December 20, 2005	Tuesday	Ziqa’ad 17, 1426

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RAWALPINDI, Dec 19: Pakistan scored a thrilling 13-run win in the fourth One-day International at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Monday to take an unbeatable 3-1 lead in the five-match series.

For England, making a comeback post-Karachi was always going to be difficult and the home attack showed why, ripping through the batting to dismiss them for 197 in 48.1 overs as they chased Pakistan’s modest 210.

Although the tourists appeared to have done a remarkable job of bowling out Pakistan for a low total, in which Inzamam was a stand-out with an unbeaten 81, a deadly mix of pace and spin proved to be their undoing.

Shahid Afridi followed up his almost run-a-ball 34 with three wickets and seamers Shoaib Akhtar and Rana Navedul Hasan took two apiece in the rout of Englishmen.

There was a brief period of furstration for the home team when the last pair of James Anderson and Kabir Ali put up a brave resistance adding 33 runs that left England needing 14 runs off the last two overs.

The pressure took its toll as Akhtar forced Anderson (11) to play one to Younis Khan in the slips that ended the tourists’ effort who were desperate to win here.

Kabir, replacing an unwell Steve Harmison, remained unbeaten on 39.

As the chase began, England suffered massive hiccups, a Naved brace off successive balls and a strike each by Shoaib Akhtar and super-sub Arshad Khan reducing them to a woeful 70-4 in just over 15 overs.

Ashes hero Andrew Flintoff attempted to steady the innings with a score of 40 after Naved had removed openers Matt Prior (6) and Andrew Strauss (0) and Akhtar had dismissed V. Solanki inside seven overs.

The rot continued as Flintoff was trapped leg before by Afridi and it was not long when England were staring defeat in the face at 114-8 in the 29th over.

But a half-century stand for the ninth wicket between Ian Blackwell and Kabir briefly seemed to keep Pakistan at bay.

However, once Blackwell was run out in the 39th over for 29, a direct hit from substitute Muhammad Asif, it was Anderson who joined Kabir helping England inch closer to victory which was not to be theirs.

Pakistan’s batting though slumped steeply after their fine 165-run win in last week’s third International at Karachi.

The touring attack was on fire, running through the home batting, and save for Paul Collingwood, all others picked up wickets to destroy the batting on a good pitch.

In a disastrous beginning, Pakistan were tottering at 58-4 by the 18th over before Inzamam staged a rescue act.

He was involved in two significant partnerships that gave a semblance of respectability to the innings.

Together with Shoaib Malik (23) he put on 60 runs for the 5th wicket and then added 56 for the sixth in partnership with Afridi who scored 34 from 33 balls.

But while the skipper stood strong, others around him did not give him good company as Pakistan lost their last five wickets for only 36 runs.

Inzamam, reached his 82nd fifty from 68 balls. He struck seven boundaries and one six in what was a flawless innings.

Opener Salman Butt’s run out in the 11th over started the Pakistan’s top order slide. A brilliant piece of work in Flintoff’s over by Solanki in the covers saw wicketkeeper Geraint Jones whip off the bails in a flash.

The batsman could not complete a single in a dash from the non-stirker’s end.

Vice captain Younis Khan’s dismissal for nought off the next delivery from Flintoff made matters difficult for the hosts.

A blink and Kamran Akmal too was trudging back after missing James Anderson’s slower ball, falling for 18.

England’s destroyer in successive games with flowing centuries, this was not to be Kamran’s day for the rival attack was in cracking form.

They stepped up a gear and soon Muhammad Yousuf (11) was caught in front by Kabir.

In dire straits, it was then left to Inzamam to make up for the crash up top and after featuring in two vital stands, carried Pakistan past the 200 mark.

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