India calm, Pak excited before final
Two will clash in the final for the first time; India are eyeing their third title, Pak their maiden
SOUMITRA BOSE
Sunday will be a unique day in the sports history of India and Pakistan. While the cricket teams will battle in the final of the Champions Trophy at The Oval, the arch-rivals will also clash at the Olympic Park in a match of the FIH World Hockey League Semifinals. But both cricket and hockey will be in their respective realms as focus and composure will be key as Pakistan eye their maiden Champions Trophy win and India their third.
This year’s Champions Trophy has seen several twists and turns. Three Asian teams making the last four of the world event is a huge statement of the sub-continent’s domination.
If holders India were one of the fancied sides, Pakistan’s amazing turnaround has been an eyeopener. This is the first time India and Pakistan will clash in the Champions Trophy final, and under the circumstances, there will be no favourites.
Pakistan, who have never been in the final of a Champions Trophy, came in as the lowest ranked side. No one gave them a chance after India walloped them by 124 runs in their opening group B fixture. But Pakistan stunned favourites England by eight wickets in the semifinal and India blew away Bangladesh by nine wickets to set up a dream final that is sending the ICC and the broadcasters laughing all the way to the bank.
After being on the road to London from Birmingham on Friday, India were back at the nets on Saturday morning. Under a blazing sun, Virat Kohli’s men spent an intense three hours dominated by fitness drills.
Football plays a big role in training these days. In David Beckham’s country, the likes of Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya were practising setpieces – banana kicks and putting the ball between two wickets (read goalposts). The set-pieces will be significant in terms of the match on Sunday. Irrespective of the teams, both batsmen and bowlers will have to eschew flamboyance and build a pace that will be ensuring solidity throughout the 100 overs.
AMIR FIT TO PLAY
Pakistan’s bowlers, particularly left-arm pacer Mohammad Amir is fit to play. He is perfectly capable of the banana swing, although the white ball hasn’t swung much in UK. But reverse swing and cutters will come into play and Hasan Ali, Pakistan’s ‘bombshell’ seamer, will be the man that India’s top order needs to handle.
India are unlikely to change the XI that hammered Proteas and Bangladesh. With a taped right knee, there is slight doubt on R Ashwin’s full fitness but India will need him against a team that has specialist lefthanded batsmen. If Ashwin is out, Umesh Yadav may be back.
Pakistan will be targeting India’s top three for sure. Although Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Kohli have scored buckets of runs, they will treat the Pakistan attack with respect. Early wickets will expose the middle order which has not been tested. But Virat Kohli is nonchalant. “The middle order is waiting for an opportunity and guys like Hardik Pandya can produce that match-winning performance on a big day,” said the skipper.
THE IPL FACTOR
In hindsight, the IPL seems to have done good to the Indian players. The entire team is used to playing pressure games and the squad looked in a comfort zone of another world final.
Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur said his players were “excited” for the final match and the mood is upbeat. “The loss against India was an aberration. We have trained hard and if we have beaten England, I am not surprised. The young team has no fear of losing and we are backing ourselves,” said the experienced South African coach.
India may be the form team but this Pakistan team is a galvanised lot under an intelligent captain Sarfraz Ahmed. The wicketkeeper batsman is unlike a boisterous Shahid Afridi and wants his team to do all the talking with its batting, bowling and fielding.