
This fortnight has shown that predicting the outcomes of any Twenty20 game amounts to naivety. And when it8217;s a World Cup final involving two teams that have tied their previous game presumptions can be perilous. But here are a few points that Indians need to keep in mind before the game against Pakistan and make it a memorable and melodramatic Monday.
Virender Sehwag: Should stick to the plan of guarding his wicket in the initial overs. Needs to guard against Mohammad Asif8217;s in-cutter 8212; the weakness that the Pakistani pacer has exploited in this tournament and also in the past.
Gautam Gambhir: Needs to be wary of the unusual angle that the wrong-footed left-armer Tanvir Sohail gets with his incoming ball.
Robin Uthappa: The free-flowing No.3 should guard against Umar Gul8217;s toe-crushing yorker.
Yuvraj Singh: Can do no wrong these days, but in case he takes the contest of the longest hit too seriously trouble is in store for him.
MS Dhoni: Has been India8217;s Captain Cool but for the final he has to be super cool. World Cup final against Pakistan will be see his biggest test so early in his captaincy stint.
Rohit Sharma: Will get the first feel of a big pressure game and the street smart Pakistani bowlers with mind-numbing variations.
Irfan Pathan: Shouldn8217;t get too ambitious and stick to his below 130-kph balls stump-to-stump bowling style and use the slower ball diligently.
S Sreesanth: Like against Australia should just stare, keep his mouth shut and let the ball do the talking. And in his final over if he manages to get a Hayden kind of wicket he can start drumming the pitch.
RP Singh: The most consistent and most level-headed bowler in this tournament. Just has to be himself.
Harbhajan Singh: Don8217;t try the doosra even if the match seems to be in the pocket. Remember Yasir Arafat8217;s late charge in the last game.
Joginder Sharma: Has to remember that there is a thin line that separates the yorkers from juicy full tosses.
For Team India: Remember India have never lost a World Cup game against Pakistan.
The external factors
Pitch: Absolute belter, typically another Johannesburg wicket, where scores in excess of 200 should be the norm. The dry hot weather won8217;t give much to the fast bowlers except a bit bounce, and that might help the spinners too.
The toss: MS Dhoni has won five tosses in a row, and has batted first. All teams have generally preferred to chase, and won. Dhoni has always preferred to bat first but in India8217;s only match here against New Zealand, Dhoni decided to chase and lost. That was India8217;s only defeat in the tournament.
Crowd support: Johannesburg is no Durban. Expect a subdued support from the stands for both teams, despite the sold out board.