World T20 discussion thread

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

First topic message reminder :

This is fast approaching in the UAE, and squads are beginning to be announced. England have announced theirs this morning

England's preliminary squad for the World T20;

Jason Roy
Jos Buttler
Dawid Malan
Jonny Bairstow
Liam Livingstone
Eoin Morgan
Sam Billings
Moeen Ali
Sam Curran
Chris Woakes
David Willey
Adil Rashid
Mark Wood
Chris Jordan
Tymal Mills

Reserves: James Vince, Liam Dawson, Tom Curran

Looks a solid squad, albeit the team has taken a hit in recent months with Archer's injury and then Stokes's withdrawal from international duty.
Billings in as the main batting backup, makes sense to me. He's played well in limited opportunity the past few summers.
I am a touch surprised both Woakes and Willey are in the squad...seems like they both do the same role to me?
Seems harsh, but happy no Tom Curran. He's not played well enough to be included.
I see some "why no Parkinson?" and it does seem a tad weird he isn't in reserve...but ultimately in T20 can you afford to carry someone like him, who while is a good bowler, is a liability in the field and offers absolutely nothing with the bat. I can see why Dawson is the chosen reserve over him, with those considerations.

I think the likely XI is;

Roy
Buttler
Malan
Bairstow
Livingstone
Morgan
Ali
Woakes
Rashid
Wood
Mills

The real selection choices in there are between Woakes/Jordan, and Moeen/Sam Curran. Rest looks fairly set in stone to me

[alfie]

Indeed odd to choose first knock in a night game ! Guess it worked for them against Scotland - but Pakistan is a rather different matter !

Maybe they just feel freer in going after the bowlers batting first ? And if they can get a solid score back their spinners to do the job for them.

Not sure it is the % play.

[king_carlos]

Windies scrape across the line despite some pretty dire fielding.

Pollard definitely still has plenty to offer at international level. There's a reason that the most successful IPL franchise have partially built their side around him. In fact MI are expected to retain Pollard ahead of Pandya going into the mega auction.

Russell just shouldn't be bowling 4 overs a game anymore. He's a potentially devastating batsman but his knees mean he isn't a go to bowler despite getting Windies over the line here.

Holder is a bowler that can hit. Pollard these days is really a batsman who very occasional bowls. Russell is a batsman that bowls 1 or 2 overs a game similar to what Stokes offers with the ball for RR. Pollard, Russell and Holders talents fill completely different roles.

[alfie]

Dreadful fielding doing its best to lose this for West Indies...

Yep, poor from the West Indies but not quite poor enough to lose this game. They do seem to be on another downward spiral. If I was picking their team, Gayle would be on the plane heading home tonight.

I wouldn't have brought him in the first place , to be honest. Guess they weren't overburdened with batting options and thought he might play a big hitting innings at some point : but I'm not sure it is worth persisting with him just in hope. He did take a catch tonight at least...

You described him earlier as the Elephant in the room. In truth he's not the only one in this team who fields with all the dexterity of an aged pachyderm

[Duty281]

Fun first over from Shaheen, but certainly a contender for worst review of the tournament in there as well!

[king_carlos]

That's a really poor review. Just caught up in the excitement and indulging Shaheen there.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Fun first over from Shaheen, but certainly a contender for worst review of the tournament in there as well!

A younger version of Stuart Broad on the reviews it seems

[alfie]

Not the sort of start Afghanistan was after. 13/2 .

They seem to play very much to the West Indies template : go for the fences. Sometimes you need to be a bit selective...

[Duty281]

Pretty clear that Afghanistan's intent was to blast away 180+ like against Scotland, then leave Rashid Khan and company to finish it off with the ball.

Trouble is, Pakistan's bowling line-up is a bit better than Scotland's. Don't think Afghanistan have got it right; at 33/3 they may not even reach 140.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Keep going I say! Great entertainment - and they do still have Nabi, Gulbadin and Rashid Khan himself in the hutch. The batting depth they have allows this no tomorrow approach - as I said pre tournament, it’s 200 or 120, not a lot in between

Run rate is good - and seriously does mean that Janat and Najib can knock it about for a bit now the powerplay is done.

[alfie]

Pretty clear that Afghanistan's intent was to blast away 180+ like against Scotland, then leave Rashid Khan and company to finish it off with the ball.

Trouble is, Pakistan's bowling line-up is a bit better than Scotland's. Don't think Afghanistan have got it right; at 33/3 they may not even reach 140.

