ICC Cricket World Cup - Part 3

First topic message reminder :

Table

Australia	8	14	1.00
India	7	11	0.85
New Zealand	8	11	0.57
England	8	10	1.00
Pakistan	8	9	-0.80
Sri Lanka	8	8	-0.93
Bangladesh	7	7	-0.13
South Africa	8	5	-0.08
West Indies	8	3	-0.36
Afghanistan	8	0	-1.42

Remaining Pool Fixtures

Tue, Jul 2 
10:30 Bangladesh vs India (Edgbaston)

Wed, Jul 3 
10:30 England vs New Zealand (Riverside Ground)

Thu, Jul 4 
10:30 Afghanistan vs West Indies (Headingley)

Fri, Jul 5 
10:30 Bangladesh vs Pakistan (Lord’s)

Sat, Jul 6 
10:30 India vs Sri Lanka (Headingley)
13:30 Australia vs South Africa (Old Trafford)




Knock Out Fixtures


To Follow

Absolute worldie of a catch by Guptill to dismiss the pivotal figure of Steve Smith. 46/3 = lots of trouble.

We've seen some exceptional catches at this tournament.

As we were all saying just the other week the unpredictability of this world cup and the see saw nature of some of the games has really shown the strength of this format

Good heavens ! Leave the room for five minutes and return to see Smith has gone too ! Must be only England who can never get him out early
Stoinis in before Maxwell ? Guess the Aussies want to rebuild the innings and save the bashing for later... Flexible approach. Has generally served them well in this tournament.

Pakistan 0/1 after two balls and they've lost their review.

Game on?

Possibly...just lost their second , but at 72 after 16 they remain on course. Doubt Afghanistan are experienced enough to pressure them out of it.

Both set batsmen now removed as Nabi bowls Babar round the legs. 81/3 and the door is opening.

Aussies needing some runs from the last twenty - five out and only 136. Carey is very capable of supplying the fireworks and they will fancy defending 250 if they can get there. Pitch not the easiest for batting they may well defend even less ; but NZ are well in the contet at the moment.

Duty281 wrote:Both set batsmen now removed as Nabi bowls Babar round the legs. 81/3 and the door is opening.

Hmm. That would be a shock result ! Pakistan have plenty of batting to come though...

And they've moved on to 103/3. Been slow going but they have plenty of time. Afghans badly need another couple of wickets.

Potential key moment of the match - Haris Sohail gets the faintest touch on a leg-side delivery and the keeper collects. Umpire doesn't give it. Afghans had no reviews left.

Could have been 118/4.

Now then, Mujeeb brought back and Hafeez obligingly guides one straight to a fielder. 121/4. Still 107 to get.

Rashid Khan gets the key wicket of Haris Sohail and the game is well and truly on.

Pakistan need 86 from 90 balls, with five wickets left. Get the captain in the next few overs and the Afghans will be favourites.

Blimey, a plumb LBW against Imad completely missed by the umpire. The batsman was utterly clueless in that over against the bowling of Khan.

Duty281 wrote:Blimey, a plumb LBW against Imad completely missed by the umpire. The batsman was utterly clueless in that over against the bowling of Khan.

4 more overs of Khan. With Nabi bowled out, you feel that's where the game will be won and lost. A couple for Khan, really exposing that long tail could help them over the line. If Pakistan just take those 4 overs 0-16 they'll probably win this one.

It's all happening ...

Lbw missed by the umpire there ...might be crucial.

Meanwhile a hat trick for Boult ! Keeps Australia below 250 , just.

If Sarfraz is out ...

Oh he is , by a foot ! 156/6 and Imad really struggling...can the Afghans do it ?

Great achievement for Trent Boult - first Kiwi to get a hat trick in a World Cup, apparently.

Uh-oh, Pakistan have gone full Pakistan and the skipper is run out by a distance. Afghanistan now favourites.

Three left for Rashid , two for Mujeeb.

The other five ? Need seven per over.


Wasn't intending to sit up for this , but now ...

All those dot balls from Rashid Khan to Imad playing on Sarafaz's mind? The tail need to go at 7s in the last 10.

alfie wrote:Three left for Rashid , two for Mujeeb.

The other five ? Need seven per over.


Wasn't intending to sit up for this , but now ...

Shinwari bowling now, he's been fairly economical so far. Batsman not looking to take risks, possibly worth sneaking a couple of overs of him out the way now?

RRR heading towards 8, which is likely too high for the Pakistani lower-order. If Sarfaraz was still there, no problem.

Gulbadin has been hit for a boundary in his last two overs, which lets the pressure off a little. The latest one off a full toss.

Mujeeb back on.

Duty281 wrote:Great achievement for Trent Boult - first Kiwi to get a hat trick in a World Cup, apparently.

Uh-oh, Pakistan have gone full Pakistan and the skipper is run out by a distance. Afghanistan now favourites.

Gotta love the smiling assassin Trent Boult. Plays cricket the right way. Second ODI hat trick overall as well.

Far from over yet. Seven - or eight - per over can be done for a few overs by almost anyone if you're getting close down to last few overs .And Imad starting to actually hit a few balls now. Think Afghanistan need to get another wicket to really turn the screws.

