Pakistan Come Roaring Back

3^rd T20I New Zealand v Pakistan, AMI Stadium, Christchurch, 30 Dec 2010

Just when Pakistan were looking at their woeful worst, they came back to their imposing best to crush the Black Caps in the 3^rd T20I. It was a dead rubber for New Zealand but for Pakistan there is nothing like this these days.

Pakistan chose to bat and gave debut to Tanvir Ahmed and brought in another spinner in Abdur Rehman. Shoaib and Umar Gul were dumped which may have raised some eye brows but they both have been ignominiously impotent in the previous two matches. New Zealand gave another chance to promising and express Adam Milne and Dean Brownlie.

Ahmed Shehzad and M Hafeez gave Pakistan a rollicking start of 81 in just 8.4 overs. Shehzad showed why people have high hopes of him by cracking a swashbuckling 54 in 34 balls laced with 10 exquisite fours. He did not try to over-do this time and played his natural game. Hafeez made a stylish 34 with 5 fours and an astonishing six off Southee on bent knees.  Pakistan lost 3 quick wickets and hence momentum in the middle overs. Younis and Asad Shafiq were clueless as Pakistan scored just 25 runs off 31 balls till one of these two was on the crease. At 100 for 3 after 13 overs they needed their big-hitters to fire. Afridi breathed fire for a while but first Umar Akmal (30 off 19 balls) and then Abdul Razzaq the ‘Razzler’ played gems to take the eventual total to 183. The Razzler’ was at his menacing best specially after being dropped early on. He hit 2 sixes off the penultimate over bowled by Southee and then murdered Milne for 4,6,4,4 in the last over. Last 2 overs cost 19 each. Abdul made 34 off only 11 balls. Franklin was the best bowler with 3 for 12 while Southee and Milne were taken for 48 and 53 runs respectively.

New Zealand were confident of chasing down the total considering their form but they were struck by lightening from the outset. They were reduced to 4 for 3 runs by the 3^rd over then 11 for 5 in the 5^th. Razzler got 3 while Afridi got a run out through a stunning direct-hit. Tanvir as he had done on his test debut got a wicket in his first T20I over by getting rid of Jesse Ryder on his 3^rd delivery. It was the worst ever start by a team in a T20I and New Zealand were looking to set a new record for lowest ever total in T20Is. The record is held by Kenya who made 67 against Ireland in 2008 while for a test nation it is held by India, 74 versus Australia at MCG in 2007-8. New Zealand avoided that humiliation thanks to a blitz by Styris who made 45 off 34 balls with 6 fours and a six and eventually were all out for 80 in the 16^th over. Afridi who was on a hat-trick at one stage and clocked up to 134 km/h finished with 4 for 14 becoming the first bowler to get 50 T20I wickets in the process, while the Man of the Match Abdul Razzaq got 3 for 13. Pakistan won by 103 runs, their best margin of victory by runs and 4^th over all.

With this win Pakistan has eased into the tour now and will go into the test matches with some confidence. It was a breathtaking performance by a team which is considered the best in this format. Whether they keep the momentum going in the rest of the tour only time will tell.

Laxman’s Doozie Effort - 2

Laxman Helps India Level the Series in South Africa – 2^nd Test, Kingsmead, Durban 26-30 Dec 2010

We all are familiar with famous ‘Fab Four’ of India; Sehwag, Dravid, Tendulkar and Laxman. Each one of them is a living legend. While Sehwag is a nightmare for the bowlers and Tendulkar is the most prized scalp, Dravid is a constant headache for the opposition captain. Laxman on the other hand is neither destructive like Sehwag nor consistent like Dravid or Tendulkar but then what is in Laxman that makes him a marvel superhero?

He is the man to go to when chips are down. He will outlive every one when a battle goes right down to the wire. At Mohali against the Aussies in October he battled back-spasm to guide India to a thrilling one-wicket win when it was almost curtains for India. He has done it many times. But for Australia he is a thorn in throat because he has been a lurid presence on the crease for them over the years. His 2001 Kolkata innings is written in the cricket’s classic folk-lore. Then his match-winning 300-plus partnership with Rahul Dravid at Adelaide in 2003-4 is another feast for the purists. He is the second Indian batsman after Tendulkar to score more than 2000 runs against the Australians. In the last tour to Sri Lanka he scored a 5th day century to win the match and draw the series level. Then as mentioned before, his spectacular effort against his boggy team had left Ricky Ponting inconsolable yet again as he returned home winless as a Test captain in India. Laxman played almost a lone hand in India’s run chase of 216 as his experienced colleagues fell to poor shot selection and umpiring error as he guided India to one of its most memorable Test victories. He rescued India from 8-124 and added 81 runs for the ninth wicket from 131 balls and remained unbeaten on 73.

Now again he was the man along with indispensable Zaheer Khan who enabled India to beat South Africa at Durban and level the series in style after a crushing innings defeat at Centurion. He was the top scorer in both innings and made crucial 91 in 2^nd innings in a match where no one else scored more than 39. He handled Steyn and co so well that spirits of the opposition were deflated as he played with the tail remarkably well to help set a tough target. He has been India’s best batsman in the second innings especially in victories where he scores at more than 67 per innings with a record eleven scores of fifty or more including 2 hundreds.

Vangipurappu Venkata Sai Laxman is a wristy batsman in the mold of Zaheer Abbas and Azharuddin. He has the distinction to play the same ball to either side of the wicket with equal efficiency and at times can hit a boundary almost every over. His method especially when the chips are down is to keep the score moving rather than grinding out in the center like Michael Atherton or Sunil Gavaskar. In this way he out-scores others and the target is reached without asking too much from the other batsmen.

People ask who will hold the Indian batting together when the likes of Tendulkar or Dravid retire. I ask who will win the matches for India when silky Laxman bows out of the game!

Black Caps Down Pakistan Again

New Zealand vs. Pakistan, 2nd T20I, Seddon Park, Hamilton December 28, 2010


Pakistan has succumbed to New Zealand once again. Not long ago they were considered the best team in T20 format but now they have lost six matches consecutively. Coaching staff and captain are left with very little time to rebuild the team’s confidence before the test and ODI series.

Pakistan won the toss and asked New Zealand to bat under heavy conditions. Jesse Ryder was snapped by the keeper down the leg side on the very first ball off Abdul Razzaq but Martin Guptill and James Franklin defied Pakistan for more than half of the innings to put on a magnificent 91 run partnership. Guptill was at his fierce best hitting 3 sixes and 4 fours in his 48 while Franklin provided a supporting hand with 40 off 43 balls. Captain Ross Taylor was going smoothly but the real impetus to the innings was provided by Scott Styris and Peter McGlashan. Styris punished Shoaib while McGlashan murdered Umar Gul with his improvised shots hitting two sixes and two fours in one of his overs. Saeed Ajmal was pick of the bowlers with 3 for 35 while Gul gave away 47 runs in his 3 overs. The Yorkers and slower one which he is famous for were surprisingly missing from his bowling. They posted an imposing 185 for 7 which was a difficult task for Pakistan’s struggling batsmen.

Pakistan’s hope relied on their opening pair and the fact that short boundaries would make the task easy for their stroke players as they would not have to rotate the strike regularly. Afridi after hitting one massive six over extra-cover departed the very next ball off a Kyle Mills full toss. Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad played sensibly without being extravagant and overly aggressive. Hafeez played two lovely shots for towards the leg side off the quick bowlers. Both went for six runs effortlessly. Shehzad got out as soon as he tried to become unorthodox and Hafeez who was looking to take Pakistan along was mindlessly run out by in-coming Umar Akmal. That was a crucial wicket as the batsmen on crease now were both on zero and New Zealand through debutant Luke Woodcock and Tim Southee were strangling them with tight bowling. Younis and debutant Asad Shafiq were taken out by Nathan McCullum in no time. Abdul Razzaq gave Pakistan hope with two lusty blows into the crowd but wickets continued to tumble as he left caught behind off McCullum again. Umar and Wahab Riaz flashed for a little but it was too little too late for Pakistan. Southee was on a hat-trick again in the last over when both these batsmen holed out in the deep. Pakistan ended with a paltry 146 for 9 in 20 overs losing the match by 39 runs. Hafeez played well for his 46 off 30 balls with 5 fours and 2 sixes. Nathan McCullum was named the Man of the Match for his brilliant 4 for 16 in 4 overs.

Pakistan batsmen did not have a clue against the length which the New Zealanders bowled at. Their bowlers too were not able to restrict the opposition batsmen as they either bowled too short or too full. New Zealand has taken an unassailable lead in the 3 match series. The semi-finalists of the last World T20 will play for their pride in the last match.

White Lightening V 2.0

Dale Steyn - The Torch-Bearer of Test Cricket

With the advent and popularity of One day Internationals and lately T20 Cricket, the pundits and the purists of the game were fearing that test cricket is on its last heels. To make the matters worse the nature of pitches and promulgation of new rules were not helping the cause either. On top of that paucity of quality fast bowling which is the pinnacle of the game was driving the crowds away. If loads of runs and raining of boundaries were an attraction for the common spectator then ODIs and T20s were quenching that thirst already. Fast bowlers were unable to show their art in limited overs matches on a consistent basis because of type of pitches, number of restrictive rules and over-commercialization of the game. The legacy of Garner, Roberts, Holding, Thomson, Lillee, Imran, Willis, Hadlee, Marshall, Walsh, Ambrose, Wasim, Waqar and Donald was fast disappearing into oblivion. A Lee or a Shoaib or a Bond was all that was treating the fans of fast bowling but suddenly with their departure there was a complete silence as far as true fast bowling was concerned. But there was another man appearing from the horizon of fast bowling heritage who was getting his feet wet in this art. He is Dale Steyn, the White Lightening Version 2, who has successfully taken the baton from Allan Donald the original White Lightening.

