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| December 15, 2005 | Thursday | Ziqa’ad 12, 1426 |
Pakistan better placed in today’s clash against injury-hit England
KARACHI, Dec 14: Pakistan, boosted by their crushing victory in the second match in Lahore on Monday, are eager to go for the kill against an injury-stricken England in the third One-day International at National Stadium on Thursday. In normal circumstances, both teams would have settled for an even contest with the five-match series nicely poised at 1-1.
But England, already without regular skipper Michael Vaughan (knee injury) and slow left-armer Ashley Giles (chronic hip injury) with both having gone back, suffered a huge setback on Tuesday when Kevin Pietersen became the latest homeward casualty with a rib cage injury.
Pietersen, an audacious stroke-maker, played a cameo of 56 off 39 balls to set up England’s 42-run win in the opening one-dayer, also in Lahore.
Pakistan hit back with vengeance in the second game when fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar proceeded to claim five wickets with a mixture of devastating pace and recently-developed well-disguised slow deliveries.
It was then left to young wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal to come out the knockout blow with a breathtaking century as an opener to seal a thoroughly deserved seven-wicket win with 36 balls to spare.
With the return of Shahid Afridi from a three-match ban, Pakistan definitely start as favourites with a jam-packed crowd egging the hosts on.
Leg-spinner Danish Kaneria, who went off the field with a shoulder problem in the second game, is almost certain to make way for Afridi in the starting line-up.
Afridi, who is well-versed in the language of limited-overs cricket, offers Inzamamul Haq more options. His explosive hitting needs no introduction with a world-record 209 sixes to his credit.
In addition, the 25-year-old flamboyant all-rounder can be a dangerous tool with his fast leg-spinners and is equally brilliant in the field. Karachi public expects more fireworks from Afridi, their most lovable adopted cricketing son.
Inzamam was all praise for Afridi at the pre-match media conference.
“He is a definite starter on Thursday,” the skipper promptly indicated. “To my mind Afridi is always first choice in one-day cricket without any question. His inclusion gives the team a lot of breathing space.”
The Pakistan captain spoke in glowing terms of Shoaib Akhtar.
“I can only sit back and admire Shoaib’s tremendous contributions throughout the Test series. I have never seen him so committed and focussed,” he noted.
England’s options are limited by Pietersen’s absence. They are sure to recall Vikram Solanki, the super-sub on Monday, in the playing XI with fellow batsman Ian Bell or paceman Kabir Ali acting as the super-sub.
Solanki, who stood in for Trescothick at media briefing, hoped that the loss of Pietersen would not derail England’s aspirations to win the ongoing one-day series.
“As professional cricketers we are capable of dealing with these sorts of setbacks on tours. There are others in the squad who can put their hands up and accept the challenge,” the Indian-born Solanki stressed.
Solanki remembered the last time England played here five years ago, winning both the one-dayer and the series-clinching final Test.
“I wasn’t part of the Test squad then. But I vividly remember our excellent victory in the first one-day match even though I didn’t play. Freddie (Andrew Flintoff) was the hero with an explosive innings in the high-scoring match.”
Statistically, England have won more one-dayers than Pakistan at National Stadium, winning each of three bilateral matches in 1984, 1987 and 2000. Pakistan’s two wins over England were in the World Cup tournaments in 1987 and 1996.
Thursday’s match is being played on the same pitch on which Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka in the triangular series match in Oct 2004. With dew unlikely to interfere that much, a high-scoring clash is in store with game starting at 11.00am.
Teams:
PAKISTAN (likely): Salman Butt, Kamran Akmal, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Inzamamul Haq (captain), Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Rana Navedul Hasan, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Sami.
Super-sub: Arshad Khan or Yasir Arafat.
ENGLAND (from): Marcus Trescothick (captain), Matt Prior, Andrew Strauss, Vikram Solanki, Andrew Flintoff, Paul Collingwood, Ian Bell, Geraint Jones, Ian Blackwell, Liam Plunkett, Steve Harmison, James Anderson, Kabir Ali.
Umpires: Rudi Koertzen (South Africa) and Tony Hill (New Zealand).
TV umpire: Zamir Haider (Pakistan).
Reserve umpire: Salim Badar (Pakistan).
Match referee: Jeff Crowe (New Zealand).
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