[1]There are a clutch of worries for M.S. Dhoni and Shahid Afridi as the Asian powerhouses seek deliverance. A win here would be good tonic to one side troubled with fitness issues while the other are in a shambles thanks to dressing room squabbles and the ugly head of match fixing rearing its head again.
“Pakistan are a good side but nothing has changed for us, the preparation is on the same level. We are carrying the confidence from the last win but we know this is going to be a fresh start,” said Dhoni after a practice session on Friday.
The win over Bangladesh swept a few issues under the carpet. Tougher opposition like Pakistan can exploit the chinks further. India’s main concerns will their middle-order and the lack of sting with the new ball.
“Our medium pacers are back in a match situation after a gap. In the last game the length was fine but they could have been tighter. They have been working hard and the effort is there.
“Ashish Nehra is not fully fit and we will take a call on him on the morning of the match,” explained Dhoni. Nehra had his back strapped and did not bowl during practice on Friday.
There is little to choose between the two sides, including inconsistency. In conditions that are not exactly subcontinental, the ones who manage to limit their mistakes could emerge on top.
Pakistan had their share of problems against the hosts. If not for Shahid Afridi’s individual brilliance the gulf was vast. The approach however would remain the same according to Afridi. “We are treating every opponent as the same. We are aware of what India are capable of. We need to be at the top of our game to beat them,” said Afridi.
Shoaib Akhtar versus Virender Sehwag will be a fascinating sub-plot. The speedster gave a good account on his comeback game while the opener is due for a big knock. Pace and lift have troubled India in the recent past and it will be interesting to see the gameplan against Mohammed Asif and Mohammed Aamer.
“Akthar can be really effective and can trouble batsmen with pace. In an ODI the batsmen have the option of leaving the short ball and it’s always an individual decision,” added Dhoni.
The absence of Yuvraj Singh is adding pressure to the top-order and also forcing Dhoni to float in the middle order. Controlling the middle overs will be equally important as conditions here does not allow easy runs, especially after the ball loses a bit of hardness. Chasing under lights against the wind-aided wobble will be a difficult task. Batting first brings a definite advantage. A win for India will rob the tournament of all competitive sheen but for Dhoni and his boys a positive result here will help rest a lot of demons that have troubled the side recently.
Live on TV on Neo Cricket from 2:30 pm
Links:
[1] http://103.241.136.51/sp06191jpg-192