Pakistan in the ascendancy?
Wisden Cricinfo previews the runners and riders in Pool C of the Champions Trophy
08-Sep-2004
Twelve countries have assembled in England to contest the 2004 ICC Champions Trophy. Wisden Cricinfo takes a look at the teams, their prospects, and some of the names to look out for:
India
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They have never failed to reach the last four in the ICC Champions Trophy, and were joint winners with Sri Lanka last time, two years after being eclipsed by Chris Cairns in the 2000 final. But since a remarkable run of nine successive victories that took them to the World Cup final in 2003, India's one-day form has plummeted, with 18 defeats and only 17 victories in 38 matches. And barring the five-match series in Pakistan where they plundered runs, the oft-celebrated batting line-up has failed to live up to expectations. The pace bowlers are inexperienced, and the likes of Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh are going through a wretched run with the bat. Under Bob Woolmer, Pakistan have given India two thumpings, and a third could be on the cards at Edgbaston, especially with the talismanic figure of Sachin Tendulkar ruled out by injury.
One to watch
Regardless of whether he keeps wicket or not, the double ICC-awardwinner, Rahul Dravid, will be the main repository of Indian hope. When on song, there is no better batsman in the game, and after an ugly-duckling phase early in his career, he has matured into a one-day finisher of real quality, peerless at building an innings and accelerating smoothly. Has endured a rocky start to the season, but his familiarity with, and love of, English conditions should bring him back to his resolute best when the team needs it most. With the team certain to stick to the seven-batsmen policy, his keeping will also be under scrutiny. If he can perform the dual role as well as he did in Pakistan a few months ago, India may yet give their immense following something to cheer about.
Regardless of whether he keeps wicket or not, the double ICC-awardwinner, Rahul Dravid, will be the main repository of Indian hope. When on song, there is no better batsman in the game, and after an ugly-duckling phase early in his career, he has matured into a one-day finisher of real quality, peerless at building an innings and accelerating smoothly. Has endured a rocky start to the season, but his familiarity with, and love of, English conditions should bring him back to his resolute best when the team needs it most. With the team certain to stick to the seven-batsmen policy, his keeping will also be under scrutiny. If he can perform the dual role as well as he did in Pakistan a few months ago, India may yet give their immense following something to cheer about.
New kid on the block
It seems sacrilegious to make comparisons with the incomparable Wasim Akram, but Pathan has made a tremendous impact since he broke into the team during the last Australian summer. He lacks the raw pace that Akram had in his youth, and has yet to learn to move the ball away from the right-hander consistently, but the delivery that shapes back in and the stealthy yorker have troubled some of the best in the game. An extra yard of pace and greater variety will surely come with time - Akram himself has said that the boy soaks up information like a sponge - but for the moment, the precocious Pathan must carry the quick-bowling burden for an Indian side that is without Zaheer Khan. An adept batsman who can strike the ball cleanly and hard, Pathan's greater attribute is the strength of will that got him from the courtyard of a Baroda mosque to the Long Room at Lord's in next to no time. Dileep Premachandran
It seems sacrilegious to make comparisons with the incomparable Wasim Akram, but Pathan has made a tremendous impact since he broke into the team during the last Australian summer. He lacks the raw pace that Akram had in his youth, and has yet to learn to move the ball away from the right-hander consistently, but the delivery that shapes back in and the stealthy yorker have troubled some of the best in the game. An extra yard of pace and greater variety will surely come with time - Akram himself has said that the boy soaks up information like a sponge - but for the moment, the precocious Pathan must carry the quick-bowling burden for an Indian side that is without Zaheer Khan. An adept batsman who can strike the ball cleanly and hard, Pathan's greater attribute is the strength of will that got him from the courtyard of a Baroda mosque to the Long Room at Lord's in next to no time. Dileep Premachandran
Pakistan
You can't talk about Pakistan at the moment without lingering a moment on Bob Woolmer, the newly-appointed coach. Throughout their history in international cricket, Pakistan have had the talent and drive to shock the best teams on any given day. The flip side is that their day comes infrequently, and discipline, unity and planning is often sorely lacking. Those three facets are exactly what Woolmer brings to the table. In the last two one-day tournaments they have played - the Asia Cup and the Videocon Cup - Pakistan have beaten India. Now, in the Champions Trophy, they have already made noises about making it three in three. Shoaib Akhtar is still the major force, but now he isn't the only one. Shoaib Malik has come along nicely to partner Inzamam-ul-Haq and Yousuf Youhana in the middle order, and Abdul Razzaq gives the team an allround edge, and ensures that they bat low. If Pakistan push past India, they will become certain contenders for the title, given the knock-out format of the ICC Champions Trophy.
