Pakistan, Sri Lanka clash in first T20 semi-final today

COLOMBO: Former champions Pakistan will look to reach their third ICC World Twenty20 final in four editions when they take on Sri Lanka in the first semifinal here at the R Premadasa Stadium today.
The Pakistan vs Sri Lanka match will begin at 6:30 pm according to Pakistan Standard Time.
Pakistan had defeated Sri Lanka in 2009 T20 final. Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has termed Greenshirts as favorite and advised them to play Lasith Malinga carefully.
Mohammad Hafeez, the Pakistan captain, sounded quite confident at the pre-match press conference on Wednesday. “We believe as a team we can beat them (Sri Lanka),” he said. “Players are playing with positive intentions and they have prepared for it. We are not relying on any one player, we are finding a new match-winner.”
Pakistan hold a clear edge over Sri Lanka in Twenty20 Internationals, winning six of the nine meeting between the two sides.
The Greenshirts have won two matches and lost one against the islanders in World Twenty20s. Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka in the final of the 2009 tournament.
Hafeez said he and the team management were happy with the team’s progress.
R Premadasa Stadium suits spinners more than pacemen and the Pakistan captain said it would be a good contest between the slow bowlers from both sides.
Pakistan are expected to go with the same combination which played against Australia in their last Group 2 match.
In the game against Australia on Tuesday, their spinners bowled 18 of the 20 overs. However, they might be required to rethink their strategy as Sri Lankans are good players of spin bowling.
Mahela Jayawardene, the Sri Lankan captain, predicted an exciting semifinal “up against a good quality team” and said his team were looking forward to it. “I think we’ve played each other quite frequently, it’s been a good contest,” he said.
Jayawardene said they weren’t thinking too much about Thursday’s wicket. “For us tactically it’s all about how we go about and play to our strength and how Pakistan responds to our tactics. We just need to keep changing, on the day on the field we need to react. That’s the way to go against Pakistan.”
He said Sri Lank would be ready for the contest.
Speaking of the battle between Ajmal and Mendis, Jayawardene said: “Those guys have been playing for almost I don’t know five-six years now, so I don’t know whether there’s enough mystery in it. Lot of the guys have played them, you have to give them credit that they are two quality spinners.
Teams:
Pakistan (probable): Mohammad Hafeez (capt), Imran Nazir, Nasir Jamshed, Kamran Akmal (wk), Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Abdul Razzaq, Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Raza Hasan.
Sri Lanka (probable): Mahela Jayawardene (capt), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Angelo Mathews, Jeevan Mendis, Lahiru Thirimanne, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Akila Dananjaya, Ajantha Mendis.
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16:29 0 comments

ICC T20 World Cup 2012, 1st Semifinal: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka

Match Overview & Live Updates

In the first Semi Final of World T20 2012, two most favorites of the tournament Pakistan and Sri Lanka will clash on Thursday October 4. Pakistan only losing to India in the Super Eights managed to defeat both Australia and South Africa to come to this stage. On the other hand Sri Lanka was unbeaten with defeating all teams including New Zealand, England and West Indies in Super Eights. Lasith Malinga and Ajantha Mendis are in form so Mahela Jayawardena, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara. For Pakistan Raza Hassan has been brilliant with the ball along with Spin Doctor Saeed Ajmal. Mohammad Hafeez himself can be dangerous early in the innings. Nasir Jamshed and Imran Nazir are in good form while Abdul Razzaq will be a pleasant addition for good finish. Shahid Afridi has out of form with bat at least as he is yet to find his form during this tournament. Shahid Afridi’s record against Sri Lanka has been very good and fans here in Pakistan will hope him to go big in this big clash.
In second Semi final of the T20 World Cup, we will see Australia and West Indies battling to proceed to the finals. The 1st Semi Final between Sri Lanka and Pakistan will telecast at 6.30PM here in Pakistan and 7PM local time at R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.
Semi Final – Pakistan vs Sri Lanka
R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Squads

Pakistan: (From) Mohammad Hafeez, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Imran Nazir, Asad Shafiq, Shoaib Malik, Nasir Jamshed, Umar Akmal, Kamran Akmal, Sohail Tanveer, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Raza Hasan, Yasir Arafat, Mohammad Sami

Sri Lanka: (From) Mahela Jayawardena (captain), Dinesh Chandimal, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Akila Dananjaya, Shaminda Eranga, Rangana Herath, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Ajantha Mendis, Jeewan Mendis, Dilshan Munaweera, Thisara Perera, Kumar Sangakkara, Lahiru Thirimanna.
Toss: N/A
Umpires: IJ Gould and RA Kettleborough
TV umpire: HDPK Dharmasena
Match referee: ; JJ Crowe
Reserve Umpire: RJ Tucker

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Live Streaming of Match

People who are busy in their offices, colleges, waiting in long queues and elsewhere, and they have an opportunity to access live cricket action from their latest gadgets.
Many TV companies that are offering live telecast of cricket matches on internet. The live streaming of cricket matches is rapidly becoming a new rage in the online media and is catching up with lot of cricket fans.
Several TV companies are offering live telecast of cricket matches on internet, and watching this online is a safe bet if one is not near the television.
You can watch Pakistan vs Sri Lanka semi final of T20 world cup match on tv in Pakistan and India on PTV Sports, Ten Sports.

