Playing Pakistan can be a strange experience.
At times, it can feel straightforward: the bowling seems unthreatening; the fielders look distracted, even bored. Then suddenly, they take a wicket — and everything changes.
Give Pakistan an inch and they will take a mile. When that wicket falls, the fielders suddenly start moving with speed and energy. The quicks generate swing and seam, or find an extra yard of pace; the spinners a bit of turn. The fielders close to the bat are excited, and become vocal. If you’re out there in the middle, it can be quite disconcerting.
It is like a boxing match, where one fighter soaks up pressure before suddenly striking a few decisive blows. So, while India are strong favourites to retain this trophy, Pakistan cannot be discounted.
Hasan Ali is the key man for Pakistan. He is the leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 10 and has a precious ability to strike in the middle overs, which many seamers find difficult in 50-over cricket.
He has a very effective bouncer, which he uses to push the batsman deeper in his crease. He will then produce a fuller delivery, which is doubly dangerous, because the batsman is now on his heels. This is the recipe for the magic deliveries we have seen from him this month.
Pakistan must try to frustrate India, make sure Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma, their openers, are starved of easy scoring options. They have the attack to do it.
In Pictures | England vs Pakistan | Champions Trophy semi-final
They are hopeful Mohammad Amir will be fit again, while Junaid Khan bowled well in Cardiff and their spinners can do a decent job, too.
I still take India to win, though. Their players know what to do on the big occasions. Most of them have won at least one global trophy and they will be confident of doing it again.
