Naved shows class with 113
Pakistan, known to be bad chasers, proved everyone wrong by overhauling Sri Lanka's stiff 272 comfortably to earn a morale-boosting win by seven wickets in the dress rehearsal for Sunday's final of the Khaleej Times Trophy here Friday before the
Rehan Siddiqui
03-Nov-2001
Pakistan, known to be bad chasers, proved everyone wrong by
overhauling Sri Lanka's stiff 272 comfortably to earn a
morale-boosting win by seven wickets in the dress rehearsal
for Sunday's final of the Khaleej Times Trophy here Friday
before the biggest crowd of the competition at the Sharjah
Stadium.
And the men who made the task look so simple were rookie
opener Naved Latif, playing his second one-dayer and the
cool as cucumber customer, big man Inzamam-ul-Haq. The
youngster was later named Man-of-the-Match.
Both hammered centuries in their massive third wicket stand
of 219 after Pakistan had lost Shahid Afridi (11) and Yousuf
Youhana (11) with the total 41. Naved reached his maiden
hundred off 130 balls with eight fours and a six while
Inzamam needed only 111 deliveries and hit 10 fours.
When Naved eventually holed out to Prabath Nissanka on the
deep mid-wicket boundary Pakistan required only 12 runs for
an emphatic victory. He faced 141 deliveries for his 113
that contained nine fours and one six.
Inzamam, during his innings, became the highest scorer at
this venue overtaking his teammate Saeed Anwar while ending
up with an unbeaten 118. He slammed two sixes and ten fours.
Sri Lanka sorely Muttiah Muralitharan their prime strike
bowler. He might have made some difference and the islanders
also had a poor match in the field. They put down three
simple sitters which proved expensive in the end.
Inzamam was dropped by Muralitharan when 69 and Naved was
missed twice once by Russel Arnold off his own bowling and
wicket keeper Kumar Sangakkara, who had replaced Romesh
Kaluwitharana, missed an easy catch behind the stumps.
Earlier, Mahela Jayawardena's elegant 88 off 83 balls that
contained one six and six fours provided Sri Lankan the big
enough total Sanath Jayasuriya won the toss and elected to
bat first in a match of no consequence.
Given a solid start of 95 by Jayasuriya (36) and Avishka
Gunawardena (57), the classy Jayawardena - certainly the
best Sri Lankan batsman - carted Pakistan's wayward attack
to all corners of the ground with a series of exciting
strokes.
Jayawardena shared two profitable partnerships. First he was
involved in a stand worth 55 for the third wicket with
Gunawardena and latter 66 for the fourth with in alliance
with Russel Arnold.
He was eventually got out going for a big hit in the closing
overs off Shoaib Akhtar, the best of Pakistan's modest
attack minus Wasim Akram, who was given a rest. The
controversial pacer finished with the figures of three for
45 from 10 overs.