INDIA EYEING FINAL SPOT

Asia Cup: Dhoni’s Men Take On Pakistan In Super Four Tie Today

Karachi: Having got three full days to recharge their batteries, a rejuvenated India will take on arch rivals Pakistan in a Super Four match of the Asia Cup cricket tournament here on Wednesday, fully aware that a victory will ensure them a berth in the final.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni was visibly miffed when he complained about the tight schedule of the tournament that required his team to play three matches over four days. Much to his relief, a three-day break allowed the side to get over the fatigue and the players should be raring to go when they have the traditional rivals at sight.
Irfan Pathan has recovered from a nagging side strain and would be available for selection for the tie. “Irfan has worked very hard with the trainer for the last few days to make a comeback and his availability is a definite plus point for us,” coach Gary Kirsten told reporters after the Indian team’s nets session.
Though predicting the outcome of an India-Pakistan match can be inviting embarrassment, Dhoni’s team seems to have a certain edge, having beaten the hosts in the group stage.
The Indian batting line-up, especially the top order, has been firing on all cylinders and though the tight schedule made it quite taxing for them, runs have not stopped flowing from their blades.
“It was tough out there for us. But I am happy we have kept going. Suresh Raina, Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag have batted really well in the tournament and I hope they keep on doing the same,” Dhoni said.
Raina has hit a purple patch with two centuries against his name and his impressive strike rate suggests he is yet to get over the Twenty20 mode.
Sehwag has been among the runs too, as is Gautam Gambhir and the Delhi duo would walk out to once again lay the perfect foundation for a mammoth total so that they can bury the opponents under the run mountain.
In fact, the top order has made it look so easy that neither Yuvraj Singh nor Dhoni got much of a chance to strut their stuff.
The lone worry surrounds the form of Rohit Sharma, whose run drought is all the more baffling considering his sublime shot in the Indian Premier League. But even though Rohit continues to struggle to the ODI format, his batting colleagues are doing enough to ensure that the team does not suffer from his slump.
The lack of firepower and sting in the bowling attack, however, would remain a worry for Dhoni. In their previous meeting too, Pakistan managed to post 299 for four against a lacklustre Indian attack.
Meanwhile, the game is crucial for Pakistan who face a do-or-die situation as a defeat would put them out of the final. Keen to sort their bowling woes, Pakistan have decided to include paceman Abdul Rauf and off- spinner Saeed Ajmal, replacing Wahab Riaz and Mansoor Amjad, in the team for the crucial tie. Shoaib Malik who has been suffering from dehydration, has declared himself fit as the skipper is keen to play. Pakistan will also have to rise above internal conflicts and put up a vastly improved show to stop the in-form Indians, even though it would not be an easy task. The team already looks a house divided with coach Geoff Lawson and the senior players at the loggerhead, while the Australian is also under tremendous media pressure after his bust-up with the press.
Teams (from): India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (C), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Robin Uthappa, Yusuf Pathan, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Piyush Chawla, Manpreet Gony, Ishant Sharma, R P Singh, Pragyan Ojha, Praveen Kumar. Pakistan: Shoaib Malik (capt), Misbah-ul-Haq, Fawad Alam, Iftikhar Anjum, Mansoor Amjad, Mohammad Yousuf, Nasir Jamshed, Saeed Ajmal, Salman Butt, Sarfraz Ahmed, Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanvir, Wahab Riaz, Younis Khan. AGENCIES
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