India won the first test match against the Old Enemy. Mohammed Sami, Danish Kaneria and debutant Sohail Tanvir failed to support Shoaib Akhtar and overall it was a dull match with only Shoaib Akhtar, Anil Kumble and Misbah ul Haq emerging as star performers.
Misbah has been a revealation. To think that he is 34 years old and has just started! If he is a victim of another set of jokers - this one across the border - then one can only say that it is a terrible loss to Pakistan cricket if Misbah's best years are behind him....I mean where was he all these years? With an average of 50 over 122 first class games, 25 centuries, 43 fifties and 111 catches, surely there was room for him in the Pakistani side much earlier. Indian bowlers have no clue as to how to get him out in any form of the game. Perhaps Kumble has spotted a chink in his armour.
Shoaib Akhtar continues to fling the leather with furious pace and take wickets. The way he has clean bowled the most solid batsman that walked this planet ... The Wall...not once ...but twice now......in India. Those two deliveries will remain etched in the minds of those who follow the game. I reserve my comment on his grade as a fast bowler though.
Anil Kumble took a few crucial wickets. He also scored a few gritty runs. In the end, he declared 'everybody contributed to this victory'.
Kumble deserved to make his debut as the captain of India and in the end he also deserved the MOM award for doing what he has done many times before - Lead India to victory.
1 comment:
Welcome to the blogging world! I cant help but agree with you on all the counts in this post! Kumble deserved it!
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