New Zealand break the jinx

Despite the world cup going on so smoothly, god knows what on earth made me to go for Bare & Barren. But, that didn't take much time before I could switch back to blogging about cricket which is now going through its all time high with the 10th edition of the world cup keeping all eyes glued to the television sets. Yesterday, there was a rare match between Pakistan and New Zealand which needless to be said New Zealand won convincingly by 110 runs. This would not have been the case had the match been played somewhere in Pakistan rather than at Pallekele.

I just can't last remember when New Zealand had defeated Pakistan in a cricket world cup. I have been watching the event since 1992 and since then, the teams have met on five occasions, all of which have been pocketed by Pakistan. The jackpot struck twice in 1992 and 1999 world cup when Pakistan had two wins against New Zealand, the former being responsible in seeing Pakistan lift their maiden world cup and the latter their second entry into the finals of a world cup. In 1999, it can be said that Pakistan had their maiden runners-up tag which is not too bad.

If anyone comes to the decision that Pakistan are lucky in case they encounter New Zealand in the knock stages of the world cup, I'd like to add an exception citing Pakistan's loss to the Kiwis in the champions trophy 2009 when the Kiwis ran the Pakistanis out of the contest as well as the trophy when they beat them at Johannesburg by 5 wickets. If not for that, all is well for the Pakistanis for they beat them in two world cup semifinals and in the world T20 2007 at South Africa. But, this time things have been different compared to the last 5 world cups.

It was way back in the 1983 world cup that New Zealand had last beaten Pakistan at Birmingham by 52 runs. Pakistan didn't face the Kiwis in 1975, 1979 and 1987 world cups. And, the last they played each other was in 1999 and since then it has been three world cups since they have met each other. Things may be or may not have been different had they played in those world cups as well. But, the victory would have been a delight for the Kiwis which saw them beat Pakistan after 28 years or 7 world cups including this edition.

A mini SCG affair

Well I hope all of the ones reading this post would have thoroughly enjoyed the last ball thriller between Pakistan and New Zealand yesterday which was finally won by New Zealand. It doesn't matter if New Zealand did it by hooks or by crooks. But, the eventual result says that New Zealand wins the match by 1 run and keeps its hopes of making it to the semi finals of the World T20 2010 alive. And this was more important that how it was done by either teams. If one goes through the highlights of the match, he'd be surprised to know that there were three decisions that went in favor of the Kiwis.

First of all was the caught behind of the Kiwi batsman Nathan McCullum which was turned down by the onfield main umpire Billy Doctrove despite the replays suggesting repeatedly that there was definitely an outside edge which went on to find the wicket keeper's hands. But, it has to be fascinating when both the on field umpires couldn't hear the noise which a million odd spectators could hear when seated in front of their television sets. Of course, that didn't matter much when one took the Kiwis' scoring rate in their first innings which was just above 6 an over.

And then in the second innings when Pakistan batted, there were two decisions which went undeservingly towards the New Zealand side when first Misbah Ul Haq was given out leg before when replays suggested that there was a clean inside edge and if that was not enough as though, the ball was found to go above the wicket rather than hit the wicket which forms the main criterion for a batsman to be given out leg before. One edge that would have got a Kiwi batsman out was termed as not out which the other edge which would have seen a Pakistani batsman continue with his batting was given out.

Can anyone of you just believe it! Weather New Zealand would have won the match or not had these decisions been given correctly is all the more a different issue but, can such negligence be forgiven in a tournament which terms someone as champions of the game? Oh! I forgot to mention about the other decision which went to the New Zealand side despite the Kiwis not deserving that as well. If one goes through the replays of the way the Pakistani batsman Shahid Afridi got out, it is clearly evident that the ball had touched the ground before landing into the hands of Ian Butler.

The Kiwis can defend themselves that these were purely umpiring errors irrespective of weather the Kiwis desperately appealed for these dismissals. But, if that is not the case in reality, then its all shame of the Kiwis and also on the umpires.