Sport

Pakistan needs to lift its game

Mohali: For a team with Pakistan’s pace weaponry, its 1-4 one-day record at Mohali is a touch ironical. India, on the other hand has prospered on the country’s liveliest surface (which has changed now), winning five out of its seven matches.

The two teams had clashed on All Fools Day in 1999 at this venue, with Pakistan completing a comfortable win; but history could be rendered useless on Thursday. Clashes between the two are heavily reliant on the moment.

Looking at a more recent past, Pakistan looked flat at Guwahati. “The 8.30 a.m. start possibly didn’t agree with most of them I guess,” joked coach Geoff Lawson on what went wrong in the series opener. On a more serious note, he added that the whole team needed to lift its game. A quick change in fortunes is never beyond Pakistan.

Harbhajan Singh and Murali Kartik made it a laborious period of batting for the Pakistani middle-order at Guwahati. “It helps when you have another good spinner bowling at the other end. Kartik has been bowling well. Not just in the recent matches, but in whatever chances he’s been given,” said Harbhajan.

Dew is often a disrupting force in day-night matches at Mohali, which tends to bring it down to the toss. Efforts are being taken to reduce the impact of the dew on Thursday, including using the super-sopper and chemical sprays; but the team fielding second will be in for some difficulties.

Lawson accepted the disadvantages for the team fielding second, but was positive that teams could work around the problems. “Everybody wants a fair game, and wants to make sure the better team wins instead of one team getting more of an advantage. Changing the ball often might be a way out of it,” he said.

As expected, Harbhajan refuted suggestions that the indecisive issue of Test captaincy would disturb the Indian team’s focus. “It’s not a distraction at all. The important thing is to play good cricket and enjoy the match. Whoever is made captain will try to make the team win, and that is what we have to focus on now. We are all looking forward to the match,” he said.

The Indian spinners’ good performances mean that team discussions could revolve largely around the fast-bowling combination.

The Guwahati pitch wasn’t up to the mark, but watching batsmen paddle-sweep the Indian fast-bowlers, even if occasionally, was worrying. A helpful pitch might pressurise them into performing. One good spell is what it takes to get a bowler into rhythm.

The Indian eleven will be announced on Thursday morning. Pakistan is likely to go in with four quicks in keeping with the conditions. The pitch had some grass on it, though Punjab Cricket Association curator Daljit Singh said that it would make for a good one-day wicket. “Such wickets are good for cricket,” said Lawson.

Teams: India: M.S. Dhoni (captain), Gautam Gambhir, Sourav Ganguly, Harbhajan Singh, Murali Kartik, Zaheer Khan, Praveen Kumar, Irfan Pathan, Virender Sehwag, Rohit Sharma, R.P. Singh, Sreesanth, Sachin Tendulkar, Robin Uthappa and Yuvraj Singh

Pakistan: Shoaib Malik (captain), Younis Khan, Abdur Rehman, Fawad Alam, Iftikhar Anjum, Imran Nazir, Kamran Akmal, Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf, Salman Butt, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Akhtar, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul and Yasir Hameed

Umpires: Ian Gould and Suresh Shastri. Third umpire: A.M. Saheba. Match Referee: Roshan Mahanama.

Match starts at 2.30 p.m.

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