Before getting on to the tri-series, I would like to make a few observations about changes in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

They appear to be patch work changes and have something about them Voltaire's the more it changes, the more it changes to the same thing.

For better or the worse the PCB's report card has something to do with the performance of the national team. It's rather like an airline. An airline can acquire the most modern aircraft, it can introduce the most sophisticated reservations system, it can dress up its air hostesses in the most glamorous uniforms, the passenger will judge it by its operational performance: whether it is a safe and reliable airline with a punctuality record that matches its timetable.

The present Pakistan team is being run by the captain and coach and there appears to be no checks and balances on them. Being on the spot they are in the best position to know what is best for the team but the team looks pretty unsettled and continues to have mood-swings and the performance is erratic and the result has been a constant chopping and changing and a batting order that appears almost whimsical.

Enough has been written in the matter of Danish Kaneria. He had done more than enough to have been kept back for the tri-series. Instead he was sent back on the flimsy grounds of being rested for the India tour.

I don't know the circumstances that led to Shoaib Akhtar returning but was he genuinely injured so as to rule him out of the remaining tr-series? The changes in the PCB will be seen as cosmetic unless it leads to stronger leadership and leads to the captain and coach made accountable.

Some of the decisions taken in the Test and tri-series have bordered on the bizarre and none more so than dropping an in-form wicket keeper who has had a good tour with both bat and gloves and getting Younus Khan to be the back-stopper against Australia.

The logic of such a decision escapes apart from being extremely unfair to Younus. Before the tri-series began, I remember reading a statement either from the coach or the captain that Pakistan will do its best to make it to the finals.

I though Pakistan was setting its sights too low. But at least it has lived up to its expectations and it now remains to be seen whether Pakistan will keep the momentum going.

The win against Australia was just the tonic that Pakistan needed in the crucial match against the West Indies. Pakistan seems to save its best for the big occasion and though it looked for a while that the West Indies would overhaul Pakistan's massive 307 when Sarwan and Chanderpaul were going great runs but once Brian Lara was out, it was always going to be uphill.

Pakistan did everything right and the relatively slow start of the Pakistan innings indicated that Pakistan had a plan, which was not to lose wickets and see the new ball off. It worked perfectly for Pakistan.

I might add here that West Indian bowling attack is among the weakest and relies on the new ball for wickets and thereafter for batsmen to make mistakes. When Yusuf Youhana and Inzamam are both in form and are associated in a partnership, the batting looks easy and it was a superbly paced innings.

At last the batting came off. The strength of the West Indies is in its batting and Pakistan had to fight every inch of the way and it seemed that at one stage the West Indies might actually win.

It was in any case quite easily the best match of the tri- series. All the Pakistan player should be praised but there is some extra praise for Rana Navedul Hassan.

The absence of Shoaib Akhtar has made him Pakistan's strike bowler and clearly he relishes the job. Perhaps, it was the Perth wicket but he distinctly sharp but it was his commitment and exuberance that raised the spirits of the Pakistan team.

Australia is the favourites but this is one-day cricket and anything is possible. But two wins at Perth will have done a lot of good to the Pakistan team. Finally there is a commitment.

I am wondering if reports of changes at PCB may have jolted the team. Perhaps, realization has dawned that there is some kind of accountability. There was some urgency in Pakistan's cricket.

One only hopes that Pakistan will go into the finals in the same positive mood. It's not going to be easy against Australia who will come to the finals strongly having had its vanity bruised by the loss at Perth.

Pakistan is one of the team that is not intimidated by Australia- in the one day game. Test matches are something else and we are a lot way behind. But nothing has pleased me more than seeing our young players leading the charge.

Properly handled, these young players will serve Pakistan with distinction for many years to come. There's the rub. We have this tendency of going off the track once a player's place is assured.