Nottingham: A hugely confident South Africa will look to continue to unleash their all-round prowess against an unpredictable but resurgent Pakistan in the first semi-final of the ICC World Twenty20 here tomorrow.
South Africa have been on the roll with their five-match unbeaten streak in the tournament, and they are the favourites to win the title after their emphatic wins against the West Indies, England and holders India in the Super Eight stage.
But the Graeme Smith's men, known for faltering in crucial matches, will also try their best not to choke again in their bid to reach any World Cup final.
The Pakistanis, mercurial as the unpredictable nature of a Twenty20 game, would look to rely on their bowling strength to fancy their chances against the Proteas at Trent Bridge here tomorrow.
South Africa have been the most balanced side in the tournament. Their batting have come up short twice - against New Zealand and India - but on both occasions their bowlers rescued with some clinical performances.
Smith and company clearly have the upper hand in batting with the Pakistanis having failed
Pakistan to play SAfrica in Twenty20 semi-finalNOTTINGHAM: An intriguing battle is on the cards when favourites South Africa clash with buoyant Pakistan in the semi-final of the World Twenty20 here on Thursday.
Geo Super will telecast the action live from the ground at 2230 PST.
The South Africans have showed their all-round prowess during an unbeaten run in the tournament, including emphatic wins in all three Super Eight games against the West Indies, England and defending champions India.
The latest success came at Trent Bridge on Tuesday when the Proteas fought back after being restricted to a modest 130-5 on a slow wicket to keep off-colour India down to 118-8.
Pakistan bounced back after losing their first Super Eights game to Sri Lanka to defeat New Zealand by six wickets before ensuring their place in the semi-final by packing off minnows Ireland by 38 runs.
In the preliminary round, the enigmatic Pakistanis had shown a similar never-say-die attitude by thrashing England-conquerors Netherlands by 82 runs after losing their opening match against the hosts.
"We are slow starters but we never give up," said Pakistan captain Younus Khan. "If we lose a game we regroup fast and go out and prove ourselves."
Pakistan have been lifted by a sensational display by seamer Umar Gul, who claimed five wickets for six runs against New Zealand at the Oval last Saturday, the first five-wicket haul in Twenty20 internationals.
Gul, who was the highest wicket-taker in the inaugural World Twenty20 in South Africa when Pakistan ended as runners-up to India, again tops the list with 12 scalps in this tournament.
"Gul is a class act," said Pakistani coach Intikhab Alam. "He has shown that the best way to restrict a side in T20 is by taking wickets. He is definitely a trump card."
Suggestions from the New Zealand camp that Gul extracted reverse swing during his five-wicket haul against them was dismissed by the on-field umpires. But when Pakistan returned to the field against Ireland on Monday, umpires Rudi Koertzen and Rod Tucker regularly checked the ball.
Younus, however, wanted his team to overcome the embarrassment and focus on the semi-final. "It will be a tough game because South Africa have proved they are a very good side, but we will be ready for the challenge," he said.
"The bowlers have done a great job so far, but I think the batsmen do not give them enough runs to defend. We can't let that happen against South Africa."
Graeme Smith's side have the advantage of having played two matches at Trent Bridge during the tournament, while Pakistan's games were all confined to Lord's or Oval in London.
"Pakistan are a talented team who will arrive expecting to beat us," said Smith.
"Regardless of who deserves to win going into a semi-final, it's about who plays best on the day. It's a simple matter." Smith, however, warned Pakistan his team will not be beaten easily.
"We are professional and clinical but I think we have also proved that we have enough flair and enough options available to us to be the all-round package," he said. "We have played at all the grounds, we have faced many different challenges on different wickets and defended low totals.
"So I think we are a well-rounded team going into the semis. We just need to give ourselves the best chance on Thursday and play our type of cricket."
Sri Lanka face the West Indies in the other semi-final at the Oval on Friday, with the final scheduled to take place at Lord's on Sunday.
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 Cricket lovers must be happy over Pakistan’s marching into Super Eights. Despite losing their opening match against England, Pakistan however managed to reach the second phase of the ICC World Twenty20 – Super Eights – by recording a 82-run impressive victory over the Netherlands. They have joined Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Ireland in Group F of the tournament. Pakistan will begin their campaign for a place in the semifinals of the ICC World Twenty20 championship against Sri Lanka at Lord's on June 12. Later, they will meet New Zealand at The Oval on June 13 followed by their final Super Eights game against Ireland on June 15 at the same venue. They have to work hard and play under a well planned strategy for qualifying to play in the semi-final of the mega event. Your suggestions, views and comments in this regard will be most welcomed. |
Kumar Sangakkara played a captain's innings with 55 not out off 42 balls after Tillakaratne Dilshan (53 off 32 balls) gave his side a flying start in pursuit of 160.
Australia never fully recovered from a disastrous middle period of their innings when the slow bowlers pegged them back after a decent start.
An inspiring catch from David Warner lifted Australian hopes in reply when he took a fine leaping catch just inside the boundary rope to dismiss Sanath Jayasuriya for 2.
