Asian Test Championship

Re: Ferozk (Reply 93)

Exactly! If you read my post carefully, I was actually quoting ZZ. Personally, I`d put my money on SA.

Re: Random #91

Pakistan wins WC `99....yeah, right! Better chances for a messiah to come than Pakidiots winning!

Thanks to Mofeez for a superb stream of reports. This has without a doubt been the best site for following the game on the web.

The obvious reasons for Pakistan`s victory have been noted. I would add that deciding to bat after winning the toss was perhaps the most critical decision that ensured victory for Pakistan. Pakistan cannot chase a 4th innings target. If Pakistan had need 50 runs to win, they would`ve been bundled out for 25. Miandad knows this better than anyone, and I would guess he made this call.

Also, Moin Khan`s 70 in the first innings, scored after Pakistan were tottering at 26 for 6, was absolutely key.

Luck seemed to be on Pakistan`s side more often than may be explained by chance. Azharuddin`s dropping Saeed Anwar early in his innings and Sachin`s freak run-out sealed the fate of the game. Sachin`s departure, and the crowd disturbance that followed, completely deflated the initiative given by Ramesh and Laxman. By the end of day the tail was showing, and we all know Wasim Akram eats tail-enders for lunch.

The Calcutta crowd behaved badly, but I think I can see where they are coming from. Calcutta is a hard city to live in and this was probably a form of release for many of the people who went wild. In the end, the majority suffered for the errors of the few as everyone was expelled from the stands. For future matches, perhaps some netting can be hung over the stands to prevent the unhinged from hurling debris onto the play area.

Saad

Re: ZZ (Reply 87)

``Pak will win the WC if their batting improves a bit.``

The team in the best form AND hungry for it, is South Africa.

First of all, WELL DONE again Mofeez. And we
hope to continue to read more from you about
ALL Cricket games from now on especially those
between India and Pakistan.

Now to the game. This victory is, does and will
always belong to Saeed Anwar and the undefeated
188 he contributed to it. And next to our bowlers
who also came through.
From 26/6 in the first inning to a match victory
is indeed quite a journey. But my hats off to the
Indian side for their best behavior both on and off the field, something that the Calcutta crowd
should learn from.

Tendulkar was robbed as was India with a bad call.
But such a problem is not new in Cricket. We can
only hope that he is back in form soon because
he could possibly become the Bradman of the future.

I am happy that Pakistan won. Now let us see what
we can do against Sri Lanka too and of course
in the upcoming World Cup.

I am fully hopeful that Pakistan can win the cup
again, but if not then my next choice will be that the cup remain with a South Asian team.

Ras

A wonderful win for Pakistanis. What impresses me is that Pakistanis secure this win against several odds: violent crowd and 26/6 in first innings to name the few. It seems that Pakistanis can handle pressures of the game better than before. But, on the other hand, it might be just once in a while miracle.

One thing I can say with certainty:

Toe crushing

reverse swinging

yorkers

Zindabad!

Great effort by the Pakmen! Even though this is the first match of the ATC, both sides were looking for release after the faeces-stuck-in-the-colon 1-1 result for the series.

I was getting frustrated last night (stayed up till early AM) by slow reloads on www-ind.cricket.org, finally gave in and called a friend in India. He`s a cricket fanatic, so was justifiably rueful on the impending defeat, but disgusted with the crowd, which I feel reflects the majority public opinion in India. He felt Pak deserved to win and they (Indians) should learn how to take defeat in stride. More later, on our collective ability to handle defeat.

