Match Report: India vs Zimbabwe
By Anil - 19 Feb, '03
February 19 2003
India roared back into contention in the World Cup with a comprehensive victory under pressure over Zimbabwe on their home ground in Harare. The team clicked as a unit: the big batters, the fast men, the lone specialist spinner, and the fielders all shone today.
When Streak inserted India after winning the toss, and the ball bounced and moved in the initial overs, it looked as if a moist pitch might restrict scoring. However, Sehwag dispelled such notions in quick time by hammering Blignaut all over the park, not allowing him to settle into a line and length. At the other end, Tendulkar was tied down a bit by some good bowling from Zimbabwe captain Streak. Sehwag's strike rate was easily the better of the two in the first five overs, however, the twin master blasters had taken charge completely and the Zimbabwe seamers looked helpless. The understanding between the two batsmen was perfect: as if they had been opening together for a long time. Some of the quick singles between them were an object lesson in running between wickets.
Soon however, Tendulkar broke free and raced ahead of Sehwag, who was reduced to the role of a spectator for a while as Tendulkar got much of the strike. Tendulkar displayed his entire majestic array of strokes: the gracefully swivelling pull, the stunning cover drive, the sweetly struck straight drive. Streak shuffled seamers constantly, realizing too late that his ploy of pace had failed. At 99, just before the century partnership could be realized, Sehwag feathered a catch behind, attempting to steer Whitall to third man.
Dinesh Mongia displayed a reluctance to take charge, content to defend back innocuous deliveries and unable to rotate strike effectively as the run rate dipped well below the 6 per over that Sehwag and Tendulkar had maintained. After a sluggish 12 runs in which he slowed down Tendulkar as well, both batsmen were sent back by spinner Grant Flower. Incidentally, many Flower deliveries appear to be rather clear chucks. Tendulkar's superbly compiled 80 on a difficult pitch was to later win him the man of the match award.
Ganguly and Dravid, both new at the crease, took their time settling in. Just as Ganguly looked set and dangerous, having come in when the spinners were operating and having bludgeoned an absolutely massive straight six off leg spinner Murphy that soared over the roof of the Harare stadium, Streak brought back Blignaut whom Ganguly attempted to lift him over the ropes, only to end straight into the hands of his opposite number Streak.
The prized wicket of Yuvraj fell cheaply, departing in a manner almost identical to Sehwag. The so far out-of-form Kaif joined Dravid, and together the two ran singles quickly and run rate started climbing. As overs looked like running out, Kaif attempted and achieved the Marillier shot off Hondo, scooping the ball down the leg side for an unorthodox four, followed by a flat batted six over midoff. But attempting to repeat the scoop, he walked across and was adjudged LBW by Asoka de Silva, the villain of so many bad LBW decisions against India producing a correct decision this time. Thereafter Harbhajan came and went quickly but Zaheer played a superb cameo, including two fours in the last over off best Zimbabwe bowler Heath Streak.
When India returned to the field, Srinath was magnificent -- bowling with hostility, control, and bounce. Choking the Zimbabwe batsmen completely, he had opener Vermeulan caught behind in his first over, and bowled the highest scorer of the World Cup Wishart. Srinath also had the best Zimbabwe batsman caught behind off a clear deflection, but so clear was it that Srinath, who didn't bother to make a huge appeal, found to his disbelief that umpire Koertzen had given it not out. Clearly, the umpires expect defeaning appeals from the Indians before they allow a wicket, in which case they shouldn't complain when they get them.
Zaheer bowled at a hostile pace, consistently in the 140's Kph. And Nehra, who took over after Zaheer's spell while Srinath continued for a couple more overs, was a revelation. Steaming in at a typical speed of 147 Kph, he peaked at 149.7 Kph - the fastest spell by any bowler in this World Cup apart from Akhtar and Lee. The Zimbabwe batsmen looked completely clueless against him at most times, as the ball constantly whizzed past their bats through to a much more competent than usual Dravid behind the stumps. Luckless Nehra didn't pick a wicket, but the pressure from his fiery pace helped the bowler at the other end. The team management will not be able to justify dropping him from the next game, and it looks as if Kumble may have to stay out of the team for the time being.
Harbhajan cleaned up Andy Flower by bowling him with a vicious spinner around his legs, and after that it was all Ganguly whose medium pace had the Zimbabwe batsmen struggling as he sliced through the middle order by picking 3 wickets in the space of 6 deliveries: Grant Flower, Ibrahim, and Blignaut all caught trying to break the stranglehold brought on by the captain's dibbly dobbly stuff.
The Indian fielding was top-class, even if one of the very best, Kaif, failed to run out Andy Flower on two occasions when his direct throw missed the stumps. All the Indian fielders had a spring to their steps, throwing themselves at the ball and keeping the Zimbabwe batsmen honest. We even witnessed a "relay throw" when Yuvraj raced to stop a ball at the boundary and threw it to Kaif in midfield, who in turn fired it to the bowler.
Puzzlingly, Ganguly chose to take the pressure off at this point by bringing in part timers Sehwag and Mongia together. If this was his concept of giving them practice, it backfired as the large Indian component of the stadium crowd booed and Zimbabwe, which looked like getting all out between 100 and 125, piled up many more than they should have before Zaheer was brought back to send the stumps of the last two batsmen flying. Zimbabwe ended up managing 172, a good 60 runs more than they should have if Ganguly had wanted to end the innings earlier.
All in all a comprehensive win for the Indians, who seem to be picking up momentum. Make no mistake, this was a significant win on Zim's home territory, who had made the super six round in the '99 Cup, and had just notched up an overwhelming win against minnows Namibia just before this game -- one much more convincing than England's win today over the same opponents. Sachin Tendulkar picked up the gold watch for a lovely innings, and Heath Streak gave due credit to a superb Indian bowling performance. India now occupy the second spot in Pool A after Australia.