Clash of the Titans: Record favours India, form favours Pakistan

By Nishad Pai Vaidya

It is a high-voltage encounter – one whose intensity and fervour transcends the boundaries of the cricket field. The rivalry between India and Pakistan has its deep roots in history, and things reach a fever pitch when the two sides face each other. If the pressure of playing each other in a simple game is immense, it just magnifies in a World Cup. It is a game both sides desperately want to win, irrespective of their standing in the tournament as it is a matter of prestige. The ICC World T20 2012 is poised to host the two arch-rivals and witness an encounter that is potentially breathtaking - one which would bring the two countries to a standstill.

India’s record against Pakistan in World Cups – both the 50-over and the World T20 - is fantastic; they have never lost a game! Prior to the ICC World T20 2009, the two sides played each other in a warm-up game – which was also won by India. However, Pakistan got one back before the start of the current edition – albeit in a similar practice affair. Players from both sides would vouch for the fact that no contest between the two sides is any less significant. Thus, India’s defeat in that game may be a bit of a psychological dent ahead of the crucial Super-Eights match.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni number of questions before him as his team has been erratic in the tournament so far. The win against England raised the expectations of the fans and some stated that India had the goods to go all the way. However, it was almost as if they had ignored the fact that the English batsmen were inept at playing spin – something that was the biggest factor in India’s comprehensive victory. The crushing defeat to Australia took India to the opposite end of the spectrum as the same bowlers were carted around the park with ease.

It is imperative that Dhoni gets the balance of his side right as there were a number of loopholes in the last game. Irfan Pathan shouldn’t open the batting, irrespective whether Virender Sehwag is brought back or not. However, the return of Sehwag may help as he has done well against Pakistan on many occasions in the past. In such high-pressure games, his uncomplicated thinking allows him to absorb the pressure at the top and take India off to flyers. A quick-fire 20-odd off his bat may be enough to lift the spirits and set the ball rolling.

The five-bowler strategy was labelled as the ultimate saviour and something that would change India’s fortunes. It did work wonders against England, but went awry in the game against Australia. Perhaps, Dhoni erred by over-emphasising on spin. Playing three specialist spinners was always going to be a gamble and he must avoid it this time. The Pakistan batsmen are fantastic players of spin and wouldn’t have too many problems playing them. India had used five-specialist bowlers in the warm-up against Pakistan and it clearly didn’t work. Thus, they must clearly chalk out the options they want to use.

Pakistan have been a fantastic side in T20 internationals and the pressure is clearly on India given the complete picture. However, the whole notion of playing Pakistan may boost India’s morale and pep them up for the contest. It may be a required push to lift their performances and beat their neighbours. At the Asia Cup earlier this year, India comfortably chased a huge total against Pakistan at the back of Virat Kohli’s stupendous century. That win had come in the aftermath of the shocking defeat to Bangladesh. It would be a mistake to write India off, but Pakistan clearly have the advantage on many fronts.

Is the Pakistan warm-up victory a ripple that changes the tide or would India rise to the occasion and manage to defend their unbeaten record?

(Nishad Pai Vaidya is a Correspondent with CricketCountry and an analyst for the site’s YouTube Channel. He shot to fame by spotting a wrong replay during IPL4 which resulted in Sachin Tendulkar's dismissal. His insights on the game have come in for high praise from cerebral former cricketers. He can be followed on Twitter at  http://twitter.com/nishad_44)

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Faf du Plessis knocks India out of the ICC World Twenty20

Colombo: India`s quest to regain the World Twenty20 title came to a heartbreaking end after they were knocked out of the tournament despite a thrilling one-run victory over South Africa in the final Super Eights contest.

Put into bat, India scored 152 for six and needed to restrict South Africa within 121 to qualify for the semifinals on net run rate but Faf Du Plessis knocked the stuffing out of the Indian bowlers with a smashing half century that put paid to their hopes of making it to the knock-out stage.

India`s task was made all the more difficult after Pakistan comprehensively beat Australia by 32 runs in an earlier Super Eights match of the day as it strengthened their net run-rate. Australia and Pakistan qualify for the semifinals from Group II.

