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Published 21 Mar, 2004 12:00am

Ganguly insists pressure will be on both teams

LAHORE, March 20: Indian captain Saurav Ganguly has dispelled the impression that he would be under extra pressure in the fourth One-day match against Pakistan to be held at the Qadhafi Stadium on Sunday.

In a pre-match press conference on Saturday, Ganguly, whose team is 2-1 down in the five-match series, said every match had its own pressure but it was the same on both sides.

"Every international match has pressure and this is not an exceptional situation," he said.

But when told that Sunday's match could be the series decider Ganguly said the pressure would also be on the home side.

"Whenever matches are played between Pakistan and India, there is pressure throughout the series," he added.

He said all his key players were available for the match but the final team would be announced before the start of the match.

He refused to admit that his side wilted under pressure and said all three matches were fought closely and that was anybody's game.

Ganguly did not name any Pakistani batsmen from upcoming lot who impressed him saying it was hard to name a future star right now.

Meanwhile, Pakistan skipper Inzamamul Haq has said that the fourth match was much important and vowed that he will try to win it to take an unassailable lead in the five- match series.

Inzamam, in his pre-match press conference however, said that he would not take the Indian team easy as they had a good side.

Inzamam said Taufiq Umar and Saqlain Mushtaq would be given chances when their services are required.

He said he was not fit in the Peshawar match, therefore, he changed his batting order.

He rejected the claim that Pakistan would lose tomorrow's match deliberately to keep the series alive.

Inzamam also dispelled the impression about Shahid Afridi that he used to fail after giving a good performance in a match.

Afridi, who staged a comeback after a year's absence scored 80 runs in the Rawalpindi One-dayer but could score only six in the third ODI at Peshawar.

Reuters adds: Pakistan coach Javed Miandad says Ganguly's comments calling into question Shoaib Akhtar's bowling action could create bad blood between the teams.

Ganguly raised doubts about Shoaib's action on the eve of the third one day international at Peshawar, which Pakistan won to take a 2-1 lead in their five-match series.

"I would advise both team captains to avoid giving such contentious statements as it can create ill-feelings and spoil the mood of the series," Miandad said on Saturday.

"I look at Ganguly's comments as a way to put pressure on Shoaib but we've told him to bowl flat out and not worry about such things."

Shoaib, who is regarded as the world's fastest bowler and has been clocked at over 100 mph (160.9 kph), was reported to the ICC for chucking three times before he was given the all-clear in 2001.

He has picked up six wickets in the series so far.

"I think matters such as anyone's bowling action should be left to the umpires and match-referee to look into," Miandad said.

"Shoaib is playing because his action has been cleared by the ICC. Our job is to play cricket and avoid making judgements."

Miandad also said he thought Ganguly was lucky to escape censure from the match referee for criticising the International Cricket Council's (ICC) rule on slow over rates.

Inzamam said relations between the teams were friendly.

"We've told our players to be extra careful and tone down their aggression," he said. "There was perhaps more aggression on display during India's recent series in Australia than there has been on this tour so far."

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