da bet esporte： ESPNcricinfo previews the second Twenty20 between Zimbabwe and Pakistan at Harare
da 888casino： The Preview by Firdose Moonda17-Sep-2011 Match facts September 18, Harare Sports Club
Start time 1400 (1200 GMT)Rameez Raja should get a second chance to impress•AFP
Big PicturePakistan are on the verge of completing a clean sweep of Zimbabwe across all formats of the game. Victory in the second Twenty20 will see them finish off a hugely successful tour, in which they have been tested at times but have come out on top on each occasion. It would be a fitting farewell for Waqar Younis, who will take charge of the team for the last time on Sunday. The tour has been free of the usual infighting and controversy and to end it in that fashion will be significant as well.One of the aims for Pakistan was to introduce new players and change combinations and so far, they have done that successfully. Aizaz Cheema has had a dream start in international cricket, while Yasir Shah, Junaid Khan and Sohail Khan have also showed promise. Sohail Tanvir and Younis Khan have made convincing comebacks, as has Imran Farhat, though Shoaib Malik still has some work to do. For captain Misbah-ul-Haq, the tour has been an important passage for his leadership and he has led with eloquence and aplomb and would like to leave on a winning note.Zimbabwe will want nothing more than for the nightmare to end after struggling to compete with an opponent who have pushed, pummelled and eventually punished them. Their inexperience at the top level has been exposed and they have struggled to construct innings on the one hand and contain the opposition on the other. Of even greater concern will be their ineptitude in the field, where they have been sub-standard and put down numerous chances. As a team, they once prided themselves on their fielding and to have performed so poorly will have been a major disappointment.All is not lost yet, though. Victory in the remaining match will not mean much but it will give the team the self belief they need to go forward. They may have written this series off already and decided to focus on New Zealand but will do themselves a favour by treating the last match as seriously as any other, especially because Pakistan do not appear to have one foot on the plane and will give them a tough, final workout.Form guide (most recent first) Zimbabwe LLLL
Pakistan WLWLL In the spotlight He was the only Zimbabwe batsmen to show any signs of a fight and all eyes will be on Charles Coventry to see if he can take his team over the line. Coventry is still best remembered for his 194 against Bangladesh in 2009 but has failed to live up the reputation he created for himself in that match. Many fans have enquired about why he was left out of the original Test and ODI sides and the simple truth is that Coventry has had a run of poor form, especially after being pushed to open the batting at the World Cup, and has done little to deserve his place. But, he is a big hitter and has excellent temperament and Zimbabwe cricket know they need him. Now, he needs to deliver.Rameez Raja was one of Pakistan’s most talked about debutants but his eventual appearance was a bit of an anti-climax. He stepped into a situation that demanded he fill big shoes because Asad Shafiq and Mohammad Hafeez had laid an impressive foundation and perhaps Rameez was overwhelmed with needing to build on it. Locals have talked him up a serious talent though and his domestic stats support that. Although he has only played six twenty-over matches, he has scored 261 runs at an average of 43.50 and a strike rate of 148.29. With nothing to lose, he may just have the freedom he needs to showcase his talent on the big stage.Team news Zimbabwe may not want to risk going in to the match with only three frontline bowlers, picking two of Kyle Jarvis, Brian Vitori and Chris Mpofu and one spinner in Ray Price. But if they want to lengthen their batting line-up, that may be their only option. If they want a more attacking spinner, Prosper Utseya could replace Price. Vitori was battling a shin niggle and if he is fit, may come in for Mpofu, who was wayward and expensive in the previous match.Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Vusi Sibanda, 2 Chamu Chibhabha, 3 Cephas Zhuwao, 4 Hamilton Masakadza, 5 Brendan Taylor, 6 Charles Coventry, 7 Tatenda Taibu, 8 Elton Chigumbura, 9 Ray Price/Prosper Utseya, 10 Kyle Jarvis, 11 Chris Mpofu/Brian VitoriPakistan don’t need to change too much and they are unlikely to as they try to create continuity in their starting XI. Junaid Khan may be given an opportunity in the shortest format at the expense of Sohail Khan but the rest of the line-up should be unchanged.Pakistan (probable): 1 Mohammad Hafeez, 2 Asad Shafiq, 3 Rameez Raja, 4 Misbah-ul-Haq, 5 Shoaib Malik, 6 Umar Akmal, 7 Sohail Tanvir, 8 Saeed Ajmal, 9 Sohail Khan/Junaid Khan, 10 Aizaz Cheema, 11 Yasir ShahPitch and conditions Batting will remain a pleasure on the pitch in Harare, but, as the previous match showed, there as something in it for the bowlers too. Movement and bounce was on offer for bowlers who were able to bowl disciplined lines and lengths. The outfield is quick and boundaries should be plentiful. With it being a summer Sunday, a large crowd can be expected to see Pakistan for the last time on this tour.Stats and trivia Misbah-ul-Haq’s best season of T20 cricket was in 2007-08, when Pakistan reached the final of the World T20. He scored 338 runs in 10 matches that season at an average of 67.60. Brendan Taylor’s highest T20 score is 60 not out. He scored that in Zimbabwe’s shock win over Australia in the 2007 World T20. Quotes “Pakistan are a good side and they have got better as the series has gone. They are becoming very difficult to beat. We will have to put on a much better performance.”
“They have good young players and as they get more experience, they will get better.”
