**Official** Afro-Asian Cup

[brockley]

Funny sibanda picked he has just quit zimbabwe cricket,played for an africa team in the ethnic cup in NSW championships.

 

[JASON]

My selection for the Asian XI - (Changed from previous)

Sourav Ganguly
Sanath Jayasuriya
Mahela Jayawardene
Rahul Dravid
Mohammad Yousuf
Mohammad Ashraful
Mahendra Dhoni
Mohammad Asif
Shoaib Akhtar
Lasith Malinga
Muralitharan

Reserves Chamara Silva / Mashrafe Mortaza /Agarkar/Yuvraj

 

[TT Boy]

Tikolo will probably have to captain the side, Smith will be having surgery next week.

 

[pup11]

Do we really need a series like this in an already packed international schedule.



Have these games been given international status?

 

[TT Boy]

Asian 14, Akhtar included...

ODI side

Sanath Jayasuriya
Virender Sehwag
Upul Tharanga
Mahela Jayawardene (capt)
Sachin Tendulkar
Mohammad Yousuf
Yuvraj Singh
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk)
Harbhajan Singh
Chaminda Vaas
Shoaib Akhtar
Lasith Malinga
Mohammad Rafique
Mohammad Asif

20/20 side
Tamim Iqbal
Imran Nazir
Mohammad Ashraful
Shoaib Malik (capt)
Tillakaratne Dilshan
Shahid Afridi
Kamran Akmal (wk)
Farveez Maharoof
Abdur Razzak
Mashrafe Mortaza
Munaf Patel

http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ci/content/current/story/293847.html

 

[TT Boy]

Have these games been given international status?

Yes.

 

[pup11]

Some really biased selection has taken place while selecting Asian XI, if i am not wrong only one Bangladeshi player (M.Rafique) has been selected in the ODI squad which is really dire.

 

[JASON]

The Asian bowling attack looks impressive with Shoaib/ Asif/ Malinga and Vaas.

 

[JASON]

Some really biased selection has taken place while selecting Asian XI, if i am not wrong only one Bangladeshi player (M.Rafique) has been selected in the ODI squad which is really dire.

I agree Mohammed Ashraful or Mortaza could've been picked as well. Bit poor on the part of the selection panel picking 5 Sri Lankans and 5 Indians there. Pretty much out of proportion. This is also about being representative of the region...the selectors seem to have forgotten that..

I would still consider Mortaza over Vaas (given Vaas may not be keen to play as he has County Contract with Middlesex.)

 

[SJS]

Asian 14, Akhtar included...

ODI side

Sanath Jayasuriya
Virender Sehwag
Upul Tharanga
Mahela Jayawardene (capt)
Sachin Tendulkar
Mohammad Yousuf
Yuvraj Singh
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk)
Harbhajan Singh
Chaminda Vaas
Shoaib Akhtar
Lasith Malinga
Mohammad Rafique
Mohammad Asif

20/20 side
Tamim Iqbal
Imran Nazir
Mohammad Ashraful
Shoaib Malik (capt)
Tillakaratne Dilshan
Shahid Afridi
Kamran Akmal (wk)
Farveez Maharoof
Abdur Razzak
Mashrafe Mortaza
Munaf Patel

http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ci/content/current/story/293847.html

The teams for ODI's is clearly selected with sponsors in mind. Five Indians (without having to name any) wouldnt have made it for any other reason. Batsmen from Sri Lanka, Bangla desh and even Pakistan can be named who could have replaced them but thats secondary. Its not so much about ignoring Bangladeshis as about including Indians for commercial reasons one suspects.

The lack of interest in Twnety20 in India as well as reluctance of Indian players in this form of the game has allowed organisers to tray to 'balance' the selection and 'try' to please Bangla Desh. A poor attempt clearly.

 

[LA ICE-E]

On a side note, people don't really like Afro-Asia cup anyway but going along, how would a intercontinental all star tournament do as a fund raiser? But it would only work if there was something like a quota system to make the teams as even as possible. It would be like at least three players from each team including the top associates from the region(the fund if for them in the 1st place).

