**Official** Pakistan in Sri Lanka 2012

[TT Boy]

Didn't Pakistan play him quite easily in the 2008 Asia Cup when he was tying everyone else in knots?

Pak were the first side to decode him circa 09. They had the benefit of facing him a 600 plays 700 test pitch, so plenty of time to get use to him. Since that game, Mendis has never been much hassle to Pak.

 

[chaminda_00]

Mahela's ever-persistent problems outside the off stump against the moving ball makes him too vulnerable at the top. Besides we need his experience in the middle order. I'm all for trying Mathews as an opener though, he's much better at handling pace and doesn't look all that comfy against spinners. Somehow has to get Chandimal in, but PJ should be the keeper at least on spinning home tracks.

Hafeez gets some good drift but Mahela might just be ok against him. Would love Mathews to open but that would mean he would give up on being an all rounder. Not a huge loss but I can't see it happening. Reckon there is more chance of Chandimal opening.

 

[Nomanculture]

Hafeez gets some good drift but Mahela might just be ok against him. Would love Mathews to open but that would mean he would give up on being an all rounder. Not a huge loss but I can't see it happening. Reckon there is more chance of Chandimal opening.

Mahela is not a left hander so the story ends there as far as Hafeez is concerned. Gul, Cheema etc might have other ideas.

There's no rule stating that an all-rounder must bat in the middle order Watson?

 

[Nomanculture]

SL squads for LOI games:

T20 Squad

Mahela Jayawardena
T M Dilshan
Kumar Sangakkara (W/K)
Dinesh Chandimal
Angelo Mathews
Lahiru Thirimanne
Kaushalaya Lokuarchchi
Thisara Perera
Nuwan Kulasekera
Sachithra Senanayake
Lasith Malinga
Chamara Kapugedera
Upul Tharanga
Isuru Udana

ODI squad

Mahela Jayawardena
T M Dilshan
Kumar Sangakkara (W/K)
Dinesh Chandimal
Angelo Mathews
Lahiru Thirimanne
Jeevan Mendis
Thisara Perera
Nuwan Kulasekera
Sachithra Senanayake
Lasith Malinga
Rangana Herath
Upul Tharanga
Nuwan Pradeep
Dilhara Fernando

Sri Lanka name T20 and ODI squads – Pakistan tour of Sri LankaSri Lanka Cricket | Sri Lanka Cricket

 

[Agent Nationaux]

It was Junaid who kept getting Mehala's wicket.

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

SL T20 squad is a good 'ol mixture of old and youth but Mahela, Sanga need a way of keeping those dot deliveries out

 

[chaminda_00]

Mahela is not a left hander so the story ends there as far as Hafeez is concerned. Gul, Cheema etc might have other ideas.

There's no rule stating that an all-rounder must bat in the middle order Watson?

Mahela opens in ODIs and T20Is now, reckon Test matches is might the nature progression. His inability to play swing is over rated especially on the flat tracks of Sri Lanka.

The no rule about opening batsmen not being all rounders, but the management are looking for a reason to make him stop bowling, as they don't think he is fit enough to play as an all rounder in general. But the real issue is the management don't know how to keep fast bowlers fit in general.

The only reason why someone like Vaas lasted so long, was all the extras he did himself. There has never been any real programs to keep fast bowlers fit in Sri Lanka. It been bloody 30 years of Test Cricket and we are still run by amateurs.

 

[Spikey]

Mahela's ever-persistent problems outside the off stump against the moving ball makes him too vulnerable at the top. Besides we need his experience in the middle order. I'm all for trying Mathews as an opener though, he's much better at handling pace and doesn't look all that comfy against spinners. Somehow has to get Chandimal in, but PJ should be the keeper at least on spinning home tracks.

his horrible sweep shot in the first test of the series against aus in 2011 is etched into my brain

 

[Lostman]

SL T20 squad is a good 'ol mixture of old and youth but Mahela, Sanga need a way of keeping those dot deliveries out

Ideally its time he was kept away from all of SL's LOI teams.

 

[Migara]

For SL to be competitive they have to nullify the fifth bowler of Pakistan. That is Hafeez should be taken to cleaners. It's annoying to see an innocous off spinner dominating batsmen. Brings back memories of Ranatunga's mastery with nudging, sweeping and cutting the spinners.

Opening position is best suited for Mathews, given that he's playing only as a specialist batsman. That will allow Chandimal to fit in, who will be invaluable against spin of Ajmal, Rehman and Hafeez.

 

[smash84]

actually Hafeez is not innocuous.....his deliveries really skid very quickly. He gets a lot of zip off the pitch. Always tough to put away such bowlers.

 

[Migara]

actually Hafeez is not innocuous.....his deliveries really skid very quickly. He gets a lot of zip off the pitch. Always tough to put away such bowlers.

Those are the exact type of bowlers who were taken to the cleaners by Arjuna and Aravinda, who cleverly used the pace of the ball with deft touches and paddle sweeps. Arjuna was good against flighty stuff as well because he cam down the pitch to flighted stuff.

 

[slowfinger]

Im gonna do a Hitler Reacts to Fawad Alam not being picked soon I swear....

WHAT THE ****ING ****!

 

[Migara]

Fawad Alam can definietly make the Pakistan test XI. Good compact player.

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

 

[smash84]

ugh

 

[Migara]

1st T20 starts tomorrow and SL are clearly short of batsmen. Expected XI to play will be,

Tharanga, Dilshan, Sanga, MJ, Chandimal, Mathews, J. Mendis, Perera, Senanayake, Kulasekara, Malinga.

I would put the batting order as following
Tharanga, MJ, Sanga, Chandimal, Dilshan, Mathews, J. Mendis

Tharanga and Mendis are weak links in batting, and Sanga is not a big thing in T20s. It's high time for Sanga to retire from LO cricket and concentrate on tests. Bhanuka Rajapakshe, Dilshan Munaweera, Angelo Perera and Kusal Janith are some belligerent young batsmen available for selection and should replace perennial failures like Kapugedara, Chamara Silva, Mendis, Tharanga as well as Sanga.

 

[Arachnodouche]

@smalishah: Why hate the poor guy so? He's probably the most honest trier in the team, not many in the side as agile as him in the outfield..and he's a good bowler to look at, with obvious drawbacks...but I always find myself rooting for him. Was genuinely excited to see him do well initially in the Aus Tests a couple of years back. And then he went to seed as usual.

 

[smash84]

@smalishah: Why hate the poor guy so? He's probably the most honest trier in the team, not many in the side as agile as him in the outfield..and he's a good bowler to look at, with obvious drawbacks...but I always find myself rooting for him. Was genuinely excited to see him do well initially in the Aus Tests a couple of years back. And then he went to seed as usual.

Dude....Sami has had so many international chances that it ain't even funny.

Honest triers are not the solution to the team's problems.

Secondly there are better bowlers going around.

Although this time I will concede one thing. The guy admits that this might be his last shot at international cricket. Let's hope he swings the ball a bit for a change

 

[Fusion]

Loving the new training kit.