Inzy's memory is not that HUGE

It was funny to read Pakistan former Captain Inzamam-ul-Haq recently blaming Lawson’s inexperience as coach at the International level leading to recent losses against India in both ODI and Test Series (link is . http://chennaionline.com/colnewsnew/newsitem.asp?NEWSID=%7B9B657005-0F1A-4E5D-918E-520B26003885%7D&CATEGORYNAME=Sports

It was funny indeed because it was his experienced team which had so tamely went down in the World Cup with a very experienced coach in late Bob Woolmer.

Inzamam will also do well to remember that when Pakistan had lost a test series and ODI series on its soil for the first time against India in 2004, he was the skipper (a very experienced one) and the coach of the team was Javed Miandad (another experienced campaigner).

Inzy wants some reasonable time for Malik to prove his mettle, then why not for Lawson to prove his credentials. He should rather be praising the coach and the team for ensuring that it did not go down 0-3 in the test series and at least by 1-4 margin in the ODIs.

One wonders what even Whatmore could have done with a team full with injured pacers, and trying to take on India in India.

Will India manage the impossible?

With 13 overs to go, if India manage Pakistan's next three wickets, they will achieve the impossible. Claiming last ten wickets in the final session to win a match! It has never happened before.

But if they do not, they will certainly rue the late declaration.

Just before interval, every one was predicting a dull draw -- all the experts in the studio and on various channels. But Kumble's genius, Yuvraj's accuracy, and the pitch has changed all that. It made it a most breathtaking battle.

Even now Arun Lal is saying that ''time may be running out for India, but game has changed totally.''

Here is a link before the fourth day play started, where it was pointed out that Yuvraj needed more bowling in Pakistan's first innings after his tremendous over to Misbah on the third day evening.
http://atulsondhi.blogspot.com/2007/12/battle-of-bangalore-equal-opportunity.html

And then another which talks about India's failure to give enough time to Pakistan to make it count.

http://atulsondhi.blogspot.com/2007/12/india-end-contest-with-48-overs-to-go.html

For Pak, one can only say they deserve a draw after showing such bravery.

Lawson has thrown a challenge which India might not accept

The final day of the Bangalore test tomorrow holds intriguing possibilities. Pakistan’s coach Geoff Lawson has thrown the challenge that they will go for a win if the score is competitive.

In other words, he has dangled a temptation for India to make it 2-0 by putting Pakistan in a position where their batsmen will go in for their shots.

However, given the fact that it is not everyday that you win a series against Pakistan, it is highly unlikely that Kumble will give them a target of around 4.5 runs per over, which is the only realistic target on this kind of pitch.

India's lead right now is 220 and if the target is to be 315-320 in about 70 overs, the Indian batsmen will have to go at five runs per over in the morning session. That way India will reach the target figure in 18-19 overs, leaving Pakistan with around 70.

But the problem with that kind of target is that it does give Pakistan a realistic chance and it is India who are leading the series right now. Lawson would not have thrown this challenge at India if Pak were leading!

India will be more comfortable with a target score of around 340-345, the same at Kolkatta, and Pakistan having about 60 to 65 overs to chase that (they had nearly 80 at Kolkatta). At least five runs per over will be what they will demand of Pakistan to make.

Needless to say, that will not be the kind of target Pakistan would like to chase. They will end that pursuit after the loss of just one or two wickets.

Anything above five is virtually impossible on this track, especially on the final day, and Pakistan can not realistically expect to chase a total which might need them to go at 5.5 to 6 runs per over. If they try, they will be in real danger of losing an uneven contest.

So Mr Lawson, you can take back your challenge. India would not like to share honours in a series which they have already won.

Battle of Bangalore. Equal opportunity for both India and Pak

What all can India do on the Fourth day to weed out Pakistan resistance

Just bowl straight and hope for pitch to do something, or pray that the Pakistani players run out of patience. Some times the ball is keeping so low that if it is straight, a wicket is certain.

More overs needed for Yuvraj. His last over today was a revelation. Two of the six deliveries almost got Misbah just because they failed to bounce. May be there is something he can do on this pitch which others can’t.

Realise that they are already 1-0 up in the series and in virtually no chance of losing this test. Crowd the opposition with as many fielders as Possible. Pakistan will be happy to escape with a draw.

Enforce the follow on if the opportunity arises. Pakistan will dread the possibility of batting again without a break on this track.

And what can Pak do to ensure that India remain on the backfoot

Low backlift as Misbah has shown throughout his essay. That will be important to counter the balls which can rattle the stumps by their lack of bounce.

Never lose a run-making opportunity to inch closer to the follow on mark, and then deficit reduction endeavour. There will be ample gaps in the field with the Indians going all out for a kill.

Be more careful against makeshift bowlers. Laxman’s wicket of Sami had almost endangered Pakistan in Kolkatta. Yuvraj is capable of doing the same here.