South Africa were all out for 151 in the penultimate ball to end their campaign after losing all three of their Super Eights match.

Ever since winning the inaugural edition in 2007, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his boys have failed to reach even the semifinals of the subsequent editions.

Du Plessis hit 65 off 38 balls with the help of six boundaries and two sixes but more importantly he dashed any hope of India making it to the last four.

The defining moment came when Robin Peterson played a slow bouncer from Lakshmipathy Balaji towards short fine leg as South Africa reached 122 and it was cheered lustily by a sizeable Pakistani supporters anxiously waiting for the moment.

For India, the magic figure was 121 and the start was a right one. Zaheer Khan bowled a perfect delivery first up to dismiss Hashim Amla. The delivery pitched on the off-middle line and then moved a shade to take the outside edge of Amla’s bat as Virender Sehwag took a good catch diving to his left.

Irfan Pathan got Jacques Kallis to flick one which was taken by Rohit Sharma at mid-wicket. Faf du Plessis and skipper AB de Villiers then added 30 in quick time and it was Du Plessis who started taking on the Indian bowlers.

Dhoni brought Yuvraj at the end of the Powerplay overs and it immediately paid off as he got de Villiers to play a tentative forward defensive push which clipped the off-stump bail.

However, there was no stopping du Plessis who was in a mood to dispatch everything out of sight as he raced to his half century in 29 balls with the help of three fours and two sixes.

At the halfway stage, South Africa were 73 for three and it was literally impossible for India to restrict the Proteas to 121.

Earlier, Suresh Raina scored an useful 45 while skipper Dhoni played a little cameo to help India post a respectable 152 for six after being sent into bat.

It was Raina whose contribution was a significant one as he hit five boundaries during his 34-ball knock. Skipper Dhoni also should be complimented for his 13-ball 23 as it provided the necessary impetus and helped the team cross 150-run mark.

Dhoni hit Dale Steyn for 14 runs in the penultimate over, including two powerfully struck boundaries, which proved useful in the end.

India's trouble started when they lost their top three batsmen within the Powerplay overs and then it was Raina who scripted the recovery act.

Opener Gautam Gambhir started off with a lovely cover drive but Morne Morkel knocked down his middle-stump after scoring only eight.

In-form Virat Kohli got one from Jacques Kallis that reared up and he gloved it for rival captain AB de Villiers who dived to pouch onto a spectacular leg-side catch. Kohli made just two.

Virender Sehwag lofted left-arm spinner Robin Peterson for a huge six over long-on but lost his off-stump trying to repeat the stroke the next ball. The situation demanded a bit of discretion but as his wont, the 'Nawab of Najafgarh' went for the jugular only to deepen India's misery.

Yuvraj Singh started with a majestic six over cover fence off Johan Botha's delivery and for good measure slog-swept Peterson for his second six. Another pulled boundary off Botha's bowling raised visions of a big total.

However, Morkel bowled a beauty when Yuvraj was on a quickfire 21. It pitched in the block hole and Yuvraj was bowled through the gate trying to play a flick shot.

At 68 for four, Rohit Sharma and Raina came together for a 44-run fifth wicket partnership.

The duo concentrated mostly on singles although Raina hit bulk of his boundaries over the extra cover region. The 100 came up in the 14th over when Raina lofted Botha over extra cover for a boundary.

Rohit, who was playing the second fiddle nudging the singles finally tried a non-existent sweep shot off Peterson's bowling and was adjudged leg before. Rohit made 25 off 27 balls with two boundaries.

For South Africa, Peterson and Morne Morkel took two wickets apiece while Jacques Kallis chipped in with one wicket.

PTI

First Published: Tuesday, October 02, 2012, 23:17

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Virat Kohli reaffirms that he is currently India' s best batsman

Virat Kohli is a fierce competitor and counter puncher, making him India’s prized possession © Getty Images

By Dhananjay Devasper

Indian and Pakistani fans from not just the two countries but expats spanning the length and breadth of the world at flown into Colombo just to see the cricket’s biggest rivalry at the Premadasa Stadium on Sunday. No cricket match has aura, buzz and electric atmosphere that of an India-Pakistan match – not even the Ashes. India have an all-win record across different formats against Pakistan. But Pakistan had a critical win against India in the warm-up game before the start of the 2012 T20 World Cup.

