Sachin never excels in finals. Says who?

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal"><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script><br />This was easily the most engrossing, bitterly-fought One-day series in recent cricket history played with high skill, fervour and commitment from players from both sides. <br /><br />It takes two great teams to make a great contest, and both India and Pakistan fit the bill.<br /><br />Ultimately, India won because they raised the bar in the last two games, held their nerve better.Pakistan’s top order batting collapse on Wednesday may not appear as surprising if read in conjunction with their wayward bowling in the fourth match on Sunday. The match-fix stories were always a big guff. Fact is that under pressure, Inzamam’s team was beginning to crumble.<br /></div> <div align="left" style="position:relative; left: -6"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="left" border="1" width="34.7%"> <colgroup> <col width="100.0%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" color:="" ffffff="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">RELATED STORIES</span></div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" fbfbfb=""> <div class="Normal"><a href="http://www.thetimesofindia.online/articleshow/580696.cms" target="_blank">India beat Pak by 40 runs</a><span style="" font-size:=""></span><br /><span style="" font-size:=""> </span><a href="http://www.thetimesofindia.online/articleshow/580960.cms" target="_blank">Sachin never excels in finals. Says who?</a><span style="" font-size:=""></span><br /><span style="" font-size:=""> </span><a href="http://www.thetimesofindia.online/articleshow/580959.cms" target="_blank">Finally, India dew it</a><span style="" font-size:=""></span><br /><span style="" font-size:=""> </span><a href="http://www.thetimesofindia.online/articleshow/580942.cms" target="_blank">Dravid has a good time</a><span style="" font-size:=""></span><br /><span style="" font-size:=""> </span><a href="http://www.thetimesofindia.online/articleshow/580930.cms" target="_blank">Not yours or mine, Cup is ours</a><span style="" font-size:=""></span><br /><span style="" font-size:=""> </span><a href="http://www.thetimesofindia.online/articleshow/580885.cms" target="_blank">Ganguly hurt, not serious</a></div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">But even before play started, the Pakistan captain betrayed this pressure in choosing to bat second after winning the toss. He went by the result of the previous game instead of the course of play which had been very much Pakistan’s way — till Dravid and Kaif got together. How special their partnership was could be understood better in the context of this match.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">The cynical would have imagined more conspiracy when India totalled exactly what Pakistan had on Sunday, 293. But Inzamam would have recognized that path was all uphill to reach that target while Saurav Ganguly would have sensed a real chance of winning the series. But even he would have been astonished by the rapid-fire success of his pacers, especially Irfan, who struck three decisive blows in his first spell.</span><br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section2"><div class="Normal">What is so compelling about Irfan? Teeny-bopper fans think he is a dude with his rugged good looks, the exciting new face of Indian cricket. Connoisseurs of the game will concur on both counts, and add a third: the ability to swing the ball late, both ways. It’s a skill that few possess.<br /><br />Moreover, his 12-ball late-order blast for 20 runs added weight and meaning to VVS Laxman’s sublime hundred. In a close-fought series, even 15-20 runs extra can make a huge difference. Had Pakistan been chasing 273 the mood in the dressing room before the start of the innings would have been less desperate than it was in chasing 293.<br /><br />Laxman’s superb hundred covered up for the failures of top-order, and revealed that the batting depth of this side is not exaggerated. But the success of the bowlers was perhaps the more gratifying because it was so unexpected. Remember, everybody had written off India’s attack.<br /><br />And finally, there was Tendulkar’s stupendous catch to dismiss the dangerous Inzamam-ul-Haq, which in many ways sealed the match. And a riposte to his critics who claim that Sachin never makes a contribution in final.</div> </div>