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ShareJohannesburg: If one good turn deserves another, for one tantalising hour as Australia's lower order waged a grim battle to reach the semifinals, external ministry officials in South Block would have thought of muting the political pressure on Pakistan -- at least till the Champions Trophy was completed.
Pakistan's outstanding bowlers -- swing, seam and spin -- had sensationally turned the match around after Australia were set a modest target of 205. From 140 for 2, the innings tumbled to 180 for 8, and suddenly India were in with a chance to make the last four through the back door, as it were.
Dhoni and his team, having restricted the depleted West Indies to a paltry 129, fairly
sprinted back to the dressing room to catch the last couple of overs of the Australian innings. Ten runs to score from 12 deliveries is not usually a daunting task. But this was a difficult situation on a dodgy pitch. Pakistan's bowlers, with prodigious reverse swing and deadly yorkers, were right on top. Could Lee and Hauritz survive the pressure?
To Dhoni's chagrin they did, ball-by-ball, run-by-run, eking out a narrow, but highly commendable win off the last delivery in a thriller. So great was the tension that Ricky Ponting was seen chewing up all his finger nails as he watched the game from the players balcony. In the Indian dressing room, one reckons, there was only humble pie to eat.
Given the intense recent debate, the most melodramatic day's cricket in the tournament may have re-established the bondafides of the 50-over game, but this could hardly be salve to India's wounds. Touted as pre-tournament favourites along with South Africa, they were now compelled to take the long way home prematurely primarily because many of the wounds were self-inflicted. Indeed, the Pak-Australia match showed where and how Dhoni's team was found wanting in this tournament.
Pakistan's bowlers displayed superb skill in defending a smallish total while Australia's tail-enders showed never-say-die resilience under enormous pressure to chase down a total that became more formidable with every passing delivery. The middle and end overs of the Australian innings produced a fascinating battle of wits and nerves, with the bowling side finally losing out, but only just. When was the last time you have seen two maidens in the last 10 overs, even with tail-enders at the crease?
India, no less endowed in talent, could muster up neither the requisite skills nor the grit at crunch time to reach the semis. In the two completed matches they played, the vital spark, the indefinable X-factor was missing, and never more so in the first game against Pakistan where defensive tactics during the middle overs - both while batting and bowling - cost the side dear.
While India's record in limited overs cricket this year is not inconsiderable, this is the second time when the team has got knocked out before the semis in a tournament involving more than three sides (World T20 and Champions Trophy). That calls for greater deliberation in the think-tank than preparing lofty documents which may have more academic (or controversial) than winning value.
True, technically they could have beaten Australia had rain not washed off the match, but this looked so much against the run of play that the shared points in fact became a source of hope not disappointment. On the evidence of performances here, one got the feeling that the team was hoping, rather than making things happen.
In the last match against the West Indies, of course, it was different. The bowlers looked superb, the batting overcame two early losses to chase down the target easily. Why, even MS Dhoni stripped off his gloves in a show of royal nonchalance, and bowled stiff medium pace to take his first wicket.
This seemed like royal style, but alas, like the emperor without clothes, could hardly conceal the inadequacies.
