Sensational Victory for India and for Twenty20!!!

By Sreelata S. Yellamrazu

Coming back from the brink of elimination was an extraordinary feat. To beat the high and mighty Australians into subjugation was the stuff of legends. But to snatch victory from under Pakistan’s nose needed every ounce of courage India could muster. Twenty20 could not have asked for a better encounter, or a harder fought winner in the end! The inaugural Twenty20 World Cup had two winners in cricketing spirit. But Twenty20 perhaps won more hearts than both teams put together.

Pakistan appeared gutted. And why should they not? Losing by five runs and losing their way after a phenomenal campaign will hurt Pakistan for some time to come. But Pakistan’s high jinx against India at World Cup continues. Led by Shoaib Mallik and a team of youth and exuberance, it was simply not to be Pakistan’s day. But Pakistan proved that they can be a sensation when they play like a team. There is much to be proud of, trophy in hand or not.

Pakistan were the team to beat. India did. Credit must go to India to hold on even when the game appeared to slip away. An extra edge of courage made India the first ever champions of Twenty20 on a World Cup platform.

The sedate manner in which India started their innings, threat lurked that this could be an antithesis of a final. Batting was not easy against the obvious superior Pakistan bowling attack. Wickets crumbled. Heroes fell by the way side. The target in the end seemed frighteningly short for a campaign to raise the Cup.

But India’s bag of tricks made this one magical atmosphere. Gautam Gambhir played his part. But there would not be fancy shots over the boundary for Yuvraj Singh. The stage was set perfectly. The team that wanted the Cup badly would have to fight. India fought back with aplomb. Pakistan’s wickets fell to a consistent R.P. Singh and Irfan Pathan and Pakistan shifted from cruise mode to a determinate struggle.

The task was getting onerous for Pakistan. But India could not afford to take it easy. The point could not have been driven home better by Misbah-ul-Haq and Shoaib Tanvir who connected the ball with ferocity that nearly snatched victory from India in the end. Joginder Sharma can take his place amongst the stars. Bowling at the death in two successive matches against Australia and Pakistan, Joginder saved India the blushes and spurred the team to victory.

It is hard to see beyond the youth to know why the team had a refreshing approach right through the tournament. Their courage to fight back from the mediocrity to stage three dramatic knock out matches to seal the World Cup has made India’s World Cup campaign a memorable effort, sealed by the sparkling trophy as a reminder of better days in India’s cricketing history.

For Mahendra Singh Dhoni, it has completed a three year honeymoon. His talk may appear confident but his body language speaks a rather positive dialect that reflects on the feedback from the team. A young captain, an inspiration leader and a man respected by the team he leads, Dhoni could not have asked for a better initiation to his captaincy.

He will come back to lead the charge against Australia and Pakistan. Not all days will be like this. But if Dhoni’s early inclinations suggest rightly, Dhoni has his head and his heart in the right place. Now if the BCCI can move away from geriatric redundancy, Indian cricket may well see men of these young boys.

Twenty20 has won over many a purist. Twenty20 cannot challenge the classic case of a Test. But what it has shown is that Twenty20 has its own place and niche and cricket has something to offer everyone. For Twenty20, it could not have asked for a better launch. Progressive Australia disposed, it has opened up the field for new champions, new heroes.

Twenty20 is not all about bang. The World Cup has been a short, sweet story no less inspirational than any other cricketing tale. India have raged with passion and enjoyed their game. Not all of cricket allows this, but any game is richer for the experience. In the translation of this exuberance into the other forms of the game remains paramount for India. Converting this victory into a successful formula should be India’s goal. Lifting the Cup is not the end; it is only the beginning that someone like future skipper Dhoni would do well to remind himself of.

That the final could swing either way is true. But the fact remains India showed a little bit more edge in the end, and were duly rewarded for plain sticking around. Their victories may not have been comprehensive (not many matches in the Twenty20 World Cup have been). But for fighting the odds, fighting their demons, fighting obvious weaknesses, fighting night after night, India passed an endurance test to herald what could potentially be a turning point in Indian history. India have shown more mettle and their victory is well deserved. On an even better note for the Indians, Irfan Pathan has bounced back and bleak days when one of India’s brightest shining stars faded gave way to a speculator array of dazzling fireworks. Bounce back ability is no longer a confined virtue.

