Zimbabwe need victory over India to keep their hopes alive

The scene for the triangular tournament moves to Bulawayo, where Zimbabwe desperately need a victory over India to keep alive their faint hopes of qualifying for the final of the first such tournament to be held in their country.

Zimbabwe have paid dearly for their on-going battle between players and administrators. Faulty selections were followed by mediocre bowling and fielding on Saturday, immediately following Heath Streak's temporary resignation, and they went down to what had hitherto been a very shaky-looking West Indies side. Their hopes to put this right the following day against India were foiled by losing the toss on a damp pitch, and they did not come up with the necessary fight to respond to the challenge.

Now, after two losses, the pressure is on them to win both their remaining matches to reach the final, although even that would not quite guarantee their qualification. One victory would almost certainly not be enough, and the way they performed against India on Sunday does not encourage hopes of that on Wednesday. But Zimbabwe are nothing if not unpredictable, and do have the capability to beat both their opponents. The question is: do they have the spirit?

On the positive side, playing in Bulawayo means that a good pitch and similar conditions for both sides are more likely than at the now notorious Harare Sports Club. But Zimbabwe have rarely handled pressure well, and India must start the match as strong favourites. They will need better results from several of their batsmen if they are to succeed, though, and the absence of Andy Flower is being sorely felt.

India's main problem would appear to be the continued poor batting form of their captain Sourav Ganguly. He now has to face the intense pressure of criticism from home, and find a way to break through the barrier and get a sizable score behind him. No news has yet been received on whether VVS Laxman will be fit to play after injuring his hand in Sunday's match, but he also has something to prove after his comparative failures in the Tests, where he was perhaps a little too eager to dominate.

Zimbabwe know there is a great deal more to India's batting than Sachin Tendulkar, and Laxman's misfortune on Sunday meant an opportunity at number three for Hemang Badani, who seized it with both hands. Should Laxman be unfit, the powerful hitter Virender Shewag will be only too eager to make the most of his opportunity too.

So far on tour, India's bowling has done better than their batting. Ashish Nehra has quickly become the backbone of the attack, troubling the Zimbabwean batsmen with his accuracy and movement, and his support has been good. Harbhajan Singh is learning how to adapt to Zimbabwean pitches and he will only get better. The fielding, too, has been a revelation.

Zimbabwe will have their work cut out if they are to claw their way into the final of their own competition. They have probably lost too much ground, but past experience has shown that they can pull off triumphs when they are least expected.