India look to maintain top position

Match facts
Saturday, February 28
Start time 1430 local (0630 GMT)

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UAE were clearly out of their depth at the World T20 last year in Bangladesh, but they have given a much better account of themselves so far in this World Cup. They have posted big totals in both their games, and put Zimbabwe and Ireland under plenty of pressure in the chase, only to let it slip away in the end. But now they are up against a different level of opposition, the big guns from India.

The defending champions have thumped the likes of Pakistan and South Africa, and now lie in wait for lesser opponents. Like UAE, they have racked up stiff scores batting first, but their bowlers and fielders have been sharper. They have taken it easy since beating South Africa at the MCG, and had nets only on the day before the match, after a couple of off days and a fielding-only session in between. UAE have had to do the same as well, but theirs has been a forced hand. They played Ireland in Brisbane on Wednesday, flew across Australia to Perth on Thursday, leaving them only Friday to acclimatize ahead of Saturday's match.

India are overwhelming favourites, and a win will keep them on top of their group. UAE will have to plug the gaps, particularly in their bowling and fielding, to challenge MS Dhoni's men. If they can do that and test the Indians, they will have made a greater case for the cause of the Associates at the World Cup than their previous two encouraging performances.

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)
India: WWLLL
UAE: LLWLW

In the spotlight
The UAE batsmen have scored 285 and 278 in their two outings in the tournament. But the pace of Umesh Yadav on a WACA pitch as part of a versatile India attack will be a much harder proposition.

With 67 and 106, Shaiman Anwar has been responsible for UAE's impressive twin batting displays. The Indians would not like him to make it a hat-trick of standout innings.

Rohit Sharma has been the only batsman among the India top five who has not contributed in either match yet. He will want to get a decent score in the bag ahead of the West Indies game on the same ground.

Teams news
Mohammed Shami has been ruled out of the UAE match with a "mild left-knee problem." MS Dhoni had earlier indicated that Stuart Binny could come in to the XI for the side's games in Perth, and the allrounder had a good workout with bat and ball during training. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who has had a light workload in the nets so far this tournament, bowled with reasonable rhythm as well.

India (possible) 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Ajinkya Rahane, 5 Suresh Raina, 6 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 7 Stuart Binny/Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 8 Ravindra Jadeja, 9 R Ashwin, 10 Mohit Sharma, 11 Umesh Yadav

UAE came within two strikes of a win against Ireland in Brisbane, which should encourage them to stick with the same combination.

UAE (possible) 1 Amjad Ali, 2 Andri Berenger, 3 Krishna Chandran, 4 Khurram Khan, 5 Swapnil Patil (wk), 6 Shaiman Anwar, 7 Rohan Mustafa, 8 Mohammad Naveed, 9 Amjad Javed, 10 Mohammad Tauqir (capt), 11 Manjula Guruge

Pitch and conditions
The WACA pitch had some uneven bounce during the recent one-day tri-series. India were bundled out for 200 by England, who then lost seven wickets to get home. Australia surged to 278 for 8 in the final thanks to a Glenn Maxwell special, and England crumbled to 166. It was a windy, sunny afternoon at the WACA on Friday, and a high of 31 degrees is expected on match day.

Stats and trivia

MOEEN HEROICS GIVE ENGLAND FIRST POINTS

Opener hits brilliant 128 and picks up two wickets in 119-run win over Scotland

England picked up its first points of the 2015 World Cup, securing a 119-run win over Scotland on Monday (February 23). The batting clicked for England this time and it posted a healthy 303 for 8. The bowlers then chipped in with some early wickets and Scotland wasn't able to recover from that though it did put up a fight.

England went into the game with an unchanged team. Put in to bat under overcast skies, England’s openers were circumspect at the start.

But once the ball stopped swinging, Moeen Ali took full toll. Hipster beard waving in the Christchurch breeze, Moeen swung his bat in clean arcs, his hands coming through the line with flair that would have done Saeed Anwar proud.

Even when he was not to the pitch of the ball, Moeen was able to control it, hitting into gaps or over fielders. Bell, meanwhile, gave Moeen good company with 54 from 85 balls.

Moeen brought up his half-century in only 39 balls, and when he acknowledged the crowd’s cheers upon reaching hundred, there were enough overs left in the innings for him to have a comfortable crack at Robin Smith’s England record score of 167 that has stood for a staggering 22 years.

England had laid a fantastic platform, getting to 172 for no loss at the 30-over mark, but Bell punched one straight to mid-off, and soon after Moeen (128) slogged one to the midwicket fielder. Scotland, sensed this was its best opportunity to strike, pounced.

