The IndoPak match that will start in a few hours will, undeniably, be the biggest sporting event in the subcontinent in the last four years (at least!!). Opinions, conjecture and predictions about the match have been diverse and partisan. Personally, I have already made the claim in my last post that, despite a close match, India will win comfortably in the end.
Although dew wasn't a factor in India's quarter final, by all accounts, it will play its part in Mohali. No matter how many wetting agents are used, the dew will quicken-up the wicket and make it difficult for spinners. With overnight rain, there is every chance it could get cloudy in the evening and the ball may zip and skid under lights. Such events will favour the better bowling side i.e. Pakistan - to what extent, is anybody's guess.
The toss, therefore will be tricky - captains have to decide whether to take a punt on the dew or make a decision based on handling pressure. The safer strategy seems to be to win the toss and bat first in an eliminator like this.
Team selection is another tricky issue - Afridi has to make a call on Shoaib which is more of a distraction to the team than a uniting factor. Dhoni could pull some fast ones by reverting back to Chawla or Pathan or even Sreesanth but it seems unlikely that he will change the playing eleven that won against Australia - it would still be a masterstroke if Dhoni plays Sreesanth in place of Munaf.
The match itself will be high-octane, nervy and fast paced. Undoubtedly, the team which is better led and better managed will triumph.
Now, that brings me to the deciding factor in this match - the captains and particularly, their contrasting captaincy styles. The reason I left writing this preview so late, is because, most writers have correctly identified this match as a clash of captaincy styles and left nothing more for me to say!
Dhoni's calm, calculating approach should help him to make the correct close calls on the field better than his "always on the edge" counterpart. Dhoni's personality should help him and his team cope better with big-match pressure. With Afridi's explosive remonstrations on the field, his team is as likely to be spurred on to great things as it is likely to buckle under its captain's gesturings, admonishings and constant displays of adrenaline (like that shot he played in the Pak-Australia match).
Still, Dhoni for all his calmness, has been far from perfect in this tournament. For starters, his bowling plans resemble a scavenger's scrounge for survival. Dhoni, at times seems to make bowling plans to escape a hiding rather that take on the opposition. His horses for courses policy was pretty late in identifying that Ashwin needs to be in and Nehra and Chawla need to be out. Dhoni's batting has not fired yet, but he would argue that he hasn't really had a fair go with his batting in this tournament.
However, Dhoni did take great strides towards perfect captaincy against Australia. He was always on the hunt for wickets than being restrictive and will have to summon the same spirit if Pakistan bat first today. Given a bowling attack with just "3.5 bowlers", it has been Dhoni's wont to scrounge on the field but now, its time to exert pressure even with his under-par bowling attack.
With the passive-aggressive leading style of Dhoni and the flamboyant and maniacal leading style of Afridi pitted against each other, today's match will come down to which style helps their respective teams to cope better with pressure. We may still witness a couple of pivotal moments that decidedly swing the match.
Afridi seems to be reading too many reports in the media and watching too much TV to be upset by some of the comments in the Indian media. In his turn, he, along with his team-mates have been obliging the media with many opinions and aspirations. Simply put, Pakistan, as a team have talked themselves up before this match. Such chit-chat with the media betrays their big-match nerves and it seems that Pakistan, as a whole, seem incapable of treating this game as just that - a game. They seem likely to put themselves under undue pressure to excel and in the process, self-destruct. Of course, that's the last thing on my wish list - I want to watch a great and close game.
Barring an upset, India should prevail. Behold, the cup is just two good evenings away!
O India, May the fours be with you .... always!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
That's not choking, that's Suicide!
Alas, South Africa have done it again - snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Pundits from every single vocation pursued by mankind relish in rambling about the mind and its toughness. Personally, I find such ramblings too overbearing and presumptuous in a "I told you so" kind of way.
However, now that we have witnessed two run chases within 24 hours, its very apparent that the mind is indeed where contests are won... and lost! Yesterday, India, as a whole showed better temperament and especially Yuvraj and Raina showed exemplary mental toughness. South Africa should have seen that match and taken inspiration from it rather than watching their own performances in knock out games.