It brings one to wonder: what would the men (who still happen to sit on the high chairs of the BCCI) who claimed India had no need to play Twenty20 have to make of this. Would they dare undermine India’s victory now? India’s victory and Twenty20 have proved a bonanza, the very princely purse that pays cricket’s luxurious days. Indeed the Cup flows over!

Tournament Favourites – Picky Finalists!

By Sreelata S. Yellamrazu

It would be like killing two birds – money and mania – with one stone, er, tournament. But having come thus far, the scenario for the final suggests nothing could surpass a seething border rivalry. Pakistan and Australia have a ‘been there, done that’ feel about them while India-New Zealand seem a tad boring combination. On the other hand, Australia and New Zealand’s Trans Tasmanian rivalry has always had a combative thrill about them. Commercial cricket though would put the vote on the other piquant border- India and Pakistan in the final. But would Twenty20 throw up a new world champion or throw a new tantrum? The twist in the tale lay veritably in the semi finals.

Saturday’s double sundae featured some unusual entrants. Of the four semi-finalists, only one can truly claim to have held the banner of tournament favourites true. New Zealand was considered the most adaptive of all teams to this format of the game and reasonable performances kept the team on track to the semi finals. But thereafter Zealand played inexplicable cricket, one that they will sit back and look long into the sunset trying to decipher.

New Zealand may have just watched the match between South Africa and India a little too hard. The disease of failure can be quite contagious. If South Africa unraveled in a so called ‘safe’ game, New Zealand failed to perform to its potential. For all of the trying clichés used against Pakistan (including “Don’t know which Pakistan will turn up for the match), Pakistan performed uncannily professionally and consistently through the tournament.

New Zealand contradicted all the versatility they had displayed in the course of the tournament. Their tall hitters turned into tame batsmen and their running between the wickets was appalling. It was a lesson in cricket by the novice. Suddenly it showed not even the semblance of the New Zealand the world has come to expect of them.

It is an even sad reflection on Daniel Vettori and unfairly so. His selflessness for the team’s cause was evident as he sacrificed himself for some crazy misjudgement of running between the wickets by Ross Taylor, this one proving more costly than others. Taylor is a gifted batsman but his presence of the crease was reflective of the patchy, hesitant batting that New Zealand stuttered with. His mighty blows in the final over showed how his skipper’s presence of mind paid off. But would it be enough against a fired up Pakistan?

New Zealand looked remarkably relaxed at the change of innings. Perhaps it was a deliberate attempt to approach the Pakistan innings with nerves under control. But there would be not be many smiles for too long. Imran Nazir played a healthy innings, survived by a missed run out chance and a catch that neither wicketkeeper nor first slip really attempted to pouch. With a target that was never going to really test the opposition, Pakistan made their task all too easy. Except from a brief little melodrama that did not really threaten the outcome of the match, Pakistan were firm favourites for the finals come Monday.

New Zealand survive an own goal: On a cautious note, Lou Vincent was fortunate to survive a direct hit to his head from none other than his fielding team mate, Jeetan Patel.

The matter of the other semi final was not too far. Somehow while both, Australia and India, suffered hiccups, Australia appeared far less intuitive about the game and India’s resurgence against South Africa gave the latter that extra edge. But knowing Australia, India would not have it easy like Pakistan.

Australia have not shown the ability to crack under pressure. But pressure can do strange things to people. The greater the opposition effort, greater was the chance to put Australia under pressure. That was exactly what Mahendra Singh Dhoni and India did by batting first. Without the pressure of chasing on them or the fact that the bowlers could easily submit the initiative as Australia looked to make headway.

While other batsmen did play their part, yet again Yuvraj Singh proved the star of the show. More than his seventy, it was the alacrity with which he batted that set the tone for the way India would end in a flourish. Australia had to brace themselves and injured skipper Ricky Ponting could only look on concerned.

