Pakistan expected to repeat Gujranwala performance (22 November 1998)

22 November 1998

Pakistan expected to repeat Gujranwala performance

By Ilyas Beg

LAHORE, Nov 21: Pakistan and Zimbabwe meet in their second one-day international cricket match at the Sheikhupura Stadium on Sunday. Talking to Dawn on Saturday evening shortly after the Pakistan players completed their work-out at the Qadhafi Stadium, National coach Javed Miandad said that Ijaz Ahmad had developed flu and fever while other players were fully fit.

"We may have to replace Ijaz Ahmad with some other batsman if he did not sufficiently recover till Sunday morning. No other change will be made in the final eleven for the second one-day international", hinted Miandad.

The Pakistan eleven showed jitters in batting before clinching a four-wicket win in the first one-day international at the Jinnah Stadium, Gujranwala. However, they should give a better batting display at the benign batting pitch of the Sheikhupura Stadium to grab the three-match one-day international series 2-0. Javed Miandad, although expressed satisfaction over a win in Gujranwala and was pleased with improvement in fielding and catching yet he felt that the Pakistanis should continue to remove their flaws and give better performance.

"My boys must improve their running between wickets and avoid repeating their batting mistakes if they hope to do better in the remaining one-day matches and the Tests", said Javed Miandad.

Javed was happy over the fact that innovation in training methods was yielding good results but he felt the cricketers must work harder.

Pakistan players practised from 2:30 pm to 5 pm while the Zimbabwe cricketers practised in the morning.

Manager Dave Houghton, said that no change in the Zimbabwe team had been made for the second match at Sheikhupura. Giving his opinion about prospects of his team he said:

"Our boys made a few mistakes at Gujranwala which should not be repeated. They scored 40-odd runs less and that cost them dearly. I hope that our batting will come off. If the batsmendo better, Zimbabwe should register an emphatic win. However, I expect our fielding, particularly catching of good standard!"

The 50-overs-a-side match will begin at 9 am. Test umpires Athar Zaidi and Saleem Badar will supervise the match. International Muhammad Siddique