A statistical preview to the India-Pakistan ODI series
Mathew Varghese04-Nov-2007Both India and Pakistan head into the five-match ODI contest on the back of losses – Pakistan lost to South Africa in the Test and ODI series while India were beaten by Australia in the seven-match ODI series. Although the only ODI this year between the two sides was washed out in Scotland, India will have the confidence of having got the better of the opposition twice in the ICC World Twenty20, including the final in Johannesburg.Though Pakistan hold the advantage in the overall head-to-head records, it’s been an even contest in recent years. However, Pakistan have been exceptional in upsetting India in their own backyard, winning 15 of the 21 matches held here, including a 4-2 result on their previous tour to India.
Overall108 40 64 0 4 Since 2003 23 11 12 0 0 In India 21 6 15 0 0 Things have changed a lot for both teams from the previous bilateral ODI series in Abu Dhabi. New captains are at the helm – Shoaib Malik and Mahendra Singh Dhoni – with Inzamam-ul-Haq, Malik’s predecessor, having retired and Rahul Dravid, who stepped down from the India captaincy recently, being omitted from the squad for the first two ODIs.In the absence of Inzamam, it will be up the Malik and Mohammad Yousuf to hold together the batting for Pakistan. The duo have been the leading ODI run-getters for the team this year.
Mohammad Yousuf 16 640 45.71 71.66 Shoaib Malik 16 548 45.66 78.62 Younis Khan 13 386 29.69 74.95 Imran Nazir 12 372 31.00 111.37 Shahid Afridi 11 286 31.77 173.33 Malik has also been Pakistan’s leading run-scorer against India in ODIs between the two teams since 2003, averaging nearly 50.
Shoaib Malik 1034 49.23 2 8 90.14 Mohammad Yousuf 606 27.54 0 5 80.69 Younis Khan 521 30.64 0 3 84.03 Salman Butt 457 45.70 3 0 80.31 Shahid Afridi 407 25.43 1 1 148.54 Yasir Hameed 293 36.62 0 2 68.13 Kamran Akmal 230 23.00 0 0 85.18 For India, Sachin Tendulkar has been the leading batsman this season, followed by Sourav Ganguly. However, both average in the high 30s against Pakistan, a tad lower than their career records. But the man who leads the run-charts against Pakistan since 2003 is the one who has been left out of the line-up this time, Dravid.
Rahul Dravid 23 1005 47.85 1973.57 Sachin Tendulkar 18 787 43.72 3390.25 Yuvraj Singh 23 783 43.50 1596.19 Mahendra Singh Dhoni 13 542 60.22 14105.44 Sourav Ganguly 14 308 22.00 0073.50 Ganguly and Tendulkar have also been able to provide the team with solid starts at the top of the order, something which Pakistan have sorely lacked this year. In the 15 innings they have batted together, the two have managed five century stands. Pakistan’s average opening stand has been 17.50 this year, the worst among all teams.
India 32 1455 46.9315072 Pakistan 16 280 17.50 5301 India’s worry will be more in the bowling department, with none besides Munaf Patel – unlikely to play in the series – and Murali Kartik managing to prise wickets at less than 30 apiece this year.Irfan Pathan tops the bowling averages among the Indian bowlers in the current squad against Pakistan, with Zaheer Khan, India’s spearhead, going at over 40 against them.
Irfan Pathan 26 25.07 4.97 30.2 Ashish Nehra 20 31.90 6.19 30.9 Zaheer Khan 19 45.26 5.85 46.3 Ajit Agarkar 14 30.21 4.91 36.8 Sachin Tendulkar 14 39.35 5.68 41.5For Pakistan the bowlers have done well this year, with the surprise being Rao Iftikhar Anjum, who has picked up 20 wickets at under 18 in 2007.
Rao Iftikhar Anjum 10 20 17.85 4.4224.2 Shahid Afridi 11 17 22.35 4.1332.4 Umar Gul 9 14 25.78 5.3329.0 However, their bowlers have struggled against India in recent years, with the exception of Naved-ul-Hasan, who is not part of the squad.
Naved ul-Hasan 15 128.4 734 3123.675.7024.9 Mohammad Sami 15 131.3 795 2137.856.0437.5 Shoaib Malik 22 122 657 1738.645.3843.0 Shoaib Akhtar 10 89.5 501 1631.315.5733.6 Abdul Razzaq 23 187.1 979 1565.265.2374.8 Shahid Afridi 23 115 639 1349.155.5553.0 The fast bowlers not mentioned in the above list – Mohammad Asif, Anjum and Umar Gul – fare no better, averaging 44.83, 65.66 and 126. And with an average total of 282 when India and Pakistan have faced each other since 2003, it won’t be surprising if the bowlers are at the receiving end again over the next couple of weeks.