Australia’s reign thus far in the tournament can be attributed in large part to Mathew Hayden’s bat as much as some of their bowlers. On this occasion as well, Hayden nearly took the game away from India. Frenetic changes from Dhoni, not to mention taking a gamble on the odd occasion, paid off in the end. It did not come easy but it was helped by the fact that India had forty-fifty more runs in the bank than in their previous encounter against South Africa. From a possibly difficult situation for most teams, Australia holstered their chase in Hayden’s hands. Sreesanth, RP Singh and Irfan Pathan, all came good for the effort. But Harbhajan Singh held his nerve as did Joginder Sharma. In the end, it was the best team effort on exhibit for India in quite some time.

Australia appeared ill prepared for the scant regard and respect they would be met with by opposition teams. But even from a straight forward speaking stand-in skipper like Adam Gilchrist, excuses seemed to flow through at the end of the day. Gilchrist felt Australia missed it by one odd mistake. Let us be precise, Australia fell short by precisely three big shots. In Twenty20 matches, 15 runs are gold. And yes, Australia lost that sheen and they would have sounded a lot more dignified to admit it, accept their fate that this would be the first World Cup final since 1996 that would not see the famous green and gold.

For Australia to hide behind the excuse of Australia having come out of hibernation speaks of unprofessionalism. Surely, an event as big as the World Cup merited preparation, off season or not. Perhaps then Ponting was not off the mark claiming Australia needed to show a little more respect for the game. May be that is where Australia should look, in their backyard!

The tournament can rejoice; the outcome of the fanfare has outlived the expectations. Now if only it can continue for one final encounter…

SA’s worst dissection – as always at a World Cup!

By Sreelata S. Yellamrazu

Even the self-assured Graeme Smith appeared set aback by the stunning events of the just concluded encounter in the Super Eights of the World Twenty20 championship. This would be South Africa’s live nightmare at every cricket World Cup thus far. Just when it seemed South Africa had ridden over the storm, along came a hurricane and blew away the home team into bygone woe and piercing despair. Smith has a point. But the case hinges on more than his point. The host jinx stays; South Africa have once again missed the World Cup train!

‘Chokers’ is a cruel word, especially if you happen to be a fan of the team labeled so. However, if choking is a harsh word, it would be pretty hard to describe South Africa’s debacle against India on the sordid night. What would be fairer to say is that South Africa were faced with a scenario no one had foreseen. When the moment was upon them, they were plain too paralysed (and crippled by the early blows) to react, let alone salvage. When they realize they could lose it all, South Africa’s mind set changed – from staying crouched ready for an attack, the hunter suddenly became the hunted. Only in this case, it was not so much India that were preying on them, it was the burden of their sudden twist of fortune that proved to fearsome of one of the most ‘formidable’ teams of the tournament.

Graeme Smith seemed slighted by remarks that South Africa lost their virtual place in the semi final by virtue of their getting their equations wrong. Wherever that assumption came from, this time it did not appear South Africa were unaware of their target. It seemed a plain case of nerves making the tournament favourites stutter their way to another significantly shambolic World Cup loss.

Smith is a strong skipper and would not have let that predicament pass. But he is also shrewd to point out that the tournament that kicked out the team that had won all its matches thus far would have to be looked out. While he may have stated a thought provoking point, it must then create some cause for consternation that teams like Australia that have lost to the lowliest teams have made it thus far. The tournament has thrown open the doors such that most teams have scrapped through games and group tallies and perhaps, this must also be a case with Smith takes it all with a pinch of salt.

Smith was very aware of the loss of momentum. His fiery motivation in the middle of the Indian innings may have seemed like the tirade of a dictator. But Smith has his own way of gearing the team and leading the charge. In hindsight it would seem if the captain was not happy with certain mishaps in the fields (dropped chances, misjudged opportunities), he had every reason to be.