The stage was set for a cracker of a game. Pakistan looked dangerous in the first two overs, and the body language of some of the Indians showed unmistakable concern. But the much maligned Indian bowling unit quickly got its act together and kept chipping away at Pakistan. Pakistan imploded spectacularly as wickets fell at regular intervals. India kept the run-rate down, and in the end, a mere 128 runs was all that Pakistan could manage. The score was unlikely to test the Indians, unless the much-vaunted India batting imitated their Pakistani counterparts.

The start was crucial for both teams. Pakistan started their attack with Raza Hasan and had instant success. Gautam Gambhir went for a duck and the pressure was on India. The pressure was now on Virender Sehwag to deliver. He hadn’t done himself any favours earlier, by dropping Mohammed Hafeez when India were fielding. However he more than made up for it with an innings of 29 and a partnership of 74 runs with Virat Kohli that calmed Indian nerves. 

But the day belonged to Virat Kohli. After picking up a wicket with his innocuous medium-pacers, he did what he is known best to do - score runs for India in big-match and high-pressure situations. Though he did give Pakistan a couple of chances, there’s no denying that he is in supreme form at this moment. He yet again reaffirmed the fact that he is currently India’s best player, especially in crucial matches. Among all his contemporaries, he seems to have the best temperament for any match situation. He is also a fierce competitor and counter puncher, when backed into a corner, thereby making him India’s prized possession.

Yuvraj Singh finally got his act together. Two wickets, a run out and a no-pressure outing with the bat is welcome news when you are going through a terrible run in the World Cup. India will be hoping that these performances continue. 

Faced with the prospect of exiting from the tournament at the start of this match, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, would have heaved a sigh of relief. He’s going to need consistent efforts like these when India takes on South Africa on Tuesday. The Group is wide open for the 2nd semi-finalist slot and Super Sunday has just ensured a Terrific Tuesday on the cards.

Stay tuned…

(Dhananjay Devasper is an "IT guy" by profession and a sports fanatic at heart. He has an unbridled passion for sports and Indian achievements in sport. Extremely opinionated, he attempts offering perspectives around sports which are simple to understand and easy to relate with)

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India and South Africa clash on historic day to decide the semi-finalists

Call it poetic or ironic, but India and South Africa clash on the birthday of the great Mahatma Gandhi © Getty Images

By Dhananjay Devasper

Super Sunday ensured that a Terrific Tuesday will be on the cards when Australia take on Pakistan and India clash with South Africa. Though both matches on Sunday were completely lopsided and didn’t quite live up to the billing, it threw the group open for the second semi-final slot.

Australia are in red-hot form and are the team to beat. Thanks to the efforts of their bowlers and a certain Shane Watson, they are firm favourites to win the match against Pakistan and are more than assured of a place in the semifinals thanks to their outstanding net run rate. They are also the favourites to win the title at this stage, though their middle order has yet to be tested.

Pakistan, on the other hand, needs to take a leaf out of India’s book after the beating they took at the hands of India. They have to raise their game to the next level when they take on Australia. If George Bailey decides to use this more as a practice match to try out a few options before the semifinals, he might make some team changes that might work in Pakistan’s favour.

Call it poetic or ironic, but India and South Africa clash on the birthday of the great Mahatma Gandhi. The Mahatma is connected to both countries as it was in South Africa that he was thrown off a train and where the first seeds of Satyagraha were sown. Whoever scheduled this World Cup certainly did a good job of ensuring that key matches, especially those involving India, were played at times when people can watch it. The fact that it coincides with a little bit of history along the way is an added bonus.

South Africa have had a mixed run in this tournament and now find themselves fighting for survival. The Super Eights have seen them falter badly. They allowed Pakistan to snatch a victory and an Australian hiding has left them in a spot of bother. They have not been able to rack up big scores in the Super Eights as well giving their bowlers a little less to work with. They will be counting on Richard Levi and AB de Villiers to come good in what could be their final game in the tournament.

