By Jamie Alter
Two points of discussion have been floating around this match. One, can Zimbabwe pull one over Pakistan, and two, can Pakistan find a place to hide Kamran Akmal?
Published: Mar 13, 2011, 07:36 PM (IST)
Edited: Mar 13, 2011, 07:36 PM (IST)
Pakistan team during their match against Sri Lanka
By Jamie Alter
Kandy: Mar 14, 2011
Two points of discussion have been floating around this match. One, can Zimbabwe pull one over Pakistan, and two, can Pakistan find a place to hide Kamran Akmal?
The elder Akmal brother played a central role in Pakistan’s defeat to New Zealand at this same venue, dropping three chances, prompting calls for his axing. Ross Taylor, who went to help New Zealand loot 116 runs in the last six overs, was given lives on 0 and 4 by Kamran Akmal and the response in Pakistan has been vociferous.
However, the team doesn’t have another full-time wicketkeeper and the man most likely to step up is the younger Akmal, Umar. Pakistan’s woes have been compounded by a finger injury to Umar Akmal, one that forced the batsman to miss two practice sessions. His chances of playing in Pakistan’s game against Zimbabwe on Monday are uncertain.
Umar Akmal is Pakistan’s second leading scorer in the tournament, with 167 runs in four games at nearly 42. If he does sit out – and against a relatively weaker side Pakistan may not risk him – Asad Shafiq will come in and that means Kamran Akmal will keep wicket. Pakistan may also contemplate reshuffling the batting order after managing scores of 184 and 192 against Canada and New Zealand in their last two games. Shoaib Akhtar’s woeful bowling in the death against Taylor could seriously hamper his chances of another appearance, with Wahab Riaz and the rookie Junaid Khan waiting in the wings.
Zimbabwe have just two points and find themselves in a must-win situation with two group games — against Pakistan and Kenya — to go and have an outside chance of making it to the quarter-finals. However, they have yet to click against Test-match opposition in Group A with heavy defeats against Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka. They have crossed the 200-run mark just once, when they scored 298 for 9 against Canada side for a 175-run victory — Zimbabwe’s only distinguished batting display of the tournament.
Zimbabwean opener Brendan Taylor, who hit an impressive 80 off 72 balls in a 139-run loss against Sri Lanka last Thursday, and his team-mates teammates watched Bangladesh record a stunning win over England the other night and the opener said that it has inspired his side. “Absolutely, we are inspired by their victory. We know this is must-win game but at the same time it is a serious challenge for us to play against Pakistan. We have got to believe we can win otherwise it is pointless going out there,” he said.
Teams:
Pakistan (Probable): Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Kamran Akmal (wk), Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, Shahid Afridi (c), Abdul Razzaq, Saeed Ajmal/Abdur Rehman, Umar Gul, Shoaib Akhtar/Wahab Riaz.
Zimbabwe (Probable): Brendan Taylor, Regis Chakabva, Tatenda Taibu (wk), Craig Ervine, Elton Chigumbura (c), Greg Lamb, Prosper Utseya, Graeme Cremer, Ray Price, Tinashe Panyangara, Chris Mpofu.
Umpires: Nigel Llong (England) and Tony Hill (New Zealand).
Time: 14.30 local (09.00 GMT).
(Jamie Alter is a freelance cricket writer, having worked at ESPNcricinfo and All Sports Magazine. His first book, The History of World Cup Cricket, is out now)
Pictures © Getty Images
