Too many extras worry for Pakistan in today's decider
By Imran Naeem Ahmad
LAHORE, March 23: A bowling attack that was supposed to provide them a big edge has instead become a major source of worry for Pakistan as they go into Wednesday's series-deciding fifth and final ODI against India at the Qadhafi Stadium.
Coach Javed Miandad and team manager Haroon Rasheed are both concerned over the waywardness of their bowlers, led by pace king Shoaib Akhtar, who have found it hard to control their line in this series.
"We have done everything possible to rectify the problem but it just doesn't seem to go away," Haroon told Dawn on Tuesday. Shoaib alone bowled 14 wides in his nine overs in Sunday's match while his partner in attack, Shabbir Ahmed was no-balled five times and sent down one wide.
Pakistan gave away a total of 37 extras in that game. "A coach can only guide from outside, the rest is up to the bowlers to remove the flaws," Miandad said. "But we have worked hard in the nets and the players are now aware what is expected of them tomorrow."
Despite the concerns, Pakistan vice-captain Yousuf Youhana said there wouldn't be any changes in the bowling line-up for Wednesday's day/night fixture. "The bowlers have been doing their best to settle the problem."
So erratic have been the Pakistani bowlers that they have bowled 58 wides and 40 no-balls in the four matches in this series. And Indian vice-captain Rahul Dravid said his team would be happy to receive more of them tomorrow. "We are not complaining."
Both sides are unlikely to make any changes but Miandad said that if at all a change was required it will be decided on Wednesday morning. The Indian camp, although confident, are wary of their poor record in one-day finals, having lost four on the trot, all of them to Australia.
"I agree we have not been able to play to our potential in those finals but we lost to the No 1 team in the world who have beaten every other side," Dravid said. "It's the fifth match of the series and not really a final, but I guess it becomes like that and to win tomorrow we have to play to our potential."
The touring team's batting continues to show its might though. With the reliable Sachin Tendulkar, who scored 141 in Rawalpindi failing in the last two games, others have handled the situations well as Dravid and Muhammad Kaif did on Sunday.
The two shared an unbroken 132 run sixth-wicket stand to power their side past Pakistan's 293 for nine with both batsmen scoring half centuries after India were reeling at 162 for five in the 24th over.
However, bowling remains a worry for the tourists who are still trying to come to terms with the absence of key spinners Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh. Both had to miss this one-day series because of injuries.
"We missed bowlers with experience but you cannot use that as an excuse, you have to do the best you can," Dravid added. "We have an inexperienced bowling attack and this is one area we need to improve upon and hopefully our bowlers will do well tomorrow."
Teams (from):
PAKISTAN: Shahid Afridi, Yasir Hameed, Imran Farhat, Yousuf Youhana, Inzamamul Haq (captain), Younis Khan, Abdul Razzaq, Moin Khan, Shoaib Malik, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Sami, Shabbir Ahmed, Rana Naveed-ul-Hasan, Taufiq Umar and Saqlain Mushtaq.
INDIA: Saurav Ganguly (captain), Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Vangipurappu Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Hemang Badani, Zaheer Khan, Lakshmipathy Balaji, Ramesh Powar, Murali Kartik, Irfan Pathan, Parthiv Patel and Amit Bhandari.
Umpires: Nadeem Ghauri (Pakistan) and David Shepherd (England).