Dale Steyn has shown on many an occasion what an express fast bowler can offer to the game of Cricket. At Nagpur, India in February 2010, he produced a breathtaking spell that reduced the best batting line-up of the world to rubble on a placid track. He was fast, accurate and intelligent. He used the reverse swing, the crease, the pace, the length and the brain to hunt down his preys within a matter of few overs. He has one of the best averages and strike rates around. He performs on every kind of surface against any opposition on a consistent basis. He is the man who can bring South Africa back to the number one position in test cricket.

The thing which ranks him above his contemporaries is that he is not only fast but he is accurate, disciplined, cunning and aggressive at the same time. He can swing the ball both ways but his weapon is the ball which leaves the right hander. He can move the old ball as well as the new cherry as he has a rhythmic flowing action which he can modify easily to make use of the older ball. His action is as worth admiring as his performances are. You can watch him all day and never get bored. He gets into the skin of the batsmen and never lets the pressure go off. He gets angry as easily as a grumpy girl-friend when things are not going his way but it does not distract him from the real job that is to take wickets. His smile when the batsman is beaten off his bowling is as poisonous as his stare when he is hit for a boundary. Like all fast bowlers he responds with hostility when he is hit, looks aggressively when a fielder misfields off his bowling and celebrates to the full when he snares a batsman.

His start was not an auspicious one in 2004 against England at home. He was fast but lacked aggression and accuracy. His average was an average 32.57 after ten test matches and was seen as a good fast bowler who could improve to become a spearhead for his team. But against New Zealand in late 2007 he took his first 10 wicket haul and then his second a match later and suddenly he was being seen as a potential great. He had learned to become what he is now and was seen as the best fast bowler around. He destroyed West Indies, preyed on Bangladesh, tortured the Indians, feasted on the Englishmen, tormented Australians Down Under and at home, teased Pakistan despite being half-fit and now is tearing down the Indians again. He has been wisely preserved by South Africa and plays in only selected One Day Internationals.

Steyn has played 44 test matches so far and is in his 28th year. This is the peak age for a fast bowler and if he continues to perform he can go a long way in his career. He may not break Muralidharan’s record for the most test wickets but he seems to be the only one at the moment who can threaten that record. Whether he ends up with 400 test wickets or 700, he is surely the man the test cricket would be thankful and proud of whenever he calls it quits.

Pakistan Humbled By New Zealand

New Zealand v Pakistan, 1st Twenty20, Auckland, Dec 26, 2010

This is first time a 3 match T20 series is being played between two teams. Both Pakistan and New Zealand are struggling for different reasons. New Zealand go into the series with two consecutive limited over series white-washes behind them while Pakistan it seems just can not get rid off their off-field woes at the moment. New Zealand drew the first blood by utilizing their home conditions well to go 1-0 up handsomely.

Ross Taylor won the toss and inserted Pakistan in. Afridi as he did in the warm-up game came as opener alongside Hafeez.  Pakistan got off to a flyer. Kyle Mills was taken to the task by Afridi who hit him for two successive sixes. The debutant Adam Milne was welcomed by Hafeez who caressed him for a lovely cover drive for four before Afridi stuck into him. Mills came back to remove Afridi through a top-edge off the very next ball when Hafeez was put down by Milne. Milne the promising youngster who was bowling 90 mile an hour ran into another talented youth Ahmed Shehzad who hit him for consecutive two fours and a six. Tim Southee stopped the rampage when he deceived Shehzad off a slower leg-cutter to be caught at the wicket. Pakistan ware 58 for 2 after 6 overs and were looking for a big total. But Southee had completely different ideas. He dismissed Younis, Hafeez and Umar Akmal to claim his first T20 hat-trick and jolted Pakistan badly. Akmal though was unlucky to be given out. Abdul Razzaq nicked behind in his next over and Pakistan ware tottering at 68 for 6 in the tenth over. Southee remarkably had taken 5 wickets in 9 balls to complete first 5-wicket haul for New Zealand. Fawad could not stay long enough but Umar Gull and Wahab Riaz took the score to respectability. Gull made a stabilizing 30 off 31 balls. Wahab along with Shoaib Akhtar added an enterprising 31 runs for the last wicket to take Pakistan to 143 for 9 in 20 overs. He made a vital 30 off 21 balls with 2 fours and 2 sixes. The hero for New Zealand was Southee who took 5 for 18. Keeping short boundaries in mind it was not a big score but a fighting one for Pakistan.

New Zealand started with a bang. Guptill showed what he was capable of by thrashing Abdul for 15 runs in the first over. The trend continued in the next over but Jesse Ryder handed Shoaib Akhtar an easy wicket to provide Pakistan a breather. The second debutant Dean Brownlie was undone by the pace of Shoaib who in his next over castled Styris to leave New Zealand at a delicate 55 for 3 in the 6th over. Guptill at the other end was taking every bowler to the cleaners so Ross Taylor played a waiting game. Guptill was run out in the 10th over after making a hurricane 54 off just 29 balls with 4 fours and 4 sixes. With 53 required from the last 10 overs Pakistan needed some quick wickets but they were denied by New Zealand with sensible batting. Franklin departed at 115 but Taylor ( 39 0ff 31 balls) and Peter McGlashan reached the target in the 18th over. For Pakistan Shoaib took 3 wickets but was expensive. Tim Southee was named the Man of the Match.

New Zealand lead the series and onus now is on Pakistan to come back in the series to make a contest. The struggling but unpredictable Pakistan can certainly do that.

Match Fixing Saga And After

PCB stands for Pakistan Cricket Board but it in effect means Perplexity, Crisis, and Back-out. It was not an organization to be proud of before too but ever since Ijaz Butt has taken over as chairman it is total shambles. If Amir, Asif and Salman Butt have done any thing wrong what was PCB and its security wing doing to spot or prevent it? If News of the World had known all this why PCB did not have a clue? When the tour management had openly accused some players of wrong doing in the tour Down Under and then subsequently the Disciplinary Committee had handed bans or fines to those players, why Mr. Butt and co repealed those punishments? Who is responsible for mishandling the whole case when the accusations had been made? Why we were made to look fools in front of the whole world? Why Mr. Butt first accused English team and then backed down shamelessly? Why PCB at first supported the players blindly and now is sleeping on the case to go to the other extreme?

My personal view is that the trio has definitely been involved in some sort of malpractice and it may be only the tip of the iceberg. The mafia and the chain of command have successfully evaded the radar of ICC and its member boards. Ever since the menace of match-fixing came to light in 1994, ICC has failed to get rid of it completely. The Anti-corruption Unit of ICC has proved to be a total failure. The three players were, if we consider the enormity and extent of the menace, unlucky to have been nabbed. They are just the tools; the real nexus needs to be unearthed and wiped out. We need to reach the core. The culprits should be taught a lesson but punishing the players only will not eradicate the problem. Pakistan Cricket is not the only one which is corrupt. Match-fixing is controlled by mafias in India and Dubai. Can we enter those corridors and destroy the roots or we will just keep cutting the branches only?

Now coming to the ICC hearing next month, what scenarios are likely to emerge? Let us suppose the three players are found guilty then what sentences are handed to them? There is talk of exemplary punishment so that others learn a lesson. I think Asif and Butt may be handed over life bans and Amir may get away with a 5 year ban considering his age and unblemished prior record. Or we may see lighter verdict with Asif and Butt getting 5 years while Amir getting a 2 year ban. It is a remote possibility that the trio is exonerated all together and we see them playing again before long. Butt the saga will not end here. There is Crown Prosecution Service of the Scotland Yard who is conducting a criminal investigation of their own. The players if banned would surely land in the Court of Arbitration for Sports for the last chance to clear their names. So the cricket world is not going to get a sigh of relief any time soon. We hope for the best.

The impact which the ICC hearing would have on Pakistan players especially on the eve of the World Cup would be huge. Will they get demoralized and lose the battle even before the start or they regroup and fight with extra motivation? That is why I think the rejection of the plea by Salman Butt’s lawyer to postpone the hearing is not good for Pakistan team. Any unfavorable verdict against the trio will be a huge distraction for the men in Green in the World Cup. Will Pakistan have a third consecutive shambolic World Cup campaign or we will do a 92? We who bleed green pray and wish best of luck to Pakistan cricket and its team.

Cornered Tigers Rule the World

World Cup Classics: Final - England v Pakistan, Melbourne Cricket Ground, 25 March 1992 

After a shambolic start to the World Cup, Imran Khan had motivated his players by calling them  ‘Cornered Tigers’ prior to a do-or-die clash with Australia. The players did not let their captain down and lifted their game to a new level. They won all their remaining matches including the one against the all-conquering Kiwis who had disposed off every other team comprehensively. On that historical night in the Muslim Holy Month of Ramadan the prayers of whole nation were answered when the mighty Khan and his worriers knocked down the stunned English team to lift the World cup for the first time.

Imran Khan beat Graham Gooch on the coin and opted to bat first in front of a record 87,182 spectators at MCG in a bright afternoon. Openers Aamir Sohail and Ramiz Raja were not allowed to break free by Derek Pringle and Chris Lewis who bowled straight and on a nagging length. Pringle in particular found appreciable swing both ways. There was a bit of drama in the 4th over when Hick caught Ramiz at point off a head-high delivery which umpire Steve Bucknor gave as a no ball but Ramiz started walking after seeing English players celebrating. Hick then tried to run him out but his throw missed the stumps. Ramiz rushed back to reach his crease but the ball meanwhile was declared as dead as he was not attempting a run. Next over Pringle got one to nip away from a struggling Aamir resulting in a faint tickle which Alec Stewart snapped diving forward to make it 20 for 1.

