Adil Najam
Pakistan plays its second group match in the 2007 World Cup Cricket against Ireland today.
Having already lost the first match to hosts West Indies, if the troubled Pakistani team also loses this game, it would have effectively eliminated itself from the tournament even before the ‘Super 8′ begin. On the other hand, if Ireland wins, it will be a wonderful St. Patrick’s Day windfall for the Irish.
Even though Ireland had pulled in a remarkable effort by tieing against Zimbabwe, the odds say that Pakistan will not lose today (and if they do, would there be any hope at all left for Pakistan cricket?). But around 20 per cent of our readers seem to think that Pakistan will fail to make it to the Super 8 - if not by losing today’s game, then by losing the last Group game against Zimbabwe. This according to the results of our ATP Poll on Pakistan’s prospects for the Cricket World Cup 2007.
(Click above for larger image)
The overall prognosis from the Poll seems to be rather bleak.
- A total of 398 votes were cast in the Poll.
- Some 20 per cent (79 votes) believe that Pakistan will not even make it past the group stage into the ‘Super 8.’
- This means that 80 per cent feel that the team will get into the Super 8. However, just about half (47 per cent; 188 votes) believe that Pakistan will not get beyond the Super 8 stage.
- A total of 34 per cent (131 votes) believes that Pakistan will, in fact, get to the Semi-Finals. But 20 per cent (78 votes) are of the view that the team will get no further than the Semi-Finals.
- 53 people (14 per cent) are of the view that the green caps will get to the Finals; and of these 43 (11 per cent of total) feel that we will win.
Personally, in this case I would hope that the majority is wrong and the 43 people who think that Pakistan will actually win the World Cup turn out to be correct. I hope so, but, frankly, I am not holding my breath.
Thanks Adnan Ahmad for alerting us to this development. According to Cricinfo:
It is too early to say what this means. If anything at all. But this development is worth keeping an eye on.
Bob Woolmer found unconcious in his hotel room.
وولمØ ± بیÛÂ?وشØÅ ’ ÛÂ?سپتاÙâ₠¬Å¾ میں
اطلاعØ §Ã˜Âª Ú©Û’ مطابق پاکستاà ƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬Â ÛŒ کرکٹ کوچباب وولمØ ± کوبیÛÂ?وشÛà …’ Ú©Û’ بعد ÛÂ?سپتاÙâ₠¬Å¾ Ù„Û’ جایا گیا ÛÂ?Û’Ûâ€?
جمیکا میں اتوار Ú©ÛŒ صبؠباب وولمؠ± کوانکے ÛÂ?وٹل Ú©Û’ کمرے میں بیÛÂ?وش پایا گیاÛâ€?
جب صÙÂ?ائی کرنے والے ایک شخص Ù†Û’ ÛÂ?وٹل کا کمرÛÂ? کھولا تووولمؠ± کوبیÛÂ?وش پایا اور خونبÛÂ?ÛÂ? رÛÂ?ا تھاÛâ€?
انکی ØÂÂالت ’تھوÚâ €˜Ã›Å’ تشویشÙà ¢â‚¬Â اک‘ بتائی گئی ÛÂ?Û’Ûâ€?
BBC Urdu
I think it’s not Inzis fault alone…Im sure most of you will agree to the fact that Shoaib and Asif and to some extent Afridi has done a great deal of disrespect to the game which brings down the morale of the country.Pakistan board has been paying and grooming up Shoaib and Asif for this world cup (not to mention spending awefull lot of money) and this is what they come up with right on the brink of the world cup ! Personally i think all three of the players should be sacked for life to bring disrepute to the game and specially defaming Pakistan’s name in all this, instead the board chooses to support the players - what a good example the board sets up for future generation ! as they say ALLAH MALIK hai !
hahahahaha this is going so funny now, com’on guys there are so many other things to do, but just another thing stuck my mind, may b musharaf gave a handsome amount to the team to loose and to make it a headline news just to get people distracted from CJ removal thing. Hows that??? :)
Since this thread has degenerated into a cricket vs religion debate I have a question I have really wanted to ask especially for those who support Inzy’s interview antics. What if Ricky Ponting was to say, “First of all, all praise to the Lord Jesus, the Virgin Mary and the Holy Ghost, we thank the Lord Jesus for bestowing this great victory upon us”. And how about Rahul Dravid in a post match interview, “Ram naam sat’e hai, Jai Ram ji ki, Jai Bajrangbali ki or Jai Krishna ji ki” I just want to know what would be your thoughts if these comments were uttered by these guys, especially if they were in Pakistan.
p.s My apologies if I have disrespected anyone.
Last one;
انضی چچا بÛÂ?ت سے کام اللÛÂ? تعالٰÛ Å’ پر Ú†Ú¾ÙˆÚ‘ کر معجزوÚ º پر تکيÛÂ? کرتے ÛÂ?ÙŠÚºÛâ€? خدا Ú©Û’ بندوںØ Å’ دوسرے مذاÛÂ?ب کا خالق اور مالک ÙˆÛÂ?ÛŒ ÛÂ?Û’Ûâ€? ÛÂ?اں، ÙˆÛÂ? اپنے بندوں کوعقل سے نوازتØ § ÛÂ?Û’ اور ÙˆÛÂ? عقل سے تياری کرتے ÛÂ?ÙŠÚº اور Ù…ØÂÂنت سے کھيل کر قوم کا سر بلند کرتے ÛÂ?ÙŠÚºÛâ€? جوکيپٹناپنی ٹيم Ú©Û’ مستقÙ†ž قابل اعتماØ ¯ اوپنر کا ÙÂ?يصلÛÂ? ÛÂ?ÛŒ Ù†ÛÂ? کر سکے ÙˆÛÂ? خاک ØÂÂکمت عملی سے کھيلے گاÛâ€? ÛÂ?اں انضی چچا کواپنا پانچواں نمبر پکا ياد ÛÂ?Û’ اور ÙÂ?يلڈنگ ميں جھکنا اس لئے منع ÛÂ?Û’ Ú©ÛÂ? مسلمØ §Ã™â€ ÃšÂ©Ã˜Â¨ÃšÂ¾Ã›Å’ Ù†ÛÂ?ÙŠÚº جھکتاÛ†? بھلا جھک کر گيند کيوں اٹھائيںÛâ€?
Chand Butt, جرمنی
Another one;
پاکستاà ƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬Â ٹیم سے ٹیسٹ کیپ بھی واپس Ù„Û’ لینی چاÛÂ?یے Ûâ€? انضی اور ÛÂ?منوا ÛÂ? کسی مسجد میں جا کر مولوÛà …’ Ù„Ú¯ جائیںÛâ⠂¬? کرکٹ انکے بس Ú©ÛŒ بات Ù†ÛÂ?یںÛâ€?
shahbaz, north carolina