Well one can imagine the drop catch of the Kiwi big-hitting batsman Ross Taylor in the league stages of the tournament in the match between Pakistan and New Zealand at an unimportant venue. Ross Taylor was solely responsible in bringing up a total in excess of 300 when he blasted 92 runs of the last 4 overs at a rate of over 20 runs an over. That was the first defeat that Pakistan had in this tournament but was hard to come to terms with whatsoever. That was Pakistan's first defeat to New Zealand since 1979 world cup in world cups.
And then I can cite the match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka where top batsmen were repeatedly dropped by poor Pakistani fielders which though didn't stop Pakistan from emerging victorious but reduced the margin to victory restricting the same to just ten runs. Many claim that to be a close encounter for Sri Lanka that could have gone anybody's way. But, anybody who would have watched the match ball-by-ball would conclude that it was Pakistan's drop chances that reduced the margin of victory to ten instead of 50. Thse two games never bothered Pakistan for those were league stage games.
There was always a chance for Pakistan to come back into the tournament when all was not lost. They had won the match against Sri Lanka and later on in the world cup tournament beat Australia which saw them top the charts in group A ahead of Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Australia. Then in the quarter-finals, beating West Indies was not a tough task for anyone. But, the real test for Pakistan would be in the match against India where they have been ousted for the third time by their arch-rivals India. I'm not citing their 5-0 loss to India in world cups.
India knocked out Pakistan in the 1996 world cup when they registered a 39 run win despite a 113 run 1st wicket partnership between Aamir Sohail and Saeed Anwar in 13 overs. Then came the match in 2003 which was famous for a drop catch of Sachin Tendulkar off a Wasim Akram delivery by Abdul Razzaq which spoiled their hopes of entering the super-sixes. Yesterday, another series of drop catches was observed when Sachin Tendulkar himself was dropped four times with Sehwag being given a chance. With all these, chasing 261 should not have been difficult for Pakistan. May be Pakistan wanted to go home early.
Showing posts with label India vs Pakistan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label India vs Pakistan. Show all posts
Thursday, 31 March 2011
Monday, 1 February 2010
The crowd's take on the match
Well from Eden gardens to Lahore in 1997, there have been much disturbances to the sporting action on the field, most of which has resulted in abandoning the matches. No one can forget the way the semi finals of the Wills world cup 1996 was washed out due to fan fury in the game between India and Sri Lanka when the scoreboard for India read 120/8 during their unsuccessful run chase of 252 imposed by Sri Lanka. However, hardly anyone would have noticed the way India lost the third ODI to Pakistan in Lahore which saw Ijaz Ahmed blasting a 84 ball unbeaten 139 to take Pakistan through in just 26.2 overs.
It was neither India's weak bowling nor the strength in the Pakistani batting line up that saw such a splendid performance from the Pakistani batsmen. But, it was the stone throwing incident in the 2nd ODI at Karachi that made India surrender the 3rd ODI to Pakistan. Then there have been many such incidents like the first three ODIs between India and West Indies, which took place irrespective of whether India won or lost. The third ODI between India & West Indies had to be called off after 27 overs owing to a stone throwing incident despite India being in a dominating position and were ultimately declared winners.
The other incidents that need not be highlighted specially is the one in the 1996 world cup where Australia and West Indies cancel their group matches against Sri Lanka scheduled at Colombo after news papers reports of LTTE strikes in the city, that was favored to Sri Lanka finally. Then comes the way England and New Zealand call off the matches against Zimbabwe and Kenya anticipating some trouble from the crowd especially England in 2003 world cup. The ugliest of them all being the one in the 2nd finals of the Commonwealth Bank series 2008 where a streaker was hit by Symonds after smuggling himself onto the field at Brisbane.
There was a similar incident even in the previous game as well that was let off lightly. The latest one that we hear is the one recently in the fifth and the final one day match of the first part of the Commonwealth bank series between Australia and Pakistan, where a spectator comes in from behind and hugs on to Khalid Latif in the deep. The case was hardly any different when a fan was found throwing a water bottle at a Pakistani fielder in Bangalore in 1999 after India's chances of winning was ruled out by the Wasim Akram led side. This has to be something that the ICC should keep an eye upon at least in Australia, where such incidents are fresh unlike the ones in the sub-continent.
It was neither India's weak bowling nor the strength in the Pakistani batting line up that saw such a splendid performance from the Pakistani batsmen. But, it was the stone throwing incident in the 2nd ODI at Karachi that made India surrender the 3rd ODI to Pakistan. Then there have been many such incidents like the first three ODIs between India and West Indies, which took place irrespective of whether India won or lost. The third ODI between India & West Indies had to be called off after 27 overs owing to a stone throwing incident despite India being in a dominating position and were ultimately declared winners.
The other incidents that need not be highlighted specially is the one in the 1996 world cup where Australia and West Indies cancel their group matches against Sri Lanka scheduled at Colombo after news papers reports of LTTE strikes in the city, that was favored to Sri Lanka finally. Then comes the way England and New Zealand call off the matches against Zimbabwe and Kenya anticipating some trouble from the crowd especially England in 2003 world cup. The ugliest of them all being the one in the 2nd finals of the Commonwealth Bank series 2008 where a streaker was hit by Symonds after smuggling himself onto the field at Brisbane.
There was a similar incident even in the previous game as well that was let off lightly. The latest one that we hear is the one recently in the fifth and the final one day match of the first part of the Commonwealth bank series between Australia and Pakistan, where a spectator comes in from behind and hugs on to Khalid Latif in the deep. The case was hardly any different when a fan was found throwing a water bottle at a Pakistani fielder in Bangalore in 1999 after India's chances of winning was ruled out by the Wasim Akram led side. This has to be something that the ICC should keep an eye upon at least in Australia, where such incidents are fresh unlike the ones in the sub-continent.
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