Pakistan are almost exactly in the same position going into the last two days as at Kolkatta. Indian bowling does not hold much threat. But pitch does.

Kyun Itna tum Muskara rahe ho (Why are you smiling so much!)

Just before tea on the second day at Bangalore, cameras focused on an unsuspecting Shoaib Akhtar, smiling away to glory. Probably it was his frustration masquerading as smile, and was telecast to the millions of TV viewers the world over.

The Commentator on Neo Hindi fittingly said, 'hans rahein hain par hansne jaisi koi baat nahin hai' (He is laughing but there is nothing to laugh about).

Another symbolic moment was when Sourav Ganguly was dismissed, losing the ball completely as it flattened his stumps. Usually we see a keeper jumping in elation whatever be the score or the situation. However, here Akmal just raised his hand, surprised that Ganguly was finally out! It was too good (or too late!) to be true.

Poor Pakistanis. Second time in succession they are faced with a score of over 600. Winning is out of question so they can only give a helpless smile. After losing their way so badly, the only challenge left for them is to give their best and see if they can prevent a 2-0 mauling.

Another problem they have is that they do not have too many left-handers. And only left-handers seem to be doing well in this match!

These Pakistanis do have the grit but miracles usually do not happen twice.

Will he, or Won't he...But Younis certainly deserves better treatment from PCB

Younis never wanted to be a lame duck captain. So refused captaincy before. At Kolkatta, circumstances forced him to become one even as a partially fit Shoaib Akhtar was thrust on him.

Now, after a superb rearguard action at Kolkatta by Pak, with a brilliant century by the stand in skipper being the Jewel in the Crown, if Younis Khan wants to have his own team in this 'gallow or glory battle', then what is wrong in it.

None of the PCB office bearers is ever going to resign if Pakistan fail to win Bangalore test. Even their selectors, at best, will opt for some new faces. So what’s wrong if Younis wants to fight a battle with his own hand-picked men.

If will be a pity if he is dropped as captain in favour of someone like Misbah, who is yet to prove his credentials in all conditions notwithstanding whatever Rameez Raja says about him.

Pak media manager may claim that there is no truth in the reports that Younis does not want to lead but the signs of turmoil were already there when Younis had written about the controversial inclusion of Akhtar in Kolkatta test, even as Pakistan were battling to save the test.

Now he, or his well wishers, have used some friendly journalist to convey the message that all is not well.

Well done, Younis!

1992 Cricket World Cup could have eluded Pakistan

It was always known that various Pakistan superstars, including Imran Khan and Javed Miandad, had serious difference in the late eighties and early nineties, but the new revelations take the cake.

If a Miandad's interview is to be believed, the Pakistan Winning Campaign in the 1992 World Cup was almost spiked by these differences. In fact, Miandad calls it revolt.

It may be recalled that Miandad had played critical innings both in semifinal and final to take Pakistan to the World Cup victory.

Here is a link to the story

http://ibnlive.com/news/imran-survived-mutiny-before-92-wc-bounty-miandad/53698-5.html

Can Pakistan do the unthinkable!!!

Two sessions remain in a match where only three of the previous 13 have produced three wickets or more. Can Pakistan do the unthinkable and lose their next nine wickets, and the series!

After a convincing first session display by Pakistan in Kolkatta on the fifth day, if they do manage to lose to the guile of Harbhajan and Kumble today, that will make it 12 wickets in a day in Kolkatta Test. Just imagine, previous four days saw just 17 batsmen being dismissed.

This kind of collapse has happened to Australia at Kolkatta before, but in March 2001 they had been punctured by Laxman-Dravid jodi, and were still looking for a win in the first two sessions on the final day . On the other hand, Pakistan should be buoyed by the resistance of Misbah, Akmal and Sami. Their graph is on the rise in the series and they must not squander it on a pitch described as abattoir of bowlers by Javed Miandad

Even Wasim Akram writes that ''good pitches yield great contest. But the one at Kolkatta has belied that expectations because the pitch has become useless.''

He feels that playing on these tracks will not help India’s preparation for Australia.

If Pak do lose on this track, they better pack up and go home. The Indian fans want a fighting Pakistan side, not a side that surrenders even when the going is good.

Battle sure to end in a draw

As we predicted two days ago, the battle between Pakistan and India at Kolkatta may have come to a premature end -- all thanks to a supremely docile pitch.

It is quite clear by lunch on the fourth day, with Pakistan managing to avoid follow on, that this match will almost surely end in a draw.

If we take the ten sessions so far of this match, only one has produced more than one wicket. And that was the pre-lunch session on the third day when Pakistan lost four wickets. Two of the remaining nine sessions have gone wicketless while seven have produced just one wicket each.

The point is, what is the point in producing such pitches in times when results take precedence over processes. It is such a waste of time to see such meaningless matches where teams keep on piling runs at the expense of hapless bowlers.

Hopefully, the bowlers will get some of their lost pride back in the next five sessions. But result still looks an impossibility.