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‘It is a great feeling’
India’s biggest win abroad Kalam, Advani hail win |
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| Pak have plenty of rethinking to do Pakistan lost the decisive Rawalpindi Test the moment they got shot out for a little over 200. From then on, the hosts’ only hope was a fiery spell from either the local boy Shoaib Akhtar or from Mohammed Sami, on the second morning. However, that did not happen, and from as early as lunch on the second day, it was clear that India would win.
Rs 50 lakh bonus for team What makes Balaji popular? Notes from Pakistan
Tollygunge rally to hold JCT
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Rawalpindi, April 16 The team had come close to winning overseas series a few times in the last few years but the remarkable victory against Pakistan was possible because the players had learnt from the past mistakes, a visibly happy Ganguly said at a post-match press conference after his team had thrashed the hosts by an innings and 131 runs to clinch the three-Test series. “The victory against Pakistan in Pakistan will always be special. It’s a great feeling, there’s always a different charm when you beat Pakistan. There is a great rivalry between the two teams and we really fight hard,” he said. “In the past two years, we have come close to winning an overseas series but could not pull it through. We learnt from the mistakes. I think our bowlers did a great job on the first day. In the past we could not manage to get such a start, and everybody contributed for this victory,” Ganguly said. “Cricket is a team game, and no individual can win you the game. Somebody or the other has always come good. Sehwag, Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman, Yuvraj all had some big score in the one-dayers and the Tests. “Pathan, Balaji and Kumble bowled very well. Both the batsmen and the bowlers performed which made the victory possible,” he said. On what was his feeling as the historic victory has made him the most successful Indian captain now, Ganguly said, “It’s a great win for the team. When I became the captain, there were many guys who were starting their careers and were very young. They have now matured and have started to perform. It’s a good journey for John (Wright) and myself and I hope we can improve.” Asked whether the team could have won the series 3-0 had they not decided to bat first in the second Test in Lahore, Ganguly said, “Rahul had taken the right decision. We had batted first on green tops earlier. It’s just that we did not bat well in the morning session on the opening day.” “It’s not easy to win 3-0 when you are playing away from home. Pakistan played well to win the Lahore Test. They are playing at home and were bound to fight back. It was a question of playing well in the last match,” Ganguly said. On what was the main difference between the two teams, he said it would be unfair to pull down the Pakistani team just because they lost the series. Man-of-the-series Virender Sehwag said the tour of Australia had given the team a lot of confidence and self-belief that they could play well anywhere. “The Australian series gave us a lot of confidence. It made us feel that if we can do it with the best team in the world, we can do it against anybody,” he said. Asked about any regrets, after he was dismissed for a duck here, Sehwag said, “I have no regrets, the team has won and that’s the most important thing. Individual records don’t matter.” — PTI
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India’s biggest win abroad Rawalpindi, April 16 But the innings and 131-run victory margin makes it doubly sweet, since it is India’s biggest ever abroad. It is also the biggest win against Pakistan at home or away, bettering the innings and 70-run win it had registered in New Delhi when the archrivals made their first visit in 1952-53. The Pindi win is India’s second biggest ever against any opposition after the innings and 219-run defeat of Mark Taylor’s Australia at Kolktata in 1997-98. It is India’s 77th win and 21st abroad in its 72 years of Test history. The last 16 wins have come since 1999-2000 when Sourav Ganguly took over from Sachin Tendulkar. India’s first series win abroad came in New Zealand in 1967-68 when it beat the Kiwis 3-1 in a four-Test series. Their next two wins came in 1971 when Ajit Wadekar’s men defeated Clive Lloyd’s West Indies and Ray Illingworth’s England. These were followed by Kapil’s Devils’ 2-0 triumph over England in 1986 and the 1-0 win in Sri Lanka under the captaincy of Mohammad Azharuddin. Besides, India also won the one-off Test in Bangladesh in 2000. India have now won 15 Tests under Ganguly, with Rahul Dravid captaining the side to an innings and 52 runs win in the first Test at Multan in the current series, making the Kolkatan the most successful captain ahead of Mohammad Azharuddin who had 14 wins under him. For Pakistan, the Rawalpindi debacle was their second biggest at home after their innings and 156-run defeat at the hands of West Indies at Lahore in 1958-59.