Imran as he did in the semi-final promoted himself to one-down to take the flack and to lead from the front. Pakistan were crawling when in the 9th over Pringle’s in-swing and Ramiz’s penchant to play every thing to the leg side made it 24 for 2. Javed Miandad survived two close LBW shouts in the next Pringle over who was bowling superbly looking threatening as well as giving nothing away. One was a bit high and the other was hit marginally outside off-stump line otherwise it was curtains for Pakistan. No wonder some 14 million people were praying in the middle of their 18th fast.

Pakistan were so laborious that they had toddled to 34 after 17 overs. Imran broke the shackles a bit in the next over bowled by Ian Botham by coming down the pitch for a four and the over fetched nine runs for Pakistan. Miandad’s deft touch down the leg side brought 50 in the 21st over bowled by Phil DeFreitas. In the same over Imran scooped one high towards mid-wicket but Gooch dropped the catch despite having managed to cover the distance from square-leg. At the half way stage Pakistan had only 70 runs on the board. Onus was on Imran to alter the cadence and Illingworth’s leg-spin was too inviting for him to let the opportunity go by easily. He hit him high and handsome for six over long-on to set the vociferous crowd into ecstasy and get a nod of approval from Miandad. Miandad too started hurrying things a little and in the process became the first man to reach thousand runs in World Cups. Pakistan reached 100 in the 33rd over.

Miandad and Imran who had completed their respective fifties were looking dangerous as they began to score in boundaries. Miandad suffering a sore stomach was now batting with a runner. They had added 139 runs in 31 overs when Miandad was caught by Botham at point attempting a reverse sweep off Illingworth. He made a stabilizing 58 off 98 balls with 4 fours. Then came the hero of the semi-final, Inzamam-ul-Haq to join his captain. It was another opportunity to shine and he was to shine brightly again. As Inzi was unleashing his strokes all over MCG, Imran mistimed one to be caught at deep mid-on off a Botham half-volley. Ha played a captain’s knock of 70 in 110 balls including 5 fours and a six.

Wasim Akram who had a quiet tournament with the bat so far was promoted ahead of Salim Malik, Ijaz Ahmed and Moin Khan so that Pakistan could finish strongly. Pakistan scored 44 runs in the last 5 overs thanks to cameos from these two clean-hitters. Wasim hit two scorching drives on both sides of the wicket in the 46th over bowled by Botham which fetched 12 runs over all. Two more boundaries he got in the penultimate over bowled by Lewis but Pringle stopped the bleeding in the last over by restricting Pakistan to just two runs. Inzamam was castled by Pringle on the penultimate ball for a well-made 35-ball 42 while Wasim was run out next ball after making vital 33 runs off just 18 balls. For England Pringle was the stand out bowler with 3 for 22. At break Pakistan were more confident than England to cross the line and Cornered Tigers entered the field smelling blood when the play resumed.

Ian Botham was given caught at the wicket off a Wasim Akram beauty when England had just six runs on the board. He shook his head while going off unimpressed with the decision while the crowd burst into jubilation. Wasim induced another edged from Alec Stewart which escaped umpire’s judgment but before long Aaqib Javed got him in similar fashion on a beautiful out-swinger. Graham Gooch who had survived a difficult chance off Wasim when Moin could not pouch a flying edge was stranded at the other end when 3rd wicket too fell cheaply. Graeme Hick was undone by a spectacular Mushtaq googly which turned sharply and left Hick bewildered and plumb in front. Pakistan fielders’ celebration was worth watching when Gooch too departed after being caught brilliantly by Aaqib deep on the leg side when he top-edged a sweep shot. Little Mushy was jumping in sheer joy while Aaqib ran amok leap-frogging every one. England were reduced to 69 for 4 in the 21st over and Pakistan was in the driver’s seat.

The ever-reliable Allan Lamb and Neil Fairbrother resurrected the innings remarkably well by adding 72 runs in 14 overs. Allan Lamb was handling the spin of Mushtaq masterfully while Fairbrother was stealing quick singles and doubles. Just when things were drifting away Imran brought back his trump card, Wasim Akram. The well-set Allen Lamb was bamboozled by a delivery which came in through the air and straightened after pitching just short of good length and crashed onto the off-stump. Reverse-swing genius was at work. As if it was not enough he produced another gem when he got Lewis next ball off a sharp in-cutter. Fairbrother survived the hat trick ball in his next over but guarded jubilations had already started on the ground and back in Pakistan. Needing 70 off 44 balls, Fairbrother mistimed a pull shot off Aaqib and Moin made no mistake by catching it safely. With him departed England’s last hopes as their resistance had virtually come to an end. He made 62 off just 70 balls with 3 fours.

Reeve was eighth man out at 183 when Ramiz took a stunning catch running backwards and almost colliding with Ijaz. It was almost curtains for them now barring a miracle. Pringle seeing his bowling effort to go waste tried his best and added 25 runs with DeFreitas. They still needed 43 runs in the last 3 overs when Imran decided to bowl himself. Salim Malik who was having a woeful world Cup inflicted a brilliant run out from the deep to send DeFreitas to the pavilion and bring a broad grin on Imran’s face. They needed 28 from the last over which was beyond the reach of the last pair. Caught Ramiz bowled Imran was being written in the score book when Bill Lawry shouted, “Pakistan has won the World Cup’.

Imran raised both his hands above his head in jubilation while his players either thanked Almighty by offering ‘sajda’ or embraced one another. It was a beautiful sight when Imran and Javed hugged each other and the team gathered for a victory lap. Wasim took 3 for 49 and was declared the Man of the Match for his all-round brilliance. Mushtaq too took 3 crucial wickets. Imran dedicated this win to the team spirit and his cancer hospital named after his late mother.

The World Cup theme song, ‘gotta see who rule the world’ had mesmerized the cricket lovers inflicted with world cup fever. In the end the world saw Imran khan proudly holding the World cup aloft. It was the time when Pakistan ruled the world. The prince charming of cricket, the charismatic Pathan, Imran Khan was gracing the field of cricket for the last time. What a fitting and pompous occasion it was for him to bid adieu with his head high and the dream fulfilled.

Proteas Dream Return Turns Sour

World Cup Classics: 2nd semi final - England v South Africa, Sydney Cricket Ground, 22 March 1992

South Africa were enjoying their re-entry in World Cricket and performing magnificently. They easily qualified for the semi-final and they were joined by many who thought they could win the World Cup. Their march was halted by a very strong English side although the South Africans and spectators were left ruing the infamous rain rule which was coined for that tournament.

The rain rule was already being criticized although it in effect had not changed the standings of the four semi-finalists.  Those who censure Pakistan that they were lucky to get a point against England after being bowled out for 74 forget to realize that against South Africa the same Pakistan team was denied victory by this rule. South Africa were left disappointed to have got so close yet so far thanks to the rain rule but their strategy too was to be blamed equally. Why they opted to bat first despite the forecast of rain and why they bowled so sluggishly that 5 vital overs were docked from England innings are the questions people often forget to mention. A Duckworth-Lewis method actually would have set them a target of 273 in 45 overs rather than just 253 which they required that day.

Kepler Wessels won the toss and asked England to bat. Under clouds Donald and Meyrick Pringle got swing working their way. Gooch departed early but Botham hit a few cracking shots before being bowled by Pringle. Alec Stewart and Graeme Hick continued to play their strokes and took the score to 110 when the former went caught at the wicket off McMillan. Those who followed him continued the aggressive momentum which was boosted even further by a cameo from Reeve who scored a rapid 25 off just 14 balls. He was particularly severe on Donald. Hick meanwhile had left after making 83 off just 90 balls with 9 fours. Reeve’s swashbuckling effort was cut short as South Africans were too sluggish to complete their overs in the required time. England made 252 in the 45 overs bowled. Pringle and Donald shared two wickets each but Donald gave away 69 runs in his ten overs. England though disappointed to miss the final onslaught were confident of defending the total. Proteas on the other hand had different ideas.

Andrew Hudson and Wessels started blazingly for South Africa. Although they continued to lose wickets they did not let the asking rate go up. Hudson made a stylish 46 off 52 balls laced with 6 boundaries. Jonty Rhodes showed his batting prowess by scoring quickly and made vital 43 runs off just 38 balls. When rain interrupted the Proteas innings they were happily placed at 231 for 6 in 42.5 overs with McMillan and Dave Richardson batting well at 20 and 13 respectively. They required 21 runs from 13 balls which they fancied they could have made but for the rain rule. There were no reserve days for the tournament and strict rules did not allow the use of flood lights to extend the game to complete the overs. When after 12 minutes the play resumed the scoreboard showed a farcical 22 required in just one ball. It was actually 21 off one ball which McMillan played softly for a single off a Lewis delivery who bowled from a shortened run-up. England had won by 19 runs. South Africans were infuriated while England rather than celebrating were looking embarrassed. Hick was declared the Player of the Match although many South Africans considered real player was the rain-rule.

England had qualified for their 3rd World Cup final while South Africa’s marvelous campaign had ended on a bitter note.

Australia Plunge Deeper As Pakistan Rise

World Cup Classics: Australia v Pakistan, WACA, Perth, 11 March, 1992

 It was a do or die match for Pakistan. They were languishing second last on the points table with only three matches left. Having won only once in the last five games, any further loss would have ended their chances for a semi-final spot. On the other hand the defending champions too were going no where. Allen Border’s desperation only increased when his side could not win against a Pakistan side which was famously termed by Imran Khan as cornered tigers at the toss.

