Appearances can sometimes be deceptive.
It is always dangerous to form an opinion without seeing the full picture and considering all the facts. Such was the case during Canada’s final group game at the ICC World T20 Qualifiers.
In the final match the Canadians chalked up their fifth victory. Their 18-run win over Nepal guarantees a playoff berth and a date with Ireland on Thursday.
Of the 16 teams that began the tournament we are down to the Super Six, but only the leading two nations will make it to the competition proper later this year.
On the final day of round-robin action Canada held the trump card. A win wasn’t essential — a competent batting performance would be sufficient to keep the Nepalese at bay based on Net Run Rate over the previous matches. Only 24 hours previously Canada had posted its highest ever T20 total so the signs were optimistic.
The collapse didn’t take long to materialize. Captain Rizwan Cheema began in typically aggressive fashion striking three boundaries in the first two overs. But a swing and a miss had him walking early again. More frustration for the Canadian skipper and more questions marks about his shot selection.
Monday’s hero, Ruvindu Gunasekera soon followed. The young left-hander, who had smashed 95 in the previous game, looked uncomfortable at the crease and scratched around to get off the mark. With just a single to his name, Gunasekera unwisely chased a wide one and paid the ultimate price.
The Powerplay was essentially wasted and any attempt to reset and rebuild was thwarted when Patel and Nitish Kumar perished off successive deliveries at the end of the eighth over.
Building a competitive total would prove much easier said than done and only Jimmy Hansra, with a patient 29, could derive any satisfaction from his time in the middle.
A par score in T20 is reckoned to be around the 140 mark. The Canadians’ paltry total of 101-for-8 seemed well short on a pivotal day. Their worst fears appeared to be justified when Nepal began the run chase in confident mood, racing to 21 without loss in the first three overs alone.
But this is a story with a giant twist in the tail. Canadian spinner Junaid Siddiqui made the breakthrough at the start of his second over and claimed another victim three balls later.
All of a sudden the cracks began to appear. Doubt and indecision spread like an epidemic through the Nepalese batting line up. Six wickets fell for a mere 18 runs. Canada had seized the initiative in Sharjah on a wicket which was clearly more bowler than batter friendly.
Desperate for runs, Nepal’s tail-enders panicked in vain pursuit. Their last three batsmen were all run out and the capitulation was complete as they were skittled out for just 83.
Canada’s effort had looked woefully inadequate but both sides of the coin revealed a very different perspective. There can be no doubt the pitch played its part but, having survived, Canada can now return to Dubai to prepare for the playoffs.
The Irish will begin as warm favourites to overcome Canada but in the unpredictable world of T20 cricket, sure things are few and far between. Afghanistan, the Netherlands, Namibia and Scotland will also contest the playoffs.