India-Pakistan combined team to play World XI for three games in USA in June !!

[Nate]

Even if it is it's a light bowling attack!

Afridi up to open, then bring in someone like Razzaq at 8.

Haha, like this?

 

[PAKMAN]

what about akhtar if he's on song

 

[Beleg]

Tendulkar
Sehwag
Youhana
Dravid
Malik
Inzamam - (Captain)
Dhooni - (Wicket-keeper)
Razzaq
Afridi
Rana
Harbajhan

 

[Nate]

what about akhtar if he's on song

He`s not 'on-song' enough for me.

 

[PAKMAN]

might be in june

 

[deeps]

Tendulkar
Sehwag
Youhana
Dravid
Malik
Inzamam - (Captain)
Dhooni - (Wicket-keeper)
Razzaq
Afridi
Rana
Harbajhan

based on current form, i dont think tendulkar deserves to be in that list. afridi wasted so far down the order, and an even lighter bowling attack than i had

 

[deeps]

is that on the assumption that malik will be bowling??

yup based on that he can bowl. otherwise, i'd slot razzaq in, instead of malik.

i guess the alternative line up

could be

1Sehwag7
2Afridi5
3Malik6
4Inzi
5Dravid
6Youhana
7Razzaq4
8Dhoni
9Rana1
10Kartik3
11Zaheer2


There's 7 options for bowling, some powerful hitting, alot of balance. Bowling is still slightly weak, but that's all the sub continent offers in terms of bowling. If pathan finds form by then, i would take him over zaheer, and slot him in at 9 with the bat. Any batting line up with murali kartik at numebr 11 is a formidable one.

 

[SJS]

I would go with

1. Sehwag
2. Malik
3. Tendulkar
4. Dravid
5. Inzemam
6. Afridi
7. Razzaq
8. Dhoni
9. Zaheer
10. Shoaib
11. Rana

I think starting with Afridi and Sehwag may appear a mouth watering prospect but it multiplies the risk of an early wicket. Keeping a stroke player available at every stage is more important. I think Malik is very good against fast bowling also and is no slouch in the scoring ratewithout being too chancy.

Sachin at three can provide solidity as well as stroke play if Sehwag goes early.

Dravid and Inzy dont need explaining.

Next three in the order, Afridi, Razzaq and Dhoni can provide all the pyrotechnics needed in the last 15 overs. If number of overs is more, I would send Razzaq before Afridi.

Shoaib, Zaheer, Rana, Afridi, Malik provide as wide a range as one can expect. The only missing type is a left arm spinner. With these five and Sehwag and Sachin to chip in, the bowling is well covered.

This is a side with depth and five explosive batsmen. It can simultaneously boast of four solid batsmen too.

I like the look of it.

Leaving Harbhajan out cant be helped since Malik can bowl. On a turning track he could replace Zaheer or Rana.

 

[PAKMAN]

if afrdid gotta bat down the order then i would open with sachin and sehwag with malik at number three for the same reasons u' v mentioned for tendulker ,other than that i like the look of your team

 

[deeps]

i dnt think tendulkar deserves a spot over youhana

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Agreed on the side SJS. Only thing I would change would be the batting order a bit.

Tendulkar
Sehwag
Malik
Dravid
Inzamam
Dhoni
Razzaq
Afridi
Zaheer
Shoaib
Rana

Shuffle 6-8 based on match situation, but in most cases I'd be happiest with that order. If wickets are falling I wouldn't want Razzaq and Afridi coming in under too much pressure, Dhoni would be more solid there. Razzaq of course would be ideal coming in with a dozen overs or so to go, and Afridi with half a dozen. Same deal in a chase. Send Afridi up if quick runs are needed since he can turn a match in a matter of a couple of overs (see VB series), and Dhoni or Razzaq if a more solid presence is necessary.

Afridi is an absolute match-winner on his day in an ODI and is a useful bowler too, but there's plenty of situations I wouldn't want to see him coming in 9 times out of 10, including as an opener alongside another devastating player in Sehwag, so I agree with you about having him down the order.

edit: Of course, this is all if the team was picked today. If Pathan or Kamal or someone has a great time of it between now and then or Tendulkar continues to fail, then there's plenty of room for change.