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Watch T20 World Cup Live

You can watch "T20 World Cup Live" on at www.entertainpakistani.blogspot.com on Ten Sprots and PTV Sports and aware all cricket updates by our EXPERTS on Geo Super

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India Beats Pakistan Again: ICC T20 World Cup 2012 Updates

Since the partition of Sub-continent, India and Pakistan has had always been touchy about the cricket matches they have had been playing, which often turns into a game-cum-battle for both of the nations. After facing each other in the World Cup 2012’s semi Final, both the teams are now again sharing the same pitch in the ICC T20 World Cup 2012.

The match started with Pakistan winning the toss and chose to bat.  While all the Pakistanis were all waiting to beat India this team, they were highly shocked when the wickets started to go down within the first  5 overs when Hafeez, Imran Nazir, along with Shahid Afridi lost their wickets contributing  only 49 runs for the loss of 4 wickets. One after another, all the wickets went down, setting a target of 129 runs for India, with a run rate of 6.51.

Although the results were quite expected after the first innings, Pakistani team looked determined to make it possible through their bowling and strong fielding.

The 2^nd innings started with Gambhir and Sehwag as openers and Pakistan’s well fielded strategy helped them to get India’s first wicket down in the first over. However, Sehwag and Kohli’s partnership sustained and within 12 overs of the match, India needed 45 runs from 47 balls.

 It was in 17^th over that India finally dropped its second wicket with a score of 110, where it needed 19 runs from 30 balls. India once again succeeded in beating Pakistan in the ICC T20 world cup 2012.

Pakistan, however still secures a safe place in T20 WorldCup, lets see what the coming days bring for this team,

For now, Congratulations India for the victory!

12:42 0 comments

Noori disappoints with T20 World Cup song

KARACHI:  To say that cricket is one of the few things that unite Pakistanis wouldn’t be an understatement.
Be it the diverse ethnicities residing in the country or the expats connected with their nation through Skype and television, everyone feels goosebumps when Saeed Ajmal bowls his doosra. And with Pakistan being considered one of the favourite teams for the upcoming T20 World Cup, Pakistanis can already feel the chilling suspense in their bones. But amidst all the thrill and chaos, one wonders where the cricket-fever music that used to pump us up for the world cup is hiding. Until recently, none of the local bands had come up with a cricket anthem, but now, it seems that Noori has made the official T20 World Cup for Pepsi.

The video, shot in Colombo, is all set for release before the world cup season commences. The audio of the song titled “Dilwalon Khelo Tum” is available on YouTube (which has been temporarily blocked in Pakistan) but despite its brilliant production and powerful vocals by the Ali brothers, the song lacks the energy that is vital for patriotic numbers.
According to the credits on Noori’s YouTube channel, the song has been produced by the well-known Shuja Haider. But since the band members are unwilling to make a statement before the official release of the video, it is difficult to gauge Noori’s involvement in composing the whole song. While the song boasts signature Noori musical elements at first listen, it is not as impactful as the band’s other patriotic and charged numbers.
Is it the kind of song that you will listen to once in a while? Yes. But will you want to play it at the public screening of an intense, nail-biting cricket match? No — because it doesn’t do anything to trigger the Pakistani “Jazba” or “Junoon”.
Songs for events like major cricket tournaments are usually elevated to anthem status, which is why they require finesse not only in terms of song writing but in the lyrical content as well. Nobody is judging Noori’s capability of making anthems — they have anthems like “Suno Kay Mae Hoon Jawan” that sparked a revolution amongst youth.
While a producer such as Haider has made the amazing “Josh-e-Junoon” for the last ODI World Cup, his efforts here seem to be in vain. “Josh-e-Junoon”, which was sung by Ali Azmat, had the potential to be close to, if not as big as “Jazba Junoon”, but a disappointing video successfully prevented that.
If one is to highlight the songs made in the last 10 years, the best contemporary T20 World Cup song was made by Azal called “Saari Duniya Hill Jayegi” (“Conquer the World”). Although they are not as big as Noori, their song fills the listener with a sense of anticipation you feel when you’re about to witness something larger-than-life. The grandeur of their rock music coupled with emotion-stirring lyrics such as “Phir kahin sae googly ayegi saari duniya hil jayegi” gave Pakistanis a track that had the potential to turn into an anthem.
Noori is undoubtedly the only band that deserves the honour of making an anthem song in the time of a dead music industry.  But their recent release was a letdown for excited cricket fans.

15:47 1 comments