Arch-rivals take on each other in mother of all clashes (Preview)

‘Real’ final before the summit clash

Arch-rivals take on each other in mother of all clashes

For some fans it is just a game of cricket but for majority in both Pakistan and India it is otherwise.  For some the encounter is war minus shooting and others feel it is the final before the finals. With a spot in world cup final in line and arch-rivals meeting in the semi-final, the excitement, drama, predictions, buzz, gossip and suspense in build up to the game being played at Mohali, Punjab on 30th March has been unprecedented.  Emotions are running high, so is the desperation. There is so much at stake-pride, history and perhaps a berth in world cup final. Legendary rivalry between India and Pakistan doesn’t get bigger than this.  The game warrants a clichéd warning ‘the game isn’t for faint hearted’.

Ever since India beat Australia in quarterfinal at Ahmedabad, most of India and Pakistan are talking about this encounter-dubbed as mother of all clashes- with fans in both neighboring countries having a belief that their side has in it to overpower other.

If that wasn’t enough, premiers of both countries will be there at Mohali to cheer for their respective teams after Yusuf Raza Geelani accepted the invitation from his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh to watch what is going to be a high voltage encounter. So much so, prices of tickets have sky-rocketed to manifolds in comparison to actual rates as fan rush to the ticket counters at Mohali has been humungous. VVIPs, VIPs, Bureaucrats, businessmen, politicians, bollywood stars and cricket administrators are making their way to the venue on 30th while millions of die-hard fans will be queuing infront of their TV sets to witness the biggest rivalry on the cricket field.

On their part, cricketers from both sides haven’t given much away as players maintain that they are very much focused on the game as any other game they have played in the tournament. It will be them, players know, who will have to perform in what would be a pressure cooker situation.  The focus and calm among the players is something seen never before an Indo-Pak game. Although, Pakistan have thrown the first verbal salvo with their skipper Shahid Afridi stating that  his team will not let master batsman Sachin Tendulkar to play big innings in this match.

March to the semis for the both teams includes some terrific wins and occasional hiccups too with Pakistan topping the group A and India grabbing second place in Group B. It was on- way traffic in quarterfinal with Pakistan routing West Indies by 10 wickets while India setting up Mohali showdown after defeating Australia in a hard fought battle.

Man to man analysis in batting department tells India is far ahead while Pakistan can boast they have a better bowling line-up than India. And, if one goes by cricket pundits, it will be a battle between famed Indian batting line-up and the tournament’s most varied bowling attack that Pakistan posses.

More than talent and skill level, it will be team that handles the pressure better on that day will have more chances of winning the game.

With the experience and jam packed boisterous crowd at Mohali that will be cheering their home team to the hilt, India start as favourites for the battle but Pakistan way they have played so far in the tournament might have different ideas to give their countrymen something to cheer about after witnessing a series of controversies in cricket in last five years of so.

India have a confidence booster in their hands as they have never been beaten by Pakistan in a world cup while Pakistan are yet to lose a game against India at Mohali.

The pitch at Mohali has traditionally assisted fast blowers and ball might seam around under lights. Team winning the toss, thus, might be tempted to bat first but then there will be dew factor in the evening to confront with.

India

In a pressure game, it is both opening batsmen and bowlers that set up the game up for their team. India will have world’s best opening pair in Sachin Tendulkar and dashing Virendar Sehwag to tackle strong bowling unit of Pakistan and both would like to get India off to a flying start and take attack to Pakistan in early stages of the game.

Middle order of India is a worry for the team management as barring Yuvraj Singh; batsmen have lacked consistency in the tournament and lacked fluency in the tournament so far. India would hope that they step up their game in the biggest game of the tournament. Skipper MS Dhoni has been out of form scoring only 125 runs in the tournament thus far but luckily for India his captaincy hasn’t been affected by the lack of runs.

Yuvraj has been the man of the tournament so far. Give him the ball and send him to bat at any number or at any situation, he has come up trumps and already four man of the match awards in the bag.

After victory over Australia, team will be happy with the way bowlers performed as Zaheer Khan and company was at their best at Ahmedabad. Zaheer has been the one of the seamers of the tournament using old ball to a great effect and given his team breakthrough at crucial moments.

Offie R Ashwin’s inclusion in the team has added some venom to the bowling lineup but for his senior partner Harbhajan Singh wickets have dried up in the tournament so far. Playing at home ground, Harbhajan would hope for change in his fortunes and has something to show in the wicket column after the game.

India fielding was their best effort in a long time diving around in and outside circle to help out their comparatively weaker bowling lineup.

Squad

Mahendra Singh Dhoni (c)(wk), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, Sreesanth, Yusuf Pathan, Piyush Chawla, R Ashwin, Ashish Nehra.

Coach: Gary Kirsten

Pakistan

None of the Pakistan batsman has a century to his name in this tournament so far which shows that batting wise Pakistan team is yet set world on fire. Yet they are in the semis all because of their strong bowling lineup.

It doesn’t mean that team doesn’t have talent in batting. There is a good mixture of youth, exuberance and experience that team management would hope to complement each other. Umar Akmal and Asad Shafiq have shown in the tournament what they are made from but much will depend on the pair of senior pros Younis Khan and Misbah ul Haq to give team a much needed stability in the middle overs.

In bowling skipper Shahid Afridi and fast bowler Umar Gul have been on song throughout the tournament and it will be interesting if Pakistan bring fast bowler Shoab Akhter back into the playing eleven. And, Saeed Ajmal’ off-spin and doosras makes Pakistan bowling lineup a potent one.

Afridi has been an inspirational leader and led from the front with the ball but yet to fire with the bat.

Fielding could well turn out to be a difference between the two sides as Pakistan’s fielding isn’t something they can be proud of.

Squad

Shahid Afridi (c), Misbah-ul-Haq, Ahmad Shahzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Abdur Razzaq, Kamran Akmal (wk), Syed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman, Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan, Shoab Akhter and Umar Gul

Coach: Waqar Younis