Beyond the boundary - The final that never was (16 March 1999)

16 March 1999

Beyond the boundary - The final that never was

Shakil Kasem

The concept of this competition was to determine the best Test playing nation in Asia. Well, Pakistan more than met the grade, winning two of the three matches they played and piling up umpteen points (DIRTY WORD!!) in the process. India managed to shoot itself in the foot right at the start and limped away into the sunset, while Sri Lanka runs the risk of being sued for deception.

The foregone conclusion of this no-contest was that the Dhaka crowd was hard done by the blatant manipulation of points (expletive deleted) at Lahore that made sure a mismatch took place over the last three days here. Granted a hattrick was on offer, but one doubts if anybody had known from the start that Wasim Akram had it planned that way.

Sri Lanka's heart was never really in this competition. Arjuna Ranatunga spoke for the islanders when he stated after the second Test in Colombo, that the Sri Lankan priorities lay with the World Cup. In a nutshell, this competition could go for a hike.

Since the opposition was Pakistan, India really should have played for pride. But their wishy-washy selectorial efforts resulted in a massive faux pas in Colombo. Pakistan could then laugh their way to the bank. And so they did. Pre-ordained. Another instance where the ICC's customary quick fix for this region took the general public for yet another ride.

To get back to this misnomer of a final, Sri Lanka started the fourth day with its innards ripped out at 9 for 3. Two more wickets were then prised out, with Wasim Akram having a hand in both. All of the first five wickets thus carried the Wasim Akram brand name. Fleetingly the match threatened to drif into the last session, as the tenth pair prolonged the Sri Lankan annoy and the non-existent crowd's misery. But the writing was well and truly on the wall, written with a flourish way back a week ago.

In the midst of all this Bangladesh ensured that its countrymen and cricket lovers hang their heads in shame. The sudden announcement by the BCB that a Pakistan-Bangladesh ODI was on the cards on the fifth day, even before the Test match itself was anywhere but over, smacked of a bad taste and incredible cricketing ignorance. It was insulting and demeaning to the Sri Lankan team and was conduct wholly unbecoming of a host nation.

If and when Bangladesh does get Test status, one prays fervently that its first series is not in Sri Lanka. The itinerary may well read "One 5 Day Test; Last Three Days One-dayers Against Provincial Sides." If this is indeed the comprehension of the Bangladesh authorities of what Test cricket is all about, then we may well perhaps be waiting for test status somewhat longer than we had bargained for.

As a nation we are masters of the Just in Time Technology. Some of us will no doubt pat ourselves on the back for such élan at being able to organise an ODI at next to no notice, that too carving it from an ongoing Test match itself. But one wonders why such creative and persuasive skills had dried up when the Mini-World Cup had taken place in October last, here at the very same venue. Ah, well, why bother with trifles? Anyway, now that the Pakistanis have shown us how accommodating and considerate they are in agreeing (!) to this ODI, perhaps they may even let us win it. Joke, joke.

On a serious note, the Pakistanis, even if they lose the ODI against Bangladesh, would be leaving Dhaka brimming with new-found confidence in their abilities, and faith and trust in the unity of their side. In their captain they have an incomparable leader of men, one who is likely to raise the team to levels of performance far exceeding any they previously believed they were capable of. The message from Dhaka is going out everywhere. Watch out, world, the Pakis are on the prowl again.

Source :: The Bangladesh Daily Star (https://www.dailystarnews.com)