Beyond the boundary - Wanted: Exorcist, Urgently (9 June 1999)
Certain aspects of our daily lives are exasperating, one of them being proved wrong in one's own column
09-Jun-1999
9 June 1999
Beyond the boundary - Wanted: Exorcist, Urgently
Shakil Kasem
Certain aspects of our daily lives are exasperating, one
of them being proved wrong in one's own column. India hit
all my predictions for a six. When Pakistan lost four
early wickets last night, I had a familiar sinking
feeling in my gut. It was time again, I thought, when my
better judgement would be called seriously to question.
The kind of feeling you know you had a week after buying
those stocks in 1996. Was Pakistan about to crash? Was I
about to lose face? Was Azhar going to save his?
Once again India and Pakistan defied logic, reason and
the most obvious of odds, to put on a show that was just
about fit for the gods. India had won the toss and
batted, minus Ganguly, but with Tendulkar in the opener's
slot. Akram and Akhtar in full cry, Tendulkar tentative,
Ramesh scratchy and all at sea. No wonder India averaged
only two runs per over for the first six. Ramesh hung
around long enough to get 20. More importantly, he denied
the Pakistanis the early breakthrough. Dravid carried on
from where he left off and Tendulkar, after a hesitant
start, looked the familiar Tendulkar of old.
Just when the hard work was done, Tendulkar inexplicably
hit one down mid-off's throat. Pakistan had their foot in
the door, especially when Jadeja too surrendered meekly.
Enter Azharuddin with the most obvious albatross hanging
round his neck. It was a Gladstone sort of situation.
Cometh the hour, and for once India found its man, in the
most improbable person of its beleaguered captain. Dravid
played a cultured knock before throwing it all away.
Azhar had to team up with Robin Singh, India's poor man's
Lance Klusener, to try and make a match of it. The two
ensured India had a reasonable total. More importantly,
Azhar found his touch and his elusive form, to post his
first fifty of the competition.
Pakistan for some obscure reason struggled in the field.
The fielding was ordinary, the bowling of Shoaib Akhtar
and Saqlain Mushtaq just about par with park amateurs.
The two strike bowlers gave away 122 runs between them
for just one slog over wicket. For the skipper, who
bowled admirably for his own spell, this was heresy in
the ranks. Still, 227 was gettable, especially in view of
India's pedestrian bowling. Pakistan, however, proceeded
to make a mockery of pre-match predictions. Wasim Akram
"practised" all the wrong moves. I was not the only one
eating crow last night.
Indian bowling was a revelation, its fielding quite
extraordinary. The bowlers bowled to a plan, and the
fielders held everything that came their way, Ramesh
excepted. Azhar led from the front in the field, ringing
the changes and taking two blinders in the slips. Azhar
would of course be the first to admit, he was helped in
no small measure by some very shoddy and inept batting.
The sight of Inzamam labouring for over 90 deliveries for
just 41, sums up the Pakistani approach. Prasad enjoyed
himself hugely with some cheap wickets, while Srinath
provided the usual breakthroughs.
Ever since the Bangladesh match, Pakistan have been on a
downslide. Three defeats in a row mean something is
grossly wrong somewhere. Unless they can get it right
before the next match, the Pakistani dream just about
runs the risk of turning sour. At this stage, after
having come so far, that would be the unkindest cut of
all. But, Pakistan as so often in the past, have no one
to blame but themselves. They are the prisoners of their
own shadows, and their own enemies by far.
India have now placed themselves, firmly and fairly in
the laps of the gods. There is just that faint glimmer of
a light at the end of the tunnel. They have left it too
late though. The light may just be the train coming in.
India have a match to play, so do Pakistan. Suddenly,
their matches have acquired a peculiar significance.
Whilst we wait and watch what might happen, spare a
thought for the shell-shocked Pakistanis. Will they be
able to fight the demons that Bangladesh have let loose
after them? Remember, that really was the beginning of
the end.
Source :: The Bangladesh Daily Star (https://www.dailystarnews.com)