Alex Hales, the next Pietersen

Alex Hales played a magnificent innings in the ICC World T20 match vs Sri Lanka today. Sri Lanka made 189/4 in the allotted 20 overs, thanks to the wet outfield and the generous English fielders. Jayawardene made the most of it with 89 off 51 balls; Dilshan looked out of sorts but still made 55 off 47 balls. England had come in to the match after a frustrating loss to New Zealand with rain bringing in the Duckworth-Lewis method into picture. Ironically, Frank Duckworth and Tony Lewis are English. I personally think D/L method should not be used for T20.

This was a must win game for England but Sri Lanka looked confident to continue their winning streak; after all, they've been playing in Bangladesh for 3 months now. After losing 2 wickets in the very first over for nought, hopes were running low in the English dugout. Alex Hales and Eoin Morgan had other ideas. Both played cautiously in the beginning and exactly knew which balls to attack. Eoin targeted Mathews and Alex bludgeoned Mendis. Their 100+ partnership kept England's chances alive. Malinga's most powerful weapon, the yorker, was futile against the confident Alex and the stylish Morgan. Chandimal's gamble to use Malinga's last 6 balls in the 18th over did not pay off - Bopara hit 2 crucial boundaries off the first 2 balls and then they played him out. Alex stayed till the end and finished the game with 4 balls to spare. He remained not out at 116 off just 64 balls. It is still too early to compare him with Pietersen, but the stature and confidence surely resembles the South African-born.