Pakistan Team Profile & Squad | T20 World Cup
Imran Khan Niazi won Pakistan the World Cup in 1992. Fifteen years later, Misbah-ul Haq Niazi came close to doing a similar feat in the inaugural ICC World Twenty20. But, only close.Boasting a young side that most observers wrote off even before the event began, Pakistan proved their doubters wrong to make it all the way to the final.
They began by beating Scotland by 51 runs and then tied with India after a fantastic display by Misbah-ul-Haq. The India match was resolved by a bowl-out with India emerging on top by a 3-0 margin. It was the first time that a bowl out was needed in the ICC World Twenty20 but both teams still went through to the Super Eights.
A 101-run partnership between Younis Khan and Shoaib Malik and some inspired bowling from Shahid Afridi proved to be the key to Pakistan’s first victory of the Super Eight stage, by 33 runs against Sri Lanka. Their winning streak continued as they defeated Australia by six wickets and Bangladesh by four wickets. With these victories, Pakistan confirmed a semi-final berth.
In the semi-final against New Zealand, captain Shoaib Malik stroked a fabulous six to take his team to victory in majestic style. Imran Nazir scored 59 runs from 41 balls and Mohammad Hafeez scored 32 from 21 chasing a total of 144. Umar Gul generated awkward bounce for the New Zealand batsmen, mixed it up with yorkers and slower deliveries and picked up the Man-of-the-Match award for his impeccable figures of 3 for 15 from four overs.
In the final against arch-rivals India, there was no time to chew finger-nails or even think of thumping hearts as India’s bowlers dug deep in their self-belief in successfully defending a low total of 157 for five with an emotional five-run victory at the magnificent Wanderers Cricket Stadium. Pakistani fans were in tears when Misbah-ul-Haq took the side so close to victory and could not seal the win to claim the trophy.
The Indians, restricted to 157-5 after electing to take first strike in good batting conditions, fought back to bowl out valiant Pakistan for 152 before a sell-out crowd of 32,000. Pakistan appeared out for the count when they were reduced to 104-7 after 16 overs, but Misbah-ul Haq gave the Indians a scare with a late charge of 43 off 38 balls.
Misbah and his tail-end partners took 19 runs in the 17th over bowled by spinner Harbhajan Singh, 13 in the 18th of Shanthakumaran Sreesanth and seven runs in the 19th from Rudra Pratap Singh, leaving 13 to get off the final over. Seamer Joginder Sharma bowled a wide off the first ball and was hammered for a six by Misbah with the second legitimate ball, but gave India victory with his next delivery as the batsman holed out to fine-leg. With this loss, Pakistan’s jinx of never having beaten India in a World Cup or world championship match continued.
Pakistan will be looking to break that sequence in England in 2009 but, most importantly, they will be hoping to go one better and claim their first global event title since Imran Khan lifted the World Cup in 1992.
Pakistan’s 15-men squad for ICC World Twenty20 2009 in England:
Younis Khan (captain), Misbah-ul-haq, Kamran Akmal (wk), Shoaib Mallik, Shahid Afridi, Salman Butt, Ahmed Shehzad, Sohail Tanvir, Yasir Arafat, Umar Gul, Iftikar Anzum, Fawad Alam, Mohammad Aamir, Shahzaib Hasan, Saeed Ajmal.
Related Stories
- Pakistan announces preliminary squad for ICC World Twenty20, 2010
- Younus Khan hopes Pakistan go one better in ICC World T20
- T20 World Cup: Pakistan take on Sri Lanka in Super 8 clash
- Pakistan manager dispels fear about Misbah’s availability
- India thrash Pakistan in Twenty20 warm-up match
- Pakistan look to upset Sri Lanka to win ICC World T20
- 1st ODI, Sri Lanka v Pakistan, Live Streaming, Cricket Scores, SL v PAK
- India Team Profile & Squad | T20 World Cup
- Australia Team Profile & Squad | T20 World Cup
- T20 World Cup: England face make or break Pakistan clash
Keep every thing in detail, every thing needs to be searched again & Again.
it is not the best of the team for pakistan,they must have got imran nazir who is a hard hitting batsmen,so its obvious that there will be no nazir to open with butt,hence it will be interesting to see in which order does afridi bats……….
I want to see imran nazir in t20 team because he is only batsman who to means for t20 match
pakistan selector have made a rediculose selection..iam very anxous abt that.that os nat a best way 2 keep alam and other two new comers..they have plenty of options like hafeez nazeer rana etc.i recommend that plz consider abt my recommend before the inegural match of world t20………shabbakhair….asif,..”"
IMRAN NAZIR BAHOT ZARURI HAI T20 KE LIYE . KYUN KI WAHI JANTA HAI T20 MATCH KAISA KHELA JATA HAI. IMRAN NAZIR IS THE BEST PLAYER
i jus wanna say that this t20 which is going on is uswless for pakistan .. I want 2 say jus close the team of pak cuz all wasta are there in team da 2 17 year old boy no experience are palyin n best like imran nazir n razzak n mohd yousf are sitting .. Jus shout the chair man of pak cric board. I hate 2 b paki .. There all need jus money n pak cric need wasta ..
it is very big lose for pakistan team who did’nt gave a chance to imran nazir.its dishorrible because the player like imran nazir can change the diamension of match at any time.We want resignation from ijaz butt.