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Showing posts with label Rahat Ali. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rahat Ali. Show all posts

Thursday 2 April 2015

Part 1 - Top 5 Moments of CWC15

Wow... what a world cup! Simply exhilarating ...

For those who thought 50 over cricket was passe, this was a big surprise.
The intensity, battles, drama, emotions, skills and passion shown by teams, individuals defined success of this world cup played in Australia and New Zealand.

To top it all, it was an all host final as well.. what better way to celebrate cricket. Cricket was a big winner in this epoch tournament!

We've tried to pick some moments from this cup that truly defined this #CWC15. These moments have been arranged in random order. Every moment has its significance and X factor that makes it stand out from the rest!

Here are our top five
1. Shane Watson's dropped catch off Wahab Riaz' Spell against Australia, quarterfinal at Adelaide
2. Mitchell Starc wicket of Brendon McCullum, final at MCG
3. Grant Elliott winning six vs South Africa, semifinal at Auckland
4. James Anderson bowled by Rubeel Hossain at SCG
5. Sean Williams caught on the boundary vs Ireland in a tense run chase...

We start with the first one and our favorite.

1. Shane Watson's dropped catch off Wahab Riaz' Spell against Australia, quarterfinal at Adelaide

After winning the toss and batting first at Adelaide, Pakistan were in with the best chance to challenge the mighty Aussies in their quartefinal match. But, some reckless batting (as expected from this mercurial side over the years) and disciplined Australian bowling saw them skittled out for 213. A score way below par.

However, if there is one team you can imaging defending such a score it had to be Pakistan with their pace battery and their ability to do the unthinkable.

The Australians started well but were rocked by dismissal of Finch.
Warner was settling down while Steve Smith came in and started batting as if he was having a net!
Australia in command you'd say...

Misbah brought in Wahab Riaz as first change after 10 overs and boy! what happened after that was a treat to behold. With his pace, bounce and slingy left arm action, he started getting batsmen to hop around. 

His perfectly directed bouncer forced Warner to scoop aa catch towards deep point when Rahat Ali took a simple well judged catch to send him packing.

In walked Australian captain, Michael Clarke and he started hopping to Wahab's tunes from ball 1. Sensing the discomfort, Misbah pushed a short mid wicket for him. And voila... Wahab got Clarke to fend off a steeply rising delivery right down his throat!

Australia 59 for 3. Match in the balance. Pakistan fighting back in a manner only they can.
Wahab on fire.

That brought in a struggling Shane Watson to the crease.  
Knowing his out-of-form touch and penchant to pull, Wahab started peppering him with bouncers one after the other. Each one a beauty that had Watson hopping, skipping, jumping, ducking, edging balls over slips and everything but getting out. To add to that Wahab got under his skin by "sledging" hm almost every ball he missed or miscuded. That added drama to the already intense struggle in the middle.

Wahab's barrage had really softened Watson, Something was about to give in. And then it happened out of nowhere (again only Pakistan can manage to do this). With Watson at his mercy, Wahab pitched one short inducing Watson into a pull that took the top edge and flew towards long leg. The trap was set and Watto fell to it. The fielder, Rahat Ali, got under it comfortably. At 83 for 3, a wicket would have made the match very interesting with Maxwell and late order to follow.

Rahat steadied himself under the ball, took position and ... and ... and .. oh no! he spilled a dolly!

Absolute gimme catch dropped? unbelievable .... Wahab distraught, Misbah disappointed and Rahat embarrassed big time. It would have been 83 for 4 and wow that could have swing things Pak's way big time. Unfortunately not to be...Watto gets a life and Pak lose their spirit. They look shaken up by that dropped catch (that would eventually go on to take that match away from them). Wahab claps and goes back to his mark and starts sending more bouncers. But, the moment was lost and so was the match a little while later!

Huge moment that .. Pak dropped the world cup then and there. 

Wahab continued to bowl with venom after that almost claiming Maxwell too but his catch at third man was dropped by Sohail Khan (tough chance you had to say).

Australia went on to beat Pakistan by 6 wickets and book their place in the semifinal against India at the #SCG

Wahab's spell though was appauded by many including the legendary Shane Warne as one of the best spells ever! Truly a magnificent perfoemance from Wahab in that 6 over burst that almost had Australia on the ropes!!

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Friday 20 March 2015

CWC15 - Did Rahat Ali Drop The World Cup For Pakistan?

#Australia vs Pakistan
#Adelaide Oval
20th Mar 2015

Picture this!
Pakistan defending a small total of 213 against the might Aussies.
They have started wonderfully in their defence capturing top three wickets cheaply.
Shane Watson, under serious pressure to perform and stay in this Australian side at the crease
#WahabRiaz in midst of an unbelievable seam bowling spell has him ducking, hopping, poking and doing everything but middling the ball with the bat. A lip service in progress. Everyone in Watson's ears. 

Score precariously poised at 83 for 3.
Wahab, having Watson at his mercy, produces a peach of a bouncer that Watson hooks instinctively. 
Gone you think as the bowl soars up high in the air towards long leg and the fielder settles under the bowl. And Ouch ... bowl slips through his butter fingers ... Catch Floored! What a dolly!!!

All the pressure built over the past few overs evaporates. The Pakistanis are gutted and devastated. Reactions from players say it all. Wahab is distraught, Pak skipper Misbah cant believe it happened, Rahat Ali the fielder in question is utterly embarrassed. If he would have it, he would have dug a hole and buried himself. What a miss! A game changer event.

The opportunity missed. And Australia probably looking for that one moment to come back. They got it and went on to complete the run chase successfully. Shane Watson, ironically, remained unbeaten to guide his team through. Kudos to his courage fighting it out there and not throwing it away (he almost did)...

Steve Waugh had famously said to Herschelle Gibbs in the 1999 semifinals after spilling his catch at short midwicket, "You just dropped the World cup son...."

Did Rahat drop the World Cup for Pakistan?
Feel sad for him. He's a very good young bowler and must be groomed, not chastised back in Pakistan. Wahab was quick to support his colleague and did not put blame on him. Its just pressure of the situation, occassion and opposition that leads to events like these! 

If at all, the onus of this defeat rests with Pakistan batsmen completely.
Not only they missed a huge oppootunity to bat first and pile up a score, the way they got out to some really poor shots should hurt them  more.

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Sunday 15 March 2015

CWC15 LIVE - Pak Bowlers Wrest Advantage - Restrict Ireland To 237

#Pakistan vs #Ireland
15th Mar 2015

Excellent #death #bowling once again from the #leftie #quick #army of Pakistan have pulled the match away from Ireland. They have restricted Ireland to 237 all out and given their batsmen a very manageable total to chase. Mind you Pakistan don't chase well, so this is going to be very interesting in the evening under floodlights.

For Ireland, skipper #WilliamPorterfield produced a magnificent century (107) but others were not able to support him with cameos as Pak bowlers snuffed them out as soon as they got in to play a big innings.

#WahabRiaz, #RahatAli and #EhsanAdil (the left handed battery) alongside #SohailKhan choked them into submission.

Now, its upto the Pakistan batsmen. Can they deliver and chase this target?
Ireland have to play out of their skin to challenge them.

Its 70-30 advantage Pakistan at half time.

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