Pakistan batsmen must rise to the occasion in the Finals

Pakistan team will have to emerge as a unit and give their best on the field if they wish to realize their dream of becoming the world champions of the Twenty20 cricket, the title which eluded them in 2007.

The onus is on the batsmen as a lot is desired of them. The batsmen must rise to the occasion and perform to their best potentials. The Finals of the T20 would provide an ample chance to Shoaib MalikShoaib Malik and Misbah ul Haq to make amends for their hitherto unimpressive batting displays in the tournament.

Shoaib Malik and Misbah ul Haq have failed to live up to their reputation in the earlier matches of the tournament. Though Shoaib Malik scored 20 odd runs in the semi-final but his inning lacked fluency and aggression which is needed for T20 cricket.

Misbah ul Haq has not been able to reproduce the performance which won him laurels in the last version of the T20 World Cup.

Shahid Khan Afridi, Abdul Razzaq and Shahzaib have an important role. Afridi’s bat awoke from a long hibernation with a windy innings off 51 and wove a wily web of wrist spin to stifle the mighty South Africa. It will not be a hyperbole to say that he won the match single-handedly from the clutches of defeat. A similar inning can achieve for Pakistan what remained a distant dream in South Africa in 2007.

Abdul Razzaq’s owes a whirlwind innings in the finals but he has performed satisfactorily with the ball in the two games he played for Pakistan. Shahzaib has the potential to play like Virendar Sehwag of India and Andrew SymondsAndrew Symonds of Australia and the finals will provide him the right platform to mesmerize the cricket lovers with his stroke making.

Opening bowlers Abdul Razzaq and rookie Aamir will have to make early inroads into the opposition’s defense in order to put Sri Lankan batsmen under pressure. Umar GulUmar Gull has proved his mettle with the semi-new ball and is capable of exploiting the English conditions. Spin bowling duo of Shahid AfridiShahid Afridi and Saeed Ajmal will have to be at their best as the Sri Lankan batsmen will put them at sword.

Younis KhanYounis Khan will need to avoid any experimentation the way he did against South Africa by asking Fawad AlamFawad Alam to bowl an expensive 16th over.