Hafeez confident of better openings

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	Mohammad Hafeez, and his opening partner Ahmed Shehzad, have not had a substantial partnership in this World Cup © AFP Enlarge
Related Links Players/Officials: Mohammad Hafeez Matches: New Zealand v Pakistan at Pallekele Series/Tournaments: ICC Cricket World Cup Teams: Pakistan

Three matches in and murmurs over Pakistan's opening combination are increasing. Mohammad Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad have put on 11, 28 and 16 against Kenya, Sri Lanka and Canada but on two occasions the middle order has bailed the side out. There is no move from the team management to change things just yet - in fact there is a commendable rigidity to stick, as much as possible, to the same winning XI - but the need for a substantial stand is growing.

Hafeez has looked the more fluent of the two, particularly in his 32 against Sri Lanka, where a disastrous run-out ended a promising knock. The surfaces they have come across, while good for batting, have been more competitive than some seen in the World Cup and that Hafeez concluded has also played a part.

"When you assess the pitch as an opener, you have to plan out what it would be like, and both pitches at Hambantota and at the Premadasa had a lot of movement and swing," Hafeez said in Pallekele, a day before his side's game with New Zealand. "We need some time to build a good partnership but you get one good delivery or a decision goes against you, which are a part of the game, and you have to take it positively. Here there has been some lateral movement with the new ball and swing as well."

Hafeez's return to the ODI set-up in the last English summer has brought Pakistan a sense of stability at the top, though his most productive partnership has been with Kamran Akmal, now batting at one down. Hafeez averages nearly 33 in 19 ODIs since, with a hundred - in New Zealand - and three fifties. The figures don't look outstanding, but he has chipped in otherwise, with wickets (13) and a safe presence in the field.

"In the three series against England, South Africa and New Zealand I think I've been consistent," Hafeez said. "It's only that I haven't performed in three World Cup matches. In one match I got run out and in another I got a bad decision. To perform in cricket you need luck other than your own potential as well sometimes."

A good start also gives Pakistan greater flexibility in their batting order. Because the openers have not so far come off, Pakistan has stuck with bringing Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq together behind Kamran Akmal, in order to insure against a collapse. But there are indications within the camp that if the openers provide a substantial, pacy start, Abdul Razzaq or even Shahid Afridi could be pushed up the order, as high as one-down.

Having scored his first and only ODI hundred against tomorrow's opponents in the series in January, a change of results, Hafeez believes, is due. "As an opener I know we have not given good starts to the team, but there's no lack of confidence. We just need one good partnership to get back the confidence. We handled New Zealand's bowling very well [in New Zealand], I also scored a century against them so the confidence is very high."

New Zealand brace for in-form Pakistan

Start time 14.30 local (09.00 GMT)

	The fast bowlers could find the Pallekele pitch more to their liking than the ones in Colombo and Hambantota © AFP Enlarge
Related Links Matches: New Zealand v Pakistan at Pallekele Series/Tournaments: ICC Cricket World Cup Teams: New Zealand | Pakistan

The Big Picture

The pressure on the Test teams in Group A, unlike those scrumming in Group B, is of a milder nature. The teams in Group B are securing quarter-final qualification first and looking after their positions in the process. Unless Zimbabwe scores an unlikely upset, however, all four Test teams in Group A are ensured of a place in the knockouts. They are merely jostling for places at present. Of the strongest, New Zealand are the weakest. Their opponents on Tuesday, Pakistan, are the only team to win everything so far.

New Zealand have beaten Kenya and Zimbabwe - by a ten-wicket margin no less - and another victory against Canada will see them through. It's that brittle performance against Australia, however, that is an indication of the difficulty they will face against formidable sides. On paper, like previous New Zealand teams, this one also has the facets of a fighting outfit.

They have explosive hitters, theoretically bat extremely deep, and have an abundance of bowling options, fast and slow. Their fielding, as ever, is among the best. Their problems are a combination of form, poor technique, and impatience that led to several batsmen chasing and edging wide deliveries against Australia. It's the batting that needs fixing first, for without runs on the subcontinent there is little hope, and they'll have to do it against one of the tournament's most in-form bowling attacks.

The odds on Pakistan being the only team with a 100% win record halfway into the league stage would have been rather high at the start of the World Cup. They weren't being talked up in the lead-up to the tournament - the spot-fixing scandal and the uncertainty over the one-day captaincy overshadowing their performances on the field. But they put Kenya and Canada away and in between those victories toppled tournament favourites Sri Lanka.

