World Twenty20 XI

[McLOVIN]

Ajmal wasnt up to the mark.

 

[AkshayS]

Ajmal and Sanga wasn't up to the mark. Also I couldn't see Raina in any of the teams. Infact he got two good innings in the WCT20 including a century.
Even I couldn't find him a place because Pietersen got the third place, but Raina was more deserving there. The fact is that Raina needed a strong team like Australia, England to get into the full flow.

Also Is Warner more deserving than Watson? I saw Warner in nearly all the teams but not Watson. Watson is a more capable batsman and his bowling is handy too.

 

[TumTum]

Also Is Warner more deserving than Watson? I saw Warner in nearly all the teams but not Watson. Watson is a more capable batsman and his bowling is handy too.

Warner is a better T20 batsmen and can attack any ball. He has had an exceptional year of T20 in every tournament he has played.

 

[AkshayS]

Warner is a better T20 batsmen and can attack any ball. He has had an exceptional year of T20 in every tournament he has played.

I didn't see Warner as a better batsman than Watson in any of the format including T20's.
Watson is a world class allrounder too.

 

[TumTum]

I didn't see Warner as a better batsman than Watson in any of the format including T20's.

Warner has more T20I runs, higher average and higher SR. He is more enjoyable to watch too.

 

[AkshayS]

Warner has more T20I runs, higher average and higher SR. He is more enjoyable to watch too.

Watson is more reliable player, can anchor the innings when needed, can attack the opposition when needed.

You like Warner, and I like Watson.
/end discussion.

 

[Num]

Some of the teams being named don't seem to have many bowling options to fall back on if one or two of the specialist bowlers go for runs. Having plenty of bowling options is an underrated factor in my opinion, particularly in T20Is where you can't really 'hide' bowlers by bowling them in the middle overs like you can in ODIs.

 

[Dare]

Ajmal and Sanga wasn't up to the mark.

Ajmal has a economy of 5.94 and averages 14 for his 30 wickets in 19 matches.
Harbhajan has a economy of 6.45 and averages 32.25 for his 16 wickets in 22 matches. I would say Harbhajan isn't up to par.

 

[Dare]

Some of the teams being named don't seem to have many bowling options to fall back on if one or two of the specialist bowlers go for runs. Having plenty of bowling options is an underrated factor in my opinion, particularly in T20Is where you can't really 'hide' bowlers by bowling them in the middle overs like you can in ODIs.

Thats the main problem with my team. I only have the 5 bowlers. I was considering replacing Warner with Watson for that exact reason.

 

[Brook]

1. Shane Watson
2. Mahela Jayawardene
3. Kevin Pietersen
4. MS Dhoni (keeper)
5. Cameron White (captain)
6. Eoin Morgan
7. Angelo Mathews
8. Daniel Vettori
9. Graeme Swann
10. Shaun Tait
11. Dirk Nannes

 

[sifter132]

Some of the teams being named don't seem to have many bowling options to fall back on if one or two of the specialist bowlers go for runs. Having plenty of bowling options is an underrated factor in my opinion, particularly in T20Is where you can't really 'hide' bowlers by bowling them in the middle overs like you can in ODIs.

AMEN - Hear, hear - QFT. That's where I think this 'all dominating' Aussie side is at it weakest at present. If Watson, Smith or one of the 3 quicks gets targeted then Michael Clarke/Dave Hussey is the only backup. I don't like that. At present the 3 quicks are shielding the lack of depth by taking a LOT of wickets early. If Pakistan are 0/1 maybe even only 2 down after 6-8-10 overs then I think that depth might be sorely tested. It certainly will against England where Pietersen, Morgan and Collingwood would probably enjoy targeting Watson and Smith. Of course that can work in your favour sometimes as batsmen mindlessly target the 'weaker' bowlers and get themselves out. Shane Watson's made a habit of getting wickets like that. They underestimate him, or relax too much, or just lose their heads.

Anyway, Exhibit A of what can go wrong without options would be in the Champions League last year. Pollard massacred Moises Henriques but Katich had to bowl him at Pollard AGAIN because he didn't have another option. Well he did have the choice of spin, but neither NSW spinner are experienced or capable death bowlers so that would have been a big risk too. And IMO that was a pretty good NSW attack: 3 quicks + Henriques + 2 spinners. More depth than the current Aussie attack.

