Australia and Pakistan make their T20 World Cup bows on Day Five and face very different challenges.
The Aussies should make light work of Oman in their Group B opener, though Pakistan could be tested to the hilt by buoyant co-hosts USA.
In the day’s other action, lightweight Papua New Guinea and Uganda meet in Group C before Scotland and Namibia clash in another big Group B encounter.
T20 World Cup Tips
- USA to beat Pakistan @ 13/2
- Namibia to beat Scotland @ 10/11
- Gerhard Erasmus top Namibia bowler @ 18/5
- Mark Watt top Scotland bowler @ 3/1
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Accident-prone Pakistan wary of early upset
If there’s one thing we know about Pakistan as an international cricket team, it’s that they do have a mishap or two in them.
Countless times over recent years in white-ball cricket Pakistan have tripped up when least expected, most recently at last year’s 50-over World Cup where they were humiliated by Afghanistan in the group stage.
At the last T20 World Cup, two years ago, they lost to Zimbabwe before picking themselves up and reaching the final.
Seasoned Pakistan watchers know a disaster is never very far away, and they look far too short in their first game of the tournament against the United States in their Group A opener in Dallas.
The Americans have already played once at the Grand Prairie Stadium, thrashing Canada by seven wickets, and the co-hosts’ combination of Asian and Caribbean exiles alongside homespun talent makes them a decent unit.
Pakistan, notoriously slow starters in tournaments and with question marks still in key positions, look over-rated.
Namibia can make it two out of two
Group B rivals Namibia and Scotland have got points on the board from their opening fixtures as they prepare to clash at Kensington Oval in Barbados.
Namibia made hard work of beating Oman in a Super Over on day two while the Scots collected a point from a washout against England, something they would have taken before the tournament but not when the heavens did open with them in a decent position to go on and win the match.
Scotland had raced to 90 in ten overs before the rain set in (England would have had to score 109 in ten had the game progressed) and mastered a high-class attack in tricky conditions.
Because both teams’ matches have been in Bridgetown they will both appreciate that the wicket is not a shirt-front, far from it. It’s two-paced with variable bounce, and the recent rains may make it even more erratic.
There isn’t a clear favourite – Namibia are 10/11 and Scotland 4/5 – and that makes sense, though Namibia have won all three previous T20 meetings between the sides, and that has to be a positive for the African nation.
Watt can ask questions of African batters
Scotland’s openers had little difficulty playing pace against England on Tuesday, and the spinners look like being big players against Namibia.
Namibia skipper Gerhard Erasmus sent down four overs of off-spin in his team’s win over Oman, taking two for 20.
He can land top bowler honours for his country, and left-arm spinner Mark Watt can do the same for Scotland.
With eight wickets in his last four T20 internationals, he will happily go through his variations as Namibia go after him.
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