World Cup 2019, Days 24-25: Afghanistan Trip on the Finishing Line, the West Indies conform to type and Pakistan Can’t Catch a Cold, but Send South Africa Home

 

 

World Cup 2019

Days 24-25: Afghanistan Trip on the Finishing Line, the West Indies conform to type and Pakistan Can’t Catch a Cold, but Send South Africa Home

June 23^rd 2019

 

When, in 1996, Kenya beat a West Indian side that, if no longer at the height of its powers, was still a most formidable opponent, it was regarded as the greatest cricketing shock of all time. Afghanistan, who have gone from richer to poorer the longer they have been in England, came agonisingly close to producing an even greater shock result.

The final margin was 11 runs. You felt that if Afghanistan could bat out 50 overs, they would win. In fact, thanks to a last over hat-trick, they failed by just one ball and, duly lost. While Mohammad Nabi was still at the crease, the target was just about with reach, but a middle-order collapse left him just too much to do. The margins, though, were so fine that, had Pandya missed Nabi on the boundary to the second ball of that over and the ball had gone for the six that it so nearly was, surely Afghanistan would have won. Nabi was that close to pulling-off a quite extraordinary victory for his team.

Neither side found scoring easy and Kohli was the only player on either side to score at a run-a-ball. Still, at 192-4, with almost six overs to go, it was still a surprise to see that they could only stagger to 224-8. The Afghan bowlers were magnificent and Rashid Khan, who only a few days earlier, had had a nightmare match, took 1-42 (Dhoni was his wicket) and tied the batsmen in knots, while Mohammad Nabi took 2-33. Had Nabi and Rahmat Shah been allowed to bowl out their overs instead of the expensive Aftab Alam, perhaps the result might have been different. However, “what might have been” wins no matches.

Player of the match went to Bumrah when, perhaps, on mature reflection, it should have been Nabi, who scored a 50 and took the same number of wickets, more economically than Bumrah.

However, the bottom line was, even when put under the most terrific pressure, India were able to defend a small target and win.

So far, they are the only side in the tournament not to have shown significant weakness. You have to be impressed. Previous Indian sides would have been overwhelmed by imaginary demons: deliberately underprepared, green pitches; rigged DRS; biased umpiring; global anti-India conspiracies. This Indian side just gets on with it and wins.

Elsewhere, it was New Zealand’s turn to show resilience under extraordinary pressure and, again, the West Indies impressed, but fell short.

The match had the most extraordinary possible start. Sheldon Cottrell bowled the first over, which went:

W 4 . 3 W 3

Both openers out for a golden duck, Guptill after a review for LBW, Munro bowled by inswinging torpedo. Three maidens in the first eight overs. New Zealand limping to 36-2 from 12 overs. However, Kane Williamson was still there and, by the time that Saluting Sheldon got him too, it was the 47^th over, Williamson had 148 and New Zealand had a total that they could defend. Williamson has faced 390 balls and scored 333 runs since his previous dismissal in the tournament. Impressive.

The West Indies start was little better than New Zealand’s had been but they were ahead on run rate for almost the entire innings. With Gayle and Hetmyer sharing a century partnership at the best part of 8-an-over, it looked for all the world as if the West Indians would stroll to victory but, as they had done against Australia, they lost their way when it seemed easier to win. 142-2 became 164-7. Brilliant, but appallingly inconsistent and ready to supply a Calypso Collapso at the drop of a steel drum. Their utter destruction of Pakistan in their first fixture is the biggest single reason why there will not be an India v Pakistan Semi-Final but, since then, they have swung between brilliant and dire, often in the same game.

Here it happened again. 211-8, needing 81 from 71 balls, with a tail that has few pretensions to batting ability, the match looked all over. Ten overs later, the West Indies needed just 8 from 12 balls. Jimmy Neesham beat the bat three time in five balls, although Carlos Brathwaite was able to get the runs that he needed to reach the unlikeliest of centuries. The last ball of the penultimate over was short and inviting. Brathwaite pulled. The ball flew towards Long-On. The fielder, Trent Boult, had already shelled two catches. Leap. Stick out hand. And he hung on.

Brathwaite was just inches from winning the match with a six.

It has summed-up the West Indies’ tournament: close, but no cigar. They are now mathematically eliminated.

It comes to something when a team drops no fewer than six chances, some of them easy and still blows the opposition away. South Africa had to beat Pakistan to conserve any illusion that they could still reach the Semi-Finals, but simply succumbed meekly. With the Required Run Rate rising steadily. With the fielders spilling chances for fun. With death or glory the only possible aim… South Africa seemed to have no other plan than to bat out their overs, a task that they managed to achieve… just. There was no serious intent until the RRR reached 14 and, even then, it was brief.

Pakistan have been their own worst enemy at times but, when you can drop so many chances and still win without breaking sweat, there is something special in your side.

South Africa have been dreadful, but Pakistan stay just about alive in the tournament although, realistically, both Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are better placed. Sri Lanka have one point more and a slightly better NRR, while Bangladesh, level on points, have a massively better NRR and face Afghanistan next. Pakistan face New Zealand and need to win and win big to keep their hopes alive and, even then, need other results to go their way.