At the start of their campaign the Aussies looked formidable, even insuperable. Their record since 2010 had been awesome, and proclaimed World Champions they strutted as insufferably as only Aussie sportsmen can. And it seemed becoming: after all they had kept on winning everything post-Delhi World Cup – the Commonwealth gold and the Champions Trophy etc.
Here they pummeled the South Africans 6-0 in the opener, and humiliated Spain 5-0 to confirm that they were by far the favourites.
Sean Kerly, the great Great Britain Olympic gold winning striker of the 1980s, had similar thoughts. But having been around for as long as he has been, and with a Pom’s insight about the arch rival, Kerly was quick to add a proviso: “With the Aussies you never know… At times they can be their own worst enemy”.
Prophetic words? Or had the gold shirts peaked too early? We shall see. In their last two matches, a 2-2 draw versus Argentina another 3-3 result against Great Britain – both from a vantage of 2-0 and 3-0 respectively, they seem to have forgotten how to win a game.
It may be deceptive, but the Aussies now do look vulnerable. And for both their last pool game, it is Pakistan that faces them today. Can Team Pakistan seize the moment and revive its prospects of sneaking into the semis or will it be the Aussies stamping their authority once again, remains to be seen.
But the group has been thrown wide open by the daring Great Britain draw with all three goals in the second half that restricted the Aussies to eight points – level with GB, with Pakistan and Spain trailing at three and four with seven points apiece.
Pakistan take on the Aussies in the first game, and whatever the result, until the evening game between Spain and Britain is not played out, who stands where would not be clear.
There is no gainsaying that despite the two confounding results, the Aussies are still far better equipped to trounce Pakistan and reassert themselves. Regardless Pakistan should still go out with ambition burning bright. As is their wont, the Aussies would try to bully them into submission. But if the aggression and a good tempo were maintained by Sohail Abbas and his charges, with the mantle of unassailability already having slipped, the Aussies might feel the heat. At such times, they also become edgy. If anything, the Brits have proved that on such occasions they can be stopped in their tracks – and even be bested.
It is going to be one tense 70 minutes, and a win can do Pakistan a whole world of good.