One to watch
Shoaib Malik has made the Pakistan No. 3 slot his own like no-one else in the recent past. He provides a perfect combination of fluent drives and urgent running between the wickets, and has an invaluable ability to pinch-hit when needed, before quickly changing gears to play the big knock. In the last 10 one-dayers he has scored 500 runs at an even 50, with two hundreds and as many fifties. Throw in his canny offbreaks and brilliant fielding, and you have an MVP just waiting to happen.
Shoaib Malik has made the Pakistan No. 3 slot his own like no-one else in the recent past. He provides a perfect combination of fluent drives and urgent running between the wickets, and has an invaluable ability to pinch-hit when needed, before quickly changing gears to play the big knock. In the last 10 one-dayers he has scored 500 runs at an even 50, with two hundreds and as many fifties. Throw in his canny offbreaks and brilliant fielding, and you have an MVP just waiting to happen.
Old kid on the block
Shabbir Ahmed's last-minute injury has paved the way for the return of one of the most talented allrounders on the fringes of international cricket. That Azhar Mahmood is referred to as "the Surrey allrounder" these days tells a story. It tells you how Pakistan were never fully able to harness the ability of this wily swing bowler who was a good enough batsman to score a Test century against South Africa on debut. If Pakistan can find place for Mahmood and Razzaq in the playing XI, Inzamam will have an embarrassment of riches on his hands. Anand Vasu
Shabbir Ahmed's last-minute injury has paved the way for the return of one of the most talented allrounders on the fringes of international cricket. That Azhar Mahmood is referred to as "the Surrey allrounder" these days tells a story. It tells you how Pakistan were never fully able to harness the ability of this wily swing bowler who was a good enough batsman to score a Test century against South Africa on debut. If Pakistan can find place for Mahmood and Razzaq in the playing XI, Inzamam will have an embarrassment of riches on his hands. Anand Vasu
Kenya
Alas, the surprise World Cup semi-finalists are
unlikely to pull off similar heroics in this
tournament, having gone backwards in the interim - as
internal squabbling takes its toll. The Kenyan team, a
rag-tag assortment consisting mainly of old-timers and
new blood, are in poor form and were routed at home
by Pakistan A and India A. To make matters worse, they are lacking key
men in Maurice Odumbe and Collins Obuya - for varying reasons.
Spirits in the camp remain high, however, and Kenya
will certainly seek to entertain with their trump card, dashing
batting, embodied in particular by Steve Tikolo and
Ravindu Shah.
One to watch
Steve Tikolo, almost certainly the best batsman outside the Test-playing nations, will hope to continue his recent aggressive and destructive batting form against Pakistan A and India A. But Tikolo, 33, is comfortable on the international stage, too, having plundered runs against Australia and India in the World Cup. Batting prowess a given, Tikolo, the Kenyan captain, also bowls useful offbreaks and is a fine fielder to boot.
Steve Tikolo, almost certainly the best batsman outside the Test-playing nations, will hope to continue his recent aggressive and destructive batting form against Pakistan A and India A. But Tikolo, 33, is comfortable on the international stage, too, having plundered runs against Australia and India in the World Cup. Batting prowess a given, Tikolo, the Kenyan captain, also bowls useful offbreaks and is a fine fielder to boot.
New kid on the block
Ah, so many new youngsters to choose from: Kenya have been forced to turn to their Under-19s to reinvigorate an ageing side. But the pick of the pack is former youth captain Ragheb Aga, a 20-year-old with a mature outlook who has already been tipped by Tikolo as future leader of the senior side. But before this, medium pace bowler Aga has a manful task ahead in the Champions Trophy: to step up to the challenge of spearing Kenya to success. Jenny Thompson
Ah, so many new youngsters to choose from: Kenya have been forced to turn to their Under-19s to reinvigorate an ageing side. But the pick of the pack is former youth captain Ragheb Aga, a 20-year-old with a mature outlook who has already been tipped by Tikolo as future leader of the senior side. But before this, medium pace bowler Aga has a manful task ahead in the Champions Trophy: to step up to the challenge of spearing Kenya to success. Jenny Thompson
Other Pool previews