Pakistan, under pressure, opted to bat first. Pain-killing injections had enabled Imran Khan to lead his side in this crucial encounter despite a sore shoulder. Openers provided a confident start till Ramiz departed at 78. Salim Malik followed quickly but Aamir Sohail continued to play fluently and drafted 77 run partnership with Pakistan’s man of the crises, Javed Miandad. Miandad running between the wickets quickly and with a few boundaries along made sure that runs were ticking along at a good clip. Aamir who looked set for a big one got out caught behind off Moody after making 76 off 106 balls with 8 sweetly timed fours. Steve Waugh deceived Miandad for a similar dismissal a few overs later for  a 75-ball 46. At 193 for 4 Pakistan was looking good for a big total but Steve Waugh triggered a collapse by dismissing Miandad and Imran Khan. Australians had tightened a noose around Pakistan batsmen with tight bowling and sharp fielding. In frenzy Inzamam and Ijaz got run-out and big hitters, Wasim Akram and Moin Khan were dismissed cheaply. Pakistan finished at a below par 220 for 9. Waugh took 3 for 36 while Moody bagged 2 wickets.

In reply Aussies were pegged back at the start by Aaqib Javed who removed Moody and Boon in no time. Both Wasim Akram and Aaqib were getting appreciable swing in the heavy evening atmosphere. Australians found it difficult to negotiate the swing and the tight line which they were bowling. Geoff Marsh and Dean Jones added 85 runs for the 3rd wicket but pressure was still mounting as their scoring rate was not up to the mark. Marsh in particular was sluggish as he crawled till 34th over to collect 39 runs. He was neither rotating the strike nor finding the boundaries regularly. In an effort to break the shackles they lost 4 wickets for 15 runs in the middle overs. Imran and Mushtaq shared two wickets each to knock Australia down. Jones made 47 off 79 balls. At 130 for 6 they had a mounting to climb. Mark Waugh was at the crease but Aaqib came back to remove Ian Healy to bare open the tail which was polished off by Wasim Akram in no time. Australia got all out for 172 in the 46th over. Pakistan in the end, won by a handsome margin of 48 runs. Aaqib and Mushtaq were the pick of bowlers taking 3 scalps each while Imran and Wasim both took 2 wickets. Aamir Sohail was named Man of the Match.

With this win Pakistan were afloat again in their World Cup campaign while Australians had sunk further prompting Allan Border to dismiss off any chances of his team’s progression into the knock-out stages.

Back From Apartheid with a Vengeance

World Cup Classics: Australia v South Africa, Sydney Cricket Ground, 26 February 1992

South Africa had already come out of isolation by playing an ODI series in India but the participation in their first World Cup was the platform which they chose to unfurl their enthusiasm. Clive Rice was disposed off in a controversial manner from the team handing the captaincy to Kepler Wessels who had played and thrived for Australia during the isolation period. South Africa announced that they are well and truly back by trouncing a lackluster Australian team in their first World Cup match at Sydney.

Australia having lost their opening match opted to bat after winning the coin. This highly publicized game started dramatically when umpire Brian Aldridge failed to spot a clear edge from the very first ball bowled by Allan Donald off the bat of Geoff Marsh. The Proteas though disappointed showed tremendous resolve and did not give away an inch in their bowling and fielding. Jonty Rhodes introduced to the world a new dimension in fielding by diving and throwing himself violently towards the ball like a hare and with his electric-quick throws he made life further difficult for the batsmen. A slow start was further hampered by double blow from Adrian Kuiper who removed Marsh and Border on successive balls. Marsh made a painstaking 25 off 72 balls. When Tom Moody was trapped by the ‘white-lightening’ Donald, Aussies were struggling at 108 for 5 in the 33rd over. Remaining batsmen including Steve Waugh could not provide any impetus and they finished for a pathetic 170 for 9 in 49 overs. Donald took 3 for 34 while Kuiper and Brian McMillan shared two scalps each. For Aussies Boon and Waugh made 27 each.

South Africa knew the match was in their bag but they did not take any chances and pursued their task cautiously. When Andrew Hudson and Wessels put on 74 for the first wicket, Australia had almost lost any hope of a miracle. McDermott though bowled tightly but could not dislodge any of the batsmen. Ian Healy was hamstrung so Boon was keeping in his place. It was a special moment for Wessels when he along with Peter Kirsten reached the target in the 47h over. Man of the Match Wessels remained not out on 81 while Kirsten made unbeaten 49.

Congratulations poured in from the President as well as The Man Nelson Mandela himself. Australia had lost both their opening games while South Africans had launched their World Cup campaign in emphatic fashion.

A Trans-Tasman Treat

World Cup Classics: New Zealand v Australia, Eden Park, Auckland, 22 February 1992

The 5th World Cup co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand was a landmark success. For the first time we saw colored clothing, day-night matches, use of separate white balls from both ends simultaneously, pinch-hitters (Thanks to a new rule that only two fielders were allowed outside the circle for first 15 overs) and global TV coverage.

South Africa were welcomed warmly back into the international fold and they provided extra color. This made the total number of teams to an unprecedented nine. The matches were played on the single league basis which though was fair for all teams prolonged the tournament to 39 matches in contrast to 27 played in 1987. The only but a major blot on the tournament was its rain-rule which was introduced to calculate run-rate in rain-shortened matches but was a colossal letdown as it caused some shocking results. The first match was between the hosts and the result had a big impact on both the teams. The favorites Australia were jolted fatally while New Zealand found a spark which carried them almost all the way.

Martin Crowe won the toss and opted to bat on a wicket which was to become even slower later in the match. New Zealand were reduced to 13 for 2 with Bruce Reid and McDermott exploiting early moisture and a bit of bounce with the new ball. Then came the captain who first stabilized the innings with Rod Latham and then treated the crowd with his stroke play in a 118 run partnership with Ken Rutherford. Crowe despite struggling with a knee injury unlashed his pull shots and off-drives with an air of arrogance. He brought up hundred for his team with a hooked four off Steve Waugh in the 28th over. The spin of Peter Taylor too could not halt Crowe who turned him to the fine-leg boundary to bring up his 50 off 88 deliveries. Rutherford made an entertaining 57 off 71 balls with 6 fours. Crowe completed his 100 in the last over off 134 balls with 11 fours mostly pull shots as Australian bowlers erred on the shorter side too often. With some support down the order he added 49 runs in the last 6 overs to end the innings at 248 for 6.

Though it was a challenging total on that wicket but was not beyond the reach of the defending champions on a ground that had shortish boundaries. Crowe surprised the Kangaroo openers with a ploy of opening the bowling with spin. Dipak Patel tied them down even though Chris Cairns went for 30 in his first 4 overs from the other end.  Gavin Larsen through his irritatingly tight line and length did not allow Aussie batsmen to score freely which resulted in 4 wickets falling for 33 runs. David boon was battling on aimlessly till he found an able partner in the shape of Steve Waugh. The asking rate was climbing up sharply and despite some assault from Waugh it did not fall below 10. When he too departed caught and bowled by Larsen for 38 off 34 balls, the only interest left was an expected Boon hundred which he completed off 133 balls with 11 fours before being run-out. Larsen took 3 for 30 in his 10 overs. Last 5 wickets fell for just 12 runs in a frantic collapse for Australia resulting in vivid celebration and euphoric scenes at the ground.

New Zealand were to play all their league games at home and this result kick-started their campaign in brilliant manner. Australia on the other hand never recovered from this upset as they were left mentally and physically bruised in their battle for the title defense from the very outset.

An Upset Which Broke A Billion Hearts

World Cup classics: England vs India, 2nd semi-final, Mumbai, 5th November, ICC World Cup, 1987

The defending champions had every thing going their way when they entered the field for the 2ndsemi-final. They were on a winning momentum, in form, playing in front of home crowd and had better bowling and batting than the opposition. England on the other hand had staggered to the semi-final. Vengsarkar was ruled out due to injury in what proved to be the final match of Indian maestro Sunil Gavaskar. Graham Gooch was the hero for England who handled the spinners with perfection to lead his team into the final. While hero of the previous World Cup, Kapil Dev proved to be villain this time when he unnecessarily gave away his wicket at a critical juncture of the match.

England were asked by Kapil to bat keeping early moisture in mind. But the ball did not move at all and English top order had no trouble negotiating him and Prabhakar. Maninder Singh got the first breakthrough by removing Robinson at the score of 40. One-down Athey could not get a move on but Graham Gooch along with Captain Mike Gatting put on a solid partnership without wasting much time. They swept and pulled the Indian left-arm spinners effectively negating whatever turn they extracted from the pitch and ran between the wickets for quick singles. Third wicket stand of 117 runs in 19 overs was a turning point as it provided a launching pad for Allen Lamb to exercise his finishing prowess with an air of indemnity. Maninder removed both of them; first Gatting who played-on for 56 off 62 balls and then Gooch who was caught by Srikkanth for a magnificent 115 off 136 balls with 11 fours. Allen Lamb made a rapid 32 off 29 balls to help England post a par score of 254 for 6 in 50 overs.  Maninder took 3 for 54 while Captain Kapil 2 for 38.

