Skip to main content

Editor's take: Pakistan - Sri Lanka

By
Catches win matches. Dropped catches and overthrows that reach the boundary? That’s handing over the match to the opponent on a silver platter. More than enough misfielding. 23 extras. This was one of the most important matches for Sri Lanka. And they did mess up. The pain on L Malinga’s face was truly tangible.

But not to take the credit away from Pakistan. They played a very good match. They did have their share of mistakes, yes. But the mistakes of Sri Lanka were more expensive. Leading to Pakistan winning by 3 wickets and joining the other three teams - India, Bangladesh, and England - in the Semi-Finals of the ICC Championships 2017.
What happened to Sri Lanka? This is what Ravi Shastri asks, appalled. This is not how one plays in an important tournament as this. Sri Lanka did put on an amateur show. No, I am not being too critical. It was rather embarrassing. Fielding, once a strong suit, has now become a reason for their loss.
Sarfaraz played a captain’s innings. This knock has made all the difference to the team. When Pakistan walked in to chase, the total of 236 was good, not impossible. The first wicket fell at 74 with opening batsmen, Ali hitting 34 and Zaman, 50. Once the first wicket fell, the other six seemed to fall rather quickly. Five wickets fell in a span of 45 runs. They truly seemed to be running out of wickets. They had a ton of overs left. That was the cushion they were leaning on, I guess. And then Sarfaraz found his mojo. 61 of 79 deliveries, the captain led the team from the front along with Mohammad Amir. The partnership of 75 took them home.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan won the toss and sent Sri Lanka in. Only Niroshan Dickwella (73) hit more than half-century. The rest fell to small numbers. There was nothing outstanding about the batting. The target was not un-defendable. Sri Lanka lost the plot with the dropped catches and the misfielding.
The relief on their faces of the Pakistan players and the fans was simply overflowing. It was not just joy and excitement. And they deserve to celebrate. They held their nerves when under pressure. Quite rare, especially after a mid-innings collapse. This is a historic win for them. Whatever happens henceforth, this match will be a good one to remember for years to come.
So what next? Pakistan meet England, and India meet Bangladesh. No one could have predicted these four teams in the semis. This is cricket for you. Unpredictable.

Indu
Reactions:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Chennai beats Mumbai and clinch thriller

By
It is not just about coming back. It is about the impact you make in the process. And Chennai team knows how to with a bang.  The Chennai team beat the home team by one wicket in what was an absolute sit-at-the-end-of-the-chair thriller. It was one of the best chases the tournament has seen and it most definitely won't be the last. The player who made the difference in the end - Jadhav - literally came back from the dead after retiring hurt to take his team to the finish line by hitting the ball in style with a six and a four.  Batting on one leg and playing an absolutely unbelievable shot, this player leveled the scores first with a six and finished the match with a four. 
Key Points  MI has never won their opener since 2013.This was Chennai's first win against MI in an opener of this T20 League DRS used in the league for the first time Bravo: It was a great team effort. I want to dedicate this win to the CSK fan, they have waited long for it. I came very early. I …
Post a Comment
Read more

Champions Trophy - India is the team to beat

By
They say tough times brings teams together.  They say adversity brings out the best in us.  Looks like that is what is happening to Team India in the ongoing Champions Trophy in the UK.   AlI the talk about match fixing and spot fixing and conflict of interest seems to be bringing out the best in team India.  I am writing this blog just ahead of the semi finals where India will play Sri Lanka.  But got to say this - looks like team India is firing on all cylinders.  I have never seen the Indian team perform so commandingly well in a tournament before - especially one played outside the sub-continent.  All aspects of the Indian team seems to be clicking well and India is clearly the best team in the tournament so far.
Our bowling is superb, with the exception of Ishanth Sharma.   Bhuvaneshwar Kumar continues to impress one and all - the amazing thing is the carry he gets even when he is bowling around 130 kmph.  I don't think it is because of the wickets alone - I feel the carry he …
Post a Comment
Read more

How to play Fantasy Cricket on Fantain

By
This is Fantain Sports.  The place where you get to play while the players are playing on the field. When they score, you do too. Fantain Sports is a company that provides you with all the action and excitement of the game. You get to pick your dream team on our app, along with the captain and vice captain. That puts you in charge. We provide you with all the data that helps you pick your team. This is a game of skill, not luck. The goodies that you win on our app is because of your hard work. Go on, give it a shot.
This is the first screen on the app. Please decide which sport you want to play and just click on the arrow.

When you select cricket, the next screen will take you to the list of games that are coming up. Select the game you wish to participate in. Click Enter.



Pick the players you choose to have in your fantasy lineup based on his salary, points, and selection percentage. Each number has its significance. You are given a total purse of Rs.100. The team that you pick shou…
Post a Comment
Read more