The Indian cricket squad arrive in this country right on schedule with welcoming cheers from the fans, but with the severest-ever security arrangements. The team, coming here after a gap of over 14 long years for a full tour, had a first experience of the friendly environment in Lahore, though police and rangers were in full strength. The weather was, according to the players' expectation, similar to New Delhi and Chandigarh.
The visiting pack has already its first exposure to Lahore's super-charged atmosphere, the ground and the strips. Both the arch-foes start the main one-day battle at Karachi's National Stadium with cricket starved spectators likely to jampack the stands, wishing to witness exhilarating cricket. The stadium too has been made spick and span for the big occasion, even though Karachi has been given the hosting right for one shorter version game due to security fears, following in the footsteps of the earlier visitors, South Africa and New Zealand, even though Bangladesh found the situation in Sindh's megapolis as congenial as possible.
Cricket followers and critics consider the Indian bunch to be relatively stronger than its rivals in Pakistan after the gutsy fight given by it in an alien setting and surrounding against World champions, Australia. A drawn Test series was good enough to see the Indians' all-round capacities, especially its adventurous batting. Many think that Sachin Tendulkar will be the key striker of the ball and a Tendulkar-Sehwag opening stand will lay a solid foundation for a large total.
Then if Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and V.V.S. Laxman are sound and organised batsmen they can be expected to make respectable contributions. If Kaif and Yuvraj Singh get going and use long handles a tall total may not be difficult. In batting the visitors are supposed to have an upper hand in the limited-overs trial of strength.
Whatever may be the attacking skill of the Indian batsmen, especially Tendulkar, on flat wickets it cannot be denied that all of them had their lean periods Down Under even though two leading match-winners viz Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne were unavailable to play for different reasons.
Many enthusiasts of the game are of the opinion that Pakistan has a better array of seamers. However there will be duels between Tendulkar and the Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar, rated as the fastest modern-day bowler. Shoaib yorker both Dravid (24) and Sachin (0) with successive deliveries in the Asian Test championship at Calcutta's Eden Gardens in 1999. But the Master Blaster Tendulkar had his revenge in last year's World Cup with the a hammering that he gave to the Pakistani bowlers and a stunning six over point off Shoaib was too exciting for the onlookers to behold. Shoaib was hit for 72 in 10 overs in the last World Cup. Shoaib concedes his weakness in the South African fiesta. Yet he claims that past is past and he is a considerably improved trundler. There are less no balls and wides. There is also a stress on maintaining good line and length. Then I am consistent, says Shoaib.
Sports experts are agreed that the three Ss-Shoaib, Sami and Shabbir - are the main weapons in the Pakistani attack and the Indians will have to strain themselves out to deal with them. Then the variety provided by Saqlain Mushtaq, a crafty off-spinner of the classification of Muthiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka and Shahid Afridi, inducted into the side after a long wait, will create problems for the Indian lineup. Whatever may be the depth of the Indian batting Pakistan's bowling will be a difficult proposition for it.
The Pakistani experts feel that Rana Naveedul Hasan, a young pacer, is a better seamer than Razzaq. He also employs the reverse swing.
Keen observers of the game feel that the exclusion off Kumble and Agarkar from the Indian pack due to injuries has made the Indian bowling comparatively weaker than the Pakistani outfit, having fire and pace and shrewd spin.
However, they landed the attacking skills and panache of Zaheer Khan and youngster Irfan Pathan, both left-hand fast medium. Spinner Power is yet an unknown quantity and cricket think tanks do not feel that he can be very effective on the fast tracks of Pakistan where explosive speed will carry the day.
Pakistan's batting will mainly revolve round the experience and flair of Inzamam ul Haq, the captain, Yousuf Youhana, his deputy, Abdul Razzaq, and the pinch hitter, Shahid Afridi, who has to be careful in his choice of strokes - not every ball has to be despatched to the fence, even though he has to his credit a century in 37 balls against Sri Lanka in Kenya in 1997. Shahid is also a fine fielder and a cunning leg-breaker. Razzaq, the all-rounder, like the previous one-dayers, may turn the wheel of match against any sort of bowling, his attacking spirit is admired by all and sundry. His style and flamboyance may be compared with Sehwag, Ganguly and Yuvraj of India. Let us see how Razzaq fares against India in the limited-overs confrontations and the Tests.
Some critics are of the view that Pakistan will have an ascendancy over India when the ball gets old for the reverse swing of the Pakistani speedsters - Shoaib and Sami - will make a world of difference. Whatever may be the claims of the Indians that they learnt the secrets of reverse swing from Wsim Akram in Australia the Pakistan speed merchants are head and shoulders above the Indians.
Fielding and toss too may play their roles but in Australia the Indians were quick and alert. They may be superior to their adversary in this department. One hopes coach Javed Miandad has honed up the Pakistanis' pickup and throw. One expects sure catching from the Pakistanis.
A prediction, especially in cricket, is hazardous but every fan of the game will expect a battle royal between the two outfits, fully trained end ready for a bitter contest.