India disbanded its five bowler theory to score a convincing win against Pakistan. Virat Kohli will be the prize wicket that South Africa will target. His red-hot form and his ability to switch gears is a huge bonus when India is looking at upping the ante. The rest of the Indian batting is more suspect, though the way they clinically dismantled Pakistan should provide them with the necessary boost.

The road to the semi-finals promises to be exciting.

Stay tuned…

(Dhananjay Devasper is an "IT guy" by profession and a sports fanatic at heart. He has an unbridled passion for sports and Indian achievements in sport. Extremely opinionated, he attempts offering perspectives around sports which are simple to understand and easy to relate with)

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With Sehwag, Yuvraj back in good nick, India holds edge over South Africa

By Karthik Parimal

India and Pakistan were involved in two nail-biting encounters in the first edition of the T20 World Cup five years ago. A battle of similar proportions was expected last Sunday, but what the world witnessed instead was one of the most one-sided contests of the tournament. Nevertheless, both these sides still stand a chance of making it to the next round. While Pakistan takes on a seemingly unstoppable Australian side in their next fixture, the Indians are faced with the task of beating a formidable South African unit – a criteria they overcame during the 2007 T20 World Cup - to qualify for the semi-finals.

Since the last couple of years, the Indians have been adept at raising the bar on big occasions. On the other hand, the opposition they face on Tuesday are known well to fumble at crucial junctures of a mega event, and things have looked no different this time around, too, considering their performance during the first two games of the Super Eights. The Indians hence hold a psychological edge over the Proteas in this regard, and there’s no surprise that they’ll look to capitalise heavily on it. That is one chink in the South African armour that remains open even after two decades.

Moreover, the fact that few of the Indian players have struck form must send alarm bells ringing in the South African camp. Yuvraj Singh seems to have been spurred on by a few comments made by notable names in the cricket fraternity, questioning the southpaw’s place in the Indian line-up. His every move on the field during the game against Pakistan looked driven, and the fighter that he is, he’d want to prove a point to all his cynics. He played his part to perfection and will hope to essay a similar story against South Africa.

Same is the case with Virender Sehwag. The fact that he was dropped for the crucial game against Australia must have made it evident that he cannot take his place in the side for granted. There were no reckless shots played when he was picked yet again for the game against Pakistan. Though he scored just 29, he looked far more prudent with his shot selection. It’s difficult to imagine the Delhi opener being dropped for the fixture against South Africa, and in the absence of Sachin Tendulkar, all eyes will be on him to dent the confidence of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel early during the innings.

From South Africa’s point of view, they’ll want their top-order to fire. Richard Levi and Hashim Amla have looked out of sorts, and all-rounder Jacques Kallis too has performed way below expectations with the bat. It’d augur well if an aggressor like AB de Villiers can promote himself up the order, because there’s no point hanging around till the later stages of the innings with hardly any balls to spare. A batsman of his calibre deserves to play more overs, and it could make a world of difference to South Africa’s total at the end of day.

Frailty against spin is another drawback the South African batsmen will be aware of, and this is where Ravichandran Ashwin can be an asset for India. He’s been in sublime form for most part of this tournament, and, if anything, the game against Pakistan would have come as a shot in the arm.

The two teams last met at an International Cricket Council (ICC) event during the 2011 50-over World Cup, with South Africa managing to trump India out of nowhere. In T20 Internationals though, the teams have met six times, with India winning four. Moreover, India can boast of having beaten South Africa by 14 runs during the last ICC World T20 held at West Indies – a game which saw Suresh Raina score a thunderous century. 

Can South Africa manage to pull one back today?

(Karthik Parimal, a Correspondent with CricketCountry, is a cricket aficionado and a worshipper of the game. He idolises Steve Waugh and can give up anything, absolutely anything, just to watch a Kumar Sangakkara cover drive. He can be followed on Twitter at https://twitter.com/karthik_parimal)

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