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| May 7, 2002 | Tuesday | Safar 23, 1423 |
Admits pressure for Karachi Test: PCB awards Inzamam Rs1m
KARACHI, May 6: When Inzamam-ul-Haq came to Karachi on April 21, he was under-pressure because he had not scored enough runs. But he returned Monday to the port city with a different type of pressure.
This time he is feeling the burden of carrying the hopes of millions of his supporters after his phenomenal 329 — the 10th biggest individual score in the history of cricket — in the first Test at Lahore last week.
“Yes, I am feeling the pressure and already there are butterflies running in my stomach. Expectations have increased and so has the pressure,” Inzamam said two days before the second Test starts here at the National Stadium.
Inzamam batted for nine hours and 39 minutes and struck 38 boundaries and nine sixes.
“In days to come, I will always be expected to play at least a similar innings, if not better. But you can’t always repeat your performance. And this is worrying me,” Inzamam said.
He added: “Hanif Mohammad played one 337, Brian Lara played one 375 which confirms that it is not easy out there. Of course, everytime I go out there, I am determined to score as many as 500 runs or even more but it is not always possible.
“For a batsman, it is a matter of one delivery. (In the first Test) Shahid Afridi got a first-ball duck while I managed to play 436 balls. And that is the funniest thing about cricket,” Inzamam said.
Inzamam said he was delighted to have come to Karachi where he played most of his cricket in early days.
“It gives me added confidence to come in a city where I played my initial cricket. The venue is just like home ground and the surroundings are familiar.”
APP ADS: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chief General Tauqir Zia rewarded Inzmam-ul-Haq with a Rs1000000 (one million) for his grand knock of 329 against New Zealand in the first Test at Lahore last week.
Big hitting Inzmam has become Pakistan’s second triple century maker after Little Master Hanif Muhammad’s monumental 337 against West Indies at Bridgetown in 1957-58.
The 32-year-old Inzmam, who was going through a lean patch in recent months showed a masterly display to join 15 cricket greats who have scored over three hundred runs in a Test match.
Brian Lara of West Indies heads the list with 375 vs England at St.John’s 1993-94.—APP
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