After winning the ICC World Twenty20 in England earlier this year the Pakistan team is now looking to make it a double by winning the ICC Champions Trophy as well. They have been impressive alright excepting for their last group game against Australia when the manner in which their two experienced batsmen dawdled at the crease was hard to fathom.
Conspiracy theorists may well say that they wanted to ensure that India was knocked out for there was a slim chance that if Australia lost to Pakistan then India could have sneaked through with a win over West Indies within a certain number of overs. Of course, all those calculations went out of the window the moment Australia kept their cool and won off the last ball though having levelled the scores off the previous ball and thus ensured that they would share points with Pakistan if the game ended in a tie India were out before the winning run was scored. Skippers and coaches are well aware that a winning rhythm can be upset with a loss so Younis Khan would no doubt have wanted to beat Australia for then his team would be even more confident when taking them on again._
Pakistan also have shown flexibility by promoting Shahid Afridi to the openers slot against Australia and the dashing all-rounder will have a role to play if Pakistan are going to do the double this year. Kamran Akmal is not one to wait for a loose delivery to get going and Pakistan’s batting lineup is one of the best in the world with Younis Khan, Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Yousuf to follow the openers. The talented Umar Akmal and Rana Naved’s hitting down the order means that Pakistan has class as well as depth in the batting. The bowling attack also has enjoyed the pitches in South Africa and in Saeed Ajmal Pakistan have a bowler who can squeeze the runs from one end.
New Zealand have a problem finding 11 fit men to take the field but they have come back well after their loss to South Africa in their first game of the tournament. If Brendon McCullum can get the team off to an explosive beginning then it makes it easy for the others who seem less experienced and have shown a fallibility under pressure. Vettori has improved tremendously as a batsman and he contributes down the order. James Franklin is a good addition since he is more than a useful bowler on these pitches and a handy batsman.
If the pitch behaves itself then Pakistan will carry too many guns for the Kiwis but if the pitch is anything like it was in the earlier games then New Zealand can upset Pakistan’s aim of an ICC double.
— Professional Management Group