— PTI |
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Kalam, Advani hail win New Delhi, April 16 In a message addressed to Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, Dr Kalam said: "My hearty congratulations to all of you on the historic and fantastic win that you have registered in the just-concluded cricket series in Pakistan. The whole nation is proud of you". The President said "This victory has been made possible by admirable team effort. My hearty greetings to all of you and best wishes for all your matches in the future". Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani, in a message to skipper Ganguly, released in Delhi, said the Test series victory against Pakistan was a "dream come true for the Indian players and the people of the country". He said the one-day and the Test series generated a lot of expectations and goodwill, and ended on a happy note for the Indians. He hailed Sourav Ganguly for maintaining team spirit throughout the series, adding that "I wish the Indian players continue to play the game in the same positive spirit and earn goodwill". Congress President Sonia Gandhi described India's triumph in the cricket series against Pakistan as a "moment of glory". She said 'Team India' represented the young, resurgent new India. All-India Council of Sports (AICS) President Vijay Kumar Malhotra, who is also the spokesperson of the BJP Parliamentary party, expressed his thanks to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee "for making the Pakistan tour a reality". |
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Pak have plenty of rethinking to do Pakistan lost the decisive Rawalpindi Test the moment they got shot out for a little over 200. From then on, the hosts’ only hope was a fiery spell from either the local boy Shoaib Akhtar or from Mohammed Sami, on the second morning. However, that did not happen, and from as early as lunch on the second day, it was clear that India would win. Pakistan was severely affected by the injury to Umer Gul. He was the only bowler who troubled the Indians right through this series, and looking back, I would say that if he had not produced that spell in Lahore, the scoreline in this series could well have been 3-0, such was India’s all-round superiority to Pakistan. In Gul’s absence none of the bowlers looked like troubling the Indian batsmen, and while Shoaib did threaten shortly before breaking down, we will never know whether he would have actually restricted the Indians. With India outplaying the Pakistan team in Pindi as comprehensively as they did at Multan, what came across was the all-round strength that the team possessed. The batting was formidable, but what was even more impressive was the way the bowlers compensated for their lack of sheer pace, with accuracy and swing. Above all, it was obvious for the world to see that the visitors also shared tremendous team spirit and camaraderie. All this is a sign that Indian cricket is in good health and that its domestic structure is honing young talent well. Two crucial performers in this Test series, Parthiv Patel and Irfan Pathan are proof to the fact that youngsters coming through the Indian domestic structure are closer to being finished products than the Pakistanis youngsters are. Patel’s partnership with Rahul Dravid was one of the most crucial factors for India having won so convincingly. A sign of a team’s good health is also the bench strength, and when you have a batsman of Mohammed Kaif’s calibre in the reserves, the abundance of talent is evident. For Pakistan, whenever their young batsmen were under pressure, they were consistent in their failure, whether it was in Multan or in Pindi. They did well in Lahore because the team was in a strong position. When the chips are down, a batsman needs to rely on technique or temperament. Other than Inzamam-ul Haq, none of the Pakistan batsmen looked like they possessed either quality. However, to win Tests, you need to be able to play knocks like the one Dravid played here, and Tendulkar played at Multan. Sehwag was murderous at Multan, but it was Tendulkar who steered the innings to 600-plus. Both innings were examples of the importance of technique and none of the young Pakistan players have looked like possessing any defence. While Indian cricket is looking better with every series, Pakistan cricket has been in a state of decline ever since the World Cup last year. The slowing down and eventual retirement of the two Ws and Saeed Anwar has made this team really vulnerable. The only cause for optimism is the pace bowling, which has won us a few games, but even this talent is not being