Pakistan is going to take the powerplays more series while playing against New Zealand in their fourth World Cup match of the group-A here at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium Tuesday.
Talking to mediamen on Tuesday soon after the team had a net training at Pallekele Cricket Stadium, also known as Muttiah Muralitharan International Cricket Stadium, is one of the newest cricket stadiums in Sri Lanka and the newest in the city of Kandy, Misbah-ul-Haq said that earlier Pakistan did not utilize the powerplays in an effective manner in other matches but things would be better while playing against New Zealand. Everyone would see a change in Pakistan play despite the team is in leading position of winning three matches in its group. He said the team only utilized the powerplays in a good manner against Kenya where we built up 71 runs in five overs, otherwise it did not work or prove good for the team against Sri Lanka and Canada.About his own form, Misbah said that he would always believe in good cricket and had a good track record against New Zealand. I would try my best to deliver the best so that the team would win the match against New Zealand, he added Misbah has a good batting record with scores of 65, 83 and 37 in three matches. He also scored 203 runs in Pakistan s 3-2 series win against New Zealand before the World Cup and will be one of the prime targets of the New Zealanders on Tuesday.He said the other batsmen would have to work hard in setting up a good target to the New Zealanders, provided winning the toss and elected to bat first. But Misbah said Pakistan had no clue about the wicket, which looked to have some grass and bounce to assist fast bowlers. We are in better position after defeating Kenya, host Sri Lanka and Canada in the group-A so the team would play good cricket without any worries, he added.Misbah had no idea about the ground and said that the team would try to handle the situation by playing positive cricket. Misbah also lauded Shahid Afridi for his captaincy and specially his performance as bowler. Praising Afridi, he said, Afridi can turn the whole complexion of the match with his bowling and that he did in three matches the team won. He is the high wicket taker so far as he is very difficult bowler. Afridi had variation, especially in these conditions, so making difficult for the batsmen to play. He also suggested the same for the other players to deliver their cent percent so as to keep team in winning position against tough teams South Africa, Australia and England. Pakistan openers Mohammad Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad disappointed in the first three games, but both batsmen could take confidence after scoring centuries in the one-day series against the Kiwis.Hafeez believed that he was struggling because fast bowlers were getting early assistance from the wickets in Sri Lanka. Here there is a lateral movement with the new white ball and the swing is also there, Hafeez said. We don t lack in confidence, we both are trying to give a long partnership and I hope it s not that far. When New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori, was asked to comment, soon after the team had a training and net session in the afternoon, he rated Pakistan as tough opponents. He said Pakistan is going better and better while playing the World Cup matches and the team would work hard to beat them. Pakistan seemed to better team now as they had against us where Pakistan finished the series 3-2. Pakistan have six points with three wins out of three games while New Zealand are on four after lopsided victories over Kenya and Zimbabwe and a defeat against Australia.The team, he said, have not been able to show consistency in performances. Vettori said his team needed to lift its own game against Pakistan, which despite fielding and batting lapses managed victories over Sri Lanka and Canada mainly due to Shahid Afridi s bowling.Vettori also worried about Afridi performance in the recent matches by topping the bowling charts in the World Cup with 14 scalps.Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, also known as Muttiah Muralitharan International Cricket Stadium, is one of the newest cricket stadiums in Sri Lanka and the newest in the city of Kandy. The stadium has been renamed as the Muttiah Muralitharan International Cricket Stadium. In July 2010, The Central Provincial Council in Kandy unanimously made the renaming decision to honor the legendary Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan. The stadium was declared open on November 27, 2009. The Stadium has hosted a drawn test match between West Indies and Sri Lanka in December last year that was badly affected by heavy rains. Tuesday's game will be the first one-day international at the venue east of Kandy. New Zealand, however, has some idea of the wickets here as they played a practice one-dayer in August.
Source: APP
Talking to mediamen on Tuesday soon after the team had a net training at Pallekele Cricket Stadium, also known as Muttiah Muralitharan International Cricket Stadium, is one of the newest cricket stadiums in Sri Lanka and the newest in the city of Kandy, Misbah-ul-Haq said that earlier Pakistan did not utilize the powerplays in an effective manner in other matches but things would be better while playing against New Zealand. Everyone would see a change in Pakistan play despite the team is in leading position of winning three matches in its group. He said the team only utilized the powerplays in a good manner against Kenya where we built up 71 runs in five overs, otherwise it did not work or prove good for the team against Sri Lanka and Canada.About his own form, Misbah said that he would always believe in good cricket and had a good track record against New Zealand. I would try my best to deliver the best so that the team would win the match against New Zealand, he added Misbah has a good batting record with scores of 65, 83 and 37 in three matches. He also scored 203 runs in Pakistan s 3-2 series win against New Zealand before the World Cup and will be one of the prime targets of the New Zealanders on Tuesday.He said the other batsmen would have to work hard in setting up a good target to the New Zealanders, provided winning the toss and elected to bat first. But Misbah said Pakistan had no clue about the wicket, which looked to have some grass and bounce to assist fast bowlers. We are in better position after defeating Kenya, host Sri Lanka and Canada in the group-A so the team would play good cricket without any worries, he added.Misbah had no idea about the ground and said that the team would try to handle the situation by playing positive cricket. Misbah also lauded Shahid Afridi for his captaincy and specially his performance as bowler. Praising Afridi, he said, Afridi can turn the whole complexion of the match with his bowling and that he did in three matches the team won. He is the high wicket taker so far as he is very difficult bowler. Afridi had variation, especially in these conditions, so making difficult for the batsmen to play. He also suggested the same for the other players to deliver their cent percent so as to keep team in winning position against tough teams South Africa, Australia and England. Pakistan openers Mohammad Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad disappointed in the first three games, but both batsmen could take confidence after scoring centuries in the one-day series against the Kiwis.Hafeez believed that he was struggling because fast bowlers were getting early assistance from the wickets in Sri Lanka. Here there is a lateral movement with the new white ball and the swing is also there, Hafeez said. We don t lack in confidence, we both are trying to give a long partnership and I hope it s not that far. When New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori, was asked to comment, soon after the team had a training and net session in the afternoon, he rated Pakistan as tough opponents. He said Pakistan is going better and better while playing the World Cup matches and the team would work hard to beat them. Pakistan seemed to better team now as they had against us where Pakistan finished the series 3-2. Pakistan have six points with three wins out of three games while New Zealand are on four after lopsided victories over Kenya and Zimbabwe and a defeat against Australia.The team, he said, have not been able to show consistency in performances. Vettori said his team needed to lift its own game against Pakistan, which despite fielding and batting lapses managed victories over Sri Lanka and Canada mainly due to Shahid Afridi s bowling.Vettori also worried about Afridi performance in the recent matches by topping the bowling charts in the World Cup with 14 scalps.Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, also known as Muttiah Muralitharan International Cricket Stadium, is one of the newest cricket stadiums in Sri Lanka and the newest in the city of Kandy. The stadium has been renamed as the Muttiah Muralitharan International Cricket Stadium. In July 2010, The Central Provincial Council in Kandy unanimously made the renaming decision to honor the legendary Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan. The stadium was declared open on November 27, 2009. The Stadium has hosted a drawn test match between West Indies and Sri Lanka in December last year that was badly affected by heavy rains. Tuesday's game will be the first one-day international at the venue east of Kandy. New Zealand, however, has some idea of the wickets here as they played a practice one-dayer in August.
Source: APP
