Pakistan thumps India by 134 runs, takes unbeatable 3-1 series lead

Pakistan innings

The Tendulkar imbroglio had been settled finally. He was coming to Toronto, but would play only the final match. Jadeja was already here however, and would be playing today. We wondered how much this would help India. Jadeja doesn't really inspire a lot of confidence. India should have asked for Sachin and Kumble in time for the fourth match. If only the Indian Board was a more decisive organization.

Srinath and Agarkar opened proceedings on a sunny Toronto day. We were back to the first match pitch which had become more batsman-friendly by now. Still a touch dodgy to drive on, but playing truer than on the first day. Anwar and Afridi started opening up their shoulders soon enough, and we settled down to what already looked like a run-feast.

Despite the fast run-rate, Anwar wasn't looking his usual fluent self and went too far across to one from Agarkar and lost his leg stump. Agarkar looked very ordinary today. His strength is his fuller length and swing. Neither was in evidence today. Sohail came in and took his time to play himself in. Not looking totally comfortable, he got beaten a few times outside off by Srinath but stayed on to play a crafty knock helping Afridi build a big partnership. Ganguly came into the attack and immediately, Afridi waded into him, picking one off his toes effortlessly for six. Sohael edged one through the slips for four more and the Indian attack was beginning to look a bit threadbare. Prasad replaced Agarkar and was promptly dispatched out of the ground by Afridi for six and then through midwicket for another four. Afridi was running amok. Ganguly was contemptuously dismissed over midwicket for six and the poor, unsuspecting Kanitkar was hoisted over long-on twice. Afridi had reached his 100 in what seemed like no time. A powerful innings, he'd stayed focussed throughout. He tends to throw it away at times when looking set. This innings must have pleased the Pakistan management.

Joshi who was into the attack by now was bowling exceptionally. Getting a fair bit of bite off the pitch, he was showing a lot of variation and was giving the ball just that bit of flight to induce doubts in the batsman's mind. Not a lot of air, but enough of it. He deservedly got Afridi as the batsman tried out to hit out after he'd got his 100, holing out to Agarkar at long off. Inzamam started looking in ominous touch soon after. When he was 12, Azhar dropped a regulation catch off Agarkar's bowling at short midwicket. Sometimes, in cricket, everything goes against you.

Joshi got one to go on with the arm and Sohael who didn't seem to have edged it was given out by Steve Dunne. We felt happy for Joshi though, he'd bowled with a lot of verve. Pakistan 194/3 in 34 overs. Sohael gone for 46. A very useful knock. Inzamam immediately square cut Prasad for four and late cut another. When in the mood, Inzamam makes it look all very easy. He cover drove Srinath and then hit the boundary boards at midwicket with a resounding thump, as he swung Ganguly just above a leaping Jadeja for six. On a pitch which wasn't seaming, Ganguly was looking very pedestrian. Srinath got Inzi for a very well-made 78 and Malik at the end, but the damage had already been done. Pakistan were a whopping 316/6 at the end of 50. Except for Joshi and Srinath to an extent none of the Indian bowlers distinguished themselves. Afridi played a controlled knock by his breezy standards. Inzamam's was obviously the classier one. India have a long battle ahead of them in the afternoon.

India innings

316 is a huge total to chase by any standards. Without Tendulkar, this Indian batting line-up looks a bit rudderless. Just goes to show how much he contributes to the team by his mere presence. When he's there, Ganguly becomes the ideal left-handed foil. Azhar can afford to relax a bit, not go for the bowling from the word go. Sidhu needn't try to go down the pitch every time a spinner comes on. Jadeja can come in, in the slog overs. You can experiment with Mongia at one-drop. There is purpose, there is direction.

Here, India started off steadily, but when the score got to 26, Ganguly played across one from Mehmood that kept pretty low and had his stumps rearranged. Mongia came in, edged one through the slips for 4 and immediately essayed a very ungainly cut at a wide ball to be caught by Inzamam at slip off Aquib. Aquib reserved his best spell of the tournament for this match. He was getting the ball to swing away late and troubled everyone. The best Indian batting was in the phase that followed. Sidhu looking confident despite one or two uncertain flashes outside off, and Azhar looking very good. It has been a funny tournament for Azhar. Twice he has looked very good, once he got totally out of depth against Mehmood. But, never has he gone onto make a big score. Sidhu and Azhar got stuck into Zahid in his first over. For once, Zahid didn't bowl well. He was I think trying too hard. But once Azhar fell playing a half-hearted cut-slash at Sohael and edging to Aquib at short third man, it was all over bar the shouting. Sidhu stayed on to hit a good 62, before going down the pitch blindly to Sohael, and getting stranded almost in mid-pitch. Even Sohael was getting the ball to turn a bit. Sidhu might just have extended his one-day career by a few months.

Dravid walked in, and soon after was walking back, caught short on the third run by a fine throw from Afridi on the fence. Afridi could do no wrong today. Someone in the press contingent commented that, that was about the only mode of dismissal Dravid hadn't got out to. Cricket is a bit cruel at times. Agarkar, Joshi and Jadeja all pottered around a bit after Kanitkar had gone the Dravid way, run out again by Afridi. Afridi is a fine, under-rated fielder. Saqlain cleaned up the tail and Jadeja to cap off another great one-day spell. He is almost impossible to score off sometimes. Pakistan has the luxury of resting Mushtaq Ahmed and still win. That surely says something about the depth of their bowling talent.

India in the end were beaten by the huge margin of 134 runs. Pakistan were better organized and more purposeful. Miandad has been a strong, guiding influence. They need a strong, shrewd man at the helm. That is the nature of their cricket and their cricketers. At long last, after Imran's departure, they seem to have found the right man.

Contributed by: Krishna Kumar (latecut@hotmail.com)