The mother of all clashes

30^th March 2011…a date which is going to be historic in the annals of cricket ….paramount, colossal, eminent…its gonna be as big as it can perhaps get….

India have set a semi final date with Pakistan on at Mohali after ousting the defending champions Australia in the 2nd quarter-final at Ahmedabad.

Mohali is going to be an epicenter of frenzy and fanaticism as the two arch rivals grapple for supremacy at the greatest cricketing spectacle on the planet.

India –Pakistan encounters have always been the ones which garner the maximum out of the players and the spectators alike, but when it’s the question of a place in the grand finale, things are bound to get tenser and hotter at the centre.

People from across the border are equally eager to witness their team emerge out of the dark and shut the mouths of the critics who feel that the cricket in Pakistan has succumbed to corruption and match- fixing.

It has been a credible performance by Pakistan so far in the tournament, to obliterate all the controversies that surrounded them prior to the tournament and beat formidable sides like Sri Lanka and Australia.

India, on the other hand were termed as favourites before the tournament commenced but lived upto that tag only when they outplayed the defending champions in the quarters.

Both the teams have got the players who can win games single handedly on their day, but the team which reconciles better and holds its nerve at crunch moments will eventuall emerge victorious.

Being an ardent fan of the Indian team, I earnestly want the men in blue to maraud their arch rivals but its high time that they learn from their mistakes and implement it in the match. Firstly, the fielding needs to be as good as it was against the Aussies and the pacers need to fire.

India also need to be vary of the threat which Shahid Afridi poses as a bowler. Thus,M.S. Dhoni and Gary Kirsten have their work cut out Its now or never.

Now, the question is: Can we beat Pakistan? We have better batsmen; they have superior bowlers. It promises to be another mouth-watering clash. A real cliffhanger

I would say, the odds are 60:40 in our favour. I know they are in ominous form. But we have the home advantage. We are also the better fielding side. But, more importantly, we are perhaps equipped to tackle their formidable spin and pace attack.

I will be praying for an India victory. But I will also say: Best of luck, Pakistan!