Shane Warne has been playing in the BBL at 43

The difference in age between Misbah and Afridi/Razzaq/Ajmal/Younis is very small. Unlike Misbah, the rest have unreliable ages. The ones who come from an academic background like Misbah usually have accurate ones.

Misbah is turning 39 soon, but he is a batsman and not a wicket keeper or fast bowler, making age less of an issue. Get over it. If he does play the 2015 World Cup, he will only be 40 in February/March 2015. I wouldn't put it past him.

https://www.facebook.com/king.MUH/posts/508814969164207

Should Shahid Afridi be part of Pakistan’s 2015 World Cup team?

On any other page, this post will not be read. It will be a very unpopular post. But on this page, there might be more agreement I expect. Sensitive topic. 

Should Shahid Afridi be part of Pakistan’s 2015 World Cup team? Here is why not. This is not what will happen, but what should happen. 

Not a knee jerk reaction. After 2012 World T20, I felt that was the time, to call time on his career. He performed atrociously; his long term conduct was an issue hanging over his selection and with an eye on England’s Champions Trophy in 2013 and Australia/New Zealand 2015, the team composition looked stronger without him in such conditions with a superior batsman in the top 7 in conditions where the top order was going to be exposed, requiring more depth in batting.

Instead, it’s been a cycle of him coming back into the team after being dropped twice for the India series in early 2013 and the Champions Trophy that summer, despite no performance of note in domestic cricket to earn a recall. Not to mention, the drama of his conditional retirement in the summer of 2011 after being removed and replaced from captaincy on disciplinary grounds. He was unwilling to play under Misbah initially.

Can you afford 3 spinners in Australia and New Zealand? Not the usual thing to do.

Ajmal is a strike bowlers, obviously gets in. Hafeez is a number 1 ranked ODI all rounder recently, must pick. Where does that leave Afridi?

Selecting both Hafeez and Afridi in the top 7 is badly upsetting the team balance which was exposed in the 4-1 series defeat to South Africa. Both are liabilities with the bat, more so Afridi of course, because of his reckless style. Can you afford 2 weak links in the top 7 in an already vulnerable batting line up, especially in those conditions? Hafeez struggles against top class bowling sides when it’s moving around. That’s already one liability you are accommodating and have to accommodate. Can you afford another one?

Afridi always disappoints with the bat in World Cups. He has never scored a World Cup half century. Never fired on the big stage of 50 over cricket. His World Cup average is 12 from four tournaments. In Champions Trophy, it's 15 from five tournaments so not fired on the 2nd biggest either.

He has performed recently with the bat after a long string of failures, but that’s in Asian conditions on short boundaries where he has destroyed some spinners. Won't be as easy in Australia.

His fitness is a concern as seen in Asia Cup. His bowling has lost its venom. He has already played four World Cups. This one is one too far if he gets selected.

Also, Afridi's bowling needs scoreboard pressure to be effective. He need batsmen to be chasing 5 an over+. He is not the type who can get wickets when batsmen can play the waiting game. That's why he has not got many wickets in test cricket. With Pakistan's batting being a 160-240 type, you need a more attacking bowling option. Hafeez is already a containing option.

And with Waqar likely to return as head coach, he will obviously feel more comfortable without Afridi’s presence after the events of 2011. They didn't get on.

Analysing Pakistan's Chances

Strengths

Leadership
Misbah's batting
Tournament format 
Holders last time it was held there

Weaknesses

Preparation
Conditions
Lack of experience in those conditions
Tough group

India - trying to achieve a Spain?

Spain in Football

2008 = Euro
2010 = World Cup
2012 = Euro

India in Cricket

2011 = World Cup
2013 = Champions Trophy
2015 = World Cup?

12 Years Since 92 Final Teams Been Matched at the World Cup

England and Pakistan have not met at the World Cup since 2003. Anderson was swinging it miles. Announced himself. Doubt they will meet here.

Structure

First time the World Cup has had the same format as the previous edition since the 80s
ICC have been fiddling around

1992, 1999

Both World Cups that Pakistan played the final were played after an odd gap

5 years - 1992
3 years - 1999

Teams that have Lost 2 Semis in a Row

New Zealand = 1975, 1979
New Zealand = 2007, 2011
Pakistan = 1979, 1983
Pakistan = 1983, 1987

Asian Dominance in White Ball Cricket

1992-2011

There has been an Asian team in the final of all White Ball World Cups

India and Sri Lanka even played an all Asian final in 2011

14 Teams

It will be the third time the Cricket World Cup is a 14 team event
2003
2011
2015

First time the same number of teams as previous competition since 1999

West Indies 2015

Last time they play a semi = 1996
Last time they played a final = 1983
Last time they won one = 1979

Motivation for Lehman and Clarke

If Australia go all the way on home soil they will become the first team to win the WC in all cricket playing continents.

Europe
Asia
Africa
North America
Oceania

SRT

Sachin has won 3 World Cup man of the match awards against Pakistan
Adelaide 2015 will be the first IndvPak World Cup without him
He has a 100% record of experiencing wins against Pakistan at the World Cup
Five out of Five (all the IndiavPakistan WC games 1992-2011)
Will fortunes change with his absence for the men in green?

Note

All of Pakistan's pool matches are on the weekend barring the 4th game against the UAE. 

More

http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/showpost.php?p=6269564&postcount=128

http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/showpost.php?p=6269567&postcount=129

http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/showpost.php?p=6269574&postcount=130