Their middle order has largely been solid, and the one time it failed - against Canada - their bowlers raised their game to meet the challenge. They've met and beaten New Zealand in a one-day series immediately preceeding the World cup. Play to potential and Pakistan will expect to dispatch them again tomorrow. Slip, and it could be the opening New Zealand need to rediscover their efficient game.

Form guide

(completed matches, most recent first)

New Zealand WLWWL

Pakistan WWWLW

Watch out for...

… Shahid Afridi the bowler, who has been a vastly more dangerous opponent than Afridi the batsman in recent years. He is the leading wicket-taker in the tournament, with 14 from three matches, including two five-wicket hauls. He tests batsmen with legbreaks, straighter ones and googlies. And then there's the fast ball that tears at batsmen at 130 kph, leaving them no time to react if they've come ill prepared. Afridi has at least four more matches to beat Glenn McGrath's tournament record of 26 wickets - in 2007 - and needs 13 more. He, as always, is Pakistan's talisman in the field, and if New Zealand give him a foothold, he will swarm all over them.

Tim Southee won't be ranked high on the list of the tournament's most dangerous bowlers but he's done tidily so far, picking up seven wickets at an average of 12.42 with an economy of 3.43. He swings the ball both in and out, bowls a probing wicket-to-wicket line, and has a useful yorker during the end overs. The challenge for him, however, is to strike and maintain a low economy on the subcontinent, where conditions are different from the ones he thrives in. Pallekele is an unknown quantity and there are indications that the pitch there could be faster than elsewhere.

Team news

New Zealand completed a clinical dismantling of Zimbabwe to put their campaign back on track and there seems to be no reason to change that winning combination. Brendon McCullum suffered from some soreness but is expected to play against Pakistan.

New Zealand (probable) 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Brendon McCullum (wk), 3 Jesse Ryder, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 James Franklin, 6 Scott Styris, 7 Nathan McCullum, 8 Daniel Vettori, 9 Kyle Mills, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Hamish Bennett.

Pakistan are likely to make one change and bring back Shoaib Akhtar, who missed the game against Canada, for Wahab Riaz. Abdur Rehman, the left-arm spinner, is recovering from his leg injury but is unlikely to be risked against New Zealand.

Pakistan (probable) 1 Ahmed Shehzad, 2 Mohammad Hafeez, 3 Kamran Akmal (wk), 4 Younis Khan, 5 Misbah-ul-Haq, 6 Umar Akmal, 7 Abdul Razzaq, 8 Shahid Afridi, 9 Shoaib Akhtar, 10 Saeed Ajmal, 11 Umar Gul.

Pitch and conditions

Misbah-ul-Haq said the pitch was hard and had grass, indicating that there would be bounce. Daniel Vettori agreed, but no one can say for certain. Pallekele hasn't hosted an international game before. New Zealand, however, have played at the venue located in the hills near Kandy and bowled out a Sri Lanka A side for 91. The weather forecast is thankfully clear.

Stats and Trivia

• Pakistan lost their first World Cup match against New Zealand in 1983. They won the next six.

• Younis Khan averaged 21 and 12 in the previous two World Cups with a high score of 32. He's averaging 42.66 in this one with two half-centuries in three innings.

• New Zealand's openers, Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill, average 135 and 118 in this World Cup. They have been dismissed only once each in three innings.

Quotes

"We've not been able to put consistent team performances together. That's pretty much where we've let ourselves down in the past. Hopefully there is some confidence from the Zimbabwe game. If we can bring the same performance in this game then it's going to be huge for us in the tournament."
Daniel Vettori hopes his team will build on the Zimbabwe win

"They just can't target me, because before me there are three or four batsmen who can get hundreds. They can't wait for me only. We are playing with six batsmen so every batsman is important."
Misbah-ul-Haq attempts to divert New Zealand's focus from him.

