Pakistan plotted India’s downfall to perfection
Ashish Shukla (Press Trust of India)
Colombo, July 26
Pakistan’s victory over India was a result of a meticulous planning which focused on containing the famed Indian batting line-up through innovative field placements and “controlled aggression”.
Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer said his team had perfectly implemented the strategy drawn up for the crucial Asia Cup match against India on Sunday.
“Inzamam was perfect with his planning against Sachin. We wanted to keep him off the strike and succeeded to the extent he scored only 40 runs from the first 27 overs,” said Woolmer as he looked back at that successful outing which Pakistan won by 59 runs.
Time and again, Tendulkar was bowled on his pads and two men were kept in the deep behind square leg, resulting in only a single and the strike being transferred to the non-striker.
Woolmer also had his plans against Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, aimed at capitalising on his perceived weakness to short-pitched deliveries.
"Shoaib Akhtar came round the wicket to Ganguly and aimed short-pitched deliveries at his chest with a short square leg, short mid-on and short midwicket-fielder in place.
“We saw what happened to him against Nuwan Zoysa in the league game in Dambulla. He pulled a catch straight to mid-on. When I was with South Africa, we had this plan against him where we tried to pick him on the onside. I could have perhaps helped him if he was one of our boys. But he has to sort it out himself,” said the coach.
One of the strategies Woolmer planned and Pakistan adopted in Sunday’s game was the sharp throw which fielders sent in to the wicketkeeper even when the Indian batsmen were not attempting singles.
“It was under a plan of controlled aggression. If you use it regularly you get used to doing it and when a real opportunity comes along, you are ready for it,” Woolmer said.
Analysing Shoaib Akhtar’s performance, he said the fiery speedster could prefer to bowl all his overs in One-Day Internationals from a short run-up in the days to come.
“He was far more consistent when he bowled his final two overs from a short run-up. We discussed this matter after the game and it could come to a stage when he might prefer to bowl all his overs from a short run-up in future. But it would be strictly Shoaib’s call.”
Pakistan batsmen also swept the Indian bowlers a lot but Woolmer said he would have been happy if they had attempted a few reverse sweeps as well.
“Reverse sweeps could have got some handy runs because that area on the off-side was unprotected for most part of the innings,” said Woolmer.
Woolmer, a strong advocate for improved on-field communication between a coach and his team, said from the next tournament onwards, he would send the 12th man into the middle with a walkie-talkie in hand.
“A coach must be allowed to communicate. Suppose if I want a fielder to stand 10 metres inside the ropes or a field placement altered, I should be able to communicate with the team. As of now, ICC has banned wired exchanges between a captain and a coach. So we would try the 12th man with a walkie-talkie from the next tournament onwards.”
http://www.htcricket.com/htcricket/7266_909234,001600760004.htm
