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Pakistan In Semi Final – India Back Home – T20 World Cup 2009

Twenty 20 world cup 2009 has been quite amazing and entertaining so far for cricket fans all over the world. Pakistan defeated Ireland today by 39 runs  to qualify for semi final. One noticeable fact of Twenty20 world cup 2009 is that Pakistan who had been almost out from the International cricket from past 2 years or so,  has surprised every one by their performance by qualifying for the semi final. They have proved yet again being one of the best teams in the world.

Looking at individual performances of Pakistani cricketers Umar Gul has been very impressive so far, being the top wicket taker of the world cup for Pakistan. He has taken 12 wickets so far with a world record under his belft as well by becoming the first bowler to have five wickets for just 6 runs in Twenty20.

Talking about Indian cricket team, although they qulified for super eight by defeating relativity weaker rivals (Bangladesh and Ireland), but Indian team is out from the tournment and ready to go back home after losing both of their matches in super 8 so far. It has been very disoppointed performace by the India. Although they have been playing alot cricket form last 2 years with all that IPL and ICL they have failed to deliver when required.

Umar Gul – First Bowler With Five-For in Twenty20

Umar Gul

Umar Gul captured the first five-for in a Twenty20 international to help Pakistan beat New Zealand by six wickets at The Oval. Umar Gul became the first bowler to get a Five-For in the Twenty20.

Check out the following Twenty20 best figures in an innings and see Pakistan rocks despite of playing very few international cricket from last couple of years.

Best figures in an innings

Source Cricinfo

Pakistan Outclassed New Zealand – T20 World Cup 2009

Pakistan outclassed New Zealand by six wickets with 41 balls to spare in their World Twenty20 Super Eights Group F match at the Oval here on Saturday.
They completed the easy target of 100 runs in 13.1 overs with Shahid Afridi unbeaten on 29, made in 18 balls.
Opener Sahhzaib Hasan top scored with 35 from 28 balls. He hit two sixes and four boundaries and provided a solid start of 36 with Kamran Akmal (19).
New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori claimed two wickets for 20 runs and Kyle Mills took one wicket.
Earlier, pace bowler Umar Gul became the first bowler to claim five wickets in Twenty20 International cricket when he helped Pakistan skittle New Zealand out for a meager total of 99 in 18.3 overs.
Umar Gul captured five wickets for eight runs from three overs, eclipsing previous best of 4-07 by Mark Gillespie of New Zealand against Kenya at Durban in 2007.

After New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori won the toss and elected to bat on a good batting wicket, Pakistani bowlers never let them play freely and bundled them out for 99.
Only Scott Styris (22), Aaron Redmond (15) and Brendon McCullum (12) could enter into double figures.
Abdul Razzaq, playing for the first time in the tournament after being called up as a replacement for Yasir Arafat, made the initial breakthrough and bagged two wickets in his first two overs.
Mohammad Aamer and Shahid Afridi took one wicket each.
Left-arm spinner Vettori was playing his first match of the tournament following a shoulder injury but batsman Ross Taylor again missed out with a hamstring strain.
Pakistan omitted opener Salman Butt to play 19-year-old rookie Shahzaib Hasan and brought in all-rounder Abdur Razzaq in place of Sohail Tanvir.
Pakistan, who lost their first Super Eights match to Sri Lanka on Friday, need a win to keep their semi-final hopes alive.
New Zealand thrashed Ireland by 83 runs at Trent Bridge on Thursday and will virtually book a place in the last four if they beat Pakistan.

Source Geo and Cricinfo

Pakistan Qualified For Super 8 Ronud In World Cup T20

Pakistan Defeated Netherlands to qualify for super 8 in the T20 world cup today in a do or die situation. Pakistan needed to win by 26 runs or more to qualify for super 8 and they did it in style. Super performance by the Pakistan cricket team specially by Kamran Akmal and Shahid Afradi.  Kamran Akmal was declared Man of the Match of his 41 run on just  30 balls and 4 stumping.

Checkout the video of the highlights of the Pakistan Vs Netherlands match.

Pakistan Vs Netherlands – Do Or Die Situation Today

Pakistan Twenty20

At the very non-momentous time of Tuesday afternoon, under the cloudy summer skies of north London, against a country which has never played Test cricket, Pakistan will play the most important match in its recent history.
How recent? Almost two decades, I say. Tuesday’s result matters more than the result of any other match since the World Cup Final in 1992. That night in Melbourne we needed the win to prove – more to ourselves than anyone else – that Pakistan was indeed a major cricketing nation; that we belonged with the big boys.
There have been many important moments in Pakistan cricket since 1992: test series in England and India, the World Cup Final in 1999, countless others. Sometimes the cricket has taken a back seat to broader themes: who can forget the Karachi ODI against India in 2004 when Pakistan’s loss seemed insignificant because the transcendental power of cricket, for once, had triumphed above all?
These occasions were highly significant, with deep, often long-term consequences; however, the results of these matches were not as important as the result of Tuesday’s match. Even our loss to Ireland in 2007 was a different matter: the country and the team, although troubled, were not in as horrendous a shape as they find themselves in today.
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