**Official** Asia Cup 2012

[smash84]

Pakistan news: Junaid Khan out of Asia Cup | Pakistan Cricket News | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Junaid needs to improve in order to come back as a good bowler. At the moment he only has the out-swinger to the right-handed batsman.

 

[salman85]

In other news,Sami might be given another chance.I'm not sure if i would be against that.He has been in decent form off late,and even though he's had an atrocious international career so far,one final chance after a long time is not a bad idea.

Losing Junaid is a blow however.

 

[Contra]

Well we're officially out of the CB Series, so it's on to the Asia Cup. The only positive from that series is the fact India did something amazing to at least keep their hopes alive. Kohli was great, but Rohit and Raina didn't do enough to prove they are up to him in terms of being a guaranteed part of India's middle order in ODIs over the next few years. Too many pissy 15s and 25s and then throwing it away.

Jadeja too didn't have a great tour with the bat. Would have been nice if Tiwary got a game but India never had the luxury of being able to try him out.

Tough times in Indian test cricket was obvious back in July, but ODI cricket isn't exactly in the best place right now either. Need to step it up in this tournament.

Part of the problem is the selectors can't differentiate from Test players and ODI players. Yadav should be test only from now on. Aaron >> Yadav in ODI's. Jadeja needs to improve is batting as well. Irfan doing well in Australia is a positive as well.

 

[Migara]

Sl announces the squad.

Mahela Jayawardene (capt), Angelo Mathews (vice-capt), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara, Dinesh Chandimal, Lahiru Thirimanne, Thisara Perera, Farveez Maharoof, Sachithra Senanayake, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Seekkuge Prasanna, Suranga Lakmal

Still no Randiv which baffles me. Senanayake is gone and may have been gone for ever. He is tidy, but has lost that splitting turn he possessed. And lol at naming three injured players in the squad.

 

[Lostman]

Randiv must have been banging someone's wife, only reason he keeps getting thrown around.

Also as impressive as Herath has been, I still think it is a good decision to not have him in the ODI side.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Excellent news that Father-In-Law has departed as a selector. This means son-in-law (Fart) might not be selected. So I'm hoping for either Nasir Jamshed or Ahmad Shehzad to be in the squad.

PEWS is about to get his Christmas present early this year because Sami could be in the squad.

 

[smash84]

PEWS is about to get his Christmas present early this year because Sami could be in the squad.

 

[cricman]

After this year, Asia Cup should be T20I

For tournaments like these the pitches in Bangladesh are roads, 325 would be the par score.

 

[nsniks]

Pakistan's team announced

Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Mohammad Hafeez, Nasir Jamshed, Younis Khan, Umar Akmal, Hammad Azam, Asad Shafiq, Shahid Afridi, Azhar Ali, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman, Umar Gul, Aizaz Cheema, Wahab Riaz.

No Farhat and Malik, Sami misses out so no early Christmas present for PEWS

 

[smash84]

Misbah should retire from LO cricket

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Sticking to the same crappy bowlers who only perform when there is reverse swing on offer (Gul). What about Talha, or Sadaf, or Rahat Ali.

THEY NEED TO TRY NEW PACERS!!!!

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Pakistan should start the mind games now by continuously mentioning the 100th 100, how important it is, the expectations, etc.

 

[smash84]

what difference will that make?

India still seems to be a much better LO outfit compared to Pak under Misbah

 

[salman85]

Better perhaps,but not much better.

People read too much into the 4-0 whitewash.We've been a very good ODI side over the last one year,under both Afridi and Misbah.Sure,the performance against England was atrocious,but it came at a time where we had bombed them 3-0 in the test series,so motivation levels on our end were probably lower compared to the England side,who were hungry to prove a point.

 

[Daemon]

Pathan brothers are back in the squad together. Yusuf is probably going to be replacing Jadeja.

Sachin
Gambhir
Kohli
Rohit/Tiwary
Raina
Dhoni +
Yusuf
Irfan
Ashwin
Praveen
Vinay

Rahul
Jadeja
Dinda

Would've taken Rahane but he's been in pretty poor form

 

[Arjun]

Decent XI, no doubt. They can consider rotating the players here, but not like they did in Australia- which was a half-hearted attempt. After all, it was just the top order that was rotated, and possibly the seamers, which also got frozen later on. Ideally, they can play under-strength teams against the stronger sides, and smash the weaker ones out of the way with the full lineup. Compared to that feeble attempt down under, this should be it.-

• Top order: Sachin, Gambhir - hang on, you have nobody else!
• Middle-order: Raina, Kohli, Rohit, Tiwary
• Wicketkeeper: Dhoni- again, nobody else!
• Serious runs/Full bowler possible: Yusuf, Jadeja, Irfan, Ashwin
• Limited runs/Full bowler: Praveen, Vinay, Rahul
• The Specialist Bowler: Dinda

 

[mono]

what happened to rahane?

 

[Woodster]

The Bangladesh squad has been announced and I am surprised by the exclusion of Tamim Iqbal, I understand he is recovering from a groin injury but he's been named in the reserve list ? If he's fit, surely he should be in the squad, if he isn't he should be left out totally to fully recover from his niggle.

He does have a lot to learn but the guy is a very talented Bangladeshi batsman, and I can't believe they have anyone near his talent to replace him. I also heard it may be relating to his controversial side, think he's had a couple of disagreements but from what I understand nothing that would cause exclusion from the side, but I don't know the ins and outs.

The other issue is not naming the captain and vice-captain until later ? Is Mushfiqur's reign already nearing the end, if not why on earth has he not been named as the skipper ?

Rubel Hossain left out too, seems to have dropped a yard in pace of late when I've seen him, can be a useful option though when in decent rhythm imo.

 

[Lostman]

I am liking Bangladesh to pull off at least one upset at home.
Bat first, make 230-250ish, and their army of SLA should be able to defend it.