Pakistan wipe loss from minds before final re-match
PAKISTAN have “closed the chapter” on their trouncing by India in the group stage of the Champions Trophy and intend to prove the point in today’s final at The Oval, coach Mickey Arthur has said.
Arthur described his team’s performance in the 124-run loss at Edgbaston as an “aberration”. He is confident that, with key seamer Mohammad Amir recovered from the back spasm which ruled him out of the semi-final win over England, Pakistan can consign their Birmingham misadventure to history.
Arthur said: “The India game was an aberration. What we’ve produced after that doesn’t come as any surprise, because that’s how we trained, and that’s what we worked at. It was very disappointing to see that go wrong in the Indian game, but ... we’ve closed the chapter on that. We’re now moving forward.”
With Amir back in harness, Pakistan will focus on their seambowling strength and try to expose an India middle order which has barely been needed while those further up the list have been piling up runs at an average of almost 100 per wicket.
“Our strength has been the fact that we’ve been able to take wickets,” Arthur added. “If we can get amongst them with the new ball, we can expose the middle order that hasn’t batted much in this competition – so that’s pretty much our aim and focus.”
A global broadcast audience of more than half-a-billion was being projected for the match and centre stage when it comes to carrying the hopes of 600 million cricketcrazy India supporters will be the defending champions’ captain, Virat Kohli.
However, his stellar career has made him an expert at setting aside the scrutiny and pressure.
Kohli said: “You can’t think of those things when you step on to the field. I know there are expectations but you have to maintain a balance and then focus on what you need to do. I think I’ve been able to strike a good balance until now and I’m sure I’ll be fine tomorrow.”
On Pakistan’s merits, Kohli added: “On their day, they can beat any side in the world. That’s the kind of players they have, we’re quite aware of that. But neither are we too intimidated, nor are we too arrogant about what we are doing.”
India off-spinner Ravi Ashwin is expected to be fit despite taking a blow to his right knee from a stray throw in fielding practice at The Oval yesterday.