It's time for the play-offs

Shoaib Akhtar could well make a surprise appearance at Kensington Oval today.

The exciting 24-year-old fast bowler is making progress on a troublesome groin injury and Pakistan may be tempted to include him for the first final of the Caribbean's first evertriangular limited-overs competition.

When asked if Shoaib would be considered for selection, team coach Javed Miandad would onlysay: 'We'll see. He is getting better.'

It is customary for Pakistan to finalise their XI on the morning of the match, and it will be no different on this occasion.

Be that as it may, the stage is set for their clash against the West Indies.

In the context of the United States National Basketball Association competition, we wouldsay the regular season is over and it's time for the play-offs.

And everyone fully knows that the regular season counts for nothing when the competition moves into the last phase.

It's the exact scenario for these finals. Resurgent West Indies' unblemished record in the preliminaries does them no good now.

Their four successive wins, the last two against a Pakistan team fresh from winning the Sharjah Champions Trophy, has however, given them a psychological advantage over their unpredictable opponents.

There is, however, recent evidence which shows that Pakistan, prone to be brilliant one day and pathetic on another, can reverse such situations in the twinkling of an eye.

During the 1996-97 World Series Cup in Australia, West Indies marched into the finals after an outstanding preliminary showing in which they defeated thePakistanis in three for their four clashes.

In the two-best-of-three finals that followed, the West Indies were soundly whipped twice and there was no need for athird final.

When such things happen, the question of complacency often arises.

'It is something thatwe are definitely taking into consideration,' captain Jimmy Adams saidyesterday.

'But I think the memories of New Zealand are still too fresh in our minds and everybody is geared up to continuing to play even better cricket than wehave played coming into these finals.'

His comments also revealed the level of regard he held for the 1999 World Cup runners-up.

'We have a lot of respect for any team in international cricket. Any team that comes up against us has quality players, and the Pakistan team is no different,' he said after a practice session that attracted a huge turn-out of spectators at Queen's Park.

'They are full of quality players. There is respect because of that, but at the same time we have to focus on our job.'

There was also a quiet assurance coming from the West Indies captain.

'I've always said that if a West Indies team plays to the best of its ability, we will beat anybody.

'I'm very confident that come tomorrow (today), if we go out as a team and play solid, good cricketI'm sure we can come out on top.'

For Adams, there is something special about the venue.

'Without being disrespectful, we would appreciate playing anywhere, but the people in Barbados have a passion and history of really supporting the West Indies in the past,' he said.

'Everybody is looking forward to playing in front of that kind of support.'

Curtly Ambrose predictably returns to spearhead the West Indies attack that has been impressive in the preliminaries, having restricted Zimbabwe to 150 and 239 and Pakistan to 117and 231.

Wasim Akram is also certain to come back for Pakistan, and they could also consider off-spinner Saqlain Musthaq, who arrived in the Caribbean yesterday.