But just leafing back the articles in this column, one point was reiterated on the fateful night. South Africa’s top three never really fired in the tournament. There was no real charge from the start of the innings and if the law of averages had perhaps done their job, Smith would have been so aggrieved. But Smith has to take the blame for his own inability to see through the India’s resurgence and stayed on to impact the game more. South Africa were put to the ultimate test at thirteen for three. While in previous matches, the likes of Justin Kemp and Albie Morkel saw through the tough turmoil, to do it all over again was perhaps just a task too much.

It is all very well to boast of depth in the batting order. But to rely on the lower order while the top order does a lullaby is just not on, even in a short game like Twenty20. The recovery between Mark Boucher and Morkel did cause a few flutters for the Indians but it was another matter that held South Africa down while India motored on, right into the semi final.

Besides a difficult start to the chase, South Africa appeared paralysed. It was not just the possibility of loss, but also, rather the distant plausibility that they could go out of the tournament. Distant because all they has to chase was 126, a target not particularly frightening for a team of this depth and fortitude. What did them in was the sudden fear of an unanticipated scenario. The factor seemed to have crippled them beyond belief.

It would not have helped their chances that their prolific batsman of the tournament and their biggest connector of the ball, Justin Kemp, was felled by a run out. Some may even raise the issue of the dubious decision surrounding Herschelle Gibbs with the umpires coming increasingly under the scanner. But was it possible that the big three up the order, Gibbs, Smith and AB de Villiers, could have approached the innings differently? While it serves no purpose to ruminate on the past, these are perhaps the areas that the team should look at. It seems prophetic now when Kemp mentioned that there were a few more areas that South Africa could improve on.

But it is a matter to look into. Otherwise considered a formidable side, South Africa develop a sense of vulnerability about them when a World Cup comes around. Their fragility has bizarrely passed down even though significant personnel changes have come along as also a varied bunch of skippers, each more different from their predecessor. There is always next time, but South Africa are increasingly finding themselves reflecting more on their losses than setting their sights on significant victories.

This is nothing to take away from India’s plucky performance. Whether their batting faltered to reveal a rookie hero or one of their star bowlers proving wayward once again, India continued to fight. And that made all the difference. South Africa had the fate of this matches in their clutches. But when it was time to fight, the will and the might deserted them, with devastating effect.

Daniel Vettori openly said his team would support South Africa in the match against India in order to be able to go through. The match did turn on its head, and one does wonder, did New Zealand dare buy the Indians a round of beer knowing they could plausibly meet each other in the finals? Or did Vettori extend a conciliatory beer to the much disconsolate skipper of the home team? Not a pleasant treat, any which way one looks at it. New Zealand were fortunate, but South Africa have not ended the tournament a pretty sight. Ironically the team that first handed Australia its defeat in the warm up match, perhaps significantly of things to come, have to painfully look back only to realize they themselves had perhaps stymied their progress on the apparent road to victory!

Pakistan: Breaking out of the Cocoon in Impressive Style!

By Sreelata S. Yellamrazu

In a thoroughly exhilarating inaugural Twenty20 World Cup, Pakistan is the only team to have made their final Super Eights match a contest of no threatening consequence. (South Africa, at the point of writing this article, still have a match against India and while it may not threaten to topple them from the virtual final four spot, still makes for a keen contest.) Pakistan though have come into the tournament rounds by leaps and bounds. But only a brave betting man would daresay Pakistan are the favourites to lift the cup by a mile.

Pakistan’s only loss came against India and that too not in the Twenty20 format of forty overs. It was in the bowl out that Pakistan got it all wrong and conceded the match to their fierce rivals. Overlooking the bowl-out clause cost them but not dearly. That would explain why the bowlers failed to strategize using the crease in a normal rhythm and run up and tinkered to make a mess. But Pakistan have not looked back in this Twenty20 and what was considered a slight imbalance with the fiasco with Shoaib Akhtar has died down to reveal a more stable, settled Pakistan under Shoaib Mallik.

Pakistan seem to have a hold on the game in a situation where another team would consider it dire. It does come as a surprise that Pakistan have done as well as they have and as cohesively as they have. Shahid Afridi’s coming down the order has raised many an eyebrow. But his usefulness with the ball has not gone unutilized, showing the value for having a blistering batsman who can also turn the game on its head with the ball.

