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Victory will do team a world of good

A Much needed victory and one that came in the nick of time, is how I would put India's win in the final game of the NatWest Challenge, writes Kris Srikkanth.

Updated on: Sep 11, 2004, 11:39:00 IST
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A Much needed victory and one that came in the nick of time, is how I would put India's win in the final game of the NatWest Challenge. To be honest, I didn't expect our bowlers to defend such a low total. The pitch wasn't a bad one by any means and to bowl in such a manner against a team so high on confidence would have taken some doing. Our bowlers deserve high praise.

HT Image
HT Image

That this win has come about just before the ICC Champions Trophy should do the Indian side a world of good. I know the batsmen -- save for skipper Ganguly and his deputy Dravid -- did not do anything of note but the confidence that arises from pulling off such tough tasks, is bound to rub off on even those who failed to get going. The Laxmans and Sehwags will be able to take a lot from this match and be in a much better frame of mind in the coming days.

Early wickets are always the key to defending small totals and the fact that Nehra and Irfan were able to get the early breakthroughs made India's task easier. I love the way Harbhajan has been bowling. He is teasing the batsmen in flight and that is the hallmark of a great spinner.

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