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| India-Pakistan World Cup 2011 Semifinal Mohali |
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The Indian fan hysteria is yet to die down though the match is over. It will soon ride over another media hyped hysteria, the moment the Indian team reaches Mumbai. India has convincingly out-bowled the Pakistan team with a ball to spare. But the real match is not limited to only what meets the eyes or ears.
The Pakistan fan depression is about to start with the Pakistan media trial and experts’ opinions of its team’s short-comings that led to the defeat at Mohali.
Pakistan has risen like a Phoenix from its ashes in the coming months which was quite heartening for the people of Pakistan in particular and for the well wishers in general. The team which looked so formidable, which had beaten the Australian team with so much ease, fell to a team which lost to South Africa so easily and could not win against England in spite of a formidable score.
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| India-Pakistan World Cup 2011 Semifinal Mohali |
Team Pakistan was thus far known to be with the best bowling combination and Team India was known to be with the weakest of bowling attacks. The result at Mohali demonstrated something contrary to what the experts boasted of. Pakistan, with all its bowling might, failed to bowl out India, who in past were bowled out by teams with far weaker bowling attacks. Not only that, India bowled out Pakistan with the same weaker bowling combination.
What went wrong? Why did Pakistan the seemingly invincible side lost to its arch rivals?
The answers are simple to comprehend. As Saurav Ganguly has put in simple words, Pakistan lacked class in its batting. I want to add something to this. It is not alone the lack of class in batting it is the lack of class in general.
When there is an earth quake, the structure with the stronger cores stand and the ones with the weaker cores collapse even if they look formidable from outside.
Matches are not a clash between batting and bowling or between forehand shots and backhand shots; matches are a clash between personalities. Matches are trials of habits acquired by these personalities under most trying conditions. The ones with the toughest winning mindsets out perform the other.
That is what always happens and that is what happened at Mohalli.
Some may come out with reasons such as the advantages of Toss, turning pitch, weather factors such dew etc. but as champions are we not supposed perform in spite of all that?
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| India-Pakistan World Cup 2011 Semifinal Mohali |
I do not agree with the hind sight of the experts that Pakistan dropped catches. They have tried their best. The players out there were far superior and far committed than the best critic at the stand or in front of a TV. If you had watched the match closely, you will understand the Indian players dropped quite a number of catches. Remember the deflection from Miswah’s bat dropped by Yuvraj from Bhajji’s bowling? Yuvraj failed to judge the spin, that’s what Miswah also did!
India, under the able guidance of Garry Kristen, had burned much mid-night oil or shed much mid-day sweat. They have toiled much to achieve what they are now. They are an evolving side. They are in a path to winning big, there is no doubt.
What Pakistan should do from now?
There is no dearth of cricketers in Pakistan. They should look at their great history and start laying out a foundation strong enough to face the mightiest of sides.
Pakistan, had already started the journey, but much have to be done. Afridi has come out a winner with the attitude he has shown. He deserves a far superior place than many of his compatriots for the grace he has shown after loosing to a side against whom he has only one option, to win. He might have failed the expectation of his countrymen but he has shown the qualities of a winner.
It is shameful to deny due credit to a worthwhile opponent, but there is no shame in loosing to a better side and acknowledging the quality of one's opponent.