Bit of an understatement Four down in the power play despite an easy run out being spurned...

OK they have fifty on the board and maybe some potential six hitters left ; but if they lose any more wickets soon they may not make 120 . And Pakistan chased down India's 150 last week without losing a wicket.

[guildfordbat]

Keep going I say! Great entertainment - and they do still have Nabi, Gulbadin and Rashid Khan himself in the hutch. The batting depth they have allows this no tomorrow approach - as I said pre tournament, it’s 200 or 120, not a lot in between

Run rate is good - and seriously does mean that Janat and Najib can knock it about for a bit now the powerplay is done.

Ok but why not choose to try and do it after Pakistan have batted? Feel Afghanistan have wasted winning the toss and the likely advantage of the dew.

[alfie]

One for the rarity file...a Maiden Over ! Good bowling Hasan Ali... but Afghanistan are going nowhere fast.

This "bash everything" stuff might make the highlights reel - but it isn't going to win too many games against the better teams.

Six gone now. Going to need a lot of tail wagging...

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Keep going I say! Great entertainment - and they do still have Nabi, Gulbadin and Rashid Khan himself in the hutch. The batting depth they have allows this no tomorrow approach - as I said pre tournament, it’s 200 or 120, not a lot in between

Run rate is good - and seriously does mean that Janat and Najib can knock it about for a bit now the powerplay is done.

Ok but why not choose to try and do it after Pakistan have batted? Feel Afghanistan have wasted winning the toss and the likely advantage of the dew.

Can’t explain that one Guildford - perplexing decision

[Duty281]

93 with five to go. Nabi/Gulbadin/Rashid the ones who can propel them up to 130, maybe 140...trouble is Shaheen has two overs left.

[king_carlos]

Shadab really is a spectacular fielder.

[king_carlos]

I jinxed Shadab

Brilliant over for Afghanistan with 19 from it.

Oh no. No ball, so 20 from it and free hit to come.

[Duty281]

21 off that Hasan Ali over, Gulbadin suddenly on the charge. Gives Afghanistan a chance of reaching 150.

[king_carlos]

Good yorker on the free hit. So 21 from the 18th over.

If Afghanistan can get 140 then they will have something to bowl at with their spinners.

[Duty281]

Pakistan falling apart here, they need Shaheen to steady the ship in the final over otherwise they could be chasing 155+.

[king_carlos]

140 up after the 19th then.

Afghanistan right back in this now.

64* run partnership in 41 balls. Brilliant stuff by Nabi and Naib.

[alfie]

Excellent from Gulbadin and Nabi

Sensible batting rather than throwing their wickets away ; and now this late assault which has brought 36 off two overs ! Even if Afridi keeps the lid on this last they're going to be twenty more than looked likely a few minutes ago...

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Exactly why I don’t mind the Afghans going for it - they’ve got the batting depth to recover if it doesn’t come off - arguably their best six hitter is down at 9!

Superb from Nabi and Gulbadin gives them a chance - Pakistan still favourites though

[alfie]

Good last over from Afridi - except for that no ball ! But a good comeback by Afghanistan to reach 147.

Don't think that's enough though. This looks a good enough pitch for batting and I imagine we will see the usual dew factor later on.

[king_carlos]

Very good final over from Shaheen despite the no ball.

Pakistan chasing 148 to win.

Over to Rashid and Mujeeb then!

[Duty281]

147. Fair play to Gulbadin and Nabi, especially the former, a very strong counter-attack that has given them a chance. They've got the spin attack to win it, it depends on how they can handle the dew.

Pakistan should be confident, but they did wobble v NZ and the not very fearsome Sodhi more recently than they beat India. Worth remembering if Pakistan do win they've got top spot 99% secure, with only games v the two associate nations left.

[Soul Requiem]

Good recovery from Afghanistan but can't see it being near enough. Even in T20 you need to earn the right to attack everything, as Gulbadin and Nabi did.

[eirebilly]

That was some comeback by Afghanistan  

I think that it is very much in the balance now but i would say that Afghanistan are slight favorites...

[eirebilly]

Rizwan gone very early. The momentum is definitely with Afghanistan...

[Duty281]

Just one wicket in the PowerPlay, not enough. Afghans need Rashid Khan to deliver three or four wickets in these middle overs.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Afghanistan are aware they have Rashid Khan right?

[alfie]

Certainly held Rashid back didn't they ? Guess he will be hard to target in these late overs ; but there are six other overs to be bowled so I'd imagine Pakistan will target the other bowlers.