polished because of the lack of a senior bowler or bowling coach. Right through the Tests, it was obvious that Plan A was to blast out the Indians with sheer pace. When that did not happen, there was no Plan B or Plan C in place, and the bowling looked embarrassingly aimless. It did not help that the first Test was played at Multan where Pakistan should have played on a green pitch and tried to dominate the Indian batting. Once they were alternatively massacred and ground to dust by Sehwag and Tendulkar, neither Shoaib nor Sami were ever able to recover fully. If I have to pinpoint a moment in which this series turned India’s way, it was when Pakistan opted to play on a flat track at Multan. So is this the best Indian side to have toured Pakistan? I would not know because this side was not really tested by a good performance from the Pakistan team. So while this team is very good, they also benefited from playing against a below-par Pakistan team. The Indians showed their class in all three Tests, whether it was Sehwag’s great onslaught in Multan, Tendulkar’s and Dravid’s outstanding knocks or even Yuvraj’s century at Lahore with the lower order. This team has spirit, depth and talent, which augurs well for the future of Indian cricket. The hosts have plenty of rethinking to do. Whatever else is decided upon, they must persist with Inzamam as captain. He is the only truly great Pakistani batsman right now, and he is the only player of stature in this side right now. If Pakistan wants to continue as a force in international cricket, they simply have to develop their domestic cricket structure, or try and send promising players to other domestic competitions or to the counties. If this does not happen quickly, it will be very difficult to find any quality batsmen from within our talent pool.
— Gameplan |
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Rs 50 lakh bonus for team KOLKATA: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday announced a bonus of Rs 50 lakh for the Indian team for crafting a historic 2-1 win in Pakistan against the hosts. India won the Rawalpindi Test defeating Pakistan by an innings and 131 runs. The team had earlier inflicted an innings defeat in the first Test at Multan but lost the second Test at Lahore before coming back strongly to win the third Test and lift the Samsung Cup, scripting India’s maiden Test series win in Pakistan. BCCI President Jagmohan Dalmiya said here, “On behalf of the board, I join the rest of the country in saluting the Indian cricket team for scripting the historic win in Pakistan.” “We played like champions and the players have done us proud not only playing brilliant cricket, but also through the very spirit in which they played,” he said. “As a token of appreciation for the superlative performance, the board is pleased to announce a token bonus of Rs 50 lakh for the Indian cricket team,’’ he said. “We have earlier won the one-day series 3-2, but the Test series victory is all the more significant because this is the first time we had won a Test in Pakistan,” he said.
— UNI |
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Rawalpindi, April 16 Asked what was the secret of his popularity, Balaji replied modestly that even he was not sure what the reason was.
“I really don’t know. I asked a few people, and they said my name sounded good. Others said it had something to so with my smile. But I really don’t know,” said the bowler trying hard to repress a grin. Balaji emerged as a key bowler claiming 12 wickets in the three-match series. In the series decider, he took seven wickets to play a stellar role in the victory. “Taking wickets is always important, it gives you the confidence. The tracks for the Test matches had something for the bowlers unlike the pitches for the one-dayers. So it helped us,” he said. Balaji said his performance in the high-profile series has given him the confidence to perform well against any team but admitted that he had a long way to go. “I had worked on my line and length and my inswingers for this series. I am happy that the hard work has given some result, but I still have a long way to go,” the bowling sensation said. “I felt that I was bowling with a good rhythm in the Tests. It is now important to take this confidence forward and maintain this rhythm in future matches. I have to keep improving.” Balaji said the series triumph against Pakistan was a “special feeling” and it was great honour for him to be part of the team which had created history. “Beating Pakistan is always special. We had come here to do just that, so it’s a great feeling. We now have to carry on in this way.”
