DEW or no dew, the Pakistani victory at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata was heart-warming. For a side that is still learning the ropes, it takes a lot to perform creditably in front of that huge mass of people that was there on that day. While skill is the key ingredient, it is as much about big-match temperament on the part of each individual. It is fair to say that on the day of the match, the Pakistanis were up to the mark on both counts.
It is a pity that the scheduling of the match has meant that the encounter is already a distant memory, not because of any lack of worth or something, but simply because it came on the eve of Eid, and the festive holiday took some gloss off it, for there is generally so much more to do on such occasions. But that of course takes nothing away from the victory itself.
With the aid of hindsight, it is easy to say that Sourav Ganguly, the Indian captain, played a huge gamble by electing to bat first, and that the gamble didn’t come off well. However, it was not a decision without logic, as I see it. The game plan was simple and obvious to even a part-time follower of the game. It was focussed on putting up a mammoth total on the board, which would have put enough pressure on the Pakistanis even while taking into consideration the dreaded dew factor.
The start was not bad, as by the 20-over mark the run rate was touching six per over. The finish, of course, was superb with Yuvraj Singh getting under the skin of the rivals with consummate ease. It was in the middle overs that the Indians got bogged down, the credit for which naturally goes to the Pakistanis, especially to Shahid Afridi. Had it not been so, Ganguly would have got his target score of around 325-330, and an additional 30-35 runs would have made a huge impact on the final outcome of the game. As it happened, the match still went down to the last six balls of the game. Had there been a 30-run cushion for the Indians, they might just have made it big on that day.
It would be unfair not to have a word here about Salman Butt and his superlative innings at Kolkata. In the final analysis, it was his innings that took Pakistan across the victory line. It was a mature innings and must have given a lot of heart to the team management ahead of the Australian outing. Equally, the team management would have also learned the right lesson from its decision to send Yunuus Khan at the top of the innings. It just does not make sense to defend the decision to field a player on the wrong position by saying that the player happens to be “a good team man”. It is like suggesting that the others are not chipping in on that count. First, it can’t be true. Second, if it really is true, it does not augur well for the unit.
While the victory was sweet, as all victories are, it would be a folly to read much into it. And while it came as a good exercise in public relations for the PCB, I am sure those who matter would be as aware of the tough prospects ahead as they should be. There is much to be done, and done rather quickly.
DEW or no dew, the Pakistani victory at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata was heart-warming. For a side that is still learning the ropes, it takes a lot to perform creditably in front of that huge mass of people that was there on that day. While skill is the key ingredient, it is as much about big-match temperament on the part of each individual. It is fair to say that on the day of the match, the Pakistanis were up to the mark on both counts.
