Finals of the ICL T20 will be a cracker by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Event:

ICL 20s Indian Championship 2008/09

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DateLine: 12th November 2008

 

The stage is set for the finals of the ICL T20. It is going to be a cracker of a contest with Hyderabad Heroes taking on the Lahore Badshahs. Lahore Badshahs will be looking for revenge as they lost in the finals to the Hyderabad Heroes in the previous edition. But with the addition of Mohammed Yousuf to their team, they look more balanced and solid.

Both teams have had a different passage to the finals. While Hyderabad Heroes have had a smooth passage to the finals,Lahore Badshahs have had a bumpy ride. Lahore Badshahs barely scraped through to the semifinals thanks to the arrival of Mohammed Yousuf at the right time. Mohammed Yousuf has added solidity and balance to their team. With so many stroke players in their side he along with Inzamam are a calming influence. They were always like that when they played for Pakistan. With openers to fire and a good allround depth in batting, they have strong bowling to boot.Saqlain, Azhar Mahmmod, Rana Naved, and Sami form a good attack. Their only weak point will be their fielding which their opponent will have an edge. But they would want to guard against complacency considering that it is a best of three finals.

Hyderabad Heroes on the other hand would want to repeat the performance of the last edition. They beat the Lahore Badshahs in the finals last time 2-0. The second match was a thriller. A match Hyderabad Heroes should have won easily finished in a bowl out which they won 3-0.Harris hitting the stumps the third time. The combination of Chris Harris and Steve Rixon have worked wonders for Hyderabad Heroes.With local talent in Ambati Rayudu, Stuart Binny, Ibrahim Khaleel and foreign players like Abdul Razzaq, Nicky Boje and Justin Kemp,the captain and coach have forged a deadly combination in this team

With Hyderabad Heroes already having won the finals against the same oponent once they will be confident this time around. But Lahore Badshahs will be seeking revenge this time around, and with the addition of Mohammed Yousuf they will be very hard to beat.With both teams having fairly easy semifinals the finals will be a nail biting affair.