Expert Blog

Pakistan could go all the way!

This Champions Trophy, Pakistan might just be the team to beat. Harsha Bhogle shares his thoughts on last night’s India-Pakistan match .

If India want to be looked at as the number one team in the world (and not make a fleeting appearance atop the ICC rankings), they will have to build a strong bench. Against Pakistan, you couldn’t help thinking that India’s team was characterised by who wasn’t in it rather than who was. I fear this is especially true of the bowling for it is a long time since I have seen anything as ordinary as this. Dhoni was right when he said at the press conference that there were times when he thought he was three or four bowlers short .

Harbhajan had a bad day and clearly Dhoni had budgeted for him bowling the difficult overs later on. Sadly, he seemed to make no effort to change his length even later in his spell. One bad game doesn’t make him a bad bowler but I hope he is provoked into a better performance when he realises he was rather comprehensively outbowled by Saeed Ajmal who looks a better bowler every time I see him bowl.

The seam bowling cupboard is starting to look very bare. With twenty Power Play overs, teams need three seamers and so India are being forced to play only one spinner. A couple of years ago, it seemed those three slots would witness fierce competition. But look at the ease with which Ashish Nehra has walked back in—and looks the best!

As well as Shoaib Malik and Mohammed Yousuf played, you couldn’t help feeling that the settling in period was almost too easy. As a result Yousuf was able to rotate the strike easily, and stylishly, and it gave Malik to bat his way back into form after looking like he might struggle for a while.

And here’s a sobering thought. India lost by 54 runs after being gifted almost 35 by Pakistan through wides, no-balls and free hits. Otherwise, it might have been a drubbing. Pakistan are looking very dangerous with two key players back in form. Don’t be surprised if they go all the way.