India start favourites against Pakistan

Agencies
June 15, 2019

Manchester, Jun 15: A cricketing rivalry that transcends beyond the realms of 22-yards will be reignited when India and Pakistan square off in a World Cup encounter that could have fascinating sub-plots with Rain Gods threatening an anti-climactic twist.

The escalating cross-border tensions between the two neighbouring nations add to the intrigue with KL Rahul's technique being tested by Mohammed Amir and Wahab Riaz's skills finding more than a match in a colossus like Virat Kohli.

Even if they feel that it's just another game, perhaps all players in their hearts know that this is a special match even if at times the reason in purely non-cricketing.

No wonder Sachin Tendulkar urges Indian batsmen to be more aggressive against a skilful Amir unlike 2017 Champions Trophy while skipper Kohli speaks about having an "ideal mindset" even if the first-timers may find the "occasion intimidating".

The narrative of Indo-Pak duel is such that irrespective of whether it is a World Cup game or not, it creates heroes or villains for life in the eyes of fans.

Ajay Jadeja's assault of Waqar Younis in the 1996 World Cup quarterfinal or Salim Malik's 72 off 35 balls in a tough run chase that stunned the 90,000 plus at Eden Gardens in 1987 are the stuff of legends.

People remember these matches while forgetting that both were proven match fixers, who brought the game into disrepute.

Chetan Sharma, despite a World Cup hat-trick and five-for in a Lord's Test, is remembered for Javed Miandad's last ball six in Sharjah in 1986. He was a far better bowler than that to live with a curse of a full-toss.

Hrishikesh Kanitkar's international career wouldn't possibly deserve a footnote but people still remember him fondly because of his last ball boundary off Saqlain Mushtaq, under fading lights in Dhaka in 1998.

Both defy logic but since when have fans cared about logic.

For them, this is 'The Match' and there's a binary feel to it. Either you win or lose. Everything else is forgotten duly.

Or else it is difficult to justify why fans are ready to buy over-priced tickets being sold on black even after factoring in that weather could possibly ruin things and they might lose out on a lot of money.

The exponential increase of media frenzy always hypes it up at insane level even though all the six World Cup duels that India have won have been pretty one-sided.

The Bengaluru quarter-final in 1996 or Mohali semi-final in 2011 were exciting but it didn't go down to the wire.

But with no bilateral series being played for years now, each match despite being lop-sided has had a certain novelty attached with it.

On the field, Amir's first spell will certainly keep his team interested after a brilliant performance against Australia. Rahul and Rohit, both of whom have minimal footwork in beginning of an innings, will try to be more assertive.

Kohli has always enjoyed a fabulous track record against Pakistan, having scored a hundred in the 2015 game at Adelaide.

A hundred is due and Indian captain's sense of occasion makes him a big contender for a three-figure mark.

It will be a test of temperament for the youngsters like Hasan Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi, who have hardly bowled to the world's best batsman.

The Old Trafford looks good for batting even though conditions will aid both seam and swing.

India's middle-order will have a role to play in the game. Dinesh Karthik's experience was supposedly the choice of the team management in the last game but that was factoring in a curtailed game.

In case of a full game, Vijay Shankar could be the No 4 if India wants a few overs of seam-up stuff from him or else stick to Karthik, who has more experience of pressure situations.

The seaming conditions and Pakistan's comfort against spinners might prompt Kohli to drop one among Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav and go for Mohammed Shami, who could be devastating in these conditions.

Jasprit Bumrah will have a score to settle against Fakhar Zaman, bowling against whom, the last thing he would want is to overstep.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar would like to bowl that probing off-stump line which can keep opposition best bet Babar Azam at bay.

Mohammed Hafeez's years of experience will be up against Hardik Pandya's panache.

Last but not the least, India's 'Man of all seasons' Mahendra Singh Dhoni will "lead" from the back and that will be the team's trump card.

Squads:

India: Virat Kohli (captain), KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Vijay Shankar, MS Dhoni (wk), Hardik Pandya, Kedar Jadhav, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohmmed Shami, Dinesh Karthik, Ravindra Jadeja, Shikhar Dhawan.

Pakistan: Sarfaraz Ahmed (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Imam ul Haq, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Hasan Ali, Shahdab Khan, Mohammed Hafeez, Mohammed Hasnain, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Wahab Riaz, Mohammed Aamir, Shoaib Malik, Imad Wasim, Asif Ali.

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News Network
May 26,2020

Mumbai, May 26: Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar said that if he was playing currently he and Virat Kohli would have been the best of friends off the field, but real enemies whenever they stepped on the field.

Akhtar also said that he would have liked to challenge Kohli to drive the ball.

"Virat Kohli and I would have been the best of friends as both of us are Punjabi, but on the field, we would have been the best of the enemies. I would have loved to get inside the head of Kohli. I would have told him that you cannot play a cut or pull shot against me," Akhtar told Sanjay Manjrekar in a videocast hosted by ESPNCricinfo.

"I would have gone wide of the crease and bowled a ball that would go away from him, I would have forced him to drive the ball as it is his favourite shot. So I would keep forcing him to play the drive shot at my pace," he added.

