T20 World Cup cricket: Warm-up matches review

Warm-up matches are a golden chance for all competing teams to evaluate opposition before the big show starts but India, whose almost all players are involved in gruelling 14 match per side Indian premier league, have opted not to play any warmup game before T20 world cup 2010. 

Sri Lanka are another team who’ve chosen to skip first of their two warmup games. Barbados XI will take place of Sri Lanka against Bangladesh at Barbados before Lankans meet South Africa at the venue on 28th April. 
On Tuesday, there were four warm-up matches held as follow. 
Pakistan vs Windward XI: Pak won by 68 runs
 

Bangladesh vs Barbados XI: Bangladesh won by 36 runs
 

Australia vs Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe won by 1 run
 

New Zealand vs Ireland: New Zealand won by 40 runs 

Warmup Matches Review:  

• Pakistan vs Windward XI:
  Pakistan were to play India in warm-up World T20 but since arch rivals decided to skip all their practice games, Windward islands were called up for this first practice game to T20 World cup 2010. Windward elected to field first in this morning Twenty20 match and Mohammad Hafeez’s careful half century guided visitors to a solid total.

  Windward islands surprised everyone by not going after the target but decided for the main batters to play out all the quota of overs. Windward lost 4 wickets, making only 92 runs. 

  Note that Pakistan don’t play any more practice game but go straight into World T20 tournament with their first match against Bangladesh on 1st May followed by Australia the next day.
  

  Scorecard:

   

  Pakistan 160/7 (Hafeez 57 (40 Ball), Fawad 24( 25 balls), Mervin Matthew 22/2)

   

  Windward 92/4 (Keddy Lesporis 24 (33 balls), Shahid Afridi 11/1)

   

  • Bangladesh vs Barbados XI:
     

    But today in first warm up match, team management had to find a make shift opener and they decided on Mohammad Ashraful, the tiny but dynamic shotmaker, making a comeback after being dropped from England series.

    
    Ashraful, in company with left hander Imrul Kayes, added 64 quick runs for the first wicket and 35 of them came off his bat after Barbados inserted visitors in to bat first. Kayes continued from the other as Aftab Ahmed nailed two sixes to push Bangladesh score to 139 for 3 wkts by the end of 16th over. Mahmudullah Riyad collected 14 quick runs to end tiger’s innings at 166 for 5 in 20 overs.

    Barbados, one of better teams in West Indies domestic circut, had come into this match as a replacement to Sri Lanka who had opted to play just one warm up match. Barbados batsmen may have had a chance to chase down Bangladesh total but a slow begining flushed the probability off. Ryan Hinds added 67 from last 8 overs in partnership with Jonathan Carter and both remained unbeaten.

    
    Scorecard:

    Bangladesh 166/5 (Imrul Kayes 57 (59 Ball), Mohammad Ashraful 35(12 balls), Martin Nurse 21/3)

    Barbados 130/3 (Ryan Hinds 50 (48 balls), Jonathan Carter 45 (30 balls), Abdur Razzak 7/1)

    • Australia vs Zimbabwe:

    
    Zimbabwe delivered Australia a wake-up call after taking two wickets in the final over to seal a one-run win in their warm-up in St Lucia. Australia were on track chasing Zimbabwe’s 173 for 7 when David Warner smashed 72 off 49 and the captain Michael Clarke took them to the verge of victory with 49 from 42.

    
    A 14 player each side match, Zimbabwe captain Prosper Utseya elected to bat first and his team were 4 down for 36 runs before highly experienced Craig Ervine was promoted up the order to join Elton Chigumbura. Together, these two right handers added 114 runs for the 5th wicket off just 65 balls. Zimbabwe were on West Indies tour in February and have been playing domestic teams in Caribbean ahead of the World T20 tournament and hence, they batting compiled a solid total of 173.

    Australian chase looked stable after early loss of Shane Watson as Captain Michael Clarke and David Warner added 78 runs but after that, no significant partnership happened. Chris Mpofu and leg spinner Graeme Cremer bowled significantly to win the game by a margin of lone run.
    

    Scorecard:

     

    Zimbabwe 173/7 (Elton Ehigumbura 76 (33 Ball), Craig Ervine 39(30 balls), Mitchell Johnson 23/4)

     

    Australiya 172/7 (David Warner 72 (51 balls), Michael Clarke 49 (43 balls), Prosper Utseya 27/2)

     

    • New Zealand vs Ireland:
       

      New Zealand have been a consistent performer in twenty20 cricket, doing well in both previous world cups and hopes are high from them to go all the way in 3rd edition as well which starts in 2 days. New Zealand started their campaign with an easy win over Ireland today at the providence ground in Guyana where they also play both their league games against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

      
      A 12 player per side non official T20 match it was in which Kiwis elected to bat first and got off to a rocket start. Brendon McCullum was missing this match after long IPL stint and hence Rob Nicol was given the opportunity who grabbed it with both hands, scoring better than run a ball 31 and added 104 run opening stand with Jesse Ryder. Irish side managed to take 3 quick wicket in middle overs but Daniel Vettori and Martin Guptill smashed 49 runs off just 23 balls to post a huge total on board.

      Ireland captain William Porterfield played his usual role of anchoring the innings and even Niall O’Brien, Gary Wilson and Kevin O’Brien showed some good strokes, target was little too big for newcomers. 

      New Zealand opened their bowling with Nathan McCullum and got success which may suggest blackcaps will continue to utilise their relatively unknown off-spinner with the new ball during power plays.
      

      Scorecard:

       

      New Zealand 187/5 (Jesse Ryder 64 (30 Ball), Martin Guptill 50(35 balls), Gary Dockrell 24/3)

       

      Ireland 147/9 (William Porterfield 34 (27 balls), Nathan McCullum 25/3)