Shoaib Malik, the gritty allrounder, has once again turned out to be the star performer for Pakistan. For the second match in succession, he won the Man of the Match award against India on Saturday with his superlative batting and outstanding bowling. He was also the Man of the Match when the two teams had met in the Asia Cup in July. “I like to play against India and do well against them even though my wife is an Indian,” Malik told reporters after the match against India. “I am grateful to my seniors and coach Bob Woolmer in helping me give off my best and also in giving tips to improve my game,” Malik said. Malik has done well at the No. 3 position since Woolmer took over. He had earlier batted at that position a few times but in the Asia Cup the “pinch-hitting” spot was made a regular one for Malik. Woolmer said the suggestion to make Malik bat at one down was captain Inzamam ul-Haq’s and refused to take any credit himself.
Wright Looking for Change
Indian coach John Wright spoke to the press at the customary news conference after the loss to Pakistan. That skipper Saurav Ganguly must have been too disappointed to face the press was quite understandable.
Wright said the Indian approach to the game needed fresh thinking. “I feel we have to plan our strategy differently now. We have to look at newer ideas and a fresh approach,” Wright said. The team capitulated against Pakistan due to some inept batting. The absence of Sachin Tendulkar must be quite a blow but the rest of the team are quite capable of doing well.
Aussies a Big Hit at the Nets
The Australians had nets at nearby Utrecht yesterday. Dressed in their blue tracksuits, they looked different from the usual Aussie squads who wore light green. But they were put through their paces by the physical trainer and coach John Buchanan. There was crowd of fans seeking their autographs after the nets. The Aussies readily obliged. A young fan was a big hit as she wore a T-shirt on which the players, including captain Ricky Ponting, signed their autographs.
Lack of Crowd Control
This is the first time that the Holland Cricket Board is organizing such a major event and hence can be forgiven some lapses. The biggest problem the fans faced was entering the venue. For all stands and for everyone including the media and the players, there is only one entrance gate. There is a kind of moat all around the venue and hence it is unapproachable from anywhere else. Also, there are no fences and at least one infiltrator managed to run onto the ground during the India-Pakistan match. It was a free for all as the match ended and the players had to run to the pavilion to avoid getting hurt. It remains to be seen how many people will turn up for the remaining two matches but the stadium is unlikely to be full again unless India play Pakistan.
