The original off-shore one-day series returns to centre stage today.
The scene of international cricket since 1984, the Sharjah Cricket
Association Stadium hosts the Coca-Cola Champions Trophy between
Pakistan, Sri Lanka and West Indies.
The West Indians play in Sharjah as the last stage of a hectic
six-week program that has taken them to Singapore, Canada and
Bangladesh. Under a special rotation policy designed to preserve
their two veteran pace bowlers, Curtly Ambrose appears in the West
Indies squad with Courtney Walsh sitting this one out. Much attention
will be focussed on the new batting sensation from Jamaica, twenty
year-old Ricardo Powell. A not-so-new sensation, Brian Lara, will
lead the Windies against Sri Lanka today in his first match since his
extraordinary 45-ball hundred at Bangabandhu Stadium, Dhaka on
Saturday.
Sri Lanka are in the midst of a revival following a long decline in
their one-day stocks that culminated with their early elimination from
the World Cup. Victory in the Aiwa Cup Final against Australia in
August came after ordinary performances earlier in the tournament,
however that finals success plus their subsequent Test series win over
the Aussies, gives them a considerable psychological boost. The
return of Aravinda de Silva, dumped perhaps hastily after the World
Cup, adds more class to a team in a transitory stage of development.
The favourites for this tournament are Pakistan. Historically the
most successful team in Sharjah, they will be aiming to shake off the
disappointment and innuendo of the World Cup Final defeat. To some
extent this has already been achieved through their 3-0 clean-sweep of
the West Indies at Toronto and by the official exoneration of players
from any misconduct during the World Cup.
My prediction for the most likely outcome will see Wasim Akram lifting
the Coca-Cola Champions Trophy on October 22, with the West Indies as
runnersup.