Remember 1983, Lords. India created a sensation of sorts by defeating the most powerful cricket team in the world, West Indies that had the likes of Greenidge, Haynes, Richards, Lloyd, Dujon, Marshall, Holding and what not. It was described as the biggest setback of all times. 26 years later, another setback happened. The only difference is that this time West Indies defeated the most powerful T20 team in the world, India. Life has come a full circle to Team India.
Here I would like to point out the factors that led to West Indies' clinical victory over fancied Team India:
1. India relied on the belief that West Indies batting will collapse in the middle and so any target above 120 will give India victory.
2. India gave West Indies a target of 151 and believed that if they could get Gayle early, they would win the match comfortably.
3. India believes that Dhoni is Michael Beven around whom they can build there inning and post a big total, so they want Dhoni to play for singles only.
4. India believes that Irfan Pathan is a half batsman and half bowler and Yousuf Pathan is full bowler and full batsman, otherwise how would you explain Irfan bowling only 2 over for 9 runs and 1 wicket.
5. Dhoni believed that by changing his bowler every over he would not allow the Windies batsmen to settle down a bit, but at the same he forgot that he was also not allowing his own bowler to get into any rhythm by changing them every over.
6. Dhoni believed that the spin trio of Bhajji, Ojha, and Yousuf are enough to take all 10 Windies wicket, so he just does not need IPL hattrick takers Yuvi and Rohit to bowl to break the partnership between Bravo and Simmons going great guns against Ojha and Bhajji.
7. Dhoni believed that once the asking rate crossed 9 runs per hour, Windies would falter and would commit harakiri, but he underestimated the clinical precision of Bravo by making 9 runs every over as soon as the asking run went to 9.
8. Team India believed that Bravo is not the best player of spin bowling so would not use his feet against the likes of Bhajji and Ojha, but Bravo thought otherwise.
9. Team India is over confident at this time that their batsmen can play any shots in the book and all the shots will cross the boundary line, but things went otherwise and most of the shots went into fielders' hands.
10. Team India believed that Windies would not be able to take any catches on the field and so the played all their shots in air, but the likes of Simmons and Fletcher ruined their day by taking those great catches.
Unfortunately, none of the above Team India beliefs came true and the result was for the entire world to see.
© 2009 Ranjan Kumar
