Pakistan Vs India, Carlton & United Series, January 25th, 2000

When a team has its back to the wall, it has nothing to lose. It comes out relaxed and plays to the best of their ability. A team, which has been falsely assured of a place in the finals, loses its focus. It feels that it can wait till the important games to turn it on. You try the hardest when your back is hanging off a cliff and you play your worst when you are complacent.

At the Adelaide Oval, India won the toss and batted. Wasim Akram started the proceedings to Sachin Tendulkar. It was supposed to be a good battle on a wicket that might swing a little but it was a wasted over. Wasim was swinging the ball in but kept bowling way down the leg side. An on drive, a flick and a glance for two runs each and the first over cost 6 runs. The wicket was nice and firm. There was some swing but not enough to trouble the batsmen. Pakistan played an unchanged side. India brought in Kanitkar. Shoaib normally bowls around the wicket to Ganguly and continued doing that in this game as well. Ganguly was kept quiet at the start and Tendulkar did the bulk of the scoring. After 4 overs India were 18/0. Ganguly got two streaky boundaries to point against Wasim in the next over. The first one over Ijaz and the second very close to Ijaz’s outstretched left hand. Valuable runs just the same. Shoaib received a flowing off drive on the up from Tendulkar and India were off to a flyer. The wicket looked perfect for batting and there was no lateral movement. Both batsmen were driving through the line with or without foot movement. Ganguly lashed at an Akram delivery in the 7th over which streaked to the boundary. The second boundary in that over was even better as he dropped down on one knee and drove through cover brilliantly. India were well on their way with 42 on the board after 6 overs. Wasim was not happy and rightly so. The wicket was a pure batting track but even so they needed to keep their line and length to use the shine on the new ball.

When both fast bowlers were taken off, India had reached their 50 very comfortably with an average of over 6 runs an over. Razzaq was brought on in the 10th over. At this stage Pakistan gave India the let off which might have changed the whole attitude in the game. A regulation edge from Tendulkar went between Moin and Inzi to third man for 4. Unbelievable. How can a catch go between first slip and the keeper? I never understood the point of having the second slip with out a first slip. The two batsmen easily worked the ball around in the over to get 11 off it. Pakistan were looking listless and indifferent. I have said time and again that the quality of a championship team is that they win the games they are supposed to win and keep themselves in the games where they are out of form. A championship team never loses focus. This Pakistan team often does. Their fielding became lackadaisical as well. Just waiting for a dismissal is not good enough. They were harping that they would restrict India once Tendulkar gets out. Well for that first you have to get Tendulkar and that does not happen if you are giving him lives and free runs. So Pakistan were undisciplined in these first 11 overs and India were making the most of it at 69/0. Razzaq was the first Pakistani to show a little discipline on this day. He settled down into a nice line and length, keeping the ball up to the batsman. The scoring rate was great so India did not need to take any risk. Azhar Mahmood was brought on and true to form produced a perfect half volley for Sachin to ease to the mid off boundary. After 13 overs, India had 79/0 and they hadn’t even taken a chance.

Razzaq was bowling brilliantly on this placid track. Ganguly got impatient and tried to hit Razzaq over cover, only to edge it a foot or two over point. Azhar looks like a very ordinary bowler at times and today was one of those days or atleast at the beginning of his spell. He looked pretty out of sorts with the bat the other day so I am not sure if his place in the side is warranted. Ganguly took the frustration that built up against Razzaq and took it out on Azhar. A straight drive fetched him 3 runs and he pulled one to the boundary to further boost the Indian run rate. Razzaq is absolutely on fire in this tournament and he removed the dangerous looking Tendulkar again. I feel that contrary to everyone’s opinion Tendulkar does have a tendency, which can be exposed as a weakness. He plays balls that are a little outside his off stump and a little short with the bat away from his body. I think that is why he was troubled in the past by Aqib Javed, who had a lovely leg cutter. Razzaq got him with a ball that pitched outside off and stayed its course to get a faint nick. Dravid walked in and was off the mark immediately to square leg for a single. India were 89/1 at the end of the 16th over. Dravid came in to play a Test match and made Azhar look good although he was looking very comfortable to play a short while ago. Pakistan had pulled India back a little and they were 95/1 after 19 overs.

