Going by many of the results in the last few years, it is clear that the India-Pakistan contest in world cricket has lost its competitive edge. Pakistan is now no match for India. Gone are the days when fans eagerly waited to see a battle between Sunny Gavaskar and Imran Khan or one between Kapil Dev and Javed Miandad. The matches have become predictable and even before the battle begins, everyone is almost sure that India will win.
This generation of Pakistani players led by Babar Azam cannot even be compared with the earlier generations led by the likes of Javed Miandad, Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and others. Especially when playing against India, the present day players lose their nerve and capitulate tamely. Yesterday’s (February 23) outcome in the Champions Trophy match once again reinforced the fact that now Pakistan is miles behind India.
Charm has disappeared
As a result, the charm of any India-Pak contest has evaporated and what remains is the hype. The latter factor is created by the media, sponsors, and marketing men who are reluctant to let go of an event that in the past had attracted millions of eyeballs and enormous advertising revenue. However, now all these people with vested interests are merely flogging a dead horse.
If we examine the Champions Trophy match yesterday in which India scored a comfortable six-wicket win over Pakistan, it is obvious that Pakistan seemed to have given up hope almost as soon as the match began. Although they won the toss and batted first, the approach of the batters had neither energy nor confidence.
It was boring cricket
In their imagination, they seemed to see demons everywhere and played so cautiously that the run scoring was extremely slow. It was boring and pedestrian cricket that was on view. All top batsmen had a strike rate of below 100. It was difficult to imagine that Pakistan’s cricketers were once a force to reckon with.
Mohammed Rizwan’s case was a perfect example of the timidity displayed by Pakistan batters. He became so cautious that he seemed to have abandoned the idea of scoring altogether. At one point, he had faced 50 balls for a mere 24 runs. A cricketer playing at the world level must show more pluck and daring. Others were no different. They seemed to be struck with the paralysis of fear.
But when India began the chase, the players had a plan and were determined to put it into action. The objective was to blow away Pakistan with a dramatic win and they charged into battle with gusto.
Kohli set the example
Setting an example was King Kohli, who already has awesome statistics against Pakistan.
He was seen practicing two hours before the rest of the team started their routine. Kohli was fine-tuning his game. That level of dedication tells you everything you need to know. His effort saw him come surging back to form with a well-compiled century.
The other important contribution to India’s victory came from Shreyas Iyer. He is the kind of player who is often overlooked because of the presence of big names. But he is a consistent player whose ability to anchor the innings, play well under pressure, and change gears when required, make him a big asset for Team India. He proved his worth yet again versus Pakistan.
Causes for Pakistan’s decline
But what are the causes for Pakistan’s decline when compared to its one-time arch-rival India? The slide in the team’s standard can be attributed to several factors, both on and off the field. One major issue has been the lack of consistent leadership and management.
In the past, Pakistan produced some exceptional players. However, there has been a lack of focus on nurturing the next generation in the way that the BCCI has done. Not that the BCCI is perfect. It is full of flaws. However, compared to the PCB, it has more funds and more talent to call upon. Under the circumstances, it seems very likely that India will continue to hold the upper hand against Pakistan for many years.
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