India-Pakistan cricket: Tale of two chases

Virat Kohli led India’s brilliant chase

In Nagpur, while Team India was busy demoralizing the Australians in a chase of 351 runs, South Africa in the deserts of UAE (United Arab Emirates) had set Pakistan a mere total of 184 runs. India while chasing looked at ease and were hardly troubled by Australian bowling line. Indian Openers responded well and started off positively with Shikhar Dhawan scoring his 4th ODI ton and becoming the sixth fastest ever batsman to reach 1,000 ODI runs joining his counterpart Virat Kohli. Once Rohit Sharma departed Virat Kohli took the centre stage and looked as if he has been there from the beginning. Such is Virat Kohli’s class that he takes on bowlers at will. His stroke making is extremely pleasant to eyes and heart. Even though India lost wickets of Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh in quick succession but Virat Kohli along with MS Dhoni drove India home with 6 wickets intact. The elegant yet powerful Virat Kohli remained unbeaten as he scored his 17th ODI ton. India chased 351 with alleviation, yes on a wicket which was not doing much for the bowlers, but even a required run rate of more than 6 runs per over in ODI’s can make any team sweat. Courtesy India’s “super power” batting colossal target of 351 looked diminutive.

On the other side of Indian subcontinent, North-West from Nagpur, in Sharjah, Pakistan was battling it out to chase a target of only 184 runs in their full quota of 50 overs. Pakistan with one of the most fragile batting lineup in the World lost opener Nasir Jamshed early on which put them on the back foot, but a steady partnership of 71 Runs between Ahmad Shehzad and Mohammad Hafeez for 2nd wicket restored some pride. What looked to be a comfortable chase for Pakistan turned into a disaster as they kept loosing wickets at regular intervals. Thanks to some reckless middle order batting, a collapse occurred and the brittle Pakistani batting messed up the chase. Sitting comfortably on 165-4 and needing only 19 more runs to win, Pakistan lost 6 wickets for just 17 runs including prized wickets of Umar Akmal and Shahid Afridi of Imran Tahir’s bowling. The pitch at Sharjah Cricket Stadium was not a rank turner at all that Pakistan’s middle order would have succumbed to Imran Tahir’s spin. No doubt one or two ball was keeping low but with just 19 runs to win one would have thought that Pakistan would go across the line. The team branded for self destruction batting did no wrong to its image by handing over a win to “original chokers”. Pakistan’s 1 run defeat further supplemented a never ending debate on their batting woes.

While India managed to chase a weighty target of 351 runs on a relatively easier pitch than Pakistan was playing on, but still one won’t take away the credit from Virat Kohli and co. the way they managed to seal the game. Batting remains to be the India’s prime strength and Pakistan’s weak link.