Misbah and Afridi sink Sri Lanka

	Misbah-ul-Haq steered Pakistan through the middle overs and surged at the end © AFP Enlarge
Related Links Analysis : Afridi's record, and the advantage of batting first Analysis : Familiar rivals line up in big contest News : Pakistan mull three specialist bowlers News : Sri Lanka wary of "dangerous" Pakistan Matches: Sri Lanka v Pakistan at Colombo (RPS) Series/Tournaments: ICC Cricket World Cup Teams: Pakistan | Sri Lanka

Anyone out there who still thinks Pakistan are not dangerous contenders for the World Cup? With tremendous poise and skill in the middle overs, Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan propelled Pakistan, who were on a tricky 105 for 2 in the 21st over, to a strong 277, before Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Akthar produced bits of magic to derail the chase. Chamara Silva threatened to pull off a thrilling heist with a flurry of boundaries, and Nuwan Kulasekara made one heroic last-ditch effort to reduce the equation to 18 runs from the final over. Umar Gul, however, held his nerve to steer Pakistan home and end a mesmeric exhibition of high-quality cricket in Colombo

Pakistan's innings had everything: rapid start, brain fade, tranquil middle overs, fabulous end-over bowling from Muttiah Muralitharan, who gave only five runs from two batting Powerplay overs, and finally a Misbah blitz, with 32 runs flowing from the final three overs, which eventually made the difference.

The chase too nearly had it all: two inspired moments bursting with imagination and skill from Shoaib and Afridi, two failed stumpings, a dropped catch and a late surge from Silva, who woke up too late after a painstaking start.

In the 21st over, Shoaib produced a crafty offcutter, slightly slower and darting in from outside off, to breach the defences of Mahela Jayawardene and leave Sri Lanka stuttering at 95 for 3. In the next, Afridi, who had earlier removed Tillakaratne Dilshan with a skidding delivery, ripped a loopy leg break that dipped rapidly on Thilan Samaraweera, who was sucked out of his crease and left stranded as Kamran Akmal effected a smart stumping. Akmal later missed two leg-side stumping chances to let off Kumar Sangakkara, on 22 and 33, off Abdur Rehman. The first one kicked more than Akmal anticipated and he had no excuse for the second. Rehman, himself, dropped a sitter to reprieve Silva. However, the twin blows had left Sangakkara with too much to do, especially with Silva struggling to get started, and he fell by holing out to long-on. Silva then stirred from his slumber to reduce the equation from 88 from 47 balls to 46 from 24. He slog swept Rehman for two fours and pulled Gul and Shoaib for more boundaries before he was stumped. Kulasekara took over the baton, whipping a 14-ball 24 but the task proved beyond him.

It was the batting that set up the game for Pakistan, as the Premadasa has always been cruel to the team batting second. Pakistan's innings stood out for its handling of the middle overs. Serenity blew across the ground after the fall of Kamran. Mohammad Hafeez had run himself out after a moment of madness and Kamran, who inexplicably withdrew into his shell after that mix-up, soon combusted, going for an ugly slog against Pakistan's bogeyman Rangana Herath. It wasn't quite a crisis but it definitely needed calm heads. Luckily for Pakistan, you can't find better men than Misbah and Younis to handle these moments. What followed was a perfect advertisement for the much-abused middle overs in an ODI.

Two of the oldest members of the side ran beautifully, worked the angles intelligently, pinged the gaps frequently with the nudge-drive-and-sweep routine, and breathed life into an innings that could have, perhaps otherwise, succumbed to adrenalin rushes. If Misbah pressed back to play Murali, Younis leaned forward to tackle him; if Misbah backed to leg to create room, Younis shuffled to off to work to the leg; if Misbah tapped wide of midwicket for the quick single, Younis nudged just wide of backward point; if Misbah deployed the reverse-sweep, Younis stayed conventional. They always ran well. The runs kept ticking over, the opposition grew increasingly restless, and Pakistan secured ownership of the innings.

What further spiced up this partnership was the knowledge that the powerful lower order was waiting in the dressing room. When Younis fell in the 41st over, with Pakistan on 213 for 4, it even seemed like good news for Pakistan - Afridi and co to follow, unleash violence and 300 would be a formality. Or so it seemed. Here is where Sri Lanka sparkled. Here is when that man Murali and Kulasekara stepped in to do damage control.

While Pakistan's handling of middle overs was a treat to watch, Sri Lanka's skill in the end overs was awe-inspiring. Murali ripped his offbreaks, altering the trajectory, pace, and the extent of turn. Kulasekara punctuated his yorkers with slower cutters to keep Pakistan in check. Murali gave only two runs in the 44th over, the first of the batting Powerplay, and only three in the 46th, which included the wicket of Umar Akmal. Kulasekera gave away just five in the 47th, keeping Afridi quiet with a series of yorkers.

Misbah responded to Murali's magic by growing more innovative. He shuffled to the off and whipped Thisara Perera and Angelo Mathews for boundaries as Pakistan collected 32 runs in the last three overs to post a match-winning total. Misbah and Younis' presence in the middle overs had raised a few murmurs before this World Cup but there would be only voices of appreciation after tonight.

