India's loss against Zimbabwe at Faridabad was not the first time that they snatched defeat from the very jaws of victory. India's poor one-day record at the Nahar Singh Stadium now looks even worse after the stunning win that Zimbabwe pulled off in the first match of the five-game series on Thursday.

The body language of the Indian team in the last five overs of the match was that of a team trying to defend, when all they really had to was pick up two tail-end wickets to finish the game. The pressure also got to the umpires, one of whom handed out a poor decision against Tatenda Taibu.

It must be stressed, however, that the record has nothing to do with the ground, the weather or any external factors. India's failure to close the match in their favour was caused by some abject fielding and incompetent bowling that came to the fore when it mattered most.

The Indian captain did not do his team any favours through poorly thought out field placements and bowling changes. Sourav Ganguly needs to readjust his thinking cap and seriously think about on- field strategy. Such matters will go a long way in determining India's fortunes in the 2003 World Cup.

The real mettle of a player, captain or umpire shows only when he is under tremendous pressure. We saw, in the recent Delhi Test match, how a few individuals wilted under the pressure. It was no different in Faridabad, with number 10 batsman Douglas Marillier playing a do-or-die innings, even as Ganguly and his boys literally stood benumbed by the onslaught.

The body language of the Indian team in the last five overs of the match was that of a team trying to defend, when all they really had to was pick up two tail-end wickets to finish the game. The pressure also got to the umpires, one of whom handed out a poor decision against Tatenda Taibu.

Fortune is determinedly partisan to the brave; Marillier played one of the most stunning one-day knocks in recent memory. I must say that the self-belief this Zimbabwe team has shown on the tour is simply superb. I had mentioned this crucial element in my previous column as well.

Having said that, I thought Zaheer Khan bowled superbly. He was by far the best bowler on the day, although he completely lost the thread in his final two overs. In spite of the Marillier miracle, I single out the 111-run partnership between Andy Flower and Alistair Campbell as the one that laid the foundation of the sensational victory.

Chasing a target of 275 was never going to be easy, especially after Zaheer Khan had made early inroads by picking a couple of wickets. The senior Zimbabwe batsmen, however, played with a lot of determination against the double-spin attack of Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble. If Andy Flower had not fallen to Kumble, attempting an ambitious shot, those two would have made it look much easier for the visitors. Campbell also played an innings of character - the hallmark of the Zimbabwe team.

I thought the Indian batting plan almost worked to perfection. It was a good idea to open with Dinesh Mongia, and the Indian batting line-up had remarkable depth to it even without the services of Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag. It was particularly pleasing to see Ganguly and Mongia make useful contributions, as also the responsible manner in which VVS Laxman played.

Ajit Agarkar seems to relish the slog overs, and the quick-fire partnership of 63 runs with Mohammad Kaif helped India to post an imposing score of 274. Zimbabwe's bowling looked a bit over- enthusiastic, and it was, on the whole, a disappointing show by the visiting bowlers. Instead of attacking on just one side of the wicket, they bowled on both sides and gave away many runs in the process. Zimbabwe's fielding was, as always, very good, but they were made to look ineffective as the Indian batsmen calmly exploited the gaps in the field.

All credit to Zimbabwe, therefore, for a remarkable victory. India's pride has been damaged with this loss at home, and the result will make the next encounter at Mohali a truly engrossing affair.

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