Mofeez Murtaza June 2, 1999

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href="/tag/India">India. They have won their last three games comprehensively and have played inspired cricket. Zimbabwe got a great morale-boosting win over South Africa to spoil their unbeaten run. Pakistan lost focus and the match to Bangladesh in a historic win for the babes of cricket. No one has the edge anymore and tournament is wide open again. Let us look at the six teams left in the tournament and see where they stand.

New Zealand qualified owing to a better run rate than the Windies but they have two points as they took care of the Aussies in their game. Like I have said time and again, I think Chris Cairns is a great talent and on his day can destroy anyone so an upset this team can muster but they lack depth in their batting and bowling to go all the way. Geoff Allot has been a revelation for them and will do well in the latter stages of the tournament as well. Twose has played a couple of very good knocks and is their batting's back bone. The wickets of England are drying up now and the doodlers of New Zealand might come under tremendous stick at the next level.

Australia is the team that everybody did not want to make it to this stage. People would have rather seen the Windies make it. The Aussies have been as arrogant as always and even though they come into this stage with no points, their commentators still talk of them as the team to watch. I wish India clobbers them in the first game and their campaign dies right there and then. The players to watch on this team are Mark Waugh, as always, alongwith Tom Moody. I think Moody will do well in these conditions. Overall this is a very good side but winning all three games might be hard, as they have been lacking in consistency so far.

Zimbabwe wins the most improved side since the last world cup award in my opinion. They have shown that they are good enough to play at this level. They have four points and winning one game will not be a problem for this team. They have good fast bowlers in Streak, Johnson and Brandes. They do lack depth in the bowling department. Their batting is consistent without being flashy and the Flower brothers along with Johnson invariably give them good starts. I expect this team to do well.

India is the hottest team coming out of the first stage. The transformation is mind boggling. The will of one man fueled by a tragedy pushes this team, kinda like Imran's cornered tigers in 1992. The Indians have a long and good batting line up which depends on Tendulkar. Their bowling is good but lacks that fifth bowler that is indeed a necessity in English conditions. They will need to win all their games, which might be hard, but I will not count this team out. The passing of a father is a very traumatic experience and a wounded proud son can achieve anything he wants.

South Africa is the most consistent and professional side in the tournament. Their defeat at the hands of Zimbabwe has made them lose their edge, which will boast well for the other teams that will play them. Their bowling has been very good though they do not have specialists in that department apart from Donald and Pollock. Kallis and Kluesener are great all rounders alongwith Cronje but they do have a problem with that fifth bowler. On a dry wicket they might be vulnerable but only just. Their batting has enough talent and all rounders to set a total but chasing one might be a problem as we saw against Zimbabwe. Look out for their captain Cronje to provide the spark to make this team play even better. South Africa has been coming to the brink and failing to win the big one in the past 7 or so years. This might be their time.

Pakistan is an enigma. They are the most talented side in the world that is susceptible to the most unpredictable behavior. They lost the mental edge, which they had gained by comprehensively trouncing everyone in their pool, by falling to the lowly Bangladeshis in the last game. This team also needs to get rid of the South African monkey on their backs. Wasim Akram will have them firing on all cylinders but can they chase a total? I would expect them to rest Azhar or Afridi to play Waqar to make their bowling further aggressive. This team can defend almost any total.

I personally wish that Pakistan, South Africa, Zimbabwe and India make it to the semi final stage as I think they have played very good and exciting cricket. The semi finals will be scintillating games. It would be a lot to wish if I said that I wanted a Pakistan India final. It would be a great game. The two former colonists playing at the Lord's! It would pain the lords to see that the people they ruled at the start of the century are playing the final of the most prestigious tournament of the game they created at their home of homes. It would be redemption indeed for the sub-continent. The land of Indo-Pakistan will bleed tears of happiness. And the sharp pain up the spine of the masters will be the collective finger delivered by the two lowly servants!