Akhtar also said that he wishes that Kohli could have played against some of the top bowlers in the game.

The Rawalpindi Express said that Kohli would have enjoyed the challenge of facing bowlers like Wasim Akram, Shane Warne, and Waqar Younis.

"I would also keep talking to him, because if I get him to lose his focus then that would have been great. The great thing about Kohli is that he gets more focused when he is challenged. But I believe Virat Kohli would have still scored the same amount of runs if I was playing," Akhtar said.

"I really wish that he had played against Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shane Warne, and then Virat would have also enjoyed the challenge," he added.

Akhtar played 224 matches for Pakistan in international cricket and took 444 wickets across all formats.

Over the years, comparisons between Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar have been growing and many have picked the current Indian skipper to break the records set by Tendulkar.

Tendulkar called time on his career after registering 100 international centuries, while Kohli has 70 centuries across all formats.

Currently, Kohli is ranked at the top spot in the ICC ODI rankings while he is in second place in the Tests rankings.

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News Network
May 7,2020

Melbourne, May 7: Australia opener Joe Burns is eyeing the Tests against India should they take place later this year, to stabilise his stop-start international career, saying "you want to play in and do well in" in this kind of series.

India is scheduled to play four Tests in Australia in December-January, a series which is currently in doubt due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has claimed over 2.5 lakh lives across the world.

"They are obviously world class team. I think the two teams going at each other will be very exciting to watch and players playing against each other as well," Burns told reporters in a video conference on Thursday.

"You look at the world ranking, they were number one and now we have got to number one, so I know that series will be anticipated by everyone and as a player this is a sort of series you want to play in and do well in."

With the coronavirus also threatening the T20 World Cup, Cricket Australia is under financial stress and has gone on a cost-cutting drive, which included standing down 80 per cent of its staff at 20 per cent salary.

There are also speculations that the Sheffield Shield for 2020-21 would be curtailed to cut costs.

Burns, however, hoped it won't be tinkered with.

"I love the fact we have a really strong first-class system. The 10 games, where you play everyone twice," Burns, who was struck down by a fatigue illness after an indifferent season, said.

"It leads to world-class players coming into Test teams. You don't want to see that get changed.

"Obviously it is unique circumstances at the moment and There's a lot of things to work through ... the players' association is consulted on those things."

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Agencies
April 15,2020

Former Australia batsman Mike Hussey has heaped praise on MS Dhoni, saying the veteran Indian wicketkeeper-batsman is the "greatest finisher" the game of cricket has ever seen.

"Dhoni is the greatest finisher of all time that the cricketing world has ever produced," Hussey said while speaking to Sanjay Manjrekar on ESPNcricinfo's Videocast.

"Dhoni can keep his cool and make the opposition captain blink first. Dhoni also has unbelievable power. He knows that when he needs to clear the ropes, he can do it. He has that kind of self-belief. Honestly, I didn't have that kind of belief in myself," he added.

The former Australian batsman, who shared the dressing room with Dhoni for the Chennai Super Kings, said the 38-year-old Indian believes in the philosophy that he who panics last, wins the game.

"I tried not to let it reach 12 or 13 runs an over," said Hussey while talking about his ability to finish the game without much hiccups.

"And I learnt this from MS Dhoni. He is incredible. He believes that he who panics last wins the game. So Dhoni would keep his cool, and keep it longer because the pressure is on the bowler as well," he added.

The 44-year-old believes that the greatest players of the game have a few common traits like "they don't hang on to a defeat for too long. If they lose, they move on quickly. They don't let a loss or a win hamper their thinking".

"They are always consistent, and level headed whether it's MS Dhoni or Ricky Ponting."

Hussey, who played 59 IPL matches for CSK, further revealed the secret about the franchise's success in the Indian Premier League.

"And I learnt this from MS Dhoni. He is incredible. He believes that he who panics last wins the game. So Dhoni would keep his cool, and keep it longer because the pressure is on the bowler as well," he added.

The 44-year-old believes that the greatest players of the game have a few common traits like "they don't hang on to a defeat for too long. If they lose, they move on quickly. They don't let a loss or a win hamper their thinking".

"They are always consistent, and level headed whether it's MS Dhoni or Ricky Ponting."

Hussey, who played 59 IPL matches for CSK, further revealed the secret about the franchise's success in the Indian Premier League.

"Supportive owners who let coach Stephen Fleming and captain Dhoni decide how to run the team, excellent chemistry between the coach and the captain, Dhoni's leadership and lastly the foresight of the owners, Fleming and Dhoni to pick the best players, particularly the good Indian players and then stick with them for as long as possible."

"This has built an excellent continuity in the team. And once you have continuity, you build relationships and trust that otherwise takes time to grow," he added.

Hussey also said that once Dhoni bids adieu to the game, CSK would probably like to start all over again.

"That's a 60-million-dollar question, and I am equally intrigued. I believe the owners would like to keep Dhoni involved in some way or the other," said Hussey.

"However, whenever the change of guard happens, CSK might want to start all over again, build a brand, new team, and use their existing philosophy as they enter the next decade of IPL. It is definitely going to be more challenging in current times," he added.

Dhoni was supposed to lead CSK in the 13th IPL edition which now stands postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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