Sachin Tendulkar disappointed with Pakistan’s show, felt India would never lose a wicket
It was a one-way show in what was expected to be a well-fought contest between the arch-rivals.
He was adjudged the Man of the Match on as many as three occasions against Pakistan in the Cricket World Cup. Sachin Tendulkar made three match-winning fifties against the arch-rivals in the 1992, 2003 and 2011 editions and on Sunday, the Men in Blue extended their lead over the sub-continental opponents in the quadrennial event to 7-0. Rohit Sharma, following his famed predecessor, scored a massive 140 to win the game for India this time and pick the player of the match award.
Tendulkar, who is in the UK at the moment commentating at the World Cup, was happy that his country won yet another titanic clash, but at the same time, he was disappointed with Pakistan’s show. The man, who had played many famed Pakistan bowling attacks in the past, felt Pakistan skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed was “confused” and his men lacked the “imagination” during the game.
His take on the wicketkeeper-batsman though was moderate in comparison to former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar who openly termed Sarfaraz a “brainless captain” after his team suffered an 89-run loss. “I thought he (Sarfaraz) was confused because when Wahab (Riaz) was bowling he had a short mid-wicket. And when Shadab (Khan) came on to bowl he had a slip for him,” Tendulkar was quoted as saying by India Today.
Pakistan lacked out of the box thinking
“In these conditions it becomes difficult for a leg-spinner to grip the ball, especially when he’s not getting the right line and length. That is not the right way to approach a big game. They lacked imagination, lacked out of the box thinking,” the former batting maestro, who has scored the most runs at the World Cup (2,278 across six editions), added.
The 46-year-old even said that he never felt that an Indian wicket would fall since none of the Pakistani bowlers managed to exploit the conditions. Three of India’s five wickets fell in the last 10 overs as they made 88 runs in that phase. Earlier, the first wicket fell at 136, second at 234 and third at 285.
“If the ball is not moving around much, you don’t continue bowling over the wicket, Wahab (Riaz) went around the wicket but it was too late by then.”
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India put up a total of 336 for 5 in 50 overs and then restricted Pakistan to 212 for 6 in 40 overs to lose by 89 runs by the DLS Method. According to Tendulkar, pacer Hassan Ali was the only Pakistani bowler to get the ball to move off the surface. However, he went for 84 runs in nine overs and got one wicket.
Here is Sachin’s tweet congratulating the Men in Blue:
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