Duty281 wrote:Blimey, a plumb LBW against Imad completely missed by the umpire. The batsman was utterly clueless in that over against the bowling of Khan.

Incompetent umpiring...could have massive implications

alfie wrote:Far from over yet.  Seven - or eight - per over can be done for a few overs by almost anyone if you're getting close down to last few overs .And Imad starting to actually hit a few balls now. Think Afghanistan need to get another wicket to really turn the screws.

A big 12 run over would change a lot for this Pakistan innings, but boundaries are hard to come by for them. A lot of singles on offer, the occasional 2. As long as Afghanistan can dry up the boundaries they can build the pressure.

Wonder if the Afghans aren't missing a trick by allowing too many singles at the moment ? Not sure these fellows could monster Rashid if he had a more attacking field...and if he could get Imad it might be almost job done...

Shinwari nearly a c&b ! That's twice .

Fine over Shinwari

Just two off it. Needs nine per over . But still well possible.

Gulbadin now . They are shuffling the bowlers around ...

Bizarre choice to choose seam over spin. Four off the first ball...

Gulbadin on, full toss first up and a 4. Keep him out the attack!

Should have kept the spinners on...

This over tilting the balance back to Pakistan... Afghan fielders feeling the pressure .
Na...this over has given Pakistan the game . Can't see them being stopped now.

alfie wrote:Should have kept the spinners on...

Couldn't agree more. The spinners had them under wraps, Gulbadin had been expensive. He could have bowled out his 3 spinners and he didn't need to have another over himself.

The captain's made some good bowling choices today - both Mujeeb and Khan struck in first overs of spells after being brought back.

But this decision may well have cost them the match. No idea what was going through his head. Use Shenwari/Khan/Mujeeb for the final five, not give one over to an ineffectual seamer.

18 off the over. Ouch.

17 from the over with the wide. One ball to come. Single makes 18 with Imad on strike. Awful over.

Duty281 wrote:The captain's made some good bowling choices today - both Mujeeb and Khan struck in first overs of spells after being brought back.

But this decision may well have cost them the match. No idea what was going through his head. Use Shenwari/Khan/Mujeeb for the final five, not give one over to an ineffectual seamer.

18 off the over. Ouch.

He is the captain! He brought himself back on. Is that ego? Or just a misread of the situation?

Ridiculous decision by Naib

Just need seven per over now . They don't need to bash now ...can just nibble singles .
. That dreadful over completely turned the match.

But wait ! Another run out ...back in the melting pot

robbo277 wrote:

Duty281 wrote:The captain's made some good bowling choices today - both Mujeeb and Khan struck in first overs of spells after being brought back.

But this decision may well have cost them the match. No idea what was going through his head. Use Shenwari/Khan/Mujeeb for the final five, not give one over to an ineffectual seamer.

18 off the over. Ouch.

He is the captain! He brought himself back on. Is that ego? Or just a misread of the situation?

He's a very silly boy. Mind you, Pakistan have run another of their batsman out. This is like the Afghanistan v Sri Lanka game from a few weeks ago.

"No we don't want to win the game, you can have it."
"No, no, we insist."

18 needed from 18. Last 12 have gone from 24. Afghanistan need Wasim early in this over so they can build some dots.

robbo277 wrote:

Duty281 wrote:The captain's made some good bowling choices today - both Mujeeb and Khan struck in first overs of spells after being brought back.

But this decision may well have cost them the match. No idea what was going through his head. Use Shenwari/Khan/Mujeeb for the final five, not give one over to an ineffectual seamer.

18 off the over. Ouch.

He is the captain! He brought himself back on. Is that ego? Or just a misread of the situation?

To be fair to him it could be seen as taking responsibility and varying the attack. And I guess the skied drive might well have been caught , in which case it worked...
But yes , a big mistake.
He'd have been better keeping his over as a possible option for the last couple .

Not over yet. If Imad stays in Pakistan win.

So as we were saying only last week ODI cricket is dead and this world cup is a joke .....

Oh

Mujeeb done . Rawhide and Shinwari to finish...

Mujeeb goes for 2. 16 off 12. Rashid next? Then Shinwari possibly to finish. Please no more Gulbadin.

Wahab can hit them. 8 needed off 9.

Six ! Pakistan nearly there...

So close and so far for Afghanistan , alas... They need a miracle now

Rashid Khan has been exposed in this World Cup

Need six from six. Easy with three in hand.

They could do with a loan of Trent Boult

Rashid just hasn't got it quite right in his last couple of overs and it looks as though Pakistan will sneak home. 6 from 6 needed.

Sad to hear the reports of clashes between the two sets of fans inside and outside the ground. Hopefully it doesn't boil over post-match.

alfie wrote:Need six from six. Easy with three in hand.

Unless Trent Boult comes on, yeah that should be that.

robbo277 wrote:

alfie wrote:Need six from six. Easy with three in hand.

Unless Trent Boult comes on, yeah that should be that.

Gulbadin. 0-65 off 9. Same difference.

Oh dear, Gulbadin bowling the final over. That's hilarious. He'll probably get a Trent Boult hat trick now.