Pakistan vs India 2nd test Kolkata 16-20 march

[workkey]

A very good last session for pakistan..
in my view we should have selected rao instead of khalil because khalil can be a good support bowler but not an attacker and as with rao we did saw how he has been moving the ball in the last series..as for sami the same no ball problems way ward line and length
afridi bowled well and so did abdur razaq.....here we can see how much he has benefited with bowling with the great wasim and waqar....
and finally its the time to get waqar as our bowling coach so that atleast our new crop can learn how to move the ball in the air and on the turf

[Zainub]

bowling coach is long over due (as is perhaps as seperate batting and fielding coach), only god knows though when the PCB will realise that

[workkey]

forgot to appreciate younis khan as the incharge today ..
he looked very confident and did well i guess...lets hope he score runs also

[Zainub]

I don't have many problems with Younis Khan, except that he score runs more consistently and giggle less

[Nikhil]

Or am I expecting too much from the lower order batsmen? I guess about 90 runs will be added by the last four batsmen. 450 will be a decent score and if the pitch deteriorates, (which will on the last couple of days), Pakistan's first inning is going to be majorly important.

Let's see what happens.

[Nikhil]

Originally Posted by Nikhil

Or am I expecting too much from the lower order batsmen?

-- I think I'm overexpecting . Seems 380 would be the more appropriate target. Two gone already and just a handful of runs added.

407 then.. Not too bad, but not a substantial score either. The last wicket added 44 very handful and from Pakistan's point of view, frustrating runs. It was a good display of batting by Kumble and Harbhajan. It's their turn to show their true trade now.

A lead of over 50 in the first inning is going to be crucial. Pakistan need to show some restraint and the top order have to play sensibly.

[Paoli]

Pakistan are 82-2 after 17.3 overs...Balaji and Pathan got carted but bounced back well...

[Maranello]

Originally Posted by Nikhil

Pakistan need to show some restraint and the top order have to play sensibly.

That's what we call wishful thinking of the highest order. Afridi - show restraint? play sensibly? hmm..probably a greater probability of little pink pigs flying outta your window!

[Shaka]

Pakistan 273/2 at stumps day 2

Pakistan seem to be in a great position to take a firm grip on this game. India were bowled out for 407 and while both openers failed in a sense they did see off the new ball which set the stage for Younis Khan and Yousuf Youhanna to score unbeaten centuries and really put Pakistan in the driving seat. I said before the innings started that these two along with Inzi and Kamal were fine players of spin bowling and they didn't let me down. Both were in masterful command against Kumble and Harbajhan, at one stage reducing Kumble to bowl around the wicket wide of the stumps in an attempt to stem the run rate. Tomorrow is going to be a pretty decisive day for this series. If Pakistan can get a substantial lead India will be under real pressure because a result either way here will have a big bearing on the series IMO. Steve Bucknor has once again been impeccable as an umpire, not flinching for an instant under some increasingly desperate appealing. Needless to say, the replays proved him right every time. I thought he should have given Sehwag out lbw yesterday to Afridi, but at least he's consistent.

[Maranello]

I agree, all in all, a pretty good day for Pakistan, and one which will give a lot of joy to all their long-suffering supporters! A 200 run partnership, not involving Inzi; who in their right minds would have expected that?

Good point about Bucknor Shaka. He was consistently very good. Shame about the appealing, it did border on the rude and offensive, especially by Harbhajan and, more rarely, Kumble. The whole brouhaha over Yoyo's "dismissal" off his arm(!) towards the end, when everyone started celebrating even though it had not been given out, was clearly in very bad taste and should be censured by Chris Broad.

On a postive note, its excellent to note that Inzi & Co are not being complacent:

"We would like to continue on Day Three because we feel the job is not even half-done," said vice-captain Younis, who scored an unbeaten 108 on the second day for his seventh Test century.

"We need to go on like this and if we get a lead of 250-plus it will help us force a win," said Youhana.

"I have only half a smile on my face," said Inzamam. "I will smile broadly if we take a match-winning lead. It could be 250-plus because it won't be easy to bat on this pitch on the last two days."

"On many occasions we have spurned an opportunity to post big totals," he said. "In Mebourne last year against Australia, we were bowled out for under-350 after being 250-3 at one stage.

"So it would be nice if Younis and Youhana bat for another two hours on the third day and we post a big total because we need to get India out a second time."

Pretty grounded stuff from the big man, hopefully the team will follow the words through with actions on Day 3 too. Pakistani batting collapses have been two-a-penny, the one at Melbourne being just one example, hence India are by no means out of it... at all!

Younis Khan was a revelation, and his post-day comments shows he is a modest, decent chap he is. I was particularly pleased to note the following:

Question to Younis Khan: "On being backed by his team"....

Answer: That's what pleased and touched me no end. Everyone in the team backed me, and a day before the Test here, Inzamam sat me down and had a long chat. I appreciate everything the team did for me, and in return, I wanted to make sure that I did not let them down. That I have managed to repay them for the faith they showed in me is my most important achievement today.

Shows the captain can inspire and motivate his followers, at least behind the scenes, something at which I think his influence is sometimes underrated.