— PTI |
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Notes from Pakistan It was the turn of the Indian fans to be feted as a local cricket club hosted a lunch for those who travelled from across the border to watch the ongoing third Test match between India and Pakistan. The Rawalpindi’s Cricket Promoters Club organised the lunch on Friday at Park Lane Hotel, which is almost adjacent to the Pindi Cricket Stadium, the venue of the match. Around 150 of the 800-odd Indian fans who have come to watch the Test walked to the hotel during the lunch interval and returned before the action resumed after the break. Club president Mohammed Tahir Ansari, said it was a grand opportunity to do “something” at the people-to-people level besides the arrangements made by the Pakistan Government to make the Indians’ stays comfortable here. “When the boards and the government of the two countries are promoting friendship, we also wanted to do something and hence this lunch,” said Ansari, whose parents originally belonged to Ambehta town in Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh. Former India players Navjot Singh Sidhu and Sanjay Manjrekar and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief executive Rameez Raja were also invited for the lunch. *
Former Pakistan captain Saeed Anwar continues to draw fans even after retiring from cricket and preferring to maintain a low profile. Anwar had turned to preaching even when he was on the last legs of his glorious career. These days he wears kurta-pajama and a skull-cap, has a long, flowing beard and is busy in religious activities. On Thursday, he was spotted at Marriott Hotel and fans immediately mobbed him for autographs. The former left-handed batsman obliged everyone. Another former Pakistan Test player who was seen in the lobby was Ijaz Ahmed, a solid batsman in his days, who visited India on the 1999 tour. He said he had signed a contract with a Dubai-based television channel as a cricket expert. “I am now based in Dubai these days, but since my family is still in Lahore, I return on the weekends and again go back before the start of the week,” he said.
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Tollygunge rally to hold JCT Ludhiana, April 16 After JCT had taken a 1-0 lead in the 11th minute off Manjit Singh, whose powerful long ranger saw the ball crashing into the net after hitting the right post, Tollygunge seemed to have resigned to their fate but a brilliant effort by the hard-working Habib Ali, who capitalised on a cross by Nigerian defender Awoyemi Isiaka to shoot the ball past JCT goalie Mansuru Mohammed at the fag end sent a wave of joy in the Tollygunge camp. Hovering in relegation zone, the one point gained from today's draw may ultimately prove decisive for the Kolkata outfit. JCT, however, will rue the series of costly errors which denied them victory in this 18th round tie. With international IM Vijayan sidelined due to injury, JCT relied on star midfielder Joe Paul Ancheri to bolster the attack with Jaswinder marshalling the right flank. Diminutive forward Baldip Singh also gave a good account of himself in the absence of Stephan Abarowei though he failed to find the target after initiating some good moves. The match was hardly 11 minutes old when JCT went on the offensive and off a counter-attack, the ball came to an unmarked Manjit Singh outside the box. Manjit's power-packed shot gave Tollygunge custodian Chinmoy Banerjee absolutely no chance and the ball landed in the far corner after hitting the right post. Thereafter, JCT continued to mount pressure and held a clear edge over their rivals. A powerful piledriver was deflected over the goal-line by the Tollygunge custodian at the cost of a corner which again proved to be of no avail. Tollygunge hit back with a counter-attack and a cross by Nepoleon Singh was followed by Gauranga Dutta's well-taken header but JCT goalie Mansuru Mohammed dived to his right to effect a fine save. In the 28th minute, an angular shot by Habib Ali which kept low narrowly missed the target. Towards the end of the first half, JCT got some good chances to score. First Sukhjinder received the ball inside the D but he only managed to shoot over and later a pass from the left by Harvinder to Manjit Singh parallel to the goal-line saw the latter missing a golden chance with an open goal in front. In the second half, JCT were again on the offensive and Ancheri's excellent pass to Baldip went waste as the latter's shot narrowly missed the target. Baldip's subsequent pass to Jaspal who put Manjit in possession again failed to yield the desired result as his back volley was easily collected by Chinmoy Banerjee. Tollygunge earned a flag kick midway into the second session and defender Isiaka aimed a good header but JCT goalie Mansuru Mohammed brought off an equally good save. JCT made a couple of substitutions replacing Harvinder Singh and Joe Paul Ancheri but they hardly changed the complexion of the game. When the match seemed to be tilting in favour of JCT in the fag end, Tollygunge hit back with the equaliser. Defender Ayoyemi Isiaka, lurking in danger zone, capitalised on the melee to put Habib Ali in possession who, in a fraction of a second, shot home past the dazed Mansuru Mohammed under the JCT bar (1-1). JCT will now meet Mohammedan Sporting here on April 19. |
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