Indo-Pak cricket in the ‘80s and ‘90s was full of superstition — like playing a Friday final meant Pakistan’s win was a given, while a Saturday schedule suited the Indians. The Indians were supposed to be gentle souls, firmly vegetarian — though there wasn’t a formal veg/non-veg head-count taken, and nor was there a science-paper published linking not eating meat to not being mean. But, they generally ended losers. Pakistan, on the other hand, were boisterous, ate everything, had factions in their team and more captains than one could count. But they always won. In Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s playing time — four years since his debut, the equation has changed dramatically. India win more than they lose, but it sounds daft to attribute that to green labels turning red on their food packets. The tri-series organisers even bypassed the Friday — 13th too, if that adds to the creeps — when the schedule for the final was drawn up. Surely, Dhoni would want to believe that the Indians have been winning in the recent past for other, cricketing, reasons.His rival camp is in disarray on the eve of the final of a series that wasn’t meant to be more than a filler. Trust Pakistan to hit the pits in a matter of four days. They’d contrived to lose by the biggest margin ever to India in the league game on Tuesday, and suddenly the captain wasn’t bowling well, or enough, or at all, to the big sides and the ‘keeper was claiming a catch which had kissed the grass, and was being heckled for the morality of his reflex appealing. First their bowlers leaked 38 extras, then an e-mail sent by the board chairman to the management, demanding an explanation for the poor show, got leaked to newspapers. Reeling from the ultimate expulsion of Shoaib Akhtar, and then the detention for drugs of Mohammad Asif, Pakistan couldn’t have planned a more spectacular plunge ahead of the final, wherein heads will roll in case of another debacle.On the hottest day of this month in Dhaka, Pakistan were sweating over multiple issues, with a win on Saturday seeming the only mode of redemption. But then, the ‘80s and ‘90s folklore is also replete with real instances of Pakistan being pushed to the corner. Known to thrive in such situations, the green shirts were aces at striking on the counter, and considered most dangerous when bitten. Pakistan’s teams of the past could do that — remember how they rallied to win the ‘92 World Cup?A 12-win streak, inflated unnecessarily since it was stringed with results against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, was snapped by India’s triumph the other day, but questions were raised the next hour after the defeat — in public and in that leaked mail — over captain Shoaib Malik’s fitness and competence.While keeper-batsman Akmal has struggled for runs up the order, Pakistan’s problems compounded that day because both Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf went cheaply. Earlier, Wahab Riaz had gone for plenty, Malik never brought himself on, and the end overs provided no succour. While scripting all their counter-attacks in the past, Pakistan always enjoyed the commanding leadership of a strong captain. The team too — with its young set of pacers, struggling batters and Afridi’s routine Peter Pan reincarnations — doesn’t seem to exude the character of the old fighters.But you discount Pakistan’s mercurial ways at your own peril. Yousuf, who fancies Indian attacks, or Sohail Tanvir, who’d be wondering where he left his purple patch of the IPL a fortnight ago, can turn it on any given day. Sohail Khan, untested and unknown to the Indians, is waiting to be unleashed. History has it that Pakistan’s pacers — Akram, Aaquib or Waqar in the past — have stormed onto the scene as instant-impact bowlers.Wahab Riaz had a shockingly pedestrian game on Tuesday, and Geoff Lawson, who rubbished suggestions that the track may take spin, wouldn’t mind replacing him with the strapping man from NWFP. While Dhoni refused to snoop into the neighbour’s matters, Lawson said his side were focused on the final. “The email hasn’t bothered the squad. We’re very concerned about winning the game tomorrow,” he said in a snappy media interaction. Statpack• This will be will be the 10th final and first in nine years between India and Pakistan in limited overs competitions. Pakistan have won six and India three in the nine previous finals.• India have won two and lost one in the three-match finals between the teams in Bangladesh. They achieved an eight-wicket victory in the first final of the Silver Jubilee Independence Cup in Dhaka on January 14,1998. Pakistan had won the second by six wickets two days later at the same ground. India clinched the title by beating Pakistan by three wickets.• Pakistan have won 66 and lost 44 in 114 one day internationals played between the two teams. The remaining four matches did not produce a result.• Pakistan also have a good record against India at ‘neutral venues’. They have won 36 and lost 25 in 62 matches. Two matches ended with out a result.• In 31 day/night matches played between the two teams, Pakistan have won 17 while India have won 14.• In the last 10 matches the two teams have played, India have won seven and lost three. India’s 140-run victory in this tournament was their biggest in terms of runs over Pakistan.India vs Pakistan in finalsPlayed: 9 India won: 3 Pak won: 6World Championship Melbourne, 1985India beat Pakistan by eight wicketsAustralasia Cup Sharjah, 1986Pakistan beat India by one wicketWills Trophy Sharjah, 1991Pakistan beat India by 72 runsAustralasia Cup Sharjah, 1991Pakistan beat India by 39 runsIndependence Cup, 1st final Dhaka, 1998India beat Pakistan by 8 wicketsIndependence Cup, 2nd final Dhaka, 1998Pakistan beat India by 6 wicketsIndependence Cup, 3rd final Dhaka, 1998India beat Pakistan by 3 wicketsPepsi Cup Bangalore, 1999Pakistan beat India by 123 runsCoca Cola Cup Sharjah, 1999Pakistan beat India by 8 wicketsStatpack by S.PERVEZ QAISER