Ganguly reached his 50 in the 20th over. Dravid got his first boundary in the same over too as he cover drove Razzaq. Azhar hurt himself on that shot as he dived headfirst into the boards. I never understood these dangerous gutters and fences around the Australian grounds. I think they look pathetic as well as are dangerous. They should be abolished and a rope put in with a few meters to spare like there are in beautiful grounds like Gaddafi stadium Lahore or National stadium Karachi. Saqlain replaced Razzaq and there was no hint of turn either. The runs had dried up by this time and an occasional heave ho was the only run getter. Saqlain had tied the batsmen down particularly well and Ganguly was lucky to survive a top edge, which flew past short third man. India were 136/1 after 27 overs. Afridi came on to bowl but the singles were easy to get. Ganguly and Dravid just worked the ball around and kept the scoreboard ticking. Dravid had not been in good touch but atleast he was sticking around. Ganguly was in total command. A case in point was a lofted inside out extra cover drive off Saqlain, which went into the gap and fetched him 4 runs. India had reached 161/1 in the 32nd over. Shoaib was brought back to break the partnership in the 34th over. He was accurate but could not break the partnership immediately. Shahid broke the partnership with a rank long hop, which Dravid hit straight to Inzi at deep mid wicket. India were 175/2 at the end of the 35th over. Kanitkar walked in and was immediately put down by Afridi off his own bowling. A sign of not having the right focus for a game that was not as important in their mind. Kanitkar however did not make the most of it and flicked Shoaib straight down Inzi’s throat at deep square leg. Ganguly reached a very well deserved hundred soon afterwards. India had lost its way a little at 190/3 at the end of the 39th over and needed to get a move on.

Ian Chappel and Richie Benaud were discussing how Ganguly does not slide his bat into the crease while running. Ian had the gal of using the word “stupidity” and Richie came up with “went in one ear and disappeared the other”. I mean what a bunch of baloney. Who gives them the right to abuse other stars? Just because they have a mic up their mouths does not mean they can say anything. Robin Singh had picked up the running between the wickets and heave over mid on off Afridi helped the scoreboard tremendously. After 41 overs, India were 204/3. Razzaq was brought back on and Ganguly went after him. He stepped down the wicket and picked him up over mid on with a brilliant shot. Wasim was unlucky as Ganguly edged an inswinger just past his leg stump to the boundary. After 45 overs, India had got 234/3. Saqlain got Robin at that stage of his own bowling. Jacob Martin joined Ganguly who was getting tired but braving the elements. Wasim Akram bowled brilliantly at this stage and his perfect yorkers did not give much room for the batsmen to get runs. Saqlain however, once again bowling at the death, got whacked for a 6 over mid wicket. I will never understand this even if the wicket was a big turner in the sub-continent. Off-spinners should never bowl at the death and Ganguly hit a full toss by Saqlain in the same over to prove my point. Wasim got a rid of Ganguly with a great yorker that got him right in front. Ganguly got a standing ovation and his 141 was a great effort. He showed more resolve and mental strength than his captain and deserved all the praise. India wasted most of the balls after that but Jacob got a boundary of the last ball that Saqlain was bowling to take India to 267/6 off 50 overs.

Saeed timed the ball well right from the start. He square cut Srinath for a boundary as he hit over the point region. Srinath was looking very ordinary. Afridi started off in usual fashion as he hit him straight over Mohanty’s head for a boundary. Everything was going just fine when against the run of play Saeed lofted a simple catch to cover off Mohanty. A half hearted stroke which was surprising considering that in the circumstances Pakistan needed a big innings from Saeed. And then inexplicably Shahid tried a heave ho off Srinath and top edged one to square leg and Dighe ran around to dive for it. The match was taken away from Pakistan at this stage and the ones to take it away from them were there own openers. Ijaz and Inzi started to slowly resurrect this Pakistan inning. Inzi has totally out of form and out of confidence but once in a while he shows signs of brilliance. A pull shot off Srinath showed what he can do as it raced to the square leg fence. Pakistan were 31/2 after 7 overs. Ijaz was in good nick and anything short was punished. Srinath was square cut brilliantly for 4 runs to point. Inzi seemed to be coming out of it as he drove Mohanty beautifully past mid off for 4 runs. The run rate was all right at this stage and consolidation was the order of the day. Pakistan were 49/2 after 10 overs.

Prasad was brought on at the stage and Ijaz beautifully timed one bisecting cover and mid off for 4 runs. In Prasad’s second over, Inzi unleashed a brilliant shot on the up, which went past mid off in a hurry. Maybe Inzi was finally coming good. And then it happened. Bad luck followed Inzi yet again. Prasad pitched one short to him and he rocked back onto the back foot and pulled it perfectly. The ball was on its way over the fence when Kanitkar leaned back against the boards and got both hands to it. It popped up and he grabbed it one handed. Another promising Inzimam inning came to an end but one could see that he is right there. Just a little bit more focus and some lady luck and he should be ok. Pakistan were 62/3 off 15 overs. The in form Youhana walked in and immediately looked for runs. An uppish drive through cover fetched him 4 runs off Prasad in the early goings of his innings. Ijaz was steadily pushing singles around and rotating the strike. He was opening the face of the bat and it fetched him a boundary as well as singles. Prasad was often seen trash talking to Ijaz which was typical and useless to comment on. Pakistan were 86/3 off 19 overs.