Honestly, I am shocked, so I am not sure how to censure South Africa. They were my favorites to go all the way (like many million cricket fans) but with every claim of South Africa being favorites, I always had that unsaid rider about their tendency to c***e (That is now officially a swear word in South Africa)
Many will say the Kiwis were brilliant and had more than their fair share of luck. The Amla dismissal was freakish. The Kallis catch was surreal and the overall fielding was other-worldly. The attacking captaincy was inspired but then such things always happen in crunch games. New Zealand did everything a side defending a modest total would do. South Africa just had to do everything a professional team chasing a modest total would do - go about it in their well-drilled, methodical and metronomic manner. Yet, somehow, they let their minds interfere with the chase.
I still can't believe South Africa lost. It is with this sense of disbelief that I sign off on South Africa until the time comes when they have some bloody minded men to go with the bunch of super-skilled boys that they have right now.
However, now that we have witnessed two run chases within 24 hours, its very apparent that the mind is indeed where contests are won... and lost! Yesterday, India, as a whole showed better temperament and especially Yuvraj and Raina showed exemplary mental toughness. South Africa should have seen that match and taken inspiration from it rather than watching their own performances in knock out games.
Honestly, I am shocked, so I am not sure how to censure South Africa. They were my favorites to go all the way (like many million cricket fans) but with every claim of South Africa being favorites, I always had that unsaid rider about their tendency to c***e (That is now officially a swear word in South Africa)
Many will say the Kiwis were brilliant and had more than their fair share of luck. The Amla dismissal was freakish. The Kallis catch was surreal and the overall fielding was other-worldly. The attacking captaincy was inspired but then such things always happen in crunch games. New Zealand did everything a side defending a modest total would do. South Africa just had to do everything a professional team chasing a modest total would do - go about it in their well-drilled, methodical and metronomic manner. Yet, somehow, they let their minds interfere with the chase.
I still can't believe South Africa lost. It is with this sense of disbelief that I sign off on South Africa until the time comes when they have some bloody minded men to go with the bunch of super-skilled boys that they have right now.
Friday, March 25, 2011
A Titanic clash indeed!
Normally, I do not write post match views on any cricket match that is not a final. However, yesterday's match between India and Australia was worthy of one even if it was just a quarter of a final. Hence, I am breaking my self imposed protocol and reliving India's triumph in cyberspace.
For one thing, the dew didn't play a part at all and my gut feeling that India would prevail without dew did turn out to be right. Midway through the match, I felt Australia were probably 10 runs above par but the sheer class of the Indian batting made such speculation pointless.
Simply put, it was a nerveless and well planned chase. Execution was good for the most part barring a frenetic 15 minutes when two well-set Indian batsmen seemed bent on gifting the Aussies an early Easter Egg. Fortunately for India, the batsmen seemed to realize that Easter was still a good month away.
My pre-match performers did play their parts. I did expect SRT and Yuvi to play pivotal roles. Sehwag was a bit disappointing but Gambhir and Kohli made up for it. Ashwin deserves a special mention with the ball and on the field with good support from the bankable Bhajji and Zak.
Yet, my most fulfilling prediction was not an Indian performance. I firmly felt Captain Ricky would bounce back like a cornered tiger and he truly demonstrated how a legend is created and sustained. He has spent the last decade creating a legendary status as one of Australia's all time greats, next only to Bradman; he spent three hours yesterday to make sure that his legend will be recounted over and over again in cosy bars and campfires. He left his indelible mark on the game and on its marquee event by demonstrating true Aussie-style, workmanlike batsmanship (ala steve waugh albeit with a lot more batting class)
Had it not been for Captain Ricky's batting, we would have had another one sided quarter final. The onus is on me to make a comment on the second semi-final - everyone's dream game - IndoPak.
At this stage, I feel it will be a tight contest but India will win comfortably in the end. India will be battling their own big match nerves, if any, but so will Pakistan. India's superior overall skills should see them through comfortably.