Fawad Alam left out due to poor form

	Fawad Alam has four single-digit scores in his past eight innings © AFP Enlarge
Related Links News : Shoaib Malik left out of World Cup probables Players/Officials: Fawad Alam Series/Tournaments: ICC Cricket World Cup Teams: Pakistan

One of the surprises in Pakistan's preliminary 30-man World Cup squad was the absence of batsman Fawad Alam, whose omission has been attributed to his lack of form by chairman of selectors Mohsin Khan.

"We simply could not find a place for Fawad in the squad and that was down to him not being in the sort of form needed in a tournament like the World Cup," Mohsin told Pakpassion.net.

Alam scored two half-centuries in his previous eight one-day innings, but he also has four single-digit scores, including his last two knocks against South Africa in Dubai two months ago.

Pakistan had announced their squad on Tuesday, a day ahead of the ICC's extended deadline for naming the 30. Shoaib Malik, the former captain, and legspinner Danish Kaneria have also been left out of the probables. Kamran Akmal, the wicketkeeper who has been out of favour over the past few months, has been included.

The PCB hasn't said so publicly but the trio have been under suspicion in the aftermath of the spot-fixing scandal that has rocked Pakistan's cricket. Akmal was the subject of an ACSU notice earlier this year but has since asked for and received a written clearance from the ICC.

One of the surprises in Pakistan's preliminary 30-man World Cup squad was the absence of batsman Fawad Alam, whose omission has been attributed to his lack of form by chairman of selectors Mohsin Khan.

"We simply could not find a place for Fawad in the squad and that was down to him not being in the sort of form needed in a tournament like the World Cup," Mohsin told Pakpassion.net.

Alam scored two half-centuries in his previous eight one-day innings, but he also has four single-digit scores, including his last two knocks against South Africa in Dubai two months ago.

Pakistan had announced their squad on Tuesday, a day ahead of the ICC's extended deadline for naming the 30. Shoaib Malik, the former captain, and legspinner Danish Kaneria have also been left out of the probables. Kamran Akmal, the wicketkeeper who has been out of favour over the past few months, has been included.

The PCB hasn't said so publicly but the trio have been under suspicion in the aftermath of the spot-fixing scandal that has rocked Pakistan's cricket. Akmal was the subject of an ACSU notice earlier this year but has since asked for and received a written clearance from the ICC.

Kaneria questions World Cup exclusion

Danish Kaneria, the Pakistan legspinner, has said he will seek clarification from the PCB on the reasons for his continued exclusion from the national squad. Kaneria was not included in the 30 probables for the 2010-11 World Cup. He had also been overlooked for Pakistan's Test squad for their on-going tour of New Zealand.

Kaneria was one of three players - the other two being Kamran Akmal and Shoaib Malik - who were asked to appear before the PCB's inquiry committee in order to gain clearance to play for Pakistan. The players had to submit details of their bank accounts, assets and property holdings from the last three years to the committee. Pakistan had delayed the announcement of their 30-man World Cup squad till January 5 in order to complete their investigations of the three, but only Kamran was included in the preliminary list for the tournament.

"I have asked my barrister Steve Haurigan to talk to the PCB and clear up this problem and the damage to my name," Kaneria told AFP. "He is in Karachi and has requested a meeting and is waiting for a reply from the PCB."

After a meeting with the board's integrity committee on December 15, which he at the time described as "fruitful and positive", Kaneria had said he was confident of returning to the national squad and was providing the board with whatever details they required.

He stuck to his stance after being left out of the World Cup probables. "I fully cooperated with the PCB and submitted all the documents they wanted from me," he said. "I am disappointed to be left out as I was also overlooked for the series against South Africa in the United Arab Emirates in October-November last year as well as the New Zealand tour."

Kaneria was actually in the original squad to play two Tests against South Africa in the UAE, but was told moments before he was about to leave for the airport that he hadn't been cleared to play. The reason for his exclusion from the World Cup probables is not clear. "There is a lot of speculation in the media regarding clearance or otherwise of players by the integrity committee of the PCB," Pakistan's chief selector Mohsin Khan said. "The integrity committee has given its views on some players to the selection committee which has taken into consideration that input and has selected the 30 players for the World Cup."

The last ODI Kaneria played for Pakistan was in March 2007, so his exclusion from the World Cup could be because the selectors don't see him as a limited-overs bowler. He was playing Tests for Pakistan, though, up until their controversial tour of England in July-August. Kaneria was the subject of a criminal investigation in August by Essex police over allegations that he was involved in spot-fixing during a county game. He was released without charge in September.

