India vs Pakistan – 2nd T20 – Match Preview
India will look to regain their dominancy at home when they take on Pakistan in a must-win second T20I, scheduled to be played at the Sardar http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Huzefa-Mohammed-Patel-c63657 Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad, tomorrow, December 28, 2012.
The rivalry clearly lived up to its billing at Bangalore which saw the tourists draw first blood after earning a thrilling five-wicket victory.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MS-Dhoni-c2028 again came under fire after squandering the advantage on no less than two occasions. The decision to include an extra batsman ultimately backfired after the team failed to capitalize on a terrific opening stand to register a disappointing 133-run total on the board.
Despite struggling for timing and form, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ajinkya-Rahane-c970 ably as both notched up 77 for the first wicket. However, it was another inconsistent outing for the middle-order with no one being able to make the advantage count.
While the performances of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ambati-Rayudu-c1007 also in the squad, a straight swap could be beckoning.
MS Dhoni’s overall T20 record is uninspiring and given the skipper’s tactical blunders in the previous game, he will be aiming nothing less than a win in the upcoming clash. His decision to omit premier spinner, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mohammad-Hafeez-c76898 to concede that it aided his side in the eventual outcome.
It is likely that Ashwin will return to the line-up, which means a probable axe for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ashok-Dinda-c1098 is also worth praising, and both will be looking for a similar outing.
For http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 and Hafeez, it was a perfect way to kick-start the tour, their first competitive match since the semi-final exit in the World T20. It was their first T20I victory against the hosts, and the management will be pleased to see the performances of the new comers.
Despite struggling to get wickets up front, the Men in Green never allowed the game to drift away and ultimately cemented their footing by the sheer strength of their bowling attack. All recognized bowlers rose to the task ably, with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Saeed-Ajmal-c87859 again showcasing his spin prowess.
Muhammad http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482 put in another unpredictable performance, but his only victim sparked the collapse.
On the batting front, the team struggled initially but old hands in Hafeez and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Thomas-George-Burrows-c93472 they won’t be considered overwhelming favourites for the bout.
This is the first T20I played on the Motera track, where one expects it to aid the batters. The toss will hold key, given the dew around later in the evening.
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