*** Official *** Pakistan in India

[Bouncer]

Pak were not going to go for the scores after india didnt declare overnight....had they declared overnight a target of 300 could have tempted Pak to go after it....but anything over that...Pak will be happy just playing out the final 2 sessions.

seems like the series is going to go to Bangalore with India 1-0 up, exactly same as last time!

 

[pup11]

Really boring cricket this and Pakistani's might regret going into a shell so early in the day because on a last day pitch if you let bowlers like Kumble and Harbhajan get into a rhythm by being over-defensive against them then you are asking for trouble because sooner or later they will get you, so its better to play each ball on its merit rather than blocking every damn delivery.

 

[Dissector]

One of the most astonishing deliveries I have seen in a while. Perhaps Munaf can re-invent himself as a spinner.

India in with a real chance now.

 

[pup11]

Really boring cricket this and Pakistani's might regret going into a shell so early in the day because on a last day pitch if you let bowlers like Kumble and Harbhajan get into a rhythm by being over-defensive against them then you are asking for trouble because sooner or later they will get you, so its better to play each ball on its merit rather than blocking every damn delivery.

I don't want to say it but just can't help myself, so here it goes.
Didn't i say so!

 

[Nate]

Yeah, pretty foolish move IMO.

 

[haroon510]

what the hell is yousuf doing?


he hasn't played good all year.. it is his chance to play good and a winning innings... not an innings to draw the match..

 

[Laurrz]

what the hell is yousuf doing?


he hasn't played good all year.. it is his chance to play good and a winning innings... not an innings to draw the match..

when Yousuf came in Pak were never gonna win

 

[Beleg]

i can't remember the last time pakistan had a lower run-rate.

 

[Dissector]

Not seeing the point of the slow-medium stuff from Zaheer. Looks like the game will drift to a draw after all. India needed a couple of wickets from Harbhajan from his 20 overs; the other bowlers have done their bit.

 

[JBH001]

Did Kumble leave the declaration too late?

 

[Dissector]

Poor captaincy by Kumble to give Harbhajan over after harmless over. He should have tossed the ball to Sachin to see if he could work some Calcutta magic.

Oh well. The draw sets up the series beautifully especially if Gul and Asif come back. Pakistan would gain a lot of confidence and would fancy their chances of doing a repeat of the last series at Bangalore.

 

[SJS]

Did Kumble leave the declaration too late?

I think so. I cant understand why Indian batsmen did not push harder for more runs yesterday. What was the point in Jaffer and even Karthik to an extent throwing away their wickets if Dhoni was to bat like this. Jaffer scored his runs at 75 per 100 balls and Dhoni inspite of the late flourish, got his at 60 !!

Ridiculous.

They should have got a few more runs yesterday and declared first thing in the morning.

 

[pup11]

I think so. I cant understand why Indian batsmen did not push harder for more runs yesterday. What was the point in Jaffer and even Karthik to an extent throwing away their wickets if Dhoni was to bat like this. Jaffer scored his runs at 75 per 100 balls and Dhoni inspite of the late flourish, got his at 60 !!

Ridiculous.

They should have got a few more runs yesterday and declared first thing in the morning.

AWTA! I just love it when you analyze things about a match and talk about things in hindsight and how they should have went.

 

[Dissector]

India batted too slowly in the last 15 overs of both their innings. Even in the first innings they should gone in ODI mode after the 550 mark. If you declare with lots of wickets in hand and you haven't accelerated your scoring in the hour before the declaration you have wasted all those spare wickets. It would be like scoring at four an over in the last ten overs of an ODI with 7 wickets in hand.

 

[Salamuddin]

India batted too slowly in the last 15 overs of both their innings. Even in the first innings they should gone in ODI mode after the 550 mark. If you declare with lots of wickets in hand and you haven't accelerated your scoring in the hour before the declaration you have wasted all those spare wickets. It would be like scoring at four an over in the last ten overs of an ODI with 7 wickets in hand.

I do agree that the Indians could have stepped on the gas more yesterday while however
I think the real problem is the bowling. India had Pakistan at 5-150 and couldn't win the match from there. Dravid made agood point before thr tour of England - that India really need spome juice in the pitch to have a chance of getting twenty wickets.
On flat tracks like this and at the Oval in September, India don't have the firepower to force the issue....

Also,. India need to take their catches...Younis was missed today and Akaml the day before and SAmi yeterday......that doesn't help.

 

[Salamuddin]

You've really got to wonder about Harbhajan's future as a test match bowler.....he is economical but he is just not threatening.


Its something that's been apparent to me for a while about his bowling - but no dout the selectors will continue to persist with him

 

[SJS]

AWTA! I just love it when you analyze things about a match and talk about things in hindsight and how they should have went.

Cant blame you for saying that but if I had visited this thread anytime yesterday, I would have said the same.

And its not great analysis. Anyone could see that.

 

[honestbharani]

Cant blame you for saying that but if I had visited this thread anytime yesterday, I would have said the same.

And its not great analysis. Anyone could see that.

As a matter of fact, I made that very point yesterday in my post in this thread.


Anyways, well played Pakistan... The real men of the match have been Akmal and Misbah and it was quite an amazing fightback and a wonderful display of character from both these men under real pressure... Now I think they will be the ones who willl go into Bangalore with their tail up... Gul and Asif, if they do comeback, will add enormous amouts to their bowling attack. I bet them to do well there, even if they can't win.


India had their chances in this game and they blew them... Catches were dropped at crucial times and except the one that came at DK today, none of them can actually be called very tough... The one to Sachin was tough but one that you expect to be held at this level.... Munaf and Dravid put down very simple chances, relatively speaking and in the end the number of balls it cost us and the runs... it proved to be the difference.. And again, our batting has come a cropper a number of times at Bangalore... Let us see if it can be any different this time... But I think a 1-1 result is very much on the cards, although I do hope it doesn't happen.....

 

[CrazY GirL]

thtz not good pakistan shud hav gone for the win !!! now a draw in tests n lost the odis well...not good cricket by the pakistanis in india

 

[Fusion]

Respectable draw for Pakistan, considering the circumstances. I hope this gives them some momentum to go for a win in the final test. Good to see the two Y's get in some batting form before the crucial decider.