Related Links

By Syed Ahsan Ali.

There is so much written about the form of cricket, Twenty20 would be and how it can abduct real cricket? Change is inevitable. It has to happen, so let’s accept and welcome it with open arms. For some, cricket is a way of expressing the life and for some it is the life and for some a way to spend life with wealth earned by cricket. Twenty20 comes into existence because of greed and opportunism of cricket administrators, but most likely this shortest version of the game is here to stay in spite of some money-making motives of few. But the real way to enjoy this form of the game is as the mere spectator of the game than a thinker of the game. We all know that it would kill bowlers, we know it would bring some serious repercussions to the purest form, Test cricket, but let’s forget about all that and sit tight for some thrilling cricketing moments.

There would be a feast of fours and sixes. Batsmen would throw their bats at balls regardless of their merit. Bowlers with better temperament will be definitely in with a real chance of picking wickets far more easily than in 50 over cricket. I like to state that if there are risks for bowlers of getting mauled all round the park then there are opportunities for taking a few cheap wickets as well. The more a bowler can bring in variations in pace, length and trajectory, then higher are his stakes of picking up a bag full of wickets. So let’s forget about this discrimination between bowlers and batsmen. People who can bowl yorkers and slower deliveries with better control are likely to run away with the match.

Aussies have definitely landed in South Africa as firm favorites for the tournament. But if there is anything fatal in this game is, picking out favorites. One day cricket is usually known as the game where a team having a better day can ends up as winners. There can be no two ways about it, so there cannot be difference in opinion that T20 would also boil down to the lot of luck and better handling of nerves in crunch situations. So all teams are having as much chance of creating a history as Aussies have. Even teams like Bangladesh which perform in short bursts can create havoc as they did in World Cup 2007. England is the most experienced T20 side with the bonus of toppling Asian giant India recently. New Zealand has all-rounders who have good experience of going berserk in last few overs in 50 over cricket. Pakistan has solid enough bowling attack that can handle even the best in the business on their day in spite of Akhtar’s absence. Similar is the case with West Indians who have some serious hitters in their ranks that can alter the face of scorecards fairly quickly. Sri Lanka has one diverse composition of final eleven, raw express pacer, swashbuckling opener and two stalwarts in middle order, Sangakkara and Jayawardene.

Indians may never have greater inclination towards 20 over game, but still dashers like Sehwag, Yuvraj and Dhoni will make a difference along with a decent bowling attack. The hosts – South Africa are also possessed with some serious hitters with the likes of Gibbs, Smith, AB de Villiers, Boucher, Kemp and Pollock who have already got attention by thrashing the World Champions in a warm-up game. So there is nothing to choose between the teams.

It would be more of a test of nerves and patience in pressure-cooker situations. Fielding will also play a vital role in shaping up top contenders for the title. Out-fielding or scintillating catches here and there will turn the match upside down. Asian teams apart from Sri Lankans are bound to lag behind in this department. Agile fielders are necessary to prevent boundaries and to protect outer-ring which Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa have better chance of doing than the slow moving Asian teams. Stronger throwing arms will also play the role in saving 20 to 25 runs per match which would not be easy for slower fielding sides in bigger grounds of South Africa.

T20 is here to stay and it would be the future of the game in busy schedules and hectic working hours. Watching a seven hours’ innings can be lot more tiring and demanding than sit in tight for nail-biting stuff just for three hours and you get a full match in the end seeing towering sixes sailing over your head. So stop stopping it from coming in and enjoy it for the sake of enjoyment.

Top of the Page