Despite Sachin Tendulkar’s superlative century and a cleverly bowled last over, India were unable to prevent Pakistan from winning the fourth one-dayer and with it tie the series at 2-all with two more games left. The Pakistani chase was a real team effort with just about everybody contributing and with the captain Inzamam playing the role of the indulgent shepherd, the flock was seen home with a minimum of fuss in spite of that last over from Tendulkar.

When India on the back of Tendulkar’s century had piled up 315 runs and that too in 48 overs it looked like they had the game in their back pocket especially as Pakistan had not yet scored over 300 to win a game ever. Mind you there’s always a first time and that’s what the game turned out to be. Tendulkar was well supported by Sehwag who in his usual way made the bowling look ordinary though Sami was bowling with speed and accuracy and Dhoni too showed the plusses of promoting him up the order. What Dhoni’s success shows is that given the opportunity there are enough talented players around and India should not have a closed mind to selection but look at form too and not just past records. Sure proven players need to be given every chance to get back into form but not in a way that it looks to him and everybody else that he is untouchable for that breed’s complacency. Ganguly is looking stressed and that’s affecting his natural game. By dropping himself down the order what it does is that when the team needs quick runs he is in a dilemma to hit or not, for he also has to get runs to keep those baying for his head away but as it happened in this game it slowed down India’s run rate as well as upset the rhythm and flow of the others. Luckily Yuvraj played a scorching innings that helped take India to a total that looked safe.

In the end it was Yuvraj’s dropped catch off Shoaib Malik that tilted the scales Pakistan’s way for it allowed them to build a partnership that gave them the luxury of playing a few dot balls in the end overs. India’s ground fielding was top class but the underutilization of Balaji who has given the Pakistani batsmen trouble in all the games was hard to understand. Balaji has developed the ability to bowl with the old ball as well as he does with the new one and he has had the knack of getting the Pakistani skipper out with his late away movement. Ganguly however utilized the spinner well, as well as part timers like Tendulkar and Yuvraj but there were far too many wide balls that allowed the Pakistanis easy runs as well as extra deliveries to play. In a way it balanced what the Pakistani bowlers themselves had done when they were bowling.

If Ganguly’s reluctance to bring Balaji to bowl to Inzamam was hard to understand, harder still was to understand why Shoaib Malik who has just started bowling again after his action was under the scanner was given the last over of India’s innings for that went for 19 runs and almost cost Pakistan the game. Pakistan has a problem with its keeper who tends to grab the ball and his misses will one day be too many for the others to make up for.

With the series 2-all, the pressure is back on the hosts as the visitors seem to be on a roll and with the all-round depth they have there’s more flexibility in the Pakistani side and if they can just shrug off some unexplained laziness in fielding and running between the wickets, they could end up winning the series. India on the other hand need to look at their batting order and the bowling staff they take in the game. Like mentioned earlier, there’s got to be an open mindedness about selection and not go in with the same guys especially if they are not delivering the goods.