Pakistan and India's cricket teams are like that. Pakistan is like crude oil, earthy, raw and needing a refinery. India, on the other hand, are refined under John Wright and Gary Kirsten, methodical and in full bloom.
But both teams on their day have the same impact. They annihilate the opposition.
This Pakistan team is perhaps the worst of the ones that India has encountered in a World Cup. This is probably the first match-up where India will not be "upsetting" Pakistan if they won. From 1992 to 2003, with Wasim, Waqar, Anwar and Inzy in their ranks, Pakistan were one of the elite teams. However, in each of these encounters, India got past them, despite being the undeserving one. Except perhaps in 2003, where Tendulkar was simply unstoppable.
2011 brings about a first where India outranks Pakistan in the star stakes. With Sehwag, Tendulkar, Yuvraj, Dhoni, Zaheer and Harbhajan, India are formidable on paper. Throw Gambhir, Kohli, Ashwin and Pathan in there and one has a frenetic line up, likely to bash the opposition into submission.
Pakistan, however, boast a very, very formidable bowling attack. The key question for them is going to be whether Hafeez has the ability to contain India. Gul and Afridi lead the bowling and Misbah is leading the batting. But that's three against Tendulkar, Gambhir, Kohli, Yuvraj and Zaheer.
A wipeout? India have a clear edge. Pakistan is putting pressure on themselves by bringing their prime minister to watch.
It's going to be India with Sehwag and Kohli leading the way.
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