Their campaign in tatters, expect those fast bowlers to come hard at India. Pakistan lost that nervy duel against the USA all right, but do not forget, they were right in it despite trying to defend a below-par total. Credit for that goes to Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammed Amir, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf. Yes, Rauf, despite those fatal last three balls, where he failed to protect 12 runs.
Ask the US batters about the knocks they took in the toe to shin bone region, the amount of ice packs they needed after the match and you will understand just how consistently these fast men pounded the block hole in the last few overs of the match. It’s a harsh world where fielding errors and other impetuosities subdue good work. And that’s what happened.
Against the masters of batting like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Pakistan will have no choice but to go for the kill. It will be a head-on confrontation between some extremely accomplished batters and a deadly pack of fast bowlers. Lip-smacking fare it will be, with a Jasprit Bumrah lurking around when it comes to returning the compliment.
Remember Amir and how he finished the contest in two overs in the 2017 Champions Trophy final after a blast of a century by Fakhar Zaman? Those are moments that define sports, not one-sided and predictable fixtures. If these two teams perform to potential, there will be many such moments in the India-Pakistan showdown in New York on Sunday. Not one of them will be for the faint-hearted.
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Pace, serious pace, has always been a decisive factor in cricket. Times have changed, so have techniques, technology and thoughts. This truth has not. Pace continues to cause fear and it will, as long as the white ball is hurled with a reasonable amount of accuracy. The best of batters will find themselves in awkward positions, doubts will creep into their minds and they will be in discomfort.
In a match they have everything to lose, the Pakistan fast bowlers will have to go for broke. They have to stretch their last inch, torture every muscle of the body and make use of those long limbs. They will look at the batters in the eye, use the last bit of their skills, of which they have plenty. If they do it, they have all the potential in the world to harrow the best in the world.
Of course, Kohli, Rohit and others have what it takes to counter it and this is why it promises to be such a fascinating battle. They will also have to turn up in their best possible shape. One fraction of a second of indiscretion and it will be over. Who though that such a needle contest will happen so early in the World Cup? Since it has, sit back and enjoy.
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