For Gary Kirsten, it is a first-time experience of being so close to an India-Pakistan final. But he is not letting the occasion get the better of his players.
"It is always a great clash," Kirsten said in Dhaka on Friday. "I know it is going to be a different Pakistan team out there, they (Pakistanis) are really motivated to play good cricket. But we like to trust ourselves rather than worry about Pakistan too much. If we execute our plans the way we want to we will come out on top.
"As I have seen it, the boys are motivated to play good cricket, no matter who they are up against. The guys are in a good space mentally."
Kirsten is well guarded even if his openers don't give the start they have given in the previous two clashes. "We know it (the start) is important. But we are not expecting things. We might not get that partnership but we have enough quality batting in the middle order that can apply themselves in any situation."
Unlike the day before the previous encounter, Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson did not make any predictions about the margin of victory. "We will win by 150 runs," was his cheeky remark but what turned out was a 140-run defeat at the hands of India last Tuesday. On Friday Lawson said that the e-mail from the PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf after the previous defeat was a routine one. "The players are concerned about playing well tomorrow," Lawson said.
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IND vs AUS 4th Test Live Score, Day 5 Latest Updates: The weather forecast has predicted rain on the final day as well. India need 324 more runs to win, while Australia need 10 wickets to seal the deal. All three results still possible but will rain play villain? Follow live updates.
India vs Australia: Ricky Ponting believes India's fight has got to end at some stage and expects Australia to have a crack at India on Day 5 of the Brisbane Test with all guns blazing.
India vs Australia: Siraj’s 5/73 coupled with another fine piece of fast bowling from Shardul Thakur (4/61), helped India bowl Australia out for 294 in their second innings, which set India 328 to win.
Brisbane : India's Shardul Thakur, left, celebrates the dismissal of Australia's Tim Paine, right, during play on day four of the fourth cricket test between India and Australia at the Gabba, Brisbane, Australia, Monday, Jan. 18, 2021. AP/PTI(AP01_18_2021_000018B)(AP)
Tendulkar congratulated Siraj for his remarkable feat and also heaped praises on Shardul, stating that the latter’s performance has kept the match and more importantly, the Test series alive.
India's Mohammed Siraj celebrates the dismissal on the 4th day of the fourth test match between Australia and India, at Brisbane Cricket Ground in Gabba on Monday.(Agencies)
Australian bowler Mitchell Starc checks his boot during play on day three of the fourth cricket Test between India and Australia at the Gabba, Brisbane(AP)
Starc was seen clutching his right hamstring which was a matter of concern for the hosts. However, batsman Steve Smith is hopeful that he would pull through a decisive final day against India on Tuesday.
India vs Australia: Former batsman Ajay Jadeja has made a pretty bold claim, saying the free-flowing batting of one of India's batsmen from the current squad is probably the most effective he's seen by any India batsman since the legendary Kapil Dev.
Smith and vice-captain David Warner had resigned in the aftermath of the scandal during the Cape Town Test against South Africa in March 2018 and since then Tim Paine has been at the helm of the Test team.
India vs Australia: Mohammed Siraj, playing only his third Test, finished with 5/73, which made him the first Indian bowler to claim a five-for at the Gabba since Zaheer Khan’s 5/95 in 2003.
Mohammed Siraj, who had a promising start to his Test career with five wickets in Melbourne, led from the front and claimed his maiden five-wicket-haul in Tests.
LiveMohammed Siraj of India celebrates the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne of Australia during day four of the fourth test match between Australia and India at the Gabba in Brisbane, Australia, January 18, 2021. AAP Image/Darren England via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVE. AUSTRALIA OUT. NEW ZEALAND OUT(via REUTERS)