Europe
England, 3
Scotland 3
Ireland 3
Netherlands 3

Oceania
Australia 3
New Zealand 3
PNG 3
Fiji 3

Americas (since the only full member in the region is Windies which is part of both continent.)
West Indies 3
Bermuda 3
Canada 3
Argentina 3

Asia(exception- less # in quotas)
India 2
Pakistan 2
Sri Lanka 2
Bangladesh 2
Afganistan 2
Nepal 2

Africa(exception- less # in quotas)
South Africa 2
Kenya 2
Zimbabwe 2
Namibia 2
Uganda 2
Tanzania 2

 

[JASON]

On a side note, people don't really like Afro-Asia cup anyway but going along, how would a intercontinental all star tournament do as a fund raiser? But it would only work if there was something like a quota system to make the teams as even as possible. It would be like at least three players from each team including the top associates from the region(the fund if for them in the 1st place).

Europe
England, 3
Scotland 3
Ireland 3
Netherlands 3

Oceania
Australia 3
New Zealand 3
PNG 3
Fiji 3

Americas (since the only full member in the region is Windies which is part of both continent.)
West Indies 3
Bermuda 3
Canada 3
Argentina 3

Asia(exception- less # in quotas)
India 2
Pakistan 2
Sri Lanka 2
Bangladesh 2
Afganistan 2
Nepal 2

Africa(exception- less # in quotas)
South Africa 2
Kenya 2
Zimbabwe 2
Namibia 2
Uganda 2
Tanzania 2

I can see Asia beating everyone easily, given they would have 8 players from Test playing countries....

 

[LA ICE-E]

Oceania would have a strong side too since they'll have 6 players from test playing countries and 3 of them being from Australia. Europe & Africa would have a ok side because those are among the top associates. So it kind of cancels out. The only weak one would be America's since their full member is weak too.

 

[JASON]

Oceania would have a strong side too since they'll have 6 players from test playing countries and 3 of them being from Australia. Europe & Africa would have a ok side because those are among the top associates. So it kind of cancels out. The only weak one would be America's since their full member is weak too.

Still 6 doesn't Match 8 ....

Let's take the current players -

Australian 3 - Ponting, Hayden, Bracken (or Hogg)
New Zealand 3 - Bond, Styris, Vettori (or Fulton)

v

Asia
India - Dravid , Dhoni
Pakistan - Mohammed Yousuf, Shoaib Akhtar
Sri Lanka - Malinga , Murali
Bangladesh - Tamim Iqbal (or Rafique) , Ashraful

Asian bowling (Akhtar, Malinga, Murali) > Bracken, Bond , Vettori

Asian batting - Mohammed Yousuf, Dravid , Dhoni, Ashraful + Tamim probably = Ponting , Hayden and Styris .

So Asia stronger.., Right...

 

[LA ICE-E]

Still 6 doesn't Match 8 ....

Let's take the current players -

Australian 3 - Ponting, Hayden, Bracken (or Hogg)
New Zealand 3 - Bond, Styris, Vettori (or Fulton)

v

Asia
India - Dravid , Dhoni
Pakistan - Mohammed Yousuf, Shoaib Akhtar
Sri Lanka - Malinga , Murali
Bangladesh - Tamim Iqbal (or Rafique) , Ashraful

Asian bowling (Akhtar, Malinga, Murali) > Bracken, Bond , Vettori

Asian batting - Mohammed Yousuf, Dravid , Dhoni, Ashraful + Tamim probably = Ponting , Hayden and Styris .

So Asia stronger.., Right...

No it's about the same strength and than it comes up to the associates, which Oceania is currently stronger at. It would still be a close one because Akhtar, Malinga, Murali is about the same as B.Lee, Bong, Vettori(who isn't a better bowler than Murali but can bat.)

 

[chaminda_00]

Wake me up when Test cricket starts again...

 

[marc71178]

Asian bowling (Akhtar, Malinga, Murali) > Bracken, Bond , Vettori

How exactly is the Asian bowling better there?

 

[pup11]

Asian XI would be lucky if Akthar could play through the tournament without getting injured.

 

[JASON]

How exactly is the Asian bowling better there?

Shoaib (when he is fully fit) is = if not better than Bond.

Murali is definitely better than Vettori.

And between Malinga and Bracken there is not much.

Does that make sense ?

 

[Fiery]

Shoaib (when he is fully fit) is = if not better than Bond.

Murali is definitely better than Vettori.

And between Malinga and Bracken there is not much.

Does that make sense ?

Bond > Shoaib...just my opinion