After a dull start, Champions Trophy came to life with a couple of upsets. All were caused by teams from the sub-continent. Pakistan defeated the No 1 ranked South Africa, Sri Lanka followed it up by humbling defending champions India and then Bangladesh pulled off an outstanding chase against New Zealand in the tournament’s best match. The most interesting bit is that three from the subcontinent are in the semifinals of a tournament in England. Let’s have a look at the qualifiers.
Unbeaten England
The best team in the tournament. Not only the first to qualify for the semifinals but also undefeated in the league phase. The new brand of cricket it has embraced is entertaining and effective. Their batting is full of exciting hitters, backed by the clear intent of going hard irrespective of the stage of the game. England was reduced to 35/3 against Australia, but ‘When in doubt, take the aggressive approach’ seems to be mantra for England. In addition to that, they now have the bowling depth for these conditions. Their fast bowlers hit the deck hard and their spinners are used to bowling tight lines. England is the team to beat in this tournament.
India batsmen among runs
The defending champions started in style but slipped against Sri Lanka. In the do or die game against South Africa they brought their A game. In the first two games, India’s fielding left a lot to be desired but it made the difference in the virtual quarterfinal.
Openers, barring against SA, gave India solid starts. The new ODI template is to take it easy in the first 30 overs keeping wickets in hand and treat it is as a T20 game thereafter.
Every batsman with the exception of Jadhav has scored crucial runs and that allows them to play an uninhibited brand of cricket with the bat. They are almost certain to treat Pandya as a fifth and not sixth bowling option. While it has worked against South Africa, it might put the bowling under spotlight against England (if they reach the final), for the same happened when Sri Lanka chased down 322 with consummate ease.
Bangla winning abroad
Bangladesh have reached the knockouts of two consecutive ICC 50-over tournaments. The biggest change has come in form of their bowling resources, for now the focus is to field pacers instead of spinners. Dependence on spin in the past made them a formidable team at home but mere pushovers abroad. Since that’s changed, the team has started downing some good teams.
Their batting has also come out of the shadows of their big 3. It’s no longer about Tamim, Mushfiqur and Shakib, for the likes of Sarkar, Shabbir and Mahmadullah have started making winning contributions. But it might be a little tough to go past India in the semis.
Pakistan find reverse gear
There isn’t a dull moment when Pakistan is playing cricket. They have the bowling to bring the team back from the dead and their batting has the ability to squander the advantage seized by their bowlers. Their fielding might have improved a little over the years but it’s still miles behind other teams.
Like most teams, even Pakistan bowlers haven’t found swing with the new ball, but unlike most teams, their bowlers have discovered reverse swing, and therefore have been the most potent in the death overs.
While the new template of ODI batting works fine against the rest, it’s prudent to flip the tactic while batting against Pakistan. The best chance of making runs against them is when the ball is new. Pakistan’s batting, however, has the tendency to undo the good work, for their seniors haven’t stood up even once. For Pakistan to beat England, it has to create a perfect storm, which looks a little unlikely considering their
performances in the tournament.