Crowd was egging on the Indian openers when they strolled out for an expected not-too-difficult run-chase. But Wankhede dipped into pin-drop silence when Phil DeFreitas clipped the off-stump of the farewell guy Gavaskar for just 4 runs. Srikkanth and Navjot Sidhu could not keep up the scoring rate as English bowlers tied down these two otherwise dashers so much so that they both could not hit a single boundary. Chandarkant Pandit provided some momentum to the innings along with Muhammad Azharuddin. Eddie Hemmings was taken for 27 runs in his first 3 overs but he came back strongly later on to take four wickets. At 168 for 4 Azhar and Kapil Dev were looking set to take India home but Kapil hit one down the throat of Gatting who had specifically placed himself at the deep mid-wicket boundary for this purpose. There was no need for him to be extra-adventurous at that time as the asking rate was well under six. He made a quick-fire 32 off 21 balls. Hemmings also removed Azhar and Shastri in quick succession after a few overs. They were still the favorites when they needed 50 in the last 10 overs with 5 wickets remaining but the departure of Azhar who was set pressed the panic button among Indians and they continued to lose wickets. Eventually they were all-out for 219 in the 46th over. Graham Gooch was named the Man of the Match.

A dream was shattered and a nation went into mourning for many days to come. Both the hosts were eliminated in the semi-final stage breaking the hearts of more than a billion. Perhaps a meeting in the final of the two arch-enemies was meant to be a dream only by the Almighty as no one could have imagined what tragedy would have resulted in an unexpected result on that day.

The Royal Carnage

World Cup Classics: Reliance World Cup - Sri Lanka v West Indies, National Stadium, Karachi, 13 October ICC World Cup,1987

In the very first round of group matches the tournament had started producing nerve-wrecking contests. The last time finalists were denied their first win by Allen Lamb’s savagery against England. With Pakistan winning both their matches and England winning one out of two, West Indies needed to put themselves on the points table. The king himself, Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards decided to fight a dual with Sri Lankan Lions. But Lions instead of hunting down the opposition commander, themselves were butchered and served up to the King’s feast. A cat may look at a king but cannot overcome it. And Sri Lankans those days were just not that good.

Duleep Mendis invited mayhem when he asked Richards to bat after winning the toss on a batting wicket at Karachi. The immediate signs were encouraging when Ravi Ratnayeke was on a hat-trick after removing Carlisle Best and Richardson on the score of 45. But Richards negotiated the hat-trick ball and then built a solid partnership with Desmond Haynes. Both completed their fifties, Richards reaching his in 62 balls.  When Richards completed his hundred off just 97 balls, West Indies were 247 for 2. Soon after the landmark he was put down in the covers by Mendis off a stiff chance. This was his 10th hundred, an ODI record at the time. After that he opened up and started showing his natural stroke play. Moving the front foot just to the line of the ball he hit in the arc from deep point to deep mid-wicket with contempt and disdain. The bowlers were clueless where to pitch the ball and fielders were just left to fetch the ball from the boundary.  He brought up his 150 with a straight six and then highest score for a World Cup innings with a stunning six over square leg off a high full toss.  His last 81 runs took only 33 balls.  Viv made 181 0ff 125 balls with 16 fours and 7 sixes. He was dismissed while going for another six caught by Mahanama at backward point off de Mel. In the pandemonium of Richards stroke play, Haynes hundred was almost forgotten. He made 105 off 124 balls with 10 fours and a six. Asantha de Mel became the most expensive bowler in the World Cup with figures of 10-0-97-1. West Indies made 360 for 4, a new record for ODIs beating Pakistan’s 338 against the same opposition in the previous World Cup.

In reply Roshan Mahanama started with a flurry of fours but could not last long. They lost early wickets and economical spin bowling of Harper, Hooper and Richards himself squeezed the life out of their innings.  Only Ranatunga offered some resistance with 52 not out. In a bizarre reply Sri Lanka made 169 for 4 in their 50 overs. Carl Hooper took 2 wickets while Harper gave only 15 runs in his 10 overs.

Viv Richards was named man of the match for his swashbuckling knock which still stands tall in the history of the World Cup.

Abdul Qadir’s Magic Wand

World Cup Classics: Pakistan v West Indies, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, 16 October 1987

For the first time World Cup was held outside UK, in India and Pakistan. It was a huge success not only in terms of quality of cricket but also as regards the organization of the event itself. Despite the absence of some leading stars like Hadlee, Botham, Marshall and Gower, the tournament attracted huge crowds and global audience. It produced a number of nail-biting close encounters, thrilling batting exhibits and spell-binding bowling spells. Neutral umpires were used for the first time in this World Cup. Pakistan who had started with a close match against Sri Lanka rounded off their first round of group matches with another exhilarating victory against West Indies to remain at the top of their group. 

West Indies won the toss and batted first on a bright sunny morning. Desmond Haynes and debutant Phil Simmons started firmly and put on 91 runs for the first wicket. They negotiated early moisture of the pitch well and saw off Imran and Wasim Akram’s opening bursts safely. Then they had a mini-collapse when they lost four wickets for just 30 runs. Saleem Jaffar bowling one of his best spells in ODIs got rid of Haynes and Richardson while Tauseef had Simmons caught and bowled for 50. By this time Richards was well into his innings and despite losing partners at the other end continued to be his natural aggressive self. He was dismissed by Imran for 51 off 52 balls laced with four fours and a six. Imran and Wasim ran through the lower order to dismiss West Indies for 216 in the last over. Imran took 4 for 37 while Jaffar bagged 3 wickets for 30 runs. Abdul Qadir went wicket-less but perhaps he had reserved his magic for his batting later in the evening.

Pakistan lost Mansoor Akhtar and Saleem Malik quickly but Ramiz Raja and Javed Miandad took the score to 92 in a slow rebuilding partnership. West Indies came back strongly and struck twice to leave Pakistan wobbling at 110 for 5 in the 35th over. The required run rate was exactly 7 in the last 15 overs. Wicket-keeper Saleem Yousuf whom Imran always trusted and termed as a fighter stood firm at this stage and fought back flamboyantly. Riding on his luck he added 73 crucial runs for 6th wicket with Imran Khan to bring Pakistan back into the game. His 56 off just 49 balls with 7 fours did not let the asking rate to go beyond Pakistan’s reach. But Courtney Walsh came back to dismiss both these players and the match was in balance again. Patrick Patterson dealt a crucial blow in the 49th over when he dismissed dangerous Wasim Akram. Run out of Tauseef also did not help as Pakistan needed 14 runs when Walsh who had taken 4 wickets came to bowl the last over. Abdul Qadir and Saleem Jaffar was the last pair at crease. Tension was mounting and emotions were running high for those present at the ground or glued to their TV sets. More than fifty thousand spectators at Gaddafi Stadium were clearing their throats with full force cheering for Pakistan and egging on their last man standing.

Abdul Qadir hit a full delivery from Walsh towards mid-on and got an easy single. Next ball Jaffar moving towards leg thumped another over-pitched ball in the covers to scramble for another single.  Abdul hit the third ball to mid-on fielder who threw it back to Walsh who could not hold on to it resulting in an overthrow for an extra run. Pakistan needed a boundary here. Abdul Qadir making room towards leg side swing hard and hit Walsh’s next delivery on the up for a huge six over long-off. Contrary to the first three balls this was a length delivery which Abdul made full use of. Four more were needed off two balls and Abdul Qadir was looking determined to win it for his team. His eyes were focused on the job but body was restless as usual. Fifth ball was a low full toss on the leg side which Abdul smacked to the off side and rushed for a couple. It was all excitement and drama with two runs needed off the last ball. Just as Walsh was about to deliver the final ball Jaffar moved from his crease to gain extra ground but he stopped and warned him rather than remove the bails. He could have easily won the match for his team but showed sportsmanship instead. This was truly gesture of a great soul. Abdul hit the last ball which was a full toss through to the third man and got an incredible win for Pakistan. Richards was lying on the ground in disbelief and despair as his best bowler could not deliver when mattered the most.

Abdul Qadir’s batting rather bowling did it for Pakistan this time. It was one of the classics of the World Cup history. Saleem Yousuf was awarded the Man of the Match and Abdul Qadir was bathed with glory. On the other hand Walsh was showered with abundant praise and awarded a lavish carpet from a Karachi firm for his ‘Spirit of the Game’.

Tigers Brush Aside Zimbabwe Again

Post Match Review: 5th ODI, Bangladesh v Zimbabwe at Chittagong, Dec 12, 2010


The final match of the series was important for both the teams after the fourth one was abandoned due to rain. With Bangladesh 2-1 up, Zimbabwe had a chance to win this last one to level the series. Tigers made sure they end their pre-world cup campaign on a perfect note by trouncing them easily. Tamim Iqbal and Mashrafe Mortaza used this last chance to come back into form with style. Bangladesh made no changes while Zimbabwe made two. Shingirai Masakadza was dropped in favor of Keith Dabengwa and Elton Chigumbara replaced Chamu Chibhabha. Zimbabwe chose to bat after winning the toss.

Disaster struck from the very outset for Zimbabwe when Brendan Taylor was run out by a Shuvo direct hit off a free-hit in the very first over. Zimbabwe went slowly afterwards as the bowling was nagging and pitch was slow with cracks on it. They were reduced to 21 for 3 in the eleventh over. Masakadza and Dabengwa were both trapped in front by Mortaza. Craig Ervine and Tatenda Taibu put their heads down and started rebuilding the innings. They were slow but assured and struck a valuable 95 run partnership. The nature of their play and the tight noose which the bowling had applied on them was evident with the fact that first boundary was hit in the 24th over. When Ervine departed on 46 caught behind off Shakib their run rate was three with just eleven overs remaining. Chigumbara came in to up the rate and showed his intentions by lofting Shakib for a six. In trying for quick runs he got out while pulling a Shakib delivery. Taibu was set for an onslaught in the remaining three overs having already reached his 16th fifty. After hitting a four and a six in an Abdur Razzak over he miss-hit one in the next over from Shakib to get out on a well made 64 off 104 balls. Abdur was bowling ultra miserly prior to that. Zimbabwe ended on 188 for six which was a mediocre total even on a slow and turning wicket and a heavy outfield.

