I dont see anything wrong with publicly holding the bowlers responsible for their extras. I could see why it would be wrong to single out a bowler in your comments, or not letting them be aggressive in a match after they bowled some extras, but Inzi and Miandad are not doing that. Public expression of their concerns over extras is not the same as deprecation of their attacking approach.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by *Zaalim: *
I dont see anything wrong with publicly holding the bowlers responsible for their extras. I could see why it would be wrong to single out a bowler in your comments, or not letting them be aggressive in a match after they bowled some extras. But Inzi and Miandad are not doing that, and public expression of their concerns over extras is not the same as deprecation of their attacking approach.
[/QUOTE]
No..It is wrong... It is question of team spirit. These matters should be sorted our privately and just make some casual remarks publically.
Well I doubt these guys are bowling extras on purpose. We had similar problems when we won the World Cup but Imran just told his bowlers to forget about the extras and bowl all out. I'm a bit concerned that bowlers like Sami and Shabbir might feel too much pressure to bowl well tomorrow.
They will be under a lot of pressure, no doubt about that, but it will be more becuase of that Hitler of a coach than Inzimam's comments. I remember Imran frequently talking about supporting his bowlers' attacking approach despite the extras, but that doesn't mean a captain shouldn't feel alarmed when we are giving as many as 40 extras in a match. We are not demanding their heads, we are just saying 'Huth Hola Rakh Yaar."
I think its good that bowlers got the extras out of their system. now they will have to bring their game up because even they know that speed is not going to do the trick for them this time. stop thinking about getting the indian team out in 40 overs.. ITS JUST AINT GONA HAPPEN!.. line and lenght combined with decent speed is the best way to bowl at indians...
As far as Afridi is concerned, I have no idea wt to say... Even though I dont trust him .. but still I would play him. because if he gets going the job will be half done.. It is a gamble.. but its worth taking.. Playing afridi have two other plus points as well... the sixth bowler option (which I dont think inzi knows how to use correctly) and his ability to not take any pressure which is definately needed in a match like this at the top of the order... even he knows that he cant play swing.. he should stop trying to hit out against pathan and go after balaji and zaheer...
Younus Khan should be brought in at 1 down followed by inzi and Yoyo.. I have a feeling that this guy is going to play a big innings sometime very soon..
each player has to come up and do his part. There is no tomorrow or next time anymore.. This is It..! the mother of all finals..
Extras are something which everyone can see and wants to ask the captain. So Inzi had basically two routes. Take the Imran Khan way and say "I have asked my bowlers to go flat out, and don't worry about extras"; or he can take the non-Imran Khan street and say "I am worried about so many extras, as I am sure everyone else is. We need to get this under control. I have full trust in my bowlers that they will sort out this problem in the next match".
Had Pak won, it would be easy to take the Imran Khan way. Else, the captain is kinda nudged along very firmly on the latter route.
Faisal,
Its true wt you just said. But imrans logic of 12 years ago doesnt apply anymore.. The game has changed a lot.. back than batsman waited for a loose ball to punish it.. now they go after everything. The pitches have changed too.. back than the bowlers got some assistance from the conditions.. Now (specially in this series) there is no difference between pathan and shoiab. both can get the job done... Srilanka didnt win their world cup by attacking and taking wickets. but by starving the runs of the bat.
if a batsman is beaten on 2 balls and the next two fly over the slips to the third man boundry.. who do you think will be under more pressure.. the bowler or the batsman??????
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by CoolHeat: *
Faisal,
Its true wt you just said. But imrans logic of 12 years ago doesnt apply anymore.. The game has changed a lot.. back than batsman waited for a loose ball to punish it.. now they go after everything. The pitches have changed too.. back than the bowlers got some assistance from the conditions.. Now (specially in this series) there is no difference between pathan and shoiab. both can get the job done... Srilanka didnt win their world cup by attacking and taking wickets. but by starving the runs of the bat.
if a batsman is beaten on 2 balls and the next two fly over the slips to the third man boundry.. who do you think will be under more pressure.. the bowler or the batsman??????
[/QUOTE]
One thing I need to point out. Don't blame the pitches. After the gap of 14 years no one would come to the stadium to see bowlers take 5-25 figures. They want to see batsmen cracking the shots and playing all over. There's certainly a difference between pathan and shoaib. On desi pitches it's all abt intelligent bowling rather than running and banging the ball short..
**
Is the 5th ODI today? If yes then what time is it starting at (am in chicago)? **
3 am tonight Chicago time.
Wary India, nervous Pakistan gear up for one-day decider](http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/040323/3/2oei.html)
LAHORE, Pakistan (AFP) - Cricket rivals India and Pakistan were gripped by big-match jitters as they prepared for Wednesday’s decisive 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.
Sourav Ganguly’s Indians go into the showdown buoyant after securing a series-levelling win on Sunday, but are wary of their poor record in one-day finals over the past year.
Pakistan, on the other hand, are concerned about undisciplined bowling which allowed India to bounce back when a decisive 3-1 lead for the hosts was on the cards.
Ganguly’s 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 Shoaib Akhtar was the worst culprit on Sunday, giving away 14 wides in his 2-63 in nine overs. New-ball partner Shabbir Ahmed 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.”
Pakistan coach Javed Miandad said he was confident the bowlers would do better on Wednesday.
“There is so much pressure on Shoaib Akhtar because he is the spearhead of our attack. He has made mistakes but I have a lot of faith in him,” Miandad said.
“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.”
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 on Wednesday.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Faisal: *
3 am tonight Chicago time.
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Thanks. :)
For the last 24 hrs I've been preoccupied with the toss. Dammit, law of averages says Ganguly has to win this one. What will he do? All the pundits have come out with their verdict- bowl first. Decisions..decisions...what if India bowls and Pakistan scores 350? You can't chase big scores every time...what if India bats and scores 350 and Pakistan makes it, with the ball behaving like soap. What the eff, why have a day nighter if ya get buckets of dew/sq ft??
^ Makes it interesting.
There was some reply by DRAVID on this choker comment by Javed. Here it goes..
*
Meanwhile, the verbal bouncers between the two sides continued, with Miandad pointing to the choker’s tag hanging from the Indian team excess baggage.
“I’m hoping they choke against us again. But they are a strong team,” he said.
**
India’s Deputy general Rahul Dravid countered Miandad with a telling statistic. He admitted that the Indian team had not played to its potential in previous finals but asked how many times did Pakistan make as many finals.
**
Dravid also said that in the last couple of finals India lost only to Australia and have a better record playing against Pakistan in crunch situations.
*
Reading your post, it seems as if toss really doesn’t make a difference. Whichever way you look at it, India will lose the match :k: 
[QUOTE]
Originally posted by fair_&_balance: *
**India's Deputy general Rahul Dravid countered Miandad with a telling statistic. He admitted that the Indian team had not played to its potential in previous finals but asked how many times did Pakistan make as many finals. *
[/QUOTE]
Thats so right. Pakistan doesn't get invited to tournaments involving Aus, Pak and Holland :( Dammit!
By the way ..There is one more reason why India will win..Look at this.. :rotfl:
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Faisal: *
Thats so right. Pakistan doesn't get invited to tournaments involving Aus, Pak and Holland :( Dammit!
[/QUOTE]
Hum...they did get invited to Worldcup,ICC trophy . ;)
I hope it makes sense now. !!!!
Just for record other final which India played other then above mentioned are
Natwest ( ENG,SL)
TVS( AUS,NZL)
Did you include the recent spanking India got in the Finals in Australia just before coming to Pak? Was it TVS? If not, add one more to this glorious list. Indians are very experienced in playing finals :k: