India look formidable but there’s hope for England
ASINGLE moment. A big cheer. Typical of the day. India, having lost a star man to a dodgy hamstring, called on Vijay Shankar to complete the unfinished over with his first ever ball in World Cup cricket.
The immediate result: Imam-ulHaq lbw b Shankar 7. So Pakistan were 13 for one in reply to an untouchable 336 for five.
That is how it was at Old Trafford as India always emphatically found an answer to every question. They refused to be denied victory by the rain, or the fragile, flickering resistance of their noisy neighbours.
England face them at Edgbaston on June 30 and, my, that will be a genuine test of home aspirations.
This victory, by 89 runs under Duckworth- Lewis- Stern, was played in front of the most raucous crowd of the tournament and, we are told, magnetised a billion followers to their television screens. Even the Taliban are meant to have laid down arms to catch up with a sub-continental obsession.
It must be emphasised that for all the historical rivalry, the horn-blowing crowd of flag-wavers here yesterday were good-natured. Cricket is a balm not a sore in this enmity.
The foundation of victory was established by Rohit Sharma’s fabulous century, his second of the World Cup. He stroked 140 with precision from 113 balls.
Much of his masterly contribution was spent in the company opening partner KL Rahul, with an anchoring 57, and then captain Virat Kohli, who underscored his reputation as perhaps the finest white-ball batsman of them all by surpassing the 11,000-run mark in one-day cricket with his 77.
In achieving the feat in his 222nd innings, he became the fastest man to the landmark. Sachin Tendulkar, next most prolific, took 54 innings more to do so.
The statistics of doom were soon counting against Pakistan. India’s total was the highest ever at Manchester and more than anyone had ever chased down in a World Cup.
The tournament was crying out for the top four to be shaken up in these group stages, but that was unlikely from early on in proceedings. One possible curveball was the rain that fell twice towards the end of the Indian innings. Then, as Pakistan walked out to bat, some drizzle intervened, causing a further brief delay.
Some of the Indians lingered on the outfield — a statement that providence, like Pakistan, was no match for them.
This fixture is freighted with significance, given how little the countries play each other: no oneday series since 2013 after Tests were called off five years before.
So perhaps we should not be surprised that Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan, captain of the victorious 1992 side, offered his tactical advice on the morning of this rare encounter. Khan issued five tweets imploring his compatriots to ‘banish all fear’. He also called on Sarfaraz Ahmed, barring the pitch being damp, to bat if he won the toss. Sarfaraz did win the toss but fielded.
The pitch did not help the bowlers. And, short of the gung-ho spirit Khan sought to inspire, Sarfaraz retreated into a containing game within a few overs.
Pakistan’s best bowler was again Mohammad Amir, despite twice being warned for running on the pitch, and he pegged India back after the onslaught.
Generally, though, his team-mates were not slick or enterprising
enough. A bungled run- out attempt, Fakhar Zaman throwing to the wrong end, was emblematic of their shortcomings.
India came into the game having never lost to Pakistan in their six World Cup meetings and were further buoyed by having perhaps three- quarters of the support among the 25,000 crowd.
If you believe the official figures, 800,000 ticket applications were submitted. Armed police showed up, just in case.
After losing Imam-ul-Haq to Shankar, who had come into emergency service when bhuvneshwar Kumar hobbled off with a hamstring injury, Pakistan put on 104 for the second wicket through Fakhar and babar Azam.
Hope persisted among the olive green- clad supporters as the rebuilding job gathered momentum. but then came the slump, to leave them 129 for five.
Four wickets tumbled for 12 runs, including two to Hardik Pandya in successive balls.
Pakistan were being taken to the dhobi wallahs.
Rain stopped play again at 6.12pm with the DlS equation stating that 252 was the adjusted winning total. Pakistan were nowhere near it, being stranded on 166 for six after 35 overs.
The rain relented and the sides came back out. Pakistan were left to chase 136 off five overs. Even my maths says that’s absurd. FEARS OVER ROY — PAGE 77