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Danger approaching for ‘perfect’ Aussies: Hogg

This Australian team is the best one-day side we have ever produced.

But they should be very, very careful heading into Friday’s quarter-final clash with Pakistan at the Adelaide Oval.

Pakistan are a great cricket-playing nation, and there have been some megastars that have come from there.

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They are always one we just question, because they are capable of brilliant cricket.

On paper, the way Australia have performed in the lead-up games, you’d think this will be an easy game.

But it’s Pakistan, it’s a quarter-final.

Wahab Riaz has taken 14 wickets for the tournament and shapes as a danger for Australia. Photo: Getty

Wahab Riaz has taken 14 wickets for the tournament and shapes as a danger for Australia. Photo: Getty

I spoke to Shoaib Akhtar the other night, and he feels they are underestimated.

He’s quietly confident that this attack of Pakistan will give us a bit of a scare.

They suffered a big blow on Wednesday when Mohammad Irfan was ruled out with a pelvis stress fracture.

He’s over seven-foot tall, and his bounce would have been a worry for the Australians.

But that still leaves Wahab Riaz, Sohail Khan and Rahat Ali, who have caused plenty of headaches so far in this tournament.

We don’t know much about them.

Khan and Ali weren’t used in last year’s one-day series in the UAE, and between them they’ve played just 16 ODIs.

They’re an unknown quantity, that’s the danger.

Are they peaking at the right time? That’s what you’ve got to worry about with Pakistan.

They haven’t dominated so far, but they’re on a bit of a winning streak. Their confidence will be pretty good.

Australia’s batting line-up has been tweaked a little bit, but when you’ve got so much depth I suppose you have to try and manipulate it to give everyone a go.

Michael Clarke’s not going to win the World Cup for us. He’s not the best batsman in that team but what he brings to the table is his experience. If we are in a trouble he can steer us to a score.

We’ve got too many powerful hitters in that team to worry about whether Clarke’s rusty or not.

He and Steve Smith bring the art of batting to that line-up. You’ve really now got the perfect mix in that one-day squad.

I look at all the one-day sides Australia have ever produced, even when Gilly was belting them, and I’m just so excited by this team.

Aaron Finch, Dave Warner, Glenn Maxwell, Brad Haddin, James Faulkner: there are five capable of hitting numerous sixes.

Brad Haddin is striking the ball cleaner than ever. Photo: Getty

Brad Haddin is striking the ball cleaner than ever. Photo: Getty

I’m exactly like everyone else – I want to see some sixes hit.

If you’re in trouble, then Watson and Clarke can right the ship, and if you’re not in trouble then you’ve got blokes who can tee off.

It really is the best set-up I’ve ever seen in an Australian cricket team.

I haven’t seen Haddin hit the ball better in his career. Good luck to teams who want to set a normal mid-off and cover and have no one back with Haddin.

I admire Pakistan, but I think Australia have every base covered in this carnival.

People have spoken about a couple of blokes getting hold of Mitchell Johnson.

But if you’re cooking a soup you don’t want it boiling the whole time.

It’s a long tournament, and Johnson will be hitting his best when it counts.

I think the combination of Mitchell Starc and Johnson working in tandem is a pretty ominous attack.

Our weakness – if there is one – is probably our bowling at the death.

Faulkner’s the only one I think who has been trained to finish at the end.

But Australia’s batting is just so deep, and it’s a World Cup of runs.

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