Mohammad Asif suffered a bruise at Shoaib Akhtar and just to prove that Pakistan’s woes are usually self-inflicted, Asif has not really suffered the routine harrowing affairs of a bowler in a Twenty20 match. He has proved more than a handful, incisive, and deadly accurate from match one.

Another match who needs mentioning is Shoaib Tanvir. He is the biggest talk coming out of Pakistan and his performances have ensured he remains in the limelight. Although he attributes Wasim Akram for bringing the notice of the selectors to his talent, Tanvir seems to fit into the international arena with a degree of self-confidence and a down-to-earth personality. And if all goes well, the cricket world should hear more of the exploits of his enigmatic bowler.

But Pakistan’s strategy has a beautiful blend not just of youth and experience, but of bat and ball. Two seemingly scary scenarios and Pakistan made it without a scratch. Better yet, they looked decidedly on top of the game when the sun set on their encounters. Younis Khan and Shoaib Mallik have played their praiseworthy knocks with the bat. But the duo was joined by another name that hung around the international arena for a bit before he made a mysterious disappearances into the dry land. Misbah-ul-Haq could not have timed his return to the international game with greater aplomb and his mug shot gleams as he continues to remain the big to hit the ball the farthest (111m to be precise surpassing the likes of Justin Kemp, Albie Morkel and Chris Gayle).

Handsome are Pakistan’s gains as they have made a smooth and clean entry into the semi finals. For all of Pakistan’s clinical performance, and a well jointed array of skills with bat and ball and individual talents that make this a fascinating team to watch, Pakistan’s mercurial behavior of the past has not been on show. (Perhaps their batting against India as it fell away towards the end overs was a hiccup.)

Their bowling has been enigmatic; their batting has been superlative at the best of times. They may not have the high scores, or individual tallies. But Pakistan make a pretty impressive bunch and for all of the sub continent that has bemoaned of too much cricket, it is less likely Pakistan will be spared the circus of this enticing roulette that Twenty20 poses!

A lot rides on Pakistan. If not in the result, Pakistan have a major role in keeping the climax of the Twenty20 on track. For the sake of the tournament, one hopes Pakistan’s devious ways have blown away with the rain clouds. This is one case where the law of averages hopefully actually misses its mark, in the temperamental department at least!

NZ v SA: More Power to the Hosts!

By Sreelata S. Yellamrazu

New Zealand have been the most amiable favourites to win the Twenty20 World Cup. Their performance over time has shown that they have a better sounding board on the game and the necessary artillery to deliver. One of the most prominent to show that spin by way of their skipper is not to be taken likely, they now face an uncertain future for the semi-final slot in the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup. South Africa have subdued the tournament favorites and ironically, are still their only refuge if New Zealand are to make it to the semi finals!

South Africa responded in style against a sloppy England and making it against New Zealand would virtually slot them in an invincible position in the lead up to the semi finals. Justin Kemp featured predominantly in leading South Africa courageously and majestically with the bat. The fall of the wickets at the other end failed to frazzle the tall all-rounder. Shaun Pollock and Mark Boucher had modest scores to show but their partnerships with Kemp was immensely substantial for the hosts to pull one over the ever-aspiring tournament favourites.

The defeat certainly hurt Daniel Vettori, whose pride would not have let him deflect from his primary objective as captain of New Zealand. Snide remarks were made in newspapers of New Zealand’s performance but they were harsh given their performance thus far. New Zealand begun well with the bat and threatened to take South Africa to the cleaners. Pollock seemed to come to grips with the game but threatened to lose it all once more in the face of the New Zealand assault.

Perhaps it would be better to say, it was South Africa’s bowling comeback that made a greater impact that New Zealand’s waywardness in batting. Once Morne Morkel (one of the two Morkel brothers who ominously stand to represent South Africa of the future.) came onto the scene, the entire scenario changed. Where Albie Morkel stuck in out at the sticky end of the previous game against England to subject the England bowlers to blistering blows, it was the turn of the other Morkel to steal the show and rightly so. He got South Africa back into the match when it seemed New Zealand had galloped out of the reach of the hosts.

