Your T20 strategy to win against NZ & PAK

[Roni_uk]

Pure slogging? Absolutely not.

Batting Analysis - I am not asking for a lot but get to your average which is around 20 (for the top 6, except Nasir whose average is 30+) @ a strike rate of 120. In other words, get to at least 100 in 80 balls ~ 13th over and then produce some intelligent (as oppose to brainless) sloggs in the last 40 balls @ 140 SR to target a total of 160-170. This should be enough for us to present a competitive total to the opponent. Adjust the SR if batting second but T20 averages is around 140-170.

Ground Analysis - both our matches are in Palekele. Looking at some stats - only teams played T20s there so far with average score of 160 (THIS SHOULD BE OUR MIN TARGET, batting first). It has so far been a heaven for 'Medium Fast Pacers'. Unless they drastically change the pitch, our strength needs to lie within the fast/medium pacers.

Bowling Analysis - Sunny or Forhad Reza is the question. Sunny on a normal day but would he be able to perform @ Pelekele that is the question. I would be a lot happier if Ashraful and Nasir shared few overs during the practise matches and replace Razzak but since it didn't happen, it seems like Razzak may just be an automatic selection (unless we bring in an extra batsman - Junaid?)

Opponent Analysis -
New Zealand - Ross Taylor and B McCullum holds the key to their batting. Their bowling has been pretty average in the past few matches but lets watch out for Bracewall and need not to mention Mr Vettori.

Pakistan - I don't know what to say about playing Saeed Ajmal, just avoid slogging against him (lol). Kamran, Hafiz, Jamshed are the key.

[tanvir_nus]

We have to be targeting New Zealand, they are the weaker of the two and honestly we have come very close against Pakistan in T20, ODIs and Tests but none have produced a result in the past. So, if we want to play the 2nd round we have to go out all guns blazing against New Zealand.

I want the middle-order to contribute, that means Mushfique should drop down because he is a finisher, Nasir should be promoted instead of Mushfique. I want Shafiul to be out he has lost pace, confidence and what nots. Mashrafe shouldn't bowl death overs, he is going to bowl against good players of fast bowling who will hit at everything medium-medium fast. I really want the lower order to be Mahmudullah, Zia and then Mashrafe, consider no batting afterwards. Nasir has to contribute, he just needs to score in one innings, he if a confident guy so I am hoping New Zealand will find that he is a match winner! The top order has to really pace the innings properly. Can't get out after a 50, that's an absolute no!

I think we are in for a special treat this Friday, I think the tigers are going to be really charged and we are going to see a fighting match. All our prayers with them at this time.

[scoilaheez]

Hoping for our best effort and urgency in the field.
Drop Shafiul and bring in extra batsmen at 8. But dont hesitate to promote mashrafe in last few overs.

Also, toss is crucial against NZ in particular who chase well.

[hoodlum]

Pakistan k harano to kono bepar e na. Pattai pabe na amader kache. Amader middle ta onek strong. Khub beshi strong. Onek big hitter ache amader. Shob ball mather baire jabe. Chokka r Chokka.

[Out_You_Go]

Though am not a specialist, but here is my take :-

NZ :- Try to bat first, set a target. They are a side that defends well and got handy death over bowlers like Franklin and Oram. We should be looking at a score of 150+ to stand any possible chance. even if we score at 7/over (which is easy even by taking singles), we reach 70 in 10 overs. For the next 5 overs, take the score near 110 - 115 (if we have any set batsman in the middle order, that should be possible). And in the last 5 overs, take fair amount of chances in conjunction with rotating strike. 25-35 runs there would take us to 140+.

However, all these are assumptions and there would be extras or even 1-2 big overs where we get say 10 runs. That should take us to 150.

For the bowling part, i suggest taking in Reza instead of Razzak and keep Sunny. Taylor and McCullum are strong leg side players and with the habituated down-the-leg-side delivery from Razzak..it would be easy picking for them. Moreover, Zia should bowl 3 overs minimum..especially after 1 or 2 wickets as batsman would take some time to settle in. Being so, we would have 3 pacers and if think-tank decides to play Shafiul..then 4.

3 overs from each of them makes it 12. Then Shakib, Sunny, Riyad can make up for the remaining. So we dont have the obligation of playing the same bowlers if they are being hit.

Pakistan :- Age NZ er sathe jite nei..tarpor dekha jabe!

[Naimul_Hd]

After today's match, only change i want to make is dropping Shakib down at no.4/5. Because if Shakib bats at 3 and make quick blazing 50 and gets out then it won't matter as later batsmen may not be able to capitalize the start (like today's match).