Kumble and Singh were brought on as a double change. Ijaz and Yousuf rotated the strike and kept the scoreboard rolling over. Ijaz reached his 50 in the 26th over as they reached 106/3. Another well played innings and his third good knock on the trot. His form or confidence is nice to see. Youhana left right after this giving a very simple catch to cover off Kumble. He left for 19 and all of the Pakistanis had gotten themselves in and then gotten themselves out. Inexcusable when chasing a big total and the match was as good as over. Body language does say a lot. Their heart never seemed in it and the Indians were showing a lot of heart. Moin has a lot of heart and he started off with a glorious square cut for 4. His running between the wickets immediately perked things up. Moin started placing the ball into gaps and running hard. Suddenly what looked like a very tight situation started easing up but just when it was not needed Ijaz tried to loft Kumble over mid off but found him. There was no need for this as Moin had started brilliantly and Ijaz had been playing beautifully. He has done this too many times for it to be a lack of concentration. It is a lack of mental toughness and the inability to gauge a situation. He takes undue pressure and creates a situation in his mind, which does not really exist. They could have easily continued with 4 or 5 an over and still put pressure on the Indians but Ijaz threw it away. When Ijaz smashed his bat into his pad, he should rather have smashed it on his head. It just pissed me off that someone who has been chosen as one of the 11 out of 140 million to represent Pakistan could take 15 odd years in the international arena and still not get what a rookie is taught as his first lesson. Some people have the intangible quality of being a champion. They have the cool and smarts to tough it out when the odds are against them. Unfortunately, Ijaz is not blessed with that quality. But being the ultimate optimist, I just wish he get the chance of atleast playing one inning of the quality of Miandad’s everyday knocks and he will realize how satisfying that is.

Moin and Razzaq were bogged down owing to the loss of so many wickets. Moin left trying to cut Kumble and being caught in front reminding one of the Hick's dismissal in the 1992 world cup final. The match was surely over at 128/6. Azhar started off with an edge off Singh that flew to third man for 4 runs. After that he hit one down Srinath’s throat at long off only to be lucky once again as the umpire signaled no ball. Drinks were taken at 145/6 off 34 overs and Azhar started off with a lovely lofted drive for a boundary over cover. He latched onto a Singh delivery and smacked it with disdain to the mid wicket fence. He paced his boundaries with singles or twos into gaps. Another big pull/sweep off Singh into the stands and 15 runs came off that Singh over. Prasad was brought on to get Azhar but he did not fare much better. But then full tosses on leg stumps never get wickets. Azhar smashed the above-mentioned delivery to the mid wicket fence. Srinath was brought in only to be greeted with a top edged over slips for a boundary. He was placing the ball brilliantly as well. Another Srinath delivery got the edge only to go to the boundary again and the Indians were looking very worried. Azhar almost ran himself out on the last ball and Srinath’s last ball cost him 12 runs. Razzaq gave Azhar the strike to continue this onslaught. Azhar got to his 50 off 34 balls and had given Pakistan a sniff of what could have been had the earlier guys played with some more resolve. After all of this mayhem, at the end of the 40th over, Pakistan had reached 196/6.

Azhar was getting visibly tired and the boundaries had been reduced to twos or singles. It was at this time that his partner thought that he could take over the role of the aggressor. He could not. He lofted a Prasad delivery only to find Kumble and the match was once again firmly in India’s grasp. Wasim came and left early. He tried to lift a Mohanty delivery over mid off but top edged it and Srinath ran back and took a very well judged catch. Saqlain tried a big hit but he too holed out at mid on. Pakistan were 210/9 on the 44th over with the wheels coming off suddenly and decisively. Azhar hit Kumble for another boundary absolutely straight. But after that he ran a couple of runs and started to cramp up. In obvious pain, he needed the help of a physio as well as a runner. All of this was too much and he was out the first ball after the break. It was a great effort by Azhar but India were the deserving winners by 48 runs. Ganguly was obviously the man of the match.

India played inspired cricket and Pakistan never showed up. For India, it probably is too little too late for the tournament finals but that is not the point. Every international game is an important game. Somehow Pakistan does not seem to get that. It does not matter if the match will have an affect on the tournament or not. It does not matter if you have already qualified for the finals (which Pakistan has not). All of that does not matter when you got out to play an international match in which you represent your country. Every game has equal meaning or should. It is a one-day international. Every W does count in the records. Pakistan made the same mistake in the 1999 world cup and lost to Bangladesh. You can not lose your focus and treat a match lightly. I have noticed that championship teams never do that. I had predicted that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could never win the NFL championship because they lost 45-0 to the Raiders. My thinking being that a championship team on its bad day pulls out enough strength to hang on quite like the Rams did in their last game or the Titans against the Bills and Colts. Wasim’s article at rediff.com says that Pakistan can beat anyone on their day. For Pakistan to become a championship team, they will have to win on their bad days.