I would have really liked to see India playing both Sri Lanka and South Africa en-route the prize but alas, one can't have everything in life. For now, I only wish India good luck on the 30th and hope to catch them on the 2nd at Mumbai.
The Prize is indeed, nigh!!
For one thing, the dew didn't play a part at all and my gut feeling that India would prevail without dew did turn out to be right. Midway through the match, I felt Australia were probably 10 runs above par but the sheer class of the Indian batting made such speculation pointless.
Simply put, it was a nerveless and well planned chase. Execution was good for the most part barring a frenetic 15 minutes when two well-set Indian batsmen seemed bent on gifting the Aussies an early Easter Egg. Fortunately for India, the batsmen seemed to realize that Easter was still a good month away.
My pre-match performers did play their parts. I did expect SRT and Yuvi to play pivotal roles. Sehwag was a bit disappointing but Gambhir and Kohli made up for it. Ashwin deserves a special mention with the ball and on the field with good support from the bankable Bhajji and Zak.
Yet, my most fulfilling prediction was not an Indian performance. I firmly felt Captain Ricky would bounce back like a cornered tiger and he truly demonstrated how a legend is created and sustained. He has spent the last decade creating a legendary status as one of Australia's all time greats, next only to Bradman; he spent three hours yesterday to make sure that his legend will be recounted over and over again in cosy bars and campfires. He left his indelible mark on the game and on its marquee event by demonstrating true Aussie-style, workmanlike batsmanship (ala steve waugh albeit with a lot more batting class)
Had it not been for Captain Ricky's batting, we would have had another one sided quarter final. The onus is on me to make a comment on the second semi-final - everyone's dream game - IndoPak.
At this stage, I feel it will be a tight contest but India will win comfortably in the end. India will be battling their own big match nerves, if any, but so will Pakistan. India's superior overall skills should see them through comfortably.
I would have really liked to see India playing both Sri Lanka and South Africa en-route the prize but alas, one can't have everything in life. For now, I only wish India good luck on the 30th and hope to catch them on the 2nd at Mumbai.
The Prize is indeed, nigh!!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
The Prince and the Dew
In spite of the title, this post is about cricket! The Dew refers to the presence or lack of it in the second half of the day-nighter quarter final between India and Australia which begins in about five hours at the Motera in Ahmedabad, India.
The Prince in the title refers to the eponymous Yuvraj Singh who, I reckon, will play a pivotal role in about five hours time! The big question of course, is who will prevail, who will face off against a confident Pakistan outfit in the semi final at Mohali.
Its late March and the festival of Holi has been celebrated. Holi heralds the summer in India and with that, dew in the late evening should be absent. However, the facts belie such expectations. If there is dew, no matter how well the fielding side dry the ball, the pitch will quicken up and given a dearth of express bowlers in the Indian line up, dew will make batting easier should Australia chase an Indian target. Even a target of 320 isn't safe!
If India bat second chasing around 300, it will be a cracking contest given that Australia do have 2 quality fast bowlers and a mercurial Shaun Tait who will find an added zing with dew around and the ball staying a touch low.
If there is no dew at all, or the dew comes in too late to matter, I reckon, India will pip Australia to the finish line, no matter what.
Enough said about dew; lets talk about the Prince! The Prince should have been king by now, but alas, a string of injuries, a not-so-fancy attitude and other conspiring factors have kept the throne from the prince - the throne of a cricket great that is!
That being said, there is a pivotal battle to be won today. If the Prince leads his side to triumph today, he will stay to battle another day. The throne is just 3 games away and he is in decent form with both bat and ball to make a telling impact on the outcome of this world cup. His captain believes in him, has stood by him during the leanest phases and now its time for Yuvraj to repay his captain's faith.
There are other gladiators of course, on both sides. There is that demi-god called SRT who is still searching for that elusive triumph in a world cup; then there is that maverick Sehwag, the warrior Zaheer and the belligerent Harbhajan. On the other side, there is that legend who answers to the call of Captain Ricky. All is not well with Ricky. He looks rusty for runs but super fit, he tries to project assurance but his charges keep slipping every now and then, his future as captain seems threatened. The cornered tiger metaphor seems apt on Ricky right now!
