Why India should not fear Pakistan in ODI

New Delhi: While the stage is set for a pot boiler between traditional rival India And Pakistan, tension too would be high in both the camps as none of them would like to lose the match which would be watched by millions of people on the both side of the border. India and Pakistan have played two matches so far with one win and one loss but Pakistan is ahead in points tally with a bonus point it gained against Afghanistan. However India has reasons to be relaxed as In the last few years the Pakistani has not performed well in ODI in compared to Test and T20.The Pakistani batting is known to be vulnerable but its dissolution off late has adhered to a sequence of repeated events; an embarrassing top order collapse, followed by a painful middle order resurrection, before an eventual lower order disintegration. Amongst the many follies of Pakistan cricket, it is the imbalanced flow of energy in an ODI innings that catches the naked eye of millions of observers. A typical Pakistani innings crashes before it takes off. India has its best batsmen coming in the top four. While Misbah-ul-Haq and Umar Akmal who appear to be Pakistan's best batsmen by some distance, invariably come to the crease amidst a collapse at number five and six. Unlike Test cricket, in ODIs, quite simply, the batsmen coming in first can potentially play more overs than the batsmen walking in after. Also unlike T20 cricket, the winning team often needs a batsman that can play as an anchor and ideally reach the magical three figure mark. In a combined total of 6,901 runs in 234 matches, the duo of Misbah and Umar have 54 half-centuries but only two centuries to their credit. Pakistan is far too often made to reconstruct after early wreckage of a rickety top order. Apart from an apparent lack of batting resources, Pakistan has been unsuccessful in optimally utilising their current assets. Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Hafeez and Bilawal Bhatti are match winners on their day but each one of them is a bowling all-rounder. With Saeed Ajmal, Junaid Khan and Umar Gul, Pakistan is effectively playing with six full-time bowlers, while Sohaib Maqsood is also capable of turning his off spinning arm in times of need, Pakistan seems to play with one bowling option too many. Umar Gul was the pick of the bowlers in the opening game of the Asia Cup but could only bowl eight overs. Junaid Khan, with an average of 23.34 and an economy rate of 4.94, has had an exceptional start to his career but has bowled out his quota only 7 times in 44 matches. In a fifty over game, at least one or more full time bowlers will always remain under employed. While Pakistan's top order woes are well known, their lower order batting has become equally fatal. Once Misbah and Umar depart, there is no one to hold the fort. On the other hand if we look into team India's recent performance in the couple of matches in Asia Cup, the team seems to be returning to its winning ways. Shikhar looks to get his touch back. Virat Kohli the new Mr Reliable has once again proved that he is the mainstay of the present Indian batting line up. The new look middle order look like they are ready to shoulder the responsibility. If we look into the records of the of the Indian batters Rohit in 115 innings have an avg of 35, Shikar Dhawan in his 36 innings has an avg of 42,Virat in his 125 innings has an avg of 52.60 .Ajinkya Rahane in his short career of 25 innings has an avg of 24.32 The new bunch of Indian bowlers who had been on the receiving front will look to prove a point in the high profile match. Mohammed Shami has been the most successful bowler of late and will try to prove that he is ready to take the role of lead fast bowler of the team. The leading wicket taker for India in two matches of Asia Cup is Mohammed Shami who took 7 wickets till now. Ravindra Jadeja has also been bowling well in Asia Cup though not getting much success in taking wickets.