ICC World Cup 2012 - Pakistan vs England HIghlight7840366

Pakistan are set to meet India, on Wednesday, March 30, in a a lot-awaited semi-ultimate game of ICC World Cup 2011. India are overwhelming favourites to win the match. Pakistan were in disarray in the months main up to the world cup; the spot-fixing rip-off that broke out through the group's England tour demoralised them whilst they have been seeking to re-build their squad. Crucially, they misplaced three extremely gifted gamers, in Asif, Amir and Butt.

A successful tour of New Zealand united the lads, beneath Afridi. Captaincy was expected to be a bone of competition, particularly as up to now, the group had often been divided into rival factions below totally different captaincy aspirants. On this occasion, Misbah, the only other contender for the captaincy, stepped aside in the Pathan's favour, even because the Pakistan Cricket Board dithered on naming the skipper for the cup.

There is a uncommon unity, among the many Pakistani gamers, not seen for the rationale that days Imran Khan was on the helm. Famously, Imran answered General Zia's call and got here again from retirement to guide the crew to the 1992 world cup. A half-fit Imran performed as a pure batsman, coming in at number three, and his 72 within the final contributed substantially to the title that the team ultimately won. This time around, Pakistan's continued fortunes will depend on the next six males:

1. Shahid Afridi:

If there's an analogy with Imran Khan on the 1992 occasion, Afridi, better recognized for his batting exploits, has shone with the ball, at this world cup, and he is at the moment the main wicket taker, with 21 scalps in seven games. Like Imran, Afridi has impressed together with his man-management expertise; the gamers swear by their captain, and this unity, more than the rest, has helped Pakistan to the semi-finals. Afridi has been main from the entrance, albeit not with the bat, however his bat might have an enormous function to play towards India, especially if Pakistan bat second and need to chase a stiff target. Afridi has gone on report as saying that his dream was to beat India in India on the world cup.

2. Younis Khan:

Younis Khan is another senior player whose presence lends stability to the staff, particularly to its fragile batting line up. Younis skippered Pakistan to the T20 World Cup title in 2009, and stepped apart whereas claiming publicly that he wasn't the best man for the job. Together with his genial self-effacing nature and his many accountable knocks for his workforce, Younis exudes the air of a senior statesman, and the crew will look to him for a giant innings in opposition to India.

3. Misbah-Ul-Haq:

Within the absence of Mohd Yousuf, Misbah-Ul-Haq is technically the most achieved batsman of the team. His composure at the crease is in sharp contrast with the mercurial image of the quintessential Pakistani cricketer. Misbah came near pulling off an improbable win against India in the 2007 T20 world cup ultimate, in the company of Sohail Tanvir, after Pakistan had lost 7 wickets. The staff will need a lot more of that resoluteness against India, on March 30.

4. Umar Gul:

Umar Gul has at all times had a penchant for taking wickets, while not looking threatening, by manner of pace. Gul has been a low-profile player, having performed in the shadow of more accomplished bowlers like Shoaib Akhtar and Mohd Asif. Given the model new ball for the first time, Gul has revelled in his new discovered role because the team's strike bowler, and Pakistan will look to him for an early breakthrough in opposition to India.

5. Umar Akmal:

Umar Akmal is arguably the most exciting younger batsman to have emerged in the last few years. The acute expertise that Akmal brings to bear on the crease has usually proved his undoing, accompanied as it is by an excessive sense of adventure. Afridi has named the young man as a robust contender for Man-of-the-Tournament; Akmal's innings beneath pressure in the league match against Australia didn't belie that hope.

6. Abdul Razzaq:

On his day, outdated warfare horse Abdul Razzaq is capable of absolutely anything, with bat and ball alike, accomplishing it all with a poker face. The semi-closing against India might hinge on which Razzaq seems on the sphere, on March 30 -- the sensible or the indifferent. highlight Pakistan vs England live