Sep 14: A variety of permutations and combinations is certainly churning out Indian think-tank’s mind before taking on arch rivals Pakistan, after sharing a point each with Scotland on Thursday as the match was abandoned due to persistent drizzle, in the crucial Tewnty20 league game at Kingsmead in Durban later tonight.
The chances of India are much brighter to make it to the Super Eight stage as the only possibility will be, which could show the men in blue the door, if India lose to Pakistan by bigger margin to have lesser net-run rate than Scotland’s (-2.5).
India will be through to Super 8 if they beat Pakistan and the other important aspect is that, Durban is seeing rains since Thursday, if today’s match will washed out then India and Pakistan will both make it to the next round. Indian team should also pray for rain as it will be favourable for them to get through to next stage
Pakistan who thrashed Scotland by 51 runs in their first match has a net-run rate of (+2.5) and is through to the next round. In the Group-D, Scotland has only one point after completing their engagements while India and Pakistan have two and one points respectively leaving today’s match.
According to South African Weather Service, there is a good sixty percent chances of rain today as well and if that happens then India would be the only team who will be in Super Eight’s without playing any match.
India against Pakistan is always treat to watch and people of both the country back home are dying to see their team’s victory at any cost. The Indo-Pak encounter exists in a parallel universe with full of nerve wrecking pressure for both the players of the teams. Even a Twenty20 World Championships Group match can not to be spared of this high intensity drama.
India will take on Pakistan in its Group D encounter on Friday and this will be their first meeting in this bang-a-second format. Even if they want to or might claim to, they cannot afford the comfort of treating this as any other match.
From a cricketing point of view, this could be an intriguing tussle between India’s brawny batting against the traditionally sturdy Pakistani bowling, even without Shoaib Akhtar.
Massive scores at Durban is unlike what was seen at the Wanderers, it might not be possible at the Kingsmead because of constant showers. The wicket here is less conducive for easy stroke-making when compared to a dry Wanderers pitch.
“The bounce here is more like a tennis ball bounce. We have to make the necessary adjustments,” Salman Butt said.
“It ( India versus Pakistan) is the biggest of all matches. The boys have a chance to make a name for themselves by doing well. It brings out the best in them,” Butt said.
Indian skipper has already said that he would like to bat first because of the winds, while Pakistan’s vice-captain Salman Butt said that he favoured the conventional option of chasing.
The conditions have assumed significance after the rain and could decide the final composition of the team. Both teams know that this match will be watched by billions of people and they have to rug out their skins out of the body for this highly electrifying and intense encounter.
History: Both the teams have not played any match against each other.
India Squad(From): M.S. Dhoni (captain), Ajit Agarkar, Piyush Chawla, Gautam Gambhir, Dinesh Karthik, Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, Virender Sehwag, Joginder Sharma, Harbhajan Singh, Rohit Sharma, R.P. Singh, Yuvraj Singh, S. Sreesanth and Robin Uthappa.
Pakistan Squad(From): Shoaib Malik (captain), Imran Nazir, Salman Butt, Younis Khan, Kamran Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Misbah ul Haq, Yasir Arafat, Iftikhar Anjum, Mohammad Asif, Umer Gul, Fawad Alam, Mihammed Hafeez, Abdur Rehman and Sohail Tanvir.
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