In the pressure of Pathan's bowling and Yuvraj's fielding, Malik stood up really well with his bat. India shouldn't have let them get away with 1s and 2s. As a result, the score wouldn't have exceeded 250
RE:one of the best performances by Malik
by Rahul on Jul 26, 2004 07:54 PM
Shoaib Malik should open the innings for Pakistan. He has tremondous hand-eye co-ordination (just like V. Sehwag) and if he gives pakistan a rollicking start in first 15 overs then Pakistan can put up a big score (which is the main reason they have not been able to win more matches consistently) and then their bowling prowess can restrict the opposition.
It is imperative to get a good start in ODI's if a team has to win and Shoaib Malik is the guy Pakistan can bank on.
Imran Nazir is a class act too. Let him play down the order, get some runs and boost his confidence.
India displayed brotherly love on sunday by losing to Pakistan. What else can one say about the team's performance. India was never into the winning mood. They were playing, as if a charity match was being played. Virendra Shewag, Yuvraj, Kaif, Harbajan all of them should be dropped for a couple of games. Undue importance is given to them, which I strongly feel they do not deserve.
Sachin is getting old and tired. It can be seen from the way he has been batting of late. He should retire when he is still at the top. I dont have any hope that India will make it to the finals. Anyways the players earn obsene money without playing cricket by ways of endorsements.
At that stage of the game, 180/5 michael bevan, steve waugh, wasim akram, hansie cronje, arvinda de silva would have won the match or atleast reached almost the target, most of them dont have a tag of best batsman in the world. Having 5 wickets in hand that too pathan, balaji, harbhajan, kumble who has in some way helped india, I wonder why sachin did not go for a win, incourse atleast avoided the bonus point with ease. When steve waugh scored a important century partnering gillespie, when bevan with williams won the world cup match from the losing situation against england, when aravinda won the world cup against australia.
I still remember the 1989 sachin debut series against pakis, in an exhibition match India were chasing a impropable score to win when sachin was going great guns scoring with the likes of akram and qadir and the other end when we were confident about winning when srikanth was the other end, srikanth was not determined to win that match. Today it reminded me that day, how sachin felt not to win (I think except the coca cola cup at Sharjah, he has not played any great innings).
He is a book of cricket who can play all the strokes in the world with ease with all the quality bowlers so far the world has produced, but cannot finish a game as bevan or waugh does. So sad.
Hi paksitan players really played well.their excellency was both in batting and bowling.indians really struggled to play with him.akthar bowling was very good.
it was a bit sad to see Tendulkar batting not for a win but for saving the bonus point but in hindsight what could he have done alone! anyone and everyone who came to the crease with him perished as if club cricketer. if he had gone for his shots and gone out too then the critics would have have had him skinned! We must also respect the fact that he is no longer the 20 year old who fearlessly took the opposition by its horns and his body is old from the wear and tear of playing for so long. what erks more is the way the other batsmen played. Harbhajan's dismissal was just one such example and Kumble looked as if he is in his debut match as batsman. I hope the Indians pull up their socks in the next match. BEST OF LUCK INDIA!
I think India is not Deserve to play in the Final. the way in which they batted & bolwed is hard to understand.the shot which were played by harbjan is hard to understand & what happened to viru.he should be dropped from one match.
well..i was reading the 1st opinion n i was shocked 2 read it...i mean, how can a person blame tendulkar 4 not being able 2 win yesterday against Pak..lets face it mate..Pak played better cricket than India n deserved 2 win..As far as Tendulkar's batting is concerned,he played a very good inning....he was there 2 play till the end..but unfortunately the wickets kept falling..juss imagine..wat would have happened if Yuvi or Kaif had played some more overs n satyed there with Tendulkar..the Game could have been completely different then..n then u wouldn't blamed Tendulkar 4 being 'mean' n 'selfih'..it was juss 1 of tat day..when nothing clicked 4 india..n u shouldn't disappointed with it..keep ya faith in the team n don't get frustrated by juss loosing 2 pak...if u'r blaming tat Tendulkar isn't playing 4 the team then wass Sehwag doing?? juss droping cathes n giving India a bad start??...i really don't think tat ne1 is selfish in the team n playing 4 their own...juss don't 4get tat therez not a single bowler who doesn't rate Tendulkar one of the best batsman in the would 2day...it shows the man's class..n therez no 1 better than him in Indian team..He really is the Best..check Stats
well..i was shocked 2 heard tat Ganguly is Jealous of Sachin's wicket taking abilities..let me tell ya 1 thing lady, wazz Sachin in the team 4?? coz of his Bowling?? mate..Bowlers bowl the Overs..n yesterday, Sachin came late coz we had 5 regular bowlers...would u promote Balaji n Kumble 2 open the innings even if they both make 100 runs in a revious match?? No way..so its juss good luck of Sachin tat he got more wickets than few rugular bowlers..i'm not saying tat Sachin shouldn't bowl..i guess he should bowl more n more..coz hez juss champion..but saying tat Ganguly is Jealous of Tendulkar's Bowling is juss imappropriate..Ganguly is the Best Captain...juss look at his record..n do u think tat ganguly is mad/stupid enough 2 loose against Pak?? its juss tat bowlers didn't bowl well n sachin got some lucky breakthrough at the end of the match..when all were hitting big runs..n so he got wickets bcoz batsmen weren't trying 2 save the wickets..Saying tat...I still believe tat Sachin is far better Bowler than the likes of Sehwags, Gangulys, Yuvrajs n the rest..he must bowl more n more..i'm sure tat he can easily reach 2 250 ODI wickets..
Yes, he played only to retain that single-bonus-point, a job Which he ultimately he left for others to complete - as he has done on so many occasions in the past. I wonder what was he doing there, while chasing 301 in 50 overs..
The media as always(unfortunately the author of this article also is no different) praises him. What is worse is he scores 82 against Bangaldesh (that too in something like 125 balls or so..) and says lines like "My critics do not know cricket."