Bangladesh too started woefully when Mpofu had Imrul Kayes caught behind in the first over. Zimbabwe needed to strike regularly to make use of the conditions but Tamim Iqbal along with Junaid Siddique made sure it does not happen. After getting a measure of the wicket Tamim started unleashing his array of strokes. He got a reprieve when Mpofu could not hold on to a return catch after being hit for a four and a six in the over. Tamim had got his timing back and dealt with crunchy fours and thumping sixes from there on. He brought his half-century off 61 balls. Junaid on the other hand was happily playing second fiddle to Tamim. Crowd was enjoying every shot from him hoping that he will reach his 4th ODI hundred. He hit one six after the other each an emblem of timing and class. He was in such a form that after hitting a six over deep mid-wicket he came down the track again against Cremer who pushed the ball wide off the off-stump but he still managed to hit it over long-on with ease. Going for another couplet of sixes in the next over bowled by Dabengwa he holed out just five short of what would have been a sparkling hundred. The crowd was stunned into silence as the local boy failed to complete his hundred. Although Shakib Al Hasan departed soon afterwards but Junaid sailed the Tigers home in 43 overs without any more drama along with Mushfiqur Rahim.  Junaid made 56 not out.

Tamim was named the Man of the Match while Man of the Series was Abdur Razzak. With this win Bangladesh rounded off their World Cup campaign in good shape. As they will play most of their matches at home they have more than a realistic chance of getting through to the second stage. Who knows with this current form we may see them in the Semis.
 

A Catch that Won a Miracle

World Cup Classics: Prudential World Cup – final, Lord's, London, 25 June 1983

T20 cricket is the most popular form of the game now. It is because of T20s that new horizons are opening up for cricket like Asian Games and possibly Olympics in future. It is because a nation of 1.2 billion people and the cricket powerhouse won the inaugural trophy in 2007. T20s progression has been unstoppable ever since. Butt all this was just a repeat of history which was made about 24 years earlier at Lords. India at that time was considered a minnow in ODIs. But the world cup win under Kapil Dev not only transformed the future of the game in India but it provided a catalyst for its global spread. The format which was out of bound for them became so popular that their fans considered it to be the best thing since sliced bread. World cup win in 1983 changed the face of India and fate of its people. It may sound a bit exaggerated but steps like these instill belief in the minds and passion in the hearts of a nation which kick-start a new journey of change and development.

In the first two world cups India had only one win. It was against an associate member, East Africa. They had been upstaged by another associate Sri Lanka in the previous cup. And the state of their game was symbolized by Gavaskar’s ‘marathon’ innings of 36 off 174 balls in the first world cup. Indians simply were not cut out for limited overs version. After thrashing at the hands of traditional rivals Pakistan a few months back captaincy had changed hands. Gavaskar was snubbed and Kapil Dev the 24 years old ace all-rounder was handed over the reigns. With this change, attitude changed. India beat West Indies in an ODI in their backyard in March 1983 under Kapil. Snail like Gavaskar was striking at nearly 80 and traditional spinners gave way to medium pacers who could strangle the scoring rate and get wickets in the process by adding pressure. Man at the center stage was the captain himself who contributed in all departments of the game, scoring runs when required the most, taking wickets at crucial stages and setting example in the field too. India was transforming but no one took them seriously when they landed in UK for the Cup. The odds were 66-1 on an unlikely Indian win before the tournament.

India had won their opening encounter against the defending champions but were beaten savagely by Australia. West Indies took revenge in the next game but the match which turned the world Cup on its head was against Zimbabwe. Reeling at 17 for six, Kapil Dev played one of the best ODI knocks not only to bail India out but signal the start of something special. They beat England in the semis handsomely. Now those who were laughing off at the prospect of an Indian win started to sulk. Those who did not pay attention started to think of victory as an out side chance. Kim Hughes must have been trying in vain to hide his smile as he was the only man who had tipped India as ‘dark horses’ before the World Cup.

Clive Lloyd won the toss and elected to field first at Lords where 24,609 spectators were anticipating a hat-trick of West Indian wins.  In the tournament batting proved to be difficult early on in the innings. Joel Garner and Andy Roberts started throwing thunderbolts at the Indian batsmen. Gavaskar went cheaply caught at the wicket off Roberts. Garner was nearly unplayable but could not get early wickets. Kris Srikkanth was dealing with quartet of the pace battery with a brave heart. He hooked a ferocious Roberts bouncer for six and then cracked a square driven four while on his knees. The tempo was set but he departed somewhat prematurely after making 38 off 57 balls. Most of the remaining batsmen added bit by bit and India was dismissed for 183 in the 55th over. Next best batsmen were Sandeep Patil and Mohinder Amarnath who contributed with 27 and 26 respectively. Roberts took three while Marshall, Holding and Gomes chipped in with two wickets each. A small target indeed for the mighty Caribbean men. Lunch would have been tastier for Lloyd than for Kapil.

West Indian openers strolled out to bat to complete the formality. Balwinder Singh Sandhu produced the ball of his life, a vicious in-swinger which Greenidge left alone to be bowled quite embarrassingly in the second over of the innings.  Then entered the king, Viv Richards who typically started hitting the ball all around the ground as ferociously as he was chewing his gum. With Haynes he put on 45 runs until the latter was dismissed by Madan Lal. Then came the moment which changed the match and metamorphosed Indian cricket for ever. Richards batting on 33 off 27 balls was looking all set to shut the match for India. After hitting a flurry of fours he chose to hit Madan Lal for a pull over mid wicket. Kapil like a man destined for glory saw the ball go towards mid-wicket. He ran towards it from mid-on looking up and taking long strides rather than sprinting. The ball was dropping toward his right and in front when he hung out both his hands to hold on to the catch and effectually the trophy. Richards not knowing what was to follow disappeared into the pavilion chewing away the gum without a break.

Clive Lloyd came to the crease to ensure smooth sailing from there onwards. But he too departed early handing an easy catch to that man Kapil again at mid-off. Having watched Larry Gomes dismissed the previous over, it was an irresponsible shot from an over-confident captain. Three wickets had gone for just nine runs in quick time. The situation had become tricky now and West Indians started feeling the pressure. But when Sandhu removed Faoud Bacchus to leave the West Indies at 76 for six, West Indians suddenly found they had lost all their batsmen with only Jeff Dujon on the crease. The spectators and commentators still could not believe what was happening out there. Indians were ecstatic and ever more expectant now. There were broad smiles on their faces and they were coming hard at the remaining batsmen. Dujon and Marshall orchestrated a fighting 43 run stand for the 7th wicket. At this juncture Kapil introduced Mohinder Amarnath to bowl his gentle medium pace. Through his swing and accuracy he swung the match indubitably towards India. Dujon looking set at the crease tried to leave an in-coming ball and played on to signal the end of West Indian resistance. Then it was all formality as the tail-enders danced to the tunes of the Indian bowlers and West Indies were dismissed for 140 in 52 overs.

A billion people burst into joy and tears when Amarnath took the final wicket of Michael Holding getting him plumb LBW. Holding was left utterly disappointed and gutted as if he was on his way to turning the tide despite the fact that they still required 43 runs in eight overs. It was such an unexpected outcome, such an upset. Amarnath took three for twelve off seven overs while Madan Lal took three and Sandhu two wickets. For his all-round performance Amarnath was named man of the match but the turning point of the match was indeed that catch by Kapil.

When Kapil Dev lifted the trophy at Lords he might not have realized what impact this win would have on One Day International form of the game. He had inspired his team through his all-round skills by scoring 303 runs and taking 12 wickets in eight matches. He also took seven catches in the tournament. He truly became a living legend. He had started a new era for India which laid the foundation for them to become a future cricket power.

R.I.P New Zealand

Post Match Review: 5th ODI; Chepauk, Chennai 10 December 2010

After shambolic performances in the first four ODIs, New Zealand had little chance they could lift themselves up for the final match. Throughout the series it was not India who were unbeatable rather flatness of the Black Caps was the reason they were easily rolled over by a new look Team India. The battering that was handed to them by Gambhir and co in the final match not only resulted in second successive white-wash but also showcased some serious problems in the mental aspect of their game. They showed some resistance in only one out of ten innings in the series.  We know they have a knack of lifting themselves up in big tournaments but how they will be able to achieve this in not-so-distant World Cup looks as intricate as Australia winning the Ashes.

Vettori did not hesitate to opt for batting on a batting friendly pitch despite heavy cloud cover and a forecast of rain later in the evening. New Zealand strengthened their bowling by replacing Andy McKay with Grant Elliott while Zaheer was rested for Praveen Kumar to have a go. Kumar made the overcast conditions win over the docility of the pitch when he moved one away from Guptill who edged behind to halt New Zealand before they could even start. First over was a maiden as if it were a test match but second over made us wonder was it a T20 international? McCullum blasted Nehra for three fours in the second over to collect thirteen runs. After a quiet over again from Kumar, McCullum tried another care-free shot and missed the ball to be out LBW. New Zealand needed to play ODI cricket not test or T20 for sure.

Taylor and How needed to put the innings on track. They had to play safe as well as keep the score moving. It was asking too much from these two out-of-form players. Taylor clearly was caught between two minds when he tried to pull a surprise short one from Nehra hence he gloved it to the keeper. Styris walked out to rescue his team. He could not cash in on a dropped chance and followed his batting partner How who was bowled by Yuvraj a short while ago to the pavilion. Reeling at 76 for six after twenty overs New Zealand needed some miraculous efforts from captain Vettori and in form Franklin. But wickets continued to tumble and New Zealand were packed for their lowest ever total against India. The job started by pacers was finished by spinners to bundle New Zealand out for a paltry 103 in just 27 overs. A capitulation, an ignominy on a relatively flat deck indeed!