Its a very difficult battle to predict, what with so many variables and warriors. With so many heroes around, this match runs a close parallel with the Trojan war. Who's who, is anybody's guess!
O India, May the fours be with you, all the way!
The Prince in the title refers to the eponymous Yuvraj Singh who, I reckon, will play a pivotal role in about five hours time! The big question of course, is who will prevail, who will face off against a confident Pakistan outfit in the semi final at Mohali.
Its late March and the festival of Holi has been celebrated. Holi heralds the summer in India and with that, dew in the late evening should be absent. However, the facts belie such expectations. If there is dew, no matter how well the fielding side dry the ball, the pitch will quicken up and given a dearth of express bowlers in the Indian line up, dew will make batting easier should Australia chase an Indian target. Even a target of 320 isn't safe!
If India bat second chasing around 300, it will be a cracking contest given that Australia do have 2 quality fast bowlers and a mercurial Shaun Tait who will find an added zing with dew around and the ball staying a touch low.
If there is no dew at all, or the dew comes in too late to matter, I reckon, India will pip Australia to the finish line, no matter what.
Enough said about dew; lets talk about the Prince! The Prince should have been king by now, but alas, a string of injuries, a not-so-fancy attitude and other conspiring factors have kept the throne from the prince - the throne of a cricket great that is!
That being said, there is a pivotal battle to be won today. If the Prince leads his side to triumph today, he will stay to battle another day. The throne is just 3 games away and he is in decent form with both bat and ball to make a telling impact on the outcome of this world cup. His captain believes in him, has stood by him during the leanest phases and now its time for Yuvraj to repay his captain's faith.
There are other gladiators of course, on both sides. There is that demi-god called SRT who is still searching for that elusive triumph in a world cup; then there is that maverick Sehwag, the warrior Zaheer and the belligerent Harbhajan. On the other side, there is that legend who answers to the call of Captain Ricky. All is not well with Ricky. He looks rusty for runs but super fit, he tries to project assurance but his charges keep slipping every now and then, his future as captain seems threatened. The cornered tiger metaphor seems apt on Ricky right now!
Its a very difficult battle to predict, what with so many variables and warriors. With so many heroes around, this match runs a close parallel with the Trojan war. Who's who, is anybody's guess!
O India, May the fours be with you, all the way!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Sreesanth Should Play
I am penning this during the innings break of the last league game of WC2011. India have been bowled out once more within fifty overs and its beginning to feel a bit embarrassing now.
Its likely that the Indian bowling will defend a score of 268 but whatever the result, Sreesanth must be brought back for the knockout games if India are to prosper. Dhoni seems oblivious of the presence of Sreesanth in the squad but its time for him to overlook Sree's antics and realise that he is the only seamer other than Zaheer who is capable to taking wickets.
Its likely that any second seamer chosen, will go at six or more an over but amongst Nehra, Munaf and Sree, Sreesanth is the only one who seems to pose a wicket taking threat to the opposition.
If India are to go far in this competition playing only four bowlers, Dhoni would rather have four wicket taking bowlers that one dibbly dobbly medium pacer like Munaf or a woefully out of form Nehra.
May India win!!
Its likely that the Indian bowling will defend a score of 268 but whatever the result, Sreesanth must be brought back for the knockout games if India are to prosper. Dhoni seems oblivious of the presence of Sreesanth in the squad but its time for him to overlook Sree's antics and realise that he is the only seamer other than Zaheer who is capable to taking wickets.
Its likely that any second seamer chosen, will go at six or more an over but amongst Nehra, Munaf and Sree, Sreesanth is the only one who seems to pose a wicket taking threat to the opposition.
If India are to go far in this competition playing only four bowlers, Dhoni would rather have four wicket taking bowlers that one dibbly dobbly medium pacer like Munaf or a woefully out of form Nehra.
May India win!!
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