Dilshan and Sangakkara then saw their side to 62 off the six-over Powerplay as the runs flowed at a good rate.
Dilshan brought up his own 50 off 26 balls, when he flipped Watson over the head of the wicketkeeper for his 10th boundary, but he fell saw after when bowled by Michael Clarke.
Mahela Jayawardene (9) then took a wild swipe at Nathan Hauritz and got a top-edge to short third-man.
Two sixes off successive balls by Sangakkara off Hauritz then hastened the Sri Lankan victory although there was a slight stutter during Brett Lee's third over when Silva pulled to short mid-wicket and three more dot balls followed. But Jehan Mubarak ended the over with a six just over the head of deep midwicket to leave the batting side with 24 to get off the last 18 balls.
Sangakkara reached his 50 off 40 with a delicate lap shot just wide of short fine-leg to help bring the equation down to 14 from 12 balls.
Mubarak brought the required rate down to less than a run a ball as Lee's tournament ended as it had started and middle - by being hit into the stand for six.
Australia's campaign was summed up when Mubarak (21 off 12 balls) smacked Lee to mid-off but the fielder could only palm the ball to the boundary as he leapt for what would have been a miraculous catch.
Mitchell Johnson's wide to finish the match put the icing on the cake for Australia - not a sweet tasting one at that - as they bowed out of the tournament with an over to spare.
Australia's total was much better than was expected at one time when they slumped to 94-6 towards the end of the 15th over.
David Warner (0) fell in the first over when he slashed Angelo Mathews to backward point but Shane Watson (22) and Ricky Ponting (25) steadied the Aussie ship in a stand of 48.
Spin then took hold as Ajantha Mendis and Muttiah Muralitharan (initially) put a block on the scoring. At that point Mendis had the exceptional analysis of 2-0-4-2.
Ponting was bowled by Mendis as he looked to make room to leg and then Watson was leg before during the off-spinner's next over when he missed a sweep.
Brad Haddin went in embarrassing circumstances when he missed a slow full toss from Malinga and was bowled for 16.
Isuru Udana was another pace bowler to make full use of a slower ball when he deceived Michael Clarke, who could only send a leading edge back to the bowler who took a fine one-handed catch to his left.
Mendis and Muralitharan continued to put the squeeze on the batsmen and it was the former who struck for the third time when he trapped Mike Hussey in front of his stumps with a quicker ball.
From that point, however, the Aussie middle and lower order swung the match back towards parity with some lusty blows.
David Hussey and Johnson added 41 in 21 deliveries to destroy Muralitharan by taking 21 from his last over after the veteran spinner had conceded just eight from his first 18 balls.
Australia plundered 65 from their last five overs with Udana also suffering at the hands of Hussey and Johnson, although he did at least claim the wicket of the former, slicing a skier to backward point, during an over that cost 18.
Lasith Malinga's final over of the innings encapsulated the whole batting effort at 12 were taken from it in between two wickets.
Lee was cleaned out by a yorker (but not before scoring 15 off five balls) and then a slower ball deceived Hauritz off the penultimate ball. An inside edge off the last delivery by Nathan Bracken meant Australia finished with all the momentum running their way.
It was not to last.
In World Twenty20 Cup, Surprises Big and Small
LONDON — As cricket’s newest format, the Twenty20 game has made many of the world’s top players rich beyond their dreams through contracts with Indian-based franchises.
That it might also expose them to embarrassment by the game’s lower orders when playing for their national teams was one of the lessons of the first two days of the World Twenty20, which started in England on Friday.
The opening four matches supplied one big shock and came close to supplying another, while a third ended with a result not many would have predicted. Only the victory by the reigning champion, India, over Bangladesh in Nottingham followed predictable lines.
There is a certain logic to this, however. A mark of quality in any game is the ability to perform consistently at a high standard over extended periods. The shorter a match is, the more likely it is that an underdog will prevail, through the exceptional or the random.
That logic was applied by Scotland’s captain, Gavin Hamilton. When asked whether he had objected to the shortening of his team’s match against New Zealand by a rain delay, from the scheduled 20 six-ball overs per team to only seven apiece, he said he thought it had increased his team’s chances against an established test nation.
His team did its best to match action to theory. After it hammered 89 runs from its seven overs, both Hamilton and his New Zealand counterpart, Brendon McCullum, thought a shock result was likely. Scotland, though, was unable to bowl as well in the face of calculated, brutal hitting from McCullum and his opening partner, Jesse Ryder, who took 51 runs from the first three overs.
“You have to seize your moments and we failed to do that,” Hamilton said after the match.
A Scottish victory would have been the best in its cricket history, but not the first shock of the tournament.
That came on Friday night, when the Netherlands upset the host, England, in the opening match at Lord’s in London.
On Friday, after several days of beautiful, cricket-friendly weather, it rained. That meant the planned opening ceremony was reduced to a speech by a second-division royal. Then England fell victim to one of the sporting rules of 2009: Beware of Dutchmen bearing bats.