The extreme political and emotional overtones to every Ind-Pak encounter invariably mar the enjoyment of an elegant, peaceful, gentleman`s game. But is it really that anymore? Ind-Pak cricket really is a safety valve for pressures that build up between the two countries over extended periods of bickering. These pressures have been further exacerbated by the huge hiatus of 12 years for cricketing exchanges on domestic soil. The waning fortunes of Bal T notwithstanding, there are many exchanges currently in progress between Ind and Pak. A thespian troupe which recently toured India received warm welcomes; the Parliamentarians powwow in I`bad; ongoing NGO exchanges; and the dramay-baz bus trip. The significance of a standing ovation at Chennai was not lost on anyone, and did more for Ind-Pak relations than any series result can ever achieve. What a difference a venue makes. Will refrain from drawing conclusions about Madrasis vs. Bengalis. Anyway, I would have to say the cric tour has been a success, and would have been so even if we had lost - yet handled it with poise and elan. Victory on Indian soil always reinforces the larger than life image of Pakistanis in the minds of Indians, but that is an insecurity they must deal with. As a smaller country we always need to show up India in these `even-playing-field` scenarios, to compensate for our own real weaknesses. Anyway, better leather missiles than nuclear ones. Lets not fool ourselves, cricket is war!

As for gracefully accepting athletic defeat, in a politically charged atmosphere, this is always easier to pontificate on from the comfort of a keyboard, half a world away. I`m sure if I was in the stadium, the whole `shughal mela` scene would have sucked me in too. People come for a spectacle, whether its to crush arch enemies Pak, or to manufacture their own. They want it on their terms. Top it off with a legacy of top down indigenous jagirdari autocracy, and a dollop of colonization, and its not tough to fathom why desis have no respect for the rules. Who`s rules are these anyway? Why has the rule been made in such a way? Why did it deprive the Indians of their star batsman in such a freak manner? Triggers misplaced emotions, lubricated by `desi tharra`, and you get: Bhai hum tau naa khailein gay aur na khelnain dein gay!

I think the only way to put the demonic dichotomies to rest is by taking some mithai for my Indian friends ---- NOT!

Random (bring on the Lankans) Gekko

Rather a sorry situation. The people of Calcutta have decided to do themselves what the Indian team could not do: stop Pakistan.

If the crowd trouble persists, the match will have to go down as abandoned. Pakistan cannot be awarded the match, as in theory India could still win. But what a moral victory for Pakistan!

We may meet again in Dhaka. The crowd over there probably hates India and Pakistan equally - at least they wouldn`t care who wins.

Saad

I was just wondering what will happen if the match is abandoned. What will be the points position in that case.

Is there anything in the rules for that situation.

I would like to be a graceful loser but loosing hurts........

oh, well there`s always tomorrow....

india, always below potential....

Incidently, will Bal Thackeray be appointed as the new Indian Cricket Captin ?

Just Wondering.

Well the solution to the crowd trouble just like the World Cup Semi final should be the same.

I.E THE MATCH SHOULD BE AWARDED TO PAKISTAN if play cannot resume. Or, the entire crowd should be evicted from the stadium, since the game is basically over, and play should resume immediately thereafter and the formality of Pakistan taking the 10th wicket should be observed.

Pakistan 2

India 1

GAME, SET, MATCH!

GO PAKISTAN !!!

Pakistan just won. Being a Pakistani and a fanatical cricket fan, my joy is boundless. But please let us show some grace at this moment of triumph. I was pained to see some over-zealous hurrahs by some of my compatriots (without naming names). The victory speaks for itself. Immature taunts and snide comments on the losing side are just simply not on. Moments like these show strength of character. Well done Pakistan! Now let us not behave like the partisan Calcutta crowd. And so let us also not forget how well some of the Indians esp Srinath played.

Yes,

Pakistan won by 47 runs.

India Runs Required: 48

Wickets Remaining: 1

Calcutta crowd showing that they are no good. World Cup semi-final and now this Match State: Match temporarily stopped due to crowd trouble

Re : the dismissal of SRT - tough s..t India!

Re: Dubious dismissal of Ramesh or was it laxman off saqlain for bat/pad w/o bat, well, in Delhi India managed to bag 3 Pakistani batsmen`s scalps dubiously thanks to the 12th man on their team, so frankly, if Pakistan got a break or two in this match and were to win because of it, all i can say is that what goes around comes around. But unlike Delhi we had neutral umpires here in Eden Gardens, so India can`t really complain. Those are the breaks.