Stani Army

I for one am glad I didn’t get too carried away by Pakistan’s day 2 second innings recovery as they would have inevitably let me down having raised my hopes. And so it proved, as another batting collapse saw them go from 285 for 1 to 320 all out in their second innings. This left Sri Lanka needing 171, and with their tales up they ran through comfortable winners in the end, getting there in just 32 overs with 7 wickets in hand.

Pakistan’s 2nd innings recovery did nothing but raise even more questions as to why the 1st innings performance was so bad, and despite the 2nd innings collapse, it was this 1st innings total which cost in the end. Had they scored even a hundred more, they would have fancied bowling out Sri Lanka for less than 270 on a 4th innings pitch.

So, where did it all go wrong? Pakistan’s 2nd innings collapse all started when Sri Lanka took the new ball and the Pakistan batsmen just did not have an answer. The Sri Lankan’s did bowl well but questions will be asked of the Pakistan batsmen, particularly the early to middle order. Though Misbah was unlucky to be given out today

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The Indian Cricket League has released 50 players who had wanted to participate in official cricket again. The complete list has not been made available as yet but is believed to include Rana Naved and Imran Nazir. No word on Yusuf as yet.

The ICL could have quite easily have refused the requests of the players who were under contract but have shown a gentle touch befitting this gentlemen’s game that the ICC, BCCI and other boards have lacked.

The PCB may now regret withdrawing the 3 ICL players it had included in its original World Twenty20 squad.