Shakib can play any position. Be it first 6 overs, in the middle or at the end whereas other batsmen like Mushy, Riyad struggle to score freely. Moreover, we are so Shakib centric that once Shakib gets out, we tend to shake.

So, my strategy would be promoting either Mushy or Riyad ahead of Shakib. So that Mushy/Riyad can play when fielding restriction is on and score some runs. And then Shakib will come and play his natural game. If any of those earlier batsmen can stay longer to support Shakib, that will be bonus.

My XI

1. Tamim
2. Ashraful
3. Mushy
4. Shakib
5. Riyad
6. Zia/Nasir
7. Nasir/Zia
8. Mashrafe
9. Shafiul
10. Razzaq
11. E.Sunny

[patriot]

Its high time we should give Junaid a chance one down . That would make Shakib bat at number 4 . Nasir should be replaced IMO . Hasnt impressed enough for a place in the T20 side. Yes he has a 50 against Ireland but thats about it . Rahim doesnt doesnt rate him as a bowler and I am sure Junaid could do a better job.

[Miraz]

Bat well, bowl well and field well.

[MohammedC]

Originally Posted by Miraz
Bat well, bowl well and field well.

Ditto

[Isnaad]

I, too, think Junaid Siddique should be included in the squad. At whose cost may be a question worth asking. No not Ash. He stays. Nasir or Riyad could be an option. Or may be play only one specialist pacer i.e Mashrafe.

[Naimul_Hd]

Originally Posted by Miraz
Bat well, bowl well and field well.

Little correction..

Bat well, bowl well and field well than the opponent.

[patriot]

Originally Posted by Miraz
Bat well, bowl well and field well.

We do that every game but the opposition always seem to bat better , field better and bowl better than us.

[Tiger444]

Junaid has gotten his chances and failed to capitalize. I don't see him really being the answer. Nasir and Mushy have been doing alright. Yes they failed in the last 2 T20s but they did well before coming to SL. The team we played in the last match was the best squad we could put up IMO.

[BANFAN]

Originally Posted by patriot
We do that every game but the opposition always seem to bat better , field better and bowl better than us.

Ya... Do it better than your opponents do...

There can be no other strategy to win against any opponent...

[zinatf]

They are professionals and hope by now they know it well what to do to WIN!

[Maysun]

Apart from the middle order stability concerns, another worry is our second pacer, Shafiul and Abul. Both goes at atleast 8+ rpo and can't even bat.

So here are the options:

a) Bring in Reza, while hoping that his medium pace will do well at Pakelelle. He can also rotate the strike unlike Shafiul/Abul. Let's not look at him from an all rounder PoV. He hardly has the skill to clear the boundary. But would do much better than either of the second pacers.

b) Bring in Junaid in place of Shafiul/Abul and give him the full freedom to slog intelligently at no.3 while dropping Shakib down to no.4. This will leave us with Mashrafe, Razzak, Shakib, Sunny, Riyad, Zia, Nasir and Ashraful with bowling options.

[Tiger444]

We could try Farhad in place of Shafiul but it's risky since he's not a frontline pacer.

[cricheart]

What strategy?! Eketo Dhum dharakka t20 cricket, taar upor baje khelar durnaam.
Being a minow team BD has nothing to loose there, and steping into super 8 would be a suprise to everyone.

Continuous tour over Europe, Caribbean, Srilanka ... wow he he.. nothing can be better vacation like this. So just enjoy the trip boys. Just hope local SL spectators enjoys your peformance.

[Yasin.]

Choke them with spin.

Field like your lives depended on it. I hope Nazir doesn't get going against us. For some reason that is all I can think of. -_-

[simon]

Just play your nasural game

Seriously speaking:
If win toss then bat first against NZ but definitely no chasing vs Pak as their bowlers can defend almost anything.
keep the same XI as today.
otherwise every1 needs to contribute.
ANOTHER thing is ,Consider the match against NZ as a DO OR DIE match, give your everything to beat NZ as they are the only team struggling .

[mufi_02]

Make the whole team eat/drink coconut oil, esp Tamim. E chara ar kono upay dekhi nah. They should also apply Jui Narikel Tel naile Parachute instead of hair gels.

[cricman]

M & M boys need to play at 125 S, even if it's for 10-15 balls, considering they'll probably get themselves out trying to set themselves by wasting 12 balls

[Roni_uk]

3 practise days to go. Can our coaches please give our bowlers some batting practises? How to take singles and all. We prob have the most pathetic tails in the world when it comes to batting.

[mij]

Top order need to finish the game can't leave it for bottom batsman.

[NoName]

Successive brainfarts at once should also be avoided.