Boom or bust for India

MS Dhonis men need to win todays match against Pakistan to all but seal a final berth in the Asia Cup

Shahid Afridi doesnt fancy recalling the nightmarish fielding of his side when they dropped Sachin Tendulkar four times during the semi-final of the World Cup in Mohali,nearly a year ago. Afridi,leading the team then,watched helplessly Tendulkar was spilled on 27,45,70 off his own bowling. The India batsman was given another life when on 81 as Umar Akmal dropped him off Mohammad Hafeez.

It was understandable then,that on the day before Pakistan took on India for the first time since Mohali,they were put through the wringer by newly-appointed fielding coach Julian Fountain. In a contest that is billed as one between Pakistans incisive bowling and Indias explosive batting,the Englishman was doing his best to eliminate the possibility of butterfingers blunting his sides edge.

For Pakistan,other than all-rounder Abdul Razzaq,captain Misbah is set to field a bowling line-up very similar to the one that played against India at Mohali.

An important part of the Pakistani bowling unit,who has only grown in strength in the last year is Saeed Ajmal. The off-spinner still cant believe that his leg before shout to a ball that pitched within the stumps and hit Tendulkar in line,which was initially ruled out by umpire Ian Gould,was reviewed successfully by the batsman. Tendulkar was on 23 then. The Ajmal doosra was a delivery neither Tendulkar nor the rest of the India batsmen picked that day.

While medium-pacer Wahab Riaz,who scalped five in that semifinal,hasnt played a game this tournament,Umar Gul and spinners Afridi,Hafeez and Ajmal have all bowled well on these slow Sher-e-Bangla wickets. Gul generated a hint of reverse swing towards the end of the Bangladesh innings. As impressive was the disciplined lines maintained by the remaining attack that day,with nine of the 10 Bangladesh batsmen dismissed either bowled or LBW.

With two wins under their belt,Pakistan seem to have put behind a listless 4-0 loss against England during the ODIs where their bowling was distinctly off-colour. Currently,Ajmal,Gul and Cheema,in that order,sit atop the wicket-takers list in this Cup.

Pakistan have always had an edge in bowling department,while India has always been a batting powerhouse, said Misbah. This is a chance for players of both teams to prove themselves. People remember a good performance in an India-Pakistan match for a long time.

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At the same time,the Indian bowling has been an antithesis of Pakistans,with the attack failing to contain the rampaging Bangladeshi batsmen during the five-wicket loss on Friday. That result makes this game against Pakistan a must-win for India,if they want to keep matters within their own hands. Three India batsmen Gautam Gambhir,Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar have made centuries,while the duo of MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina have come good in the death overs.

It all boils down to this for Dhonis side. India must recover fully from the physiological blow of the loss to Bangladesh ahead of the game. More importantly,their bowlers,who received a hammering at the hands of Bangladesh,must raise their game.

Live on Neo Cricket: 1.30 p.m.