The umpires are just going to face the brunt. Billy Doctrove denied a budding young bowler to right to fame. Morne Morkel, with four wickets already in the pocket, bowled out the batsman only to have to turn back and watch the umpire declare the ball a no ball. Resigned to it, he ended his spell. But the replays made for a horrific display as Morne seemed well within the bowling crease and his foot only half way over the line. Undoubtedly Morne will have many more moments to impact the game with the ball. Comparisons are already been made of Morne being the Shaun Pollock of the impending future.

But it a game where bombastic runs make heroes of batsmen overnight, this was a glaring oversight on the part of the umpire!

As Justin Kemp stated at the end of the game that South Africa still need to get a few more areas right in order to fully impact the Twenty20 game and their progress, South Africa have coped well in the absence of a spinner and in the constant presence of consistent criticism of their bowling appeared pedestrian and boasting of a sameness about them. However, if South Africa are to truly go the distance, one gets the feeling Graeme Smith will have to fire one significant innings at this final stage. AB de Villiers and Smith were on song in the warm up match where the hosts dealt the Australia a blow. But it is the top three that have to fire on all cylinders now and while Gibbs has only come back from injury, this is not the game that allows much time between recovery and achieving heart stopping glory. Perhaps Albie Morkel and Kemp would love to have a thunderous platform from which to shoot their cannon balls in the final important games.

A lot though will ride on the match between South Africa and India. India pulled one out of the hat against England although it took more than nerves to do it. Now India will have to attempt a Houdini act to help New Zealand pack their bags. The tournament would love a game of such proportions. Indian fans may just differ in their opinion. Daniel Vettori’s pride is at stake. He looked sheepish when he told the television commentator that New Zealand would support South Africa in the final game to go further. That was certainly not what New Zealand had in mind when they started out, and certainly not part of their original strategy. Who knew Twenty20 allowed time to switch to Plan B!

Settling Tall Scores in Hair Raising Affair!

By Sreelata S. Yellamrazu

England knew their fate even before the game against India got underway. The England team piled up like school boys (a few even chewing their brittle nails) as they watched Justin Kemp stealing the show and the match for South Africa against New Zealand. That also meant, South Africa’s victory left no room for comeback for the men of cricket origin.

On the other hand, India found plenty of time between matches for controversies, not necessarily slanderous, but deviating from the event nonetheless. Could Dhoni handle the heat, of the change of guard back home and the fluctuating fortunes of the team in South Africa in a do-or-die situation? Undoubtedly all eyes were on Dhoni, as India’s new captain in more than one sense. But stealing the thunder seemed order of the day for the openers and for one middle order south paw, Yuvraj Singh.

England were considered tournament favourites, no by virtue of any form, but by the fact that they had perhaps played more Twenty20 matches in the domestic scenario than any other Test playing nation. But if there is one thing about England, apart from their brief success under Michael Vaughan and the Ashes victory of 2005, they have had little cheer over the last decade. Even that was considered a flash in the pan. All the talk of finding their mark and their balance was quickly rendered redundant and their team composition continues to flummox most cricketing brains.

If an example were to be cited, in the match of little consequence for England except perhaps playing for pride (whatever that means), England chose to hold back Andrew Flintoff and Dmitri Mascarenhas in favour of Owais Shah and Luke Wright even as England were running out of overs. The difference is telling considering the fact that England were neck and neck with India’s tally until that penultimate over when Yuvraj turned it on. Dmitri should have at least been given an opportunity to silence Yuvraj’s claims of the former being the cause of his grievance.

It has been precisely matters like these that have become the watershed of England cricket and the stalemate that England are finding hard to break out of. Their fielding has been paltry, given their own modest standards but it has done little to help their bowlers salvage something back for the team. Even in the game against South Africa, crucial misses such as that of Albie Morkel, resulted in South Africa getting out of the clutches and into a league of their own.

