Inputs that constitute the core of splendid cricket were transparent as Pakistan made the usually confident and powerful India play second fiddle in a Super League match of the Asia Cup and brought the latter down by 59 runs at Colombo's Premadasa Stadium.
India denied their arch-rivals the flawedly set but important bonus points but victory stunned the onlookers at the Sri Lankan venue and those watching the duel live on TV and discussing its outcome in their drawing rooms.
Before the start of the tie the result, in the opinion of the experts, was predictable but as Pakistan won the verdict against India the tournament was thrown in the unpredictable zone. But to the regret of Pakistan and their fans, Sri Lanka lost the key match to India by a head in a thriller under lights and before a full house of Premadasa Stadium. Jayasuriya, the experienced warhorse, played a brave and planned innings of 130. The Indians were certainly unnerved but his fall in the 47th over made the task of the islanders difficult and impossible for the tail-enders. India sneaked into the final.
The Sri Lankans were a weakened set due to the absence of magician spinner Muralitharan, attending his grandfather's funeral rites in Kandy, the unwell medium-pacer Vaas, and the injured Zoysa, who could not bowl the last two overs, in which the Indians could not have taken liberaties.
Misgivings that had cropped up after the disastrous slippage against Sri Lanka in the first Super League fixture gave way to optimism in the Pakistani camp when the team controlled the trend of the match against India right after the fall of Imran Nazir's wicket in the first over.
Cricket watchers were surprised by the inconsistent and wayward bowling of the Indians, particularly by the usually reliable and accurate Balaji, and the meek challenge put up by their solid and impregnable batting-line, which was supposed to be capable of hitting a high total. Maybe there was complacency in the whole bunch, maybe it was a bad day for skipper Ganguly and the lineup. Perhaps no proper paper work had been done by the Indians who dismissed Pakistan, especially their batting, as unreliable and uncertain, and not gritty. The Indians were also in a spot while batting under light, an advantage snatched by Inzamam after winning the toss.
It is too early to say that it was a sweet revenge against India for the losses inflicted on Pakistan in the recent one-day and Test skirmishes. But certainly Pakistan should now be reckoned as a major entity in cricket seeing that India is next to Australia in international rating and Sri Lankans cannot be kept at bay on their own soil, as they exhibited an all-round and gallant show against India in the preliminary round and pushed them into the claws of defeat. The first-round result may be inconsequential but it shows the resilience and pugnacity of the islanders.
The bonus system, absurdly chalked out, apparently did considerable harm to Pakistan's chances of reaching the final despite knocking up an impressive score of 300 on a foreign venue. Bob Woolmer, the Pakistan coach, expressed his displeasure over the rules which did not allow the victors to gain the points despite having an upper hand throughout the match and gaining a big margin in victory. The bonus point should have been close to the target, Woolmer opined.
However, critics would like to know why the Pakistani batsmen showed panic in the 40-over period instead of playing in the normal sensible and aggressive way to touch a total of 330 plus. One finds that both Tendulkar and Irfan Pathan took advantage of the atrocious and irresponsible batting exhibition of the lower order of Pakistan. The deliveries were just ordinary with no venom or viciousness in them but the Pakistani sweep or rash uppish hits gave the bowlers the wickets to the discomfiture of the Pakistani supporters. Was 300 a better score or a total above 330. India would not have been able to cross a target of 250 to earn the bonus point, howsoever the system maybe erroneous.
It seems that the gamble of Woolmer or captain Inzamamul Haq has been successful in trying Shoaib Malik at the one down position. Malik had demonstrated swift footwork and good judgment at the lower order positions but in the crucial match against India his bat was refined and trenchant. With confidence and ease Malik, even though just 22, helped the Pakistan total move swiftly with a cavalier game. There was bloom in every stroke of the batsman, whose 143 was a real gem. Then Malik proved that he was an all-rounder in the true sense by removing of all the batsmen, the great Tendulkar, and earlier the hard-hitting and well-set Yuvraj Singh. Though there were 38 extras by Pakistan bowlers they mostly stuck to the principle of line and length. The trio of Sami, Shabbir and Razzaq were excellent in seam bowling. The only spinner used gave the expected result. But why so many sundries. That too took away the bonus. One finds that day by day cricket round the year is telling on the form of the Indian players. Sehwag, Dravid and Kaif are getting stale and unsure in stroke-making. The fitness of some of them like Laxman has become doubtful. Even the bowling has strayed off course. The winning machine of India has become deficient.
Pakistan's loss to Sri Lanka was sorrowful but belatedly the formation clicked to make amends. But what was the gain? They could not make an entry into the final.