http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 – 1st T20 – Match Preview [Part 2]
Continued from Part 1 ...
If picked for the final XI, the returning http://www.senore.com/Cricket/RG-Sharma-c2309 is also likely to be given a second chance – after having been excluded from the line-up for the New Zealand Tests following a poor run in Sri Lanka (he scored 13 runs in five innings, in addition to two consecutive ducks) – selectors still chose to include him in the T20 squad.
Following several promising outings during the limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka, all-rounder http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Irfan-Pathan-c1601 will be bolstering the middle order, in addition to serving as a foil for pace spearhead Zaheer Khan alongside youngster Ashok Dinda.
In addition to the comeback of Yuvraj, the match could also mark the return of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/R-Ashwin-c2228’s place in the XI all but secured.
Keeping this in view, with off-spinner Ashwin (who won the Player of the series award during the recently concluded Test series after claiming 18 scalps), and a fair amount of part-time spinners (such as Yuvraj) in the line-up, Harbhajan’s place in the final XI remains uncertain.
The New Zealand squad also features several returning players, although none who have been absent from the national squad for too long. In addition to hard-hitters such as Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor, both of whom have participated in the IPL, the squad will be boosted considerably by all-rounders such as James Franklin, and the returning Jacob Oram.
Oram comes into the series after a successful stint in the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 Premier League, during which he claimed 11 wickets, registering an economy rate of 3.82 in 23 overs for league champions Uva Next, and the Black Caps will be banking on his medium pace.
The bowling attack also features the welcome return of senior spinner http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Doug-Bracewell-c1394, and Tim Southee (who claimed 8 scalps during the second Test against India) complete the Kiwis’ pace attack.
The weather at Visakhapatnam could prove to be a problem – heavy rain forced both team to cancel their practice sessions, although the hosts did manage to squeeze in a nets session and a game of soccer on Friday. There is a forecast for scattered thunderstorms, with temperatures estimated to be around 26 - 30° C, but officials have confirmed that the ground can easily be mopped up in case of a sudden spell of rain.
India playing XI (probable):
1 Virender Sehwag, 2 http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ashok-Dinda-c1098
New Zealand playing XI (probable):
1 http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KD-Mills-c1781
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