Afghans' day of reckoning on the field !!

It is going to the third match of the tri-series as Lankans play Aussies at Perth.  NZ thrashed Zimbabwe – but more than these there is another interesting cricket news !!

Michael Clarke is on a high – team performing well and he can afford to experiment with his batting or bowling order.   Sri Lanka on the other hand are riddled with on the field and off-field occurrences.  Mahela Jayawardene is back as captain in trying circumstances as the mantle has passed on from person and Dilshan having relinquished it.  Knowing Lankans they might even try to take the battle to the opponents at Perth enraging bull and trying to capture it by its horns.  Dilshan is a keeper batsman, there is already the wily Sangakkara now a fortune of sorts problem is Dinesh Chandimal, a fine wicket keeper batsman.  If they can see the back of the dangerous Warner and play a good match, perhaps they could see their first win in the tournament.

Miles away at Sharjah, there is going to be an ordinary but extremely significant One dayer between a Test team and a novice.. yes the first match for Afghanistan at a neutral zone of Sharjah which has hosted many Internationals from the mid 1980s when Pakistan regularly played  India.  Most likely that Afghanistan would be brushed aside by the strong Pakistan – still it would a dream moment coming alive for them.  One could be never sure of whether the two Nations have a love or hate relationship on the political front, but the camaraderie  at the cricket field is expected to be very high. 

For a Nation torn by war and mindless violence, a recognition in a game should come as a fresh green offering.   Afghanistan has everything to gain from this encounter,  for Pakistanis it is just another match where one of their top man could go slam bang.   May be a good forum for Mohammad Hafeez to hone his skill before meeting England.    Hamid Hassan the fast bowler of Afghan has been ruled out with a knee injury.    Pakistan have played more than 100 games (109) at Sharjah and have won 75 of them, so the desert is a very happy hunting ground for them. 

With regards – S. Sampathkumar