I think T20 cricket is all about getting the right bowler-batsman matchups. That's why we see spinners opening the bowling. They know the openers are often weaker against spin, so why not use them? It can be the same for batsmen. Send up a lower order player if there is a bowler on who he fancies smashing. And if you are left with an unfavourable matchup you need a backup plan whether it be more bowling depth or if you are batting, maybe some new shots to try or swapping your batting order around.

 

[Num]

AMEN - Hear, hear - QFT. That's where I think this 'all dominating' Aussie side is at it weakest at present. If Watson, Smith or one of the 3 quicks gets targeted then Michael Clarke/Dave Hussey is the only backup. I don't like that. At present the 3 quicks are shielding the lack of depth by taking a LOT of wickets early. If Pakistan are 0/1 maybe even only 2 down after 6-8-10 overs then I think that depth might be sorely tested. It certainly will against England where Pietersen, Morgan and Collingwood would probably enjoy targeting Watson and Smith. Of course that can work in your favour sometimes as batsmen mindlessly target the 'weaker' bowlers and get themselves out. Shane Watson's made a habit of getting wickets like that. They underestimate him, or relax too much, or just lose their heads.

Anyway, Exhibit A of what can go wrong without options would be in the Champions League last year. Pollard massacred Moises Henriques but Katich had to bowl him at Pollard AGAIN because he didn't have another option. Well he did have the choice of spin, but neither NSW spinner are experienced or capable death bowlers so that would have been a big risk too. And IMO that was a pretty good NSW attack: 3 quicks + Henriques + 2 spinners. More depth than the current Aussie attack.

I think T20 cricket is all about getting the right bowler-batsman matchups. That's why we see spinners opening the bowling. They know the openers are often weaker against spin, so why not use them? It can be the same for batsmen. Send up a lower order player if there is a bowler on who he fancies smashing. And if you are left with an unfavourable matchup you need a backup plan whether it be more bowling depth or if you are batting, maybe some new shots to try or swapping your batting order around.

Yeah, I don't like how Australia are playing Smith at No.8. Australia could shift Smith up to No.7 and have another specialist bowler (Like Harris). That way Australia could have eight bowling options without weakening the batting too much.

Updated team:

1. Warner
2. Watson
3. Pietersen
4. DHussey
5. MHussey
6. McCullum (wk)
7. Afridi
8. Vettori (c)
9. Malinga
10. Nannes
11. Tait

 

[Cricketman]

Shane Watson
Chris Gayle
Suresh Raina
Kevin Pietersen
MS Dhoni (wk)
Cameron White
Michael Hussey
Shahid Afridi
Dirk Nannes
Lasith Malinga
Shaun Tait

You'd be hard pressed to beat this team.

 

[King Pietersen]

Pietersen at 3 ahead of Raina tbh. Still not convinced by Raina against the short delivery. I'd personally possibly go with Warner and Gayle at the top, bin Raina and move Watson to 4. Don't really like Dhoni in the side either, but there aren't many options in T20i's really, so that one's an OK pick. None of the keepers have stood up and done well surprisingly. Akmal and Kieswetter, probably the 2 worst glovemen in the competition have been the only 2 to do anything with the bat. Daniel Vettori > Shahid Afridi too. Other than that it's perfect

My latest attempt at an XI:

David Warner
Shane Watson
Kevin Pietersen
Cameron White
Eoin Morgan
Brendon McCullum/Kumar Sangakkara/MS Dhoni +
Michael Hussey
Daniel Vettori
Lasith Malinga
Dirk Nannes
Shaun Tait

 

[Cricketman]

I think Afridi is a very good T20I bowler. He has a good mastery of his pace, line, length, and spin. Good quick yorker at like 125kmph is really a good delivery to have in this format, that too for a spinner.

Vettori is good, don't get me wrong, but in my spinner i'm looking for economy and the occasional wicket, nothing more. Plus he offers some big hitting in the tail.

But, I wouldn't mind Vettori either.

Nah man, Raina is good. He's in the form of his life. I think he's one of the better players of the short ball amongst India's next-gen players. He's even got a hundred against SA in this tournament so I reckon he's a fine choice at 3. KP is at 4 anyways.
Watson is one of the better openers in LOI cricket today, why would you move him down to the middle order?