What a difference four days can make. Sunday night at the MCG—that was as close to T20 perfection as can possibly be. If both India and Pakistan could have flown at that rarefied altitude for the rest of this World Cup, it would be a case of same place, same teams on November 13 for the final. 

If, and it’s a big IF, both teams could sustain that level of skill execution, it was hard to imagine anyone else being able to run with them. India have done nothing to shatter that illusion, but Pakistan’s limp performance against Zimbabwe suggests that their reputation for running very hot or very cold remains more than an unfair stereotype.