The Indian openers started awkwardly, particularly Virender Sehwag who seemed to try very hard to get out but the balls proving too good for the best of batsmen. Eventually the self-destructive streak subsided and a more vintage Sehwag looked to break through the clouds. It spelt great start for India as Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir got into a zone of their own and left England gasping thereafter.

That Twenty20 is a game relished by all batsmen was no more proved when Yuvraj and Dhoni tossed around thoughts as to who should follow whom. Eventually Yuvraj prevailed on Dhoni and then, on England with a might of near unmatched proportions. Dhoni went in first, but Yuvraj’s feats lasted through the night. Stuart Broad had no clue what he was getting himself into when he acceded to bowl the penultimate over of the match. Yuvraj Singh did not know either than he would soon be joining the likes of Gary Sobers (and Malcolm Nash), Ravi Shastri (and Tilak Raj), and Herschelle Gibbs (and Daan van Bunge) as he strode his way into the constellation of stars.

Yuvraj claimed that hitting the first four sixes of that over did not seem out of the ordinary. It was only when he caught sight of Dmitri Mascarenhas lurking in the outfield that his stinging pain when the latter blasted him for five sixes not so long ago in the series in England came back to him. Himself scarred from the treatment meted out to him in the aftermath of that effort, Yuvraj chose to inflict a few of his own on the young English lad as Broad could only watch as Yuvraj played six out of six textbook shots to set the ball sailing over the boundary every single time.

A first for Twenty20, and England had just been hit all over the town!

While Dhoni spoke all the right notes at the post match conferences, when he roared off that his team has finally put out the all-round performance demanded of them and that the bowlers bowled professionally, there had to be a few guffaws. Admittedly, it would be unfair to judge Joginder Sharma on his first outing in the tournament. But one had only to look back on the South Africa-New Zealand match to see what ‘professional’ bowling truly entailed. India managed to keep things on par. The only consolation for England lay in the fact that despite knowing that they were out of depth to actually win the match, they managed to stretch India more than the latter would have liked, especially with back-to-back do-or-die encounters, the following night against a resurgent South African side!

Indo-Pak Fireworks for Twenty20!!!

Pak for India: Fizzle, Sizzle, Fizz!!!

India for India: Dravid and Media Frenzy

What else? A Tie!!!

By Sreelata S. Yellamrazu

Is it mere coincidence that for a second time in one calendar year, two successive World Cup campaigns begin with controversies for Pakistan involving Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif? How much role Asif had to play is hard to tell before the truth is out (if it is let out). But if there one thing the crucial Twenty20 match between India and Pakistan should tell Asif he is better off staying away from Akhtar? (In the same vein, would someone tell Akhtar being the bad boy is only enticing to an extent! The image eventually wears down even on the easily enticed!) The only difference was : Pakistan and India never turned up for their scheduled clash. Barely six months later, the schedule has ensured there shall be escape this time round!

This was the second big billing match (with Sri Lanka and New Zealand postponing their encounter for a safer Saturday). Yet again, it seemed the overhype had killed it. England, the so called experienced men of Twenty20, took little time in showing they had changed little since their Ashes debacle not that many months ago. Someone should have told them, this was not Zimbabwe they were playing and even then, it was surprising they sleepwalked their way through the match. Australia though sported a different look: rugged, determined and merciless. A far cry from the jovial, innocuous faces from their drubbing at the hands of Zimbabwe. It seems too bad then that the one team that showed spunk in both matches consistently is packing bags. But Zimbabwe have done more than their fair bit to make this inaugural Twenty20 memorable, beyond the expectations of the organizers.

But it was the final match of the first Friday of the event that was made to appear larger-than-life. Mahendra Singh Dhoni exuded genial calm at the toss, suggesting the team was sufficiently relaxed. But all it takes in one emphatic blow from the opposition to take the smiles off India. Mohammad Asif bowled with an accuracy that even the feted Australian bowlers would envy. Four overs were all he was allowed and that was all he needed to break India’s bones. A wicket for every over, more ghosts exorcised between one World Cup and the next!