Ballance fell for 10 off 18 balls, Joe Root tickled Davey to the ‘keeper, and England had lost four wickets for 23 runs in the space of six overs. In five Power Play overs, England managed 22 runs, losing two wickets.

Eoin Morgan began the rescue operation with James Taylor, but the two were forced to consolidate early on. Scotland sneaked in a few quiet overs, and with the partnership on 49, the batsmen looking to get a move on. But Scotland struck once more.

Taylor shuffled down the pitch to Davey, who fired the ball in wide and Matthew Cross, the wicketkeeper, smartly gloved the ball and dove back to break the stumps. It was the kind of stumping that lifted the entire fielding team, a moment of brilliance.

That brought Buttler to the crease with a bit of time to tee up the big shots. Unorthodox, but always looking to be aggressive, Buttler’s 24 from 14 balls lifted the innings, and Morgan joined in the home-stretch fun. Clearing his front leg and tonking the ball back down the ground with power, Morgan collected a 42-ball 46 to take England to 303 for 8.

Scotland was full of optimism when they began its innings, but the scoreboard pressure and the extra pace of the England attack proved challenging. Kyle Coetzer hit the ball sweetly at the top of the order, clattering his way to 71 even as wickets fell with regularity at the other end.

Once it was three down for only 54, the chase was in deep trouble. Scotland was bowled out for 184 in the 43rd over, giving England victory by 119 runs.

Please click here to review the match in full in the ICC Match Centre, watch all the video clips from the game, review the scorecard and all of the match coverage.

Pakistan v New Zealand 2nd ODI

New Zealand Win By 119 Runs

Pakistan are all out for 250 in the 44th over as New Zealand have won by 119 runs and have conceded the series to New Zealand 2-0. It’s been a magnificent series for New Zealand and go into the ICC Cricket World with all the momentum.

Wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed is gone caught by Brendon McCullum off the bowlng of Grant Elliot. This game is almost over now and it is now up to the tail to hang in there with Misbah-ul-Haq and bat out the remaining overs.

Haris Sohail is out as well and Pakistan seem to be losing wickets in a heap. Their skipper Misbah-ul-Haq seems to be running out of partners and this match seems to be coming to an end very soon.

Umar Akmal is dismissed for four after losing Shahid Afridi recently. Akmal played the ball back on to his wickets off the bowling of fast-bowler Adam Milne. New Zealand are right on top at the moment, need 183 more runs to win at this stage.

Shahid Afridi has been dismissed by Daniel Vettori for 11 to give Daniel Vettori his first international wicket at home in four years. Afridi scored a brilliant half-century in the first ODI, he unfortunately can’t be the hero of their innings in this innings. Pakistan still have a long way to go.

Mohammad Hafeez, who played extremely well is finally dismissed for 86. He got off to a great start, but he perished when was trying to hit the ball right out of the park. Shahid Afridi is the new batsman for Pakistan and he will want to continue from where he had left-off in the previous game.

Pakistan lose their second wicket as Younis Khan is dismissed by Nathan McCullum for just 11. Younis was trying to clear the mid-wicket boundary but the ball fell into the grateful hands of Tim Southee, who was waiting at the boundary.

Pakistan have lost the wicket of Ahmed Shehzad for 56 after the batsman went for a big shot and it fell right into the hands of Adam Milne. Nathan McCullum gets the first wicket. Mohammad Hafeez is now joined by Younis Khan and he needs to get some runs with the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 jut around the corner

Pakistan have made a steady start to their run-chase and must now look to consolidate to have any chance of chasing down the total of 370. New Zealand were earlier superb in their innings as centuries from Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson’s centuries got them a massive score.

We’re underway at Napier With Mohammad Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad opening the innings for Pakistan. Pakistan need a mammoth dcore pf 370 to win and level the two-match series at 1-1.

A breathtaking batting performance by New Zealand has seen them amass a huge total against Pakistan in the second One-Day International (ODI). Kane Williamson had scored 112 off 88 balls and then there was Ross Taylor who muscled the ball around the park and ensured that New Zealand get past 350. Taylor smashed 102 off 70 balls and that is New Zealand’s 100th century in one-day cricket. It is a huge total and although the ground is small, New Zealand will fancy their chances. Pakistan will have to bat really well to get anywhere close to it. The way Taylor and Williamson batted may motivate the Pakistan batsmen to dish out their own good performance. New Zealand are anyway leading the series 1-0 and need to win this encounter to clinch the rubber. These two ODIs serve as a crucial preparation for the two teams ahead of the all important ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. New Zealand are clearly showing why they are amongst the most dangerous sides in the World Cup. Pakistan have been unpredictable, but on their day, they can bring about that brilliance that tends to dazzle people from all over the globe. If they do that in the run-chase here, it will be a very good match.

Source : Fantasy Cricket PK