McCullum brothers combined to draw first blood straight away in the very first over when India came to bat. Prolific Gambhir had to depart soon followed by the other pain-in-the-neck for New Zealand Virat Kohli two overs later. The game is indeed a great leveler but this law applied only hitherto as it did not turn the Black Cap’s fortunes from there on. Parthiv Patel and Yuvraj Singh finished the game in the 22nd over by scripting a forceful 97 run partnership. Both remained not out with Patel on 56 off 70 balls and Yuvraj on 42 off 46 balls with six fours and two sixes. For his all-round performance Yuvraj was named the Man of the Match. Gautam Gambhir captaining for the first time was the Man of the Series.

New Zealand head home after a series which had started brightly for them with two drawn tests but ended miserably. They will, next, face Pakistan at home which will be their last chance to put their acts together prior to the World Cup. While India are in perfect shape to go into the Mega Event as hot favorites. Good thing for India was that they did not get complacent after winning their matches. Although cricket is a funny game but there is no alternative to hard work and form; even the luck favors the brave. Most of the time!

When Zimbabwe Surprised Themselves

World Cup Classics: 3rd match, Group B at Trent Bridge, Nottingham 9 June 1983

The Prudential World Cup was staged in England in 1983 for the third time running and it turned out to be the one that changed the game for ever. India dramatically upset the West Indies in the final denying them their hat-trick of World Cup triumphs. It set in motion the change in the power balance in ODI cricket by inculcating belief among the Asian Nations that they could compete against the traditional super powers of the game namely England, Australia and West Indies. It was a world cup of surprises with India beating West Indies twice while new comers Zimbabwe handing a humiliating defeat to Australia. Pakistan were only a shadow of the team which had excelled in the previous world cups as captain Imran played only as a batsman due to shoulder injury while Australians were a team marred by in-fighting and factionalism.

When Zimbabwe captain Duncan Fletcher was asked to bat by Kim Hughes on a sunny morning the odds were 200-1 for his team’s victory. When the openers Ali Shah and Grant Paterson strolled out to bat they were clearly nervous. Geoff Lawson and Rodney Hogg opened the bowling but could not get early breakthrough as Zimbabweans negotiated the new ball with some stubborn batting display.  Introduction of Lillee and Thomson could not deter them either. An ageing Lillee soon became frustrated and had a few verbals with Paterson when he collided with him twice. But Lillee in the end got both the openers out at the score off 55.  At 86 Graham Yallop got two more wickets for Aussies through his medium pace. On the stroke of lunch Andy Pycroft was bowled by Border to leave Zimbabwe in trouble at 94 for five.

Captain Duncan Fletcher was nervously asking ‘what it was like out there’ from Pycroft during lunch break as he was the next man in. But he and Kevin Curran put on a remarkable 6th wicket partnership of 70 runs. He was dropped early on but then played a fighting and vital innings for his team. Curran was given out controversially as he was sure David Hookes had taken the ball on bounce at gully. He took ages to leave his crease. Iain Butchart joined his captain and played a few delightful shots in his 34 off 38 balls to share an unbroken 73 run stand in 13 overs. Fletcher remained not out on a brave 69 off 84 balls including five fours. Australians fielded miserably dropping as many as five catches apart from claiming two dubious ones. Lillee and Yallop claimed two wickets each.

Graeme Wood and Kepler Wessels started leisurely for Australia and put on 61 runs for the first wicket. Zimbabwe bowlers were bowling straight at nagging length giving nothing away. Vince Hogg and Rawson though could not get breakthrough but they strangled the batsmen as a result asking rate steadily climbed. Captain Fletcher himself drew the first blood when he induced an edge from Wood to keeper Houghton who took a stunning catch. He immediately removed Aussie Captain Hughes for naught to make it 63 for two. Zimbabwe had a setback when they lost Vince Hogg through a muscle strain. He was bowling quite miserly at his end. Australia had six left-handers out of top seven batsmen and off-spinner John Traicos bowled a tight leg stump line which made scoring difficult for them. He beat Hookes four times in one over during his exceptional spell of bowling. Although he was unlucky not to strike but gave away only 27 runs in his 12 overs in the middle of the innings.

Zimbabwe fielders backed their bowlers well by fielding brilliantly. They took some excellent catches as well as saved crucial runs. Fletcher removed Hooks and Yallop in quick succession and when Kepler was run out for 76 through a brilliant direct hit by Heron Australia was in a spot of bother at 138 for five. Then Border was brilliantly caught by Pycroft at the boundary edge to leave Australia gasping for air. Lawson departed to make it 176 for 7. At this hopeless position Rodney Marsh tried to slog Australia out of the hole along with Rodney Hogg. They needed 53 runs in the last five overs. Marsh made an entertaining 50 off 42 balls with three fours and two sixes but the match was already in Zimbabweans pocket when the last over started. Although he hit a six in the last over bowled by Rawson but could not do much afterwards as Rawson bowled full and into the pads making it difficult for him to hit. Fletcher took four for 42 and was named man of the match for his all round performance. He later acknowledged that they only realized they could win when the last over started. The crowd became violent when the match ended and Zimbabweans left the field utterly happy as well as stunned.

The match was overshadowed by two more matches being played simultaneously on that day specially the one between England and New Zealand. Furthermore this match was not covered by BBC due to the strike of their staff members. On top of that voting was on for Margaret Thatcher’s second term on the very same day. Despite all this happening elsewhere Zimbabwe had scripted a fairytale in the World Cup folk lore which will never be forgotten by all those who love and live cricket.

Yusuf’s Brutality Sinks New Zealand

Post Match Review: 4th ODI; India v New Zealand at Bangalore, Dec 7, 2010

With India having won the series already it was a dead rubber for them and an opportunity for some experiments. They brought in Praveen Kumar and Saurabh Tiwary for Munaf Patel and Ravindra Jadeja respectively while Parthiv Patel got a game as Saha had already departed for South Africa with the advance party. For New Zealand the series was not over as they had to win to get their pride and confidence back. McCullum was fit enough to bat and keep so Tim Southee came in for Hopkins and Jamie How replaced Williamson.

India again put New Zealand in after winning the toss under somewhat overcast conditions. New Zealand changing their tactics and mindset went after the bowling from the word go. They collected three fours in the second over bowled by Kumar to set the tone. Guptill and Mccullum departed after scoring some quick runs. After the brisk start they needed some consolidation which was provided by Taylor and Styris with a 79 run partnership.

They took batting powerplay after 37 overs but the very next ball Taylor got out LBW to Ashwin. Vettori joined James Franklin who was playing frankly at that time. In the quest of quick runs Vettori and then Kyle Mills departed in rapid succession being clean bowled by Yusuf Pathan. Indian bowlers experienced mauling and controlled brutality which they least expected from New Zealand. Franklin went bananas in the last over bowled by Nehra and looted 22 valuable runs with two sixes and two fours. He was dropped off the penultimate ball which went for four. Franklin needed three runs off the last ball to get to a hurricane hundred but a yorker restricted him to just a single. He finished with 98 off 69 balls just short by two runs from what would have been the second fastest ODI hundred for New Zealand. Last five overs yielded 63 runs putting the Black Caps in perfect position to end their losing streak.

India started cautiously with openers Gambhir and Parthiv Patel taking time to get the measure of the wicket. They  changed gears in the fifth over bowled by Mills when Patel cracked two fours. Patel was playing crispy shots on both side of the wicket with ease. Both had moments of luck when they got a four each through vacant first slip. But Andy McKay jolted India by taking two quick wickets of Gambhir and in form Kohli. At 68 for two in ten overs  India slowed down a bit as Yuvraj was settling in. Just after passing hundred in the 18th over India lost Yuvraj and Patel through Nathan McCullum. In between these two dismissals Vettori had got Sharma caught behind but Amish Saheba missed a clear edge. To add to Vettori’s bewilderment he did not consider giving him LBW either when he was plumb in front. India was wobbling at 108 for 4 after 20 overs with asking rate touching seven.

Yusuf and Sharma decided to play their natural game and through lusty sixes and fours shared a stand of 80 runs in almost 14 overs. With rain around the corner Sharma holed out to Vettori at mid-off for 44 off Southee. Drizzle had started when Tiwary walked out to support Yusuf. They were behind on D/L and it was Yusuf who could reverse that equation for them. But play stopped after 36 overs as rain became heavier with India 15 runs behind on D/L at 203/5.

After a break of about an hour the play resumed and resumed with a bang. Yusuf smacked the first ball from Vettori for a massive six over long-on. He was playing without any fear as if playing in IPL. He hit Kyle Mills a humongous six which landed on the roof at deep mid-wicket. India needed 81 runs in the last ten overs as the drizzle started again. Next two overs yielded only nine runs but Yusuf punished Mills in the very next over with three fours and a six to collect 21 runs. Rain had stopped as Yusuf’s bat rained runs in that over. He brought up his maiden hundred with a huge six off McKay over long-on off just 79 balls. McCullum let go four byes as New Zealand withered under pressure. India needed only 27 runs in the last four overs. Yusuf hit a low full toss away for six in Southee’s next over which was followed by Tiwary’s two straight driven fours. Tiwary hit a straight six to seal an exceptional win for India in the penultimate over. They won by five wickets and the hero Yusuf remained not out on 123 off just 96 balls including seven fours and same number of sixes. They shared an unbroken 6th wicket stand off 123. Man of the match Yusuf got his best bowling stats of 3 for 49 runs and his highest score in this match.

