Indo-Pakistan tussle for supremacy

Prince GUNASEKARA reporting from Bangladesh

PHAKA, March 17 - It will be a keen tussle for supremacy when unbeaten Pakistan takes on reigning World Champions India in a crucial 2012 Asia Cup tournament match to be played at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur here on Sunday. Pakistan is the only unbeaten team in the four-nation tournament, having won their first two league matches against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. It will be a do or die battle for India which only has a slim chance of making it to the finals, if they lose to arch rivals Pakistan, who have almost booked a place in Thursday’s final.

India, after failing to make it to the CB Series finals in Australia earlier this month, will be under tremendous pressure to win the Asian title.

India has failed to live up to expectations as the reigning World Champions and will have to come out with a vastly improved performance if they are to beat the high-riding Pakistan. On the other hand, the morale of the Indian camp is on low ebb after going down to the hosts Bangladesh in Friday’s game.

Despite veteran Sachin Tendulkar reaching that rare milestone of century of centuries in international cricket, his team ended on the losing side as Bangladesh middle order came out with some explosive batting to go past that healthy Indian total of 289 for 5 in 50 overs with four balls to spare.

The cricket crazy Bangladeshis are enjoying every moment of the Asia Cup and there were grand celebrations in the capital after the hosts humbled the World champions.

It was their poor bowling that let the Indian team down on Friday. They can not afford to do the same against the powerful Pakistan batting line up which will make every endeavour to go after the Indian bowling from the very first ball. India must win today’s game if they are to keep their chances alive while Sri Lanka’s title defence is in disarray after suffering back to back defeats.

A win for Pakistan on Sunday will make three remaining teams to battle for the other slot in the final. Sri Lanka’s chances, after going down to India and Pakistan, look rather slim even if they beat Bangladesh in their remaining league match.

But if India loses on Sunday and Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh on Tuesday, then the three teams will have four points each and the better team would be decided on net run rate.

The only chance for Sri Lanka to make it to the final is to beat Bangladesh with a bonus point, provided India loses to Pakistan on Sunday. Skipper Mahela Jayawardene admitted that his team played badly and lost the two crucial games as a result.

He blamed the failure of his top order for the defeat against Pakistan that has left them on the brink of elimination from the Asia Cup.

The Lankan skipper stood by his decision to bat first against Pakistan in the last game, a move that was questioned because the pitches in Mirpur have appeared to be better batting track under lights. Jayawardene said the Mirpur pitch gets slower and that with the extra bowler - Lasith Malinga had replaced Chamara Kapugedara in the XI - Sri Lanka felt they could defend a decent total.

Meanwhile, reports reaching here said that Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has paid national cricketers their outstanding dues, which had been pending since last year’s ICC World Cup. The ICC paid almost half of the outstanding payments directly to the players last December.

The SLC announced that the players have been paid all their dues in full up to date. Sri Lanka’s national cricketers had been owed around $4.3 million by SLC in December before the ICC paid part of their dues.