It cannot also be coincidence that three outstanding bowling performances have emanated from Durban. First it was Mark Gillespie’s four for seven against Kenya that sealed it for New Zealand. Shahid Africa came back with the ball with four for nineteen against lowly Scotland who tested Pakistan’s batting but collapsed when it was their turn. Now Asif has created sensation in a big game with four overs of four for eighteen! Perhaps a pointer to teams scheduled to play there in the next round!

Interestingly also, Danny Morrison was counting on an average of thirty-eight dot balls to win a bet with his fellow commentator colleagues but was shocked to inform the previous day’s match conceded eighty-eight! Will have to wait for the end of this match to count them, given India’s struggle. After Asif’s advice to play Twenty20 at Durban like a Test match, it would be worthwhile to count at the end of the match!

Robin Utthapa’s half-century was matched by Misbah ul Haq. But Pakistan had made a mess of the chase themselves with India bowling a good counterattack to build the pressure. It took Misbah’s ferocity to put Pakistan within touching distance. To have lived up the billing, it had to be close. So, Pakistan needed one off the final delivery, which they didn’t and the result was jubilation for India who escaped with a tie by the skin of their teeth.

What once seemed to have slipped away from India suddenly evened things out in the middle. The rarity of the shootout meant players and umpires had a merry time sorting out the nitty-gritty rules. It seemed more like a picnic as all the Indian players lined up for a practice hit at the stumps. The final Indian line up created much cause for concern, but it was still a matter of delivering for a more stable Pakistan line up. Some how the tenseness of the game seemed released already for the Indians who appeared to have taken the shootout more of an exercise than an integral part of the game that would decide the victor of the match.

But once it came down to it, even the smiling Sehwag delivered the first salvo. Yasir Arafat made a complete mess of his bowling and to make matters worse, Harbhajan came with glee and went back the same way! Pakistan missed a beat by not following the simple trick of bowling off their routine run up and paid a heavy price for their lack of rhythm. It seemed a mockery as Uthapa took a bow! India 3-0 up. Afridi failed miserably and India held their nerve, followed their routine and won the game.

While admittedly the nature of the shootout is unique in cricket, somehow the fact that it was played out for the first time at this level made it more of a comedy rather taken with the seriousness it should have. India got the job done and that is all that matters. For Pakistan, ironically their bowlers got the team into a winning position and the biggest let down came from their no show! India: out of jail tonight!

More on the Indian scene: Why is there such a stink being raised from within the BCCI shackles? Rahul Dravid’s decision to step down from the captaincy and the decision become news on the day when India actually begin their campaign in a virgin version of the game is despicable to say the least.

The endless tirade on the television channels travelling the length and breadth of the country asking people’s opinions (plausibly because no one official was telling them anything more) was annoying and exhausting. Not even for a brief moment was the focus brought back to the crucial game.

It’s time the media did not give in to every self-seeking publicity the BCCI chooses to procure. These decisions happen, especially in India, this should be expected. Controversy dogs the sub continent undermining their own stature and that too what all the world’s eyes are trained on them. Dravid has resigned. It’s happened. Move on with it. When more material filters, give the game its due and air the views. Why subject the nation to a day long barrage of former cricketers who are lapping up the sound bytes while also filling their pockets for more than a measly meal? Especially when they have nothing significant to know light on, or provide insight on the situation!

Worse still, are news stories of “BCCI tell sources…” Have we not been to this circus before? Admittedly last time it was about the coaches, but look where it got us? We are now a coach-less ( or is too many cooks? Either way…) team now without a captain! The BCCI kept feeding bluff about the appointment of the coach before bluff caught up with them. No, we will wait for the first twenty-hours after the BCCI states they have appointed a new skipper to check the veracity of their statement. (That’s how long it took for the Graham Ford announcement to go bust).

( And just to add on: If “BCCI tells sources…” do turn true, it would be nothing short of tragic. Sachin Tendulkar has just returned from a decently successful tour of England. We have seen his gruesome side as skipper not once but thrice. Let him play his own game! Why spoil a good thing? )

Pakistan’s new coach Geoff Lawson said his team was aware of the fact that they had never beaten India in a big match encounter, especially the World Cup. Could they break the jinx here in South Africa?