Team Review – Pakistan

Batting

Strengths –
The batting revolves around Misbah and Younis Khan though they may be a bit slow. Players like Afridi and Razzaq have snatched victories from the jaws of defeats a number of times. Youngsters like Hafeez and Umer Akmal also display a lot of talent and class.

Weakness –
Inconsistency is the biggest problem of this batting line-up. Also M. Yousuf and Shoaib Malik have not been picked, they have been prolific on the sub continent tracks in the past.

Rating – 5.5/10

Bowling

Strengths –
Umar Gul and Wahab Riyaz can bowl quick, can swing the ball and reverse swing it too at pace. Afridi, Ajmal can be pretty deceptive on spin friendly wickets.

Weakness –
Absence of Asif and Amir will be the biggest weakness.

Rating – 6/10

Fielding

Strengths –
Umar Akmal and Shahid Afridi seem to be the only bright spots to me.

Weakness –
Probably the weakest fielding team among all the test playing nations and even their keeper, Kamran Akmal is the worst of them all.

Rating – 3.5/10

Overall Summary

As always, the team enters a big tournament with a list of problems – No captain, match fixing shadows, senior players dropped, ball tempering allegations, no matches on the home soil… But as they have so often done in the past, proved everyone wrong… Can they do it again??

Rating – 4.5/10

Team Review – Australia

Starting today I will review all the main teams in the lead up to the Icc Cricket World Cup, Lets start with last years champions Australia.


Batting

Strengths – Shane Watson at the top of the order can win matches on his own. The middle order of White and Hussey brothers are in form and are excellent finishers. The experience of Ponting and Clarke might be crucial for them to succeed.

Weakness – The batting is plagued by injuries to Ponting and M. Hussey. Also the form of Clarke and Ponting has been woeful recently. So it will be interesting to see if the injured players can get to the park fully fit and also if Ponting and Clarke can get themselves some runs and leave their bad form behind. As things stand, the team depends too much on Watson and White presently.

Rating – 6/10

Bowling

Strengths – They have opted for raw pace in Lee, Tait and Johnson. Bollinger can be very effective with his variations on the sub-continental tracks. But the major strength is that they all can reverse swing the ball at great pace.

Weakness – the pace of Lee, Tait and Johnson can be used by the batsman to score quickly on the slow tracks. They can also be wayward and are known to leak runs. Nathan Hauritz, their only main spinner in the 15 man squad is currently nursing a dislocated shoulder.

Rating – 6/10

Fielding

Strengths – The Aussies are always known for their agility on the field. They always save 30-40 runs and can get the team a wicket or two when required. The likes of White, Hussey brothers and Watson are electric in the field.

Weakness – I do not see too many weaknesses in the fielding department but the injuries to some of the key players can have an adverse effect.

Rating – 7.5/10

Overall Summary

You can never count the Aussies out. They are known for their fighting spirit and you underestimate them at your own peril. They will surely give in their all to lay their hands on the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 for the fourth successive time!!

Rating – 6/10

ICC Cricket World Cup 2011

The countdown to the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup is well and truly underway with just 30 days to go..