New Zealand just could not match India in both form and belief. After India was 108 for 4 it was almost over for India but Yusuf played a gem and snatched victory from Vettori’s grasp. Can New Zealand lift themselves from this demoralizing loss to win the last match before leaving India empty handed? Only time will tell.

A Low Scoring Thriller at Leeds

World Cup Classics: Pakistan v England Headingley, Leeds 16 June, 1979

Second cricket world cup was eagerly awaited after the success of the inaugural one in 1975. Pakistan was placed alongside strong England, depleted Australia and minnows Canada. Hot favorites West Indies easily topped the other group through trouble-free victories over India, Sri Lanka and New Zealand. After one-sided low scoring matches and an upset defeat of India at the hands of Sri Lanka the fans at last saw a nail-biter at Leeds between two of the pre-tournament favorites, Asif Iqbal’s Pakistan and Mike Brearley’s England.

Asif Iqbal chose to field after winning the coin on that damp Headingley morning. Imran Khan took Brearley in the very first over and Derek Randall too did not last long. Geoff Boycott and Graham Gooch put on a slow but important 3rd wicket stand of 47 runs. Sadiq Muhammad took a brilliant catch at gully to remove stubborn Gooch off the bowling of Sikandar Bakht. He made 33 off 90 balls. Majid Khan instead of bowling his medium pacers chose to bowl off-breaks as he was struggling with his fitness. He proved effective that way too and removed Boycott, Gower and Botham to leave England wobbling at 115 for six. Gower and Botham were going smoothly on a difficult wicket but both got clean-bowled by Majid. Captain Asif Iqbal then struck twice to nip out Phil Edmonds and Chris Old to make it even more precarious 118 for 8. England were going nowhere as Pakistan went for the kill. But England tail did not give in to the pressure and Bob Taylor along with Bob Willis brought England back into contention with some gritty batting display. Willis was bowled by Bakht for invaluable 24 runs off 37 balls with 3 fours while Taylor remained not out on 20. Majid and Bakht both took 3 wickets apiece. They finished at 165 for 9 in 60 overs. For a batting line up as good as Pakistan’s it was not a big target to achieve.

Majid Khan and Sadiq Muhammad started safely for Pakistan. At 27 for no loss they had negotiated the early storm but Mike Hendrick struck Pakistan like lightening. He ran through the top order to leave them reeling at 34 for six. Hendrick removed Majid, Sadiq, Mudassar and Haroon Rasheed while Botham took out two big guns Zaheer Abbas and Javed Miandad. After demise of the big names it was still not all over for Pakistan. They had three quality all-rounders in Asif Iqbal, Wasim Raja and Imran Khan along with keeper Wasim Bari to drag them out of the hole. Man of the crises Asif played a captain’s knock and started resurrecting the innings. First with Raja he put on 52 to halt the slide and then with Imran he was looking all set to take his team to safety. But Bob Willis got Asif out through a slip catch by Brearley. He made 51 off 104 with 5 fours, the only fifty of the match. It was a crucial breakthrough for England. Brearley was juggling his bowlers around wisely and putting pressure on the batsmen to score freely as well as tempting them into false strokes. Imran who was playing an unusually sedate innings put on valuable 30 runs with Bari for the 9th wicket but Brearley introduced Boycott who enticed Bari to a false stroke.  Last pair needed 21 runs but Sikandar Bakht repeated the same mistake and in trying to hit an innocuous delivery was caught by Hendrick at mid off. Imran remained stranded at the other end and left the field fuming while Bakht was hanging his head in embarrassment. Man of the match Hendrick took 4 for 15 in 12 overs with 6 maidens while surprise package Boycott took 2 for 14 in 5 overs.

Crowd went berserk as the world cup had lit up for England because this win ensured that they meet New Zealand instead of West Indies in the semi-final. On the other hand Pakistan was left disappointed on both accounts; they lost an easy match and were left to face the might of defending champions in the knock-out stage.

Rain Ruins Pallekele’s Debut Test

Post Match Review: 3rd Test; Sri Lanka v West Indies at Pallekele, Dec 1-5, 2010

West Indies came to Sri Lanka under new captain with new hopes and appetite for the game. Once rulers of world cricket they were languishing at number 7 in ICC test team rankings. Sri Lanka on the other hand was the number three test team and on home ground they are difficult to beat. First test was drawn owing to the brilliance of Chris Gayle while second test was affected by weather and again no result was possible. Rain continued to play spoil sport and washed away most of the third test match to end the series nil-nil.

Kumar Sangakkara won the toss and asked Darren Sammy to bat first under heavily overcast conditions. Dilhara Fernando replaced Nuwan Kulasekara for Sri Lanka while West Indies made two changes with Devon Smith and Nelon Pascal coming in place of Adrian Barath and Shane Sillingford. Australian umpire Bruce Oxenford also made his test match debut. Start was delayed due to rain with more rain predicted over the next few days too.

Play at last started but in a dramatic fashion when Suranga Lakmal got danger man Gayle out LBW first ball. Darren Bravo the man hailing from Lara’s town came in to join Devon Smith. Both played safely till lunch and then continued till early tea was taken due to rain interruption. Smith was sedate and cautious but Darren Bravo showed some glimpses of his talent. His off-side play specially was awesome and with his high back-lift and demeanor at the crease a certain BCL was distinctly remembered. Both put on 115 runs for the first wicket before Devon Smith was found plumb in front off Mendis after making 55 runs. He was earlier dropped by Samaraweera in slips. Chanderpaul joined Bravo at the crease. Fernando was bowling well but without luck as another chance off his bowling was missed this time by ever reliable Jayawardene at third slip.  Darren Bravo who had reached his third successive fifty of the series by now looked all set to cash in on the dropped chance and play a big knock. At 134 for two the first day’s play was called off due to bad light.

Play started on time on the second day. A maiden hundred from Bravo was eagerly awaited by every one. But the dream was shattered by Fernando who got him LBW. His 68 included ten delightful hits to the boundary. Brendon Nash and Chanderpaul continued to frustrate Sri Lanka by some dogged batting display. Nash completed his thousand test runs and hung around with his partner till lunch. Chanderpaul departed soon after his 55th test fifty by giving a smart slip catch to Mahela off a Mendis googly. Dwayne Bravo could not last long as he went for a duck expertly stumped by Prasanna Jayawardene off a Rangana Herath beauty. West Indies ended the day at 244 for 5 with Nash 62 not out.

Sadly third day’s play was completely washed out due to continuous showers. Only twenty more overs were possible on the 4th day as rain continued to intervene. But during this little period of play Herath showed his class by removing three more batsmen. West Indies ended the day at 303 for 8 with Benn playing interesting little innings of 29 runs including two sixes. The final day was also rained out. Rangana Herath was the pick of the bowlers with four for 54.

The drawn series was a big boost for West Indies as it helped them narrow the gap towards 6th place while Sri Lankans were left disappointed as they slipped down two places to be at number five.

India Burry New Zealand

India vs New Zealand, 3rd ODI, Vadodara, 2010, Post Match Review

New Zealand needed to win the third ODI to remain in the series. They made two changes with fit-again Brendon McCullum and James Franklin replacing Jamie How and Tim Southee. India on the other hand rotated their players and Zaheer Khan came in place of Sreesanth and Ravindra Jadeja replaced Suresh Raina. Gambhir opted to bowl after winning the toss.

New Zealand openers strolled out in the middle under pressure to provide a confident start. But second ball from Zaheer and confidence of New Zealand team nose-dived into the deep sea of frustration as McCullum gave a regulation catch to second slip. Zaheer could have had Williamson in his next over but umpire Tarapore misread a plumb LBW call. It was all happening on Zaheer’s end. After hitting a four and a massive six in Zaheer’s 3rd over he ran himself out when he could not beat Gambhir’s direct hit at the non-striker’s end. At the start of bowling powerplay Zaheer struck again when he induced a faint edge behind off Taylor’s bat and New Zealand was now on the mat at 34 for 3. They just could not build partnerships. Munaf Patel joining in the demolition act got Williamson LBW to dent them further. Scott Styris could have added further to the New Zealand woes but a simple chance was missed by Yusuf Pathan at first slip off Munaf. Ashwin got Styris and New Zealand had lost half their side for just 77 runs in 23 overs. Vettori too failed to get his team out of the hole but he gifted his wicket to local boy Yusuf by guiding a turning ball to Yuvraj in the slip. Yusuf induced another edge to the leg slip and this time Hopkins was on his way. From 106 for 7 New Zealand surely had no hope but Nathan McCullum played a gutsy knock of 43 off 53 balls and shared a stand of 94 with Franklin who made a fighting 72 runs. They finished with 224 for 9. Zaheer, Pathan and Ashwin shared two wickets each.

Indian openers started well again with Gambhir starting off from where he left in the previous match. He took three fours in a McKay over who was struggling against him yet again. At the end of the mandatory powerplay they were 73 for naught with asking rate of only 3.80. Surely New Zealand would have opted to concede the match voluntarily if rules could permit. After surviving a dropped catch at the hands of keeper, Murali Vijay ran himself out for 30 with India sitting comfortably at 115 in 18.4 overs. New Zealand would have hoped for some quick wickets to have a chance of a miraculous recovery but in-form and India’s best ODI player of the year Virat Kohli ensured the contrary. Gambhir and Kohli remained intact till the end seeing through their team for a thumping victory once again. Captain again made an undefeated hundred, 126 0ff 117 balls with 16 boundaries while Kohli feasted with 6 fours and two sixes in his 63 runs. Gambhir again was uncontested for the man of the match award. India finished the game in the 40th over winning by nine wickets and taking the series 3-0 with two more games remaining.

New Zealand is heading for another white-wash and time, according to Brendon McCullum is running out for them with World Cup just few months away.