India's sorry exit takes sheen off the Champions trophy

Mohali, Oct 30 (UNI) Though India's sorry exit from the Champions trophy has taken the sheen off this prestigious tournament, the inescapable conclusion is that the four most deserving teams made it to the semi-finals.

Defending champions the West Indies and Sri Lanka got an early taste of the prevailing conditions as they had to qualify to join the six teams ranked ahead of them. Based on performances in that round, Sri Lanka looked to be the early runners especially after they comprehensively thrashed the 2004 winners.

Then there were India and Pakistan, always reckoned to be strong sides to beat in familiar conditions, not to mention the ever-dangerous Australia.

Simply on the basis of their second ranked position, South Africa would always have to be counted.

India barely managed to get their act together in the opening Group A game at Jaipur to beat a listless England by four wickets.

That match sounded the alarm but clearly, those who needed to hear it did not.

The defeat at the hands of the West Indies in Ahmedabad was a body blow to Indian hopes, the islanders winning by three wickets. With Australia still in wait in the final league game, this was probably the turning point in India's progress in a tournament they have shared the title once and been runners-up as well.

For India, the warning bells have been sounded. The World Cup is just about five months away, and team morale is in shambles.

The West Indies exposed the frailties in India's batting lineup and the Aussies laid bare the bowling attack. In all areas, therefore, Team India will have to gear up if they are to mount a credible run in the Caribbean next March.

Pakistan's fate was sealed first with the disqualification through suspension of Inzamam-ul Haq, and then the dope scandal that robbed them of key bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif.

Younis Khan's team did well to stun the in-form Lankans at Jaipur, but that was about all they could manage, beaten subsequently by New Zealand and then by South Africa, both defeats coming at Mohali.

It was the Sri Lankans, however, who confounded pundits with their sudden loss of form. They were virtually unbeatable in the qualifying phase, and then, all of a sudden it all went horribly wrong. They did come back from the Pakistan defeat to rout the Kiwis but found the Proteas too hot to handle in the crucial Group B league game at Motera.

Now with three match days remaining in the tournament, all the sub-continental teams are out, leaving perennial dark horses New Zealand to line up alongside the Aussies, the Proteas and Windies in the semis.

Nobody had predicted this last four line up for the Trophy.

However, now with Australia and New Zealand renewing their trans-Tasman Sea rivalry in completely foreign conditions here while South Africa and the West Indies clash on the edge of the Thar Desert. This is proof indeed, if any was needed, that globalisation of cricket has truly arrived.

None of the four teams reached the last four stage unscathed.

The Aussies were stunned by a three-ball burst by Jerome Taylor in their narrow defeat at Ahmedabad. South Africa were beaten by the Kiwis on an absolute dog of a pitch at the CCI in Mumbai.

The West Indies tasted defeat at the hands of group whipping boys England in their final league outing while New Zealand started with a defeat at Sri Lanka's hands.

And the Indian public will be left watching foreign teams battling it out for the title as their home heroes disapointed them once again.

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