Pakistan will take on the host Sri Lankan side in the first semi-final of the twenty20 World Cup 2012 at R.Premadasa cricket stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka, here on Thursday (today).
Both teams have lost only one match in the tournament with Sri Laka beaten by South Africa in group match while Pakistan against India in the super eight rounds of the tournament.
Pakistan has an edge over the Lankan team with respect to the records. In the T20 matches out of nine clashes between the two sides, Pakistan has won six while in T20 World Cup events, out of 3 matches, Pakistan acquired success in 2. Pakistan also defeated the Lankans by eight wickets in the final of the 2009 event.
Sri Lanka has played four T20 matches at Premadasa stadium but they were not able to win any of them while on the other hand Pakistan has won their three matches out of four at the stadium.
Star players for Pakistan:
Pakistan have the ideal opening pair in the resolute Mohammad Hafeez, their skipper and the ballistic Imran Nazir. The latter has amassed 133 runs in 5 innings at an incredible strike rate of 164.19.
Nasir Jamshed, who played an extraordinary innings against the Aussies, is the leading run-scorrer for the team with 144 runs (including 2 half-centuries). The Akmal brothers, Shoaib Malik, Afridi and Razzaq provide the firepower in the middle and lower order.
Umar Gul who serves as a striking fast bowler in the Pakistani side is also capable of hitting long boundaries. His 32 run innings against South Africa, which include 3 sixes and 2 fours, helped Pakistan in winning a difficult match.
On the other hand, the Pakistani spinners Saeed Ajmal, Raza Hassan, Shahid Afridi and Mohammad Hafeez have done well to make an impression in the tournament. Saeed Ajmal has taken 8 wickets in 5 matches and he will be on a hat-trick when he starts proceedings against Sri-Lanka.
Big Guns for Sri Lanka:
The top 3 batsmen are firing for Sri-Lanka. The captain Jayawardene, who scored 168 runs with an average of 42 has led Lankans from the front and been their leading scorer thus far. Sangakkara and Dilshan have been more aggressive and looked to provide the momentum.
Jeevan Mendis has been the trusted all-rounder and with the likes of Angelo Mathews, Lahiru Thirimanneand Thisara Perera, the middle-order has the ideal mix of power-hitters and inning-builders.
The hosts also boast of a strong and potent bowling unit led by the crafty and skilful Ajantha Mendis, who took 9 wickets in the tournament accompanied by Lasith Malinga, who provide the firepower in the pace attack. Nuwan Kulasekara has maintained a stranglehold on the batsmen and been difficult to get away.
Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardene(c), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara(w), Angelo Mathews, Jeevan Mendis, Lahiru Thirimanne, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Akila Dananjaya Perera, Lasith Malinga, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath, Dinesh Chandimal, Shaminda Eranga, Dilshan Munaweera
Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez(c), Imran Nazir, Nasir Jamshed, Kamran Akmal(w), Umar Akmal, Abdul Razzaq, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Raza Hasan, Asad Shafiq, Yasir Arafat, Mohammad Sami, Sohail Tanvir
Match Timing:
October 4, 2012 Thursday
6: 30 P.M (According to Pakistan Standard Timings)
Blog post Written by Nasir Qureshi and You can visit the original article at http://www.thenewstribe.com/