Mahendra Singh Dhoni in Lucknow on Saturday

Kanpur: Long before the Mahendra Singh Dhonis and the Shoaib Maliks drove down from nearby Lucknow a little before dusk, the covers had been laid on the Green Park square.

Blame it on BCCI mandarins who planned the schedule or the festive mood prevalent in these parts, both teams go into the third match of the IndianOil Cup without a practice session here.

Malik, accompanied by coach Geoff Lawson and manager Talat Ali, did make a late dash to have a look at the pitch, but returned unsuccessful.

None of the players were willing to go on record, but most would have welcomed a net session to sort out last-minute blues before Sunday’s encounter. With the series poised at 1-1, an idea about the pitch and the prevailing conditions would have helped in planning strategies.

A few Indians did reach early but preferred to stay indoors. There has, however, been no let up in enthusiasm. If Shoaib Akhtar had been a big draw in other parts, Shahid Afridi ran him close on arrival. Not without reason though.

On Thursday, Younis Khan may have laid the foundation with a crucial century in Mohali but it was Afridi’s unbeaten 29 off 14 balls that put it beyond the hosts.

The pitch will offer another run feast this time too. “It will suit the batsmen… A high scoring match is on the cards,” said the curator. The short boundaries on either side of the ground will make the batsmen’s task even easier.

But overnight dew at this time of the year can make a difference in the first hour. More than the pace, movement in the air and off the seam is more often a deadly combination for Indian batsmen. That the ball won’t jag alarmingly would be a comfort factor though.

What may prove decisive is the Indian bowlers’ ability (or lack of it) to contain the batsmen in the middle and slog overs. The manner in which they lost their way in Mohali would hang heavy on captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s mind.

Under the circumstances, the importance of playing a second specialist spinner assumes greater significance. Murali Kartik is likely to come back and Sehwag may have to sit out. The way the Pakistanis held their nerve during the successful chase in Mohali should come as a stern warning. Pakistan would have the momentum while India will have to combat their new found aggression.

Not just Younis and Afridi, Mohammed Yousuf’s form, along with Shoaib and Umar Gul’s ability to find life in dead tracks, would keep the hosts on their toes.

For Dhoni, it will be an opportunity to showcase his leadership skill. Putting behind the disappointment of having lost the Test captaincy to Anil Kumble, an inspirational performance can lift the team’s spirits. Or else, the Afridis and the Yousufs will once again send the Indians on a leather hunt.

TEAMS

INDIA (from): Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Robin Uthappa, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Murali Kartik, Rudra Pratap Singh.

PAKISTAN (likely): Salman Butt, Kamran Akmal, Younis Khan, Mohammed Yousuf, Shoaib Malik, Misbah-ul Haq, Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanveer, Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Gul, Rao Iftikhar.

Umpires: Ian Gould and A.M. Saheba; TV: Suresh Shastri.

Match Referee: Roshan Mahanama.

Match starts: 9am.