Anil Kumble
As we've seen all through this tournament big scores, even those in excess of 300, are being chased down easily. Nothing at all has changed as we come into the business end with the wickets remaining flat and playing exactly as predicted.
Younis Khan's knock against India was a really strong one and he seems to do well in pressure games against us. The manner in which he batted in what was a must-win game for his team was commendable.
That said India will be comfortable facing Sri Lanka in the final having just beaten them. We were chasing a big total and it was crucial that the openers got the team off to a good start. That has been a feature of chasing down big scores and India have been helped by the fact that both Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir have been among the runs. It also helps that they score so quickly, taking the pressure off the batsmen who follow.
I have been impressed by the manner in which Mahendra Singh Dhoni has used himself in a floating position up and down the order. Not only has he batted well, he has also been spot on in choosing when to come up the order. Perhaps his experience in the Kitply Cup, where he came down the order, taught him something.
Dhoni will also take heart from the fact that all of India's batsmen have spent time out in the middle at different times in this tournament and they are all among the runs.
For the bowlers it has been desperately hard work and you can't fault the effort they have put in. When you play in Pakistan, whether it is Test cricket or ODIs, there's nothing for either the fast bowlers or the spinners. With the ball change coming into effect even the reverse swing aspect is taken out of the equation. In this context I thought RP Singh bowled well in the last match, coming back into the team. Irfan Pathan is also finding his way back after injury and has had a tough time.
Looking forward to the final India will definitely be high on confidence having the knowledge that they beat Sri Lanka in a crunch match only days before. I quite fancy India's chances.
The first 10 overs – irrespective of whether we bat first or bowl first – will be crucial. If we're batting first, then it's important to get a good start. If you fail to get a good start then you're forced to use up overs rebuilding the innings. Then if you happen to lose another wicket just as a partnership builds, it could prove to be crucial. If India are bowling first then again the first 10 overs are important because they need to get rid of the likes of Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara early. With bowling in the middle overs getting increasingly difficult, it's important to do some damage early. Sri Lanka held back Ajantha Mendis in the last game against India, and it will be interesting to see how the Indians play his mixed bag of spin, if he plays.
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