He thought he had one then...but in truth that was a pretty poor on field call and overturned as expected.

Nabi has got Zaman though : this one is out.

[Duty281]

Similar to the previous game. The chasing side struggling with the slow pitch, though Pakistan are only two down, albeit without much depth to their batting.

Three overs left for Rashid Khan. Could be another tight finish.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Man how I wish Afghanistan had picked Qais Ahmed as well - 8 overs of seam going to kill them here

[VTR]

Two good matches today whatever happens. Feels like the tournament coming to life, as the Super 12s have been pretty dull so far

[alfie]

Pakistan seem to be taking a fairly controlled approach to this chase. Trying not to take too many risks while keeping the score moving so they won't need too many in the death overs.
Trouble with this plan is if you lose a couple of wickets and new bats have to come in the late hitting isn't do easy...

And as Hafeez has gone now one new man is up . Babar will want to see this through. Five overs to get 47.

Rashid only one over left though.

[Duty281]

Don't think Afghanistan's seam options are too bad, especially on this pitch.

Interesting captaincy decision coming up as to whether bowl Rashid in the 17th, or hold him back for 18 or 19.

[alfie]

Two good matches today whatever happens. Feels like the tournament coming to life, as the Super 12s have been pretty dull so far

Certainly not dull today. Not sure I'd call the earlier match "good" in terms of class - just too many errors on both sides , but it was definitely close !

This one is closer than I'd expected when Afghanistan were 76/6.

[alfie]

Commentators going on about just knocking it around in Rashid's last over...and Malik launches it into the stand !

Even if it is Rashid Khan , if you have wickets in hand you can go for it in the last four overs.

[VTR]

Two good matches today whatever happens. Feels like the tournament coming to life, as the Super 12s have been pretty dull so far

Certainly not dull today. Not sure I'd call the earlier match "good" in terms of class - just too many errors on both sides , but it was definitely close !

This one is closer than I'd expected when Afghanistan were 76/6.

Yes, maybe not in quality terms, but definitely drama. England's performances so far have been high quality, but must have been boring for a neutral

[Duty281]

Just thinking the 17th had probably settled it for Pakistan, then Rashid bowls Babar off the last. Unlikely to be enough, but some hope for Afghanistan.

[alfie]

Always a twist...Babar gone to Rashid's last delivery. But three overs left to get 26 so I fancy he has given his team the edge with that innings.

Asif no mug with the bat. But Naveen is bowling a good over here...and he's got Malik !

Tension now .

[Duty281]

What an over from Naveen, thrilling stuff. Phenomenal control of, most crucially, pace and also the length he was bowling.

Both set batsmen removed.

[king_carlos]

Shoaib goes. Really well bowled by Naveen.

This should be a really exciting finish.

Asif Ali can hit a very long ball so two strikes from him could knock it on the head. If Asif goes though...

[alfie]

Two good matches today whatever happens. Feels like the tournament coming to life, as the Super 12s have been pretty dull so far

Certainly not dull today. Not sure I'd call the earlier match "good" in terms of class - just too many errors on both sides , but it was definitely close !

This one is closer than I'd expected when Afghanistan were 76/6.

Yes, maybe not in quality terms, but definitely drama. England's performances so far have been high quality, but must have been boring for a neutral

True. They were even a bit boring for me once England had finished bowling

[alfie]

Shoaib goes. Really well bowled by Naveen.

This should be a really exciting finish.

Asif Ali can hit a very long ball so two strikes from him could knock it on the head. If Asif goes though...

Well there's one of them...

Still need 18 from 11. Touch and go.

Belay that . Another six , need 12 from 9...

[king_carlos]

Shoaib goes. Really well bowled by Naveen.

This should be a really exciting finish.

Asif Ali can hit a very long ball so two strikes from him could knock it on the head. If Asif goes though...

Well there's one of them...

Still need 18 from 11. Touch and go.

Belay that .  Another six , need 12 from 9...

And a second.

Asif is a really good finisher.

[king_carlos]

And a third.

Miss the yorker and it goes.

[alfie]

Wow. Is this really Asif or Carlos Brathwaite in an Asif suit ?

All done with an over to spare

[Duty281]

Horrific over from Janat. Great finish from Asif. Pakistan will top the group.

[king_carlos]

And a fourth.

Some finishing from Asif Ali. That's twice on the bounce he's done it.

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