Here, the Dutch players emulated the feats of their giant-killing compatriots in the World Baseball Classic, beating England from the final ball of a thrilling match.
One theory of giant-killing in short games is that an individual outburst of brilliance may tip a game. This, though, was a real team effort.
The Dutch part-timers won because they played with more intelligence and desire, ran aggressively between the wickets while chasing 163 to win and kept their nerve in the clutch, when the high-paid English test players lost theirs.
The result was typified by the final over. Stuart Broad bowled with skill and intelligence for England, but had a nightmare as a fielder that in baseball would have seen him charged with four errors — the last a wild throw, which would have won the match had it hit the stumps but instead rocketed past to allow the Dutch batsman Edgar Schiferli the two runs he needed for the victory. It was the first victory by an associate nation over a test team in 13 Twenty20 internationals, but very likely not the last.
The West Indies victory over the favored Australia followed the “single-brilliant-performance” model. Chris Gayle, the West Indies captain, was like a tropical storm with a display of batting pyrotechnics that made a target of 170 to win look laughable.
Gayle struck 88 runs, including a 27-run barrage from a single over by the Australian bowler Brett Lee, who routinely delivers at more than 90 miles per hour, or 144 kilometers an hour.
Bangladesh competed hard and well against India, but was undone by violent hitting from Yuvraj Singh, who scored 41 runs from 18 balls to push India’s total to 180, highest of the tournament so far.
When Bangladesh batted, Praveen Ojha, playing his first Twenty20 international, dismissed its best batsman, Shakib al-Hasan, with his first ball and took four wickets in all. India won by 25 runs, the first team to successfully defend its total.
AFTER the excitement of the IPL it is time for more 20/20 cricket. This time the teams will be slightly more familiar in their national colours as they compete for the second World Twenty20 Trophy in the UK.
Front-runners to win this title will be India and South Africa. In 20/20 cricket, however, nothing is ever as it seems. We only have to look at the recent IPL to understand that. The two teams that finished last and second last during edition one of the IPL were finalists this time.
Ironically, the Deccan Chargers, who finished last in that one, won the 2009 event. The World Twenty20 will be no different. There will be surprises and upsets, and the formbook may well go out the window.
This tournament runs a short time compared to the IPL. There is very little margin for error. Basically, the stronger nations will try and win every match and then peak when the knockout phase of the event comes along. This happens pretty quickly, so it is important to hit the ground running.
Preparation for the event will be key. South Africa are at a training camp as we speak. There are a number of warm-up matches in England as well, so the Proteas should be ready when the event gets under way.
The Indians are the defending champions. They beat South Africa last time in a low- scoring quarter-final match in Durban. They followed that up with a very impressive win against a strong Australian team in the semi-final. They then beat Pakistan in a close affair in the final.
Most of the players in that tournament will be playing this time as well. This makes the Indians probably early favourites. They should be a better team in this format now, due to the fact that so many of their players have been involved in the IPL.
South Africa will be well-positioned this time as well. The South African players are all well-versed in this format now and they are a far more professional outfit than the one that competed in the Twenty20 last time. English conditions will suit South Africa as well. The Proteas have as good a balance as India and, like the Indians, they are early favourites. New Zealand will be a dangerous team in the event and may well beat a fancied team or two.
England should be better at home but they are unpredictable and although they beat the West Indies recently, this is no yard-stick. The current West Indies team has all sorts of issues to deal with and England were never really put under pressure. I can‘t see them winning the title. The Aussies will give it their best shot but they are in a rebuilding phase and they may not have enough match winners in this format of the game. Pakistan have a young, inexperienced team. They will be keen and enthusiastic, but lack of experience at top level may well be their undoing. The West Indies will have to lift their game in every respect.
National pride will ensure that every team strives to succeed. South Africa, in particular, will be keen to do well in an ICC event. They have this opportunity and then the ICC Champions Trophy in September at home to test their skills. They will want to do the double. They have every chance of doing so if they perform to the best of their ability.
DEFENDING champions India are the side currently strutting their stuff in Twenty20 world.
And why wouldn't they, having embraced the format domestically with the Indian Premier League and blooded an exciting squad as a result.
MS Dhoni is their pin-up captain and knows exactly how to lead a Twenty20 side.
Virender Sehwag will provide the fireworks up top, and spinners Harbhajan Singh and Yusuf Pathan will strangle the opposition with the ball.
A place in the semi-finals is the bare minimum.
Captain: MS Dhoni - explosive batsman, steady wicketkeeper and wily leader.
Star Man: Virender Sehwag - when he hits the ball, it stays hit.
One to watch: Yusuf Pathan - off-spinging all-rounder with six Twenty20 half-centuries to his name.
Squad: Mahendra Dhoni (capt & wk), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Yusuf Pathan, Rohit Sharma, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Praveen Kumar, RP Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Pragyan Ojha, Irfan Pathan.