Essex have not retained Kaneria for the 2011 season, but he says that is down only to financial reasons. "I have played my cricket clean," he said. "After being cleared by police in England, Essex sent me a letter saying that because of the financial crunch they did not want my services after 2010."

Kaneria has taken 261 wickets in 61 Tests - the most by any Pakistan spinner in tests. He has been performing well in domestic cricket, having taken 38 wickets in eight matches in Division One of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.

Sad, but it's the right call

The ICC's decision to remove Pakistan from the list of World Cup hosts was inevitable; now Pakistan must focus on finding an alternate base for their future home contests

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Pakistan's players must get used to playing away from home © AFP Enlarge

It was only a matter of time before such a decision had to be made. A global event, cricket's showpiece no less, cannot be organised on ifs and buts, on what may or may not happen. Though it is difficult to imagine it now, the situation in Pakistan may well improve by 2011, but the ICC cannot wait. It has to work on as much certainty as it can, for preparing with anything less is preparing for disaster.

In such darkness, sadness is understandable, even desirable if it brings introspection, but there should be no place for anger. To pretend, as some ex-players seem to be doing that this is a shock, that Pakistan has been somehow cheated is misguided. It is hollow posturing. Could any team seriously be expected to tour Pakistan after what happened in Lahore? The very point of Sri Lanka's visit was to prove that cricket can go on even as Pakistan burns. The only thing the tour finally proved was that the fires within threaten to take everything down with it, cricket being just one relatively insignificant victim.

If that message has not gotten through now, day after deteriorating day, then we can only be embedded in a deep state of denial and that is even more worrying. Ijaz Butt's tasteless attack on Chris Broad and needless defence of the indefensible in the immediate aftermath of Lahore was merely one more drop in this vast ocean of denial. Perhaps it is just that the sheer barbarism, the volume and velocity of atrocity over the last two years has desensitised us. We may be numb to it, but the wounds around the rest of the world are still fresh.

Anyway, believing now that the situation here is no worse than the rest of the region, or that security will be better next time, is to miss the point. It isn't the argument any longer that such an attack can happen anywhere: it has only happened here and nowhere else. In Pakistan, cricket is now a target and given the problems various security forces have had against the threat, given the fact that security institutions themselves are repeated targets, can any international team feel safe here?

The quicker Pakistan moves on from such emotions the better and the quicker the PCB accept that there will be no international cricket here in the near future the better. An alternate home, or a few, must be found. In appearance the Dubai Sports City stadium is magnificent. Younis Khan and his team have been suitably impressed by the facilities. Maybe it will lack soul but people thought that of Sharjah's early days too. Alternatives are present and the board claims it is working on a number of them, but the Middle East is feasible and workable. Some kind of semi-permanent arrangement must be inked in and soon.

These ideas are not new. Until now, however, they have mostly been floated by people outside of Pakistan. It would be considerable service if the PCB and the wider Pakistan cricket fraternity tried now to make a case for why they must seek such options; why we must now, even at this late hour, be pragmatic and rational about it and not be slaves to emotion.

Pakistan cannot come out of this alone. The ICC and the cricket world must ensure that Pakistan doesn't continue to meander away like some unruly, sulking misfit. Financially there will be blood; who knows what repercussions there are now for the PCB's recently-inked in TV rights deal? Wealth is concentrated in world cricket, but there is considerable wealth nonetheless and some of it must be spread to make sure Pakistan doesn't wither away. If some kind of compensation can be agreed upon and paid for the potential loss of revenue from the loss of the World Cup, the gesture will be a potent one.

FTP home commitments must now be reworked and flexibility shown in working Pakistan into future schedules. The current FTP mess Pakistan is in is admittedly a result of the incompetence of its own administrations, fumblings it can ill afford to repeat. A year such as 2008 must never come again.

It wouldn't hurt if somehow Pakistan got their team right either. The last two years have been doubly troubling because the team has been poor. Pakistan sides have always been free and easy with focus, direction and discipline, but wherever they were headed they went with an in-your-face, screw-you gusto, difficult not to admire. Recently, they have meekly drifted into a bland, colourless mediocrity, without a fight, without so much as a yelp.

Victory is victory, home, away or in the middle of a desert. And nothing, not even the deepest pockets, eases the pain of so much else - or guarantees relevance globally - quite like sustained success.