Tugga Talk
Indians are due a final victory
The perfect final between the fiercest rivals in modern sports is going to take place at the Wanderers on Monday. The two sides are pretty similar because they are young teams led by young captains, eager to redeem themselves after a very forgettable World Cup.
Both India and Pakistan are entitled to feel that they are the ones who have the edge, though Pakistan look like the form team, with their bowlers coming good in almost every game. The more experienced members of the side like Shahid Afridi seem to be enjoying the team environment, which is helping them to perform to their full potential. Like India, Pakistan too are playing without stalwarts like Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammed Yousuf and Shoaib Akhtar. This is helping the lesser-known players, who seem more comfortable in their own skin, and are playing without the burden of expectations.
The story is not too different in the Indian camp. If Pakistan are the form side, then India are the ones with the momentum. They have played some high-intensity games in the tournament, which has helped them improve with every outing. I also feel the Indians are due a final victory. They have come close on a couple of occasions in the recent past, so maybe their time has come.
As mentioned earlier, the Pakistan has been relying on their pace bowlers in the tournament so far, but things might not be too easy for them at the Wanderers because the opposition will know what to expect. For the Indians, it has been their batsmen, particularly Yuvraj Singh, who has influenced many of the games. The latter has been in great form, and while he seems to be hitting sixes at will, he is playing authentic cricket shots most of the time. He does not seem to be under too much pressure, confident in the knowledge there are some other big hitters in the side to continue the onslaught if he gets out.
The Indians need to continue what they have been doing so far - playing with freedom, remaining relaxed and not worrying about the results. There is a lot at stake on Monday, but it's important that the players enjoy the occasion, just like they did against Australia. There is no doubt that the final is being played between the sides that have produced the best cricket in the tournament. Both Pakistan and India are going through a generational change, which is reflected in the enthusiasm and energy they display on the field.
The Australians would feel that they were penalized for the excellent form of their openers in the tournament, Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden’s good form meant that the middle order had very little exposure to match situations right till the semi-finals. It was difficult for the likes of Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin to score 10 an over when they had hardly spent any time in the middle. Perhaps the world champions did not give the tournament the respect it deserved from the outset, and not surprisingly they fell one step short of their target, something that cost them a place in the finals.
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