 

[SJS]

Agreed on the side SJS. Only thing I would change would be the batting order a bit.

Tendulkar
Sehwag
Malik
Dravid
Inzamam
Dhoni
Razzaq
Afridi
Zaheer
Shoaib
Rana

Shuffle 6-8 based on match situation, but in most cases I'd be happiest with that order. If wickets are falling I wouldn't want Razzaq and Afridi coming in under too much pressure, Dhoni would be more solid there. Razzaq of course would be ideal coming in with a dozen overs or so to go, and Afridi with half a dozen. Same deal in a chase. Send Afridi up if quick runs are needed since he can turn a match in a matter of a couple of overs (see VB series), and Dhoni or Razzaq if a more solid presence is necessary.

Afridi is an absolute match-winner on his day in an ODI and is a useful bowler too, but there's plenty of situations I wouldn't want to see him coming in 9 times out of 10, including as an opener alongside another devastating player in Sehwag, so I agree with you about having him down the order.

edit: Of course, this is all if the team was picked today. If Pathan or Kamal or someone has a great time of it between now and then or Tendulkar continues to fail, then there's plenty of room for change.

I agree.

With Afridi, it would be too much to expect him to last much more than 15 overs. Thats why I have never been a great proponent of having him to open. Sehwag has the wherewithal to play all 50 overs. Nothing like that with Afridi. And match situation or presssure doesnt matter to him one bit. So, you are right, he should be sent in any time after the 25th/30th over depending on situation. If he playes 15 or 20 overs he will make a big score.

Razzaq on the other hand has shown on the recent tour of India that he has the capacity to play defensively too. His innings in the first test and partnership with Akmal changed Pakistan's fortunes and their level of confidence in themselves. He appears to have matured.

 

[veeru2810]

i dnt think tendulkar deserves a spot over youhana

I totally agree with you but this game is played to make cricket popular in the US, i beleive. Sachin is gonna bring in the crowds......

 

[deeps]

in that case, shoaib akhtar, and irfan pathan should be in the team

 

[Duncan]

My team would be...
Sehwag
Afridi
Malik
Inzamam
Dravid
Dhoni
Razzaq
Balaji
Zaheer
Shoaib
Rana

Afridi will be more useful at the top... he may fail but there is plenty of batsmen after him... he won't contribute much at all at the lower order simply because he probably won't get to come out at all. Plus, who doesn't want to see Sehwag and Afridi together blasting away?

 

[Beleg]

Razzaq has always had the ability to stonewall when need arises - he did it in WC 99, WI 2000 and and England 2000 again. (I am sure these are not the only times but the most prominent ones)

based on current form, i dont think tendulkar deserves to be in that list. afridi wasted so far down the order, and an even lighter bowling attack than i had

On most pitches around the globe, Afridi is wasted at the starting position. As for the bowling attack - they can chip is 50 overs between them for a reasonable score. The batting on the other hand IMO is good enough to chase down any getable score.

Sachin is still a good enough player for me to pick him even when of-song. (Youhana has batted solidly in the last series or two, but his stats have not be so brilliant as to merit inclusion above tendulkar) Specially in a charity match where the level of pressure is much less then in a international. (and as good as tendulkar is, he is not in the league of waugh/inzy/bevan as a pressure player)

 

[tooextracool]

Razzaq on the other hand has shown on the recent tour of India that he has the capacity to play defensively too. His innings in the first test and partnership with Akmal changed Pakistan's fortunes and their level of confidence in themselves. He appears to have matured.

except that razzaq has been doing that for years now, right from debut in fact.

 

[biased indian]

in that case, shoaib akhtar, and irfan pathan should be in the team

irfan why ???

 

[tooextracool]

it doesnt really matter, whatever combined ind-pak bowling attack you pick, they're all probably going to get clobbered. too bad it isnt a a subcontinental XI, then you could get vaas and murali to stabilise that attack.

 

[Swervy]

cant be bothered with reading all this thread, so forgive me if this has already been asked..

Are these games for some charity or something?

Does anyone else thing that the all of a sudden surge of World XI vs whoever games is going to dilute interest in the one that matters later on this year vs Australia?