BANGLADESH DENIED FINALS BERTH

A bitter nostalgia was haunting the Indians at the beginning of the match against the home team, the team which had smashed India’s World Cup dreams. And in that context, the result would have pleased many on a hot Thursday evening. Yes, I mentioned evening, as the match was over in the first hour itself.

Electing to bat, Bangladesh found why Praveen Kumar is the buzzing word in the Indian house hold now. With a good deal of lateral movement, Praveen Kumar, dented the confidence of the tame Bangla Tigers and let Rp do the remaining job. With a miserly spell, Praveen made it a test match environment going at one run per over most of the time. Chawla chipped in again with some useful overs at the middle. Ashraful scratched around for some time before Y Pathan ended his misery. If not for Hasan’s efforts Bangladesh might have been embarrassed.

The Indian innings followed a now familiar path. Gauti and Viru laid a firm foundation, followed by some sizzling stuff by Rohit and Yuvi. Gauti was at his best again continuing from where he left against the hapless Pakistanis, making an unbeaten century in the process. Bangladesh never had the bowlers to hamper the Indian flow when they are on song and the match had an early finish.

India is well on its way to a podium finish at the finals. The Kitply cup is virtually in the Indian Kitty unless a miracle happens.

VIRU, PRAVEEN AND Y KHAN DESTROY PAKISTAN

Yes you read it right. It was the Pakistani senior pro Younis Khan who helped India to topple Pakistan. The usually agile Younis Khan dropped Gambhir twice in the slips to fritter away the early advantage for Pakistan. Khan’s Lapse in concentration, Akmal grassing Viru, some off colour bowling, uninspiring captaincy and sluggish in fielders, meant that India won by a huge margin.

Batting first, Viru and Gambhir made use of the early advantage, continuing their good form in the IPL. Gambhir, though lived dangerously, repeatedly stepping down the track, without much success. But he had nothing to worry, as he had the comforting presence of Y Khan’s butter fingers at the slips. Viru began in a subdued style, showing some signs of rare maturity. But that obviously didn’t last long. Soon Viru began a ferocious onslaught. The Indians were never below 6 per over most of the time. Yuvi continued from where the openers left and that meant India posted a mammoth target.



Facing a Herculean task, Pakistan virtually surrendered, Praveen Kumar making merry trapping the top three Pakistanis. The difference between the two teams was there for everyone to see especially when Rohit Sharma plucked a catch out of thin air to send a bewildered Salman Butt to the pavilion. Akmal and Misbah tried to wrestle back some momentum. Akmal especially was severe on anything short and wide. But he played one shot too many and that signaled the end of the Pakistani resistance. Malik’s face saving innings was more a proof to himself of his skills. Chawla completed the formalities for India. It was a total team effort by India.

Pakistanis managed to bury themselves in a self dug grave. With a captain who was hesitant to think out of the box and fielders who were hesitant to throw themselves around, the bowlers had no choice but to endure the stick. That stopped their winning streak of 12 matches which was mostly against the minnows. Hopefully the Pakistanis would get back to where they belong for the sake of some interest in this series.