LAHORE, Pakistan, 24 March 2004 — It’ll be D-Day today here for Asian giants India and Pakistan. The D word could be dominant or debacle. With whichever of the two words the teams will get tagged today, one thing will be sure for both is that the match is decisive.
Both were gripped by big-match jitters as they prepared for the fifth One-Dayer that one expert said would be “too close to call.” With the series locked 2-2, it’s all to play for at the day-night encounter at the Gaddafi Stadium with the winner gaining a psychological edge ahead of the three Tests to follow.
Prior to the start of the series there was much hype about the home time bowling that would have provided the edge in the contest. But as the matches have turned out, India have won when their batting has clicked, and Pakistan too won when their batsmen blossomed in the high-scoring matches.
Except for a brief glimpse of what the Pakistan attack can do, the bowlers have failed to come good.
Pakistan’s pace trio of Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Sami and Shabbir Ahmad that was expected to provide the “big edge” has rather been a source of worry for Pakistan -- being literally wide of the mark.
Pakistan coach Javed Miandad and manager Haroon Rasheed are both concerned over the wayward and undisciplined bowling by their frontline bowlers, who have been struggling for line and length in the last four encounters.
“We have done everything possible to tackle the problem but it just doesn’t seem to go away,” said Haroon. “They are mature bowlers and it is for them to get things right.”
Saurav Ganguly’s Indians go into the showdown buoyant after securing a series-leveling win on Sunday, but are wary of their poor record in one-day finals over the past year.
The tourists have previously come unstuck when it mattered most, losing four consecutive finals to world champions Australia, starting with the 125-run defeat in the World Cup final in South Africa in March last year.
The Indians were then beaten on their home turf in Calcutta in November in the tri-series final and were blanked 2-0 in the best-of-three finals in Australia in February.
“We have not played well in crunch finals,” Indian vice-captain Rahul Dravid conceded. “That is something we definitely want to improve upon on Wednesday. But our morale is high after Sunday’s win and this should help us in the next game.”
India have been helped along in the series by the wayward Pakistan bowlers, who have conceded a staggering 58 wides and 40 no-balls in the four matches so far.
Fiery fast bowler Akhtar was the worst culprit on Sunday, giving away 14 wides in his 2 for 63 in nine overs. New-ball partner Shabbir conceded five no-balls and a wide in 0-62 from seven overs.
“We are very happy to get that kind of support from our rivals,” Dravid said. “We hope they continue to give us so many extra runs and deliveries.”
Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul Haq, who has twice ended up losing despite scoring centuries in the first match at Karachi and on Sunday, was exasperated.
“I would be happy to be out for a duck if Pakistan win the last game,” he said. “The advantage we held after taking a 2-1 lead at Peshawar is gone. India now have the upper hand. After Sunday’s win, they will not only have the momentum with them, but also the confidence that comes from successfully chasing a big score like 293.
“As a captain, a no-ball or a wide irritates me no end. The lack of discipline by the bowlers cost us the match. It is about time they put their hands up and do the job for Pakistan.”
“It has been a great series so far and I am sure the finale will be as good. I hear the Indians choke in a final, I hope they choke again but we are not going to take them lightly,” Miandad said.
The playing elevens for the decider, described by former Indian Test player Navjot Sidhu as “too close to call”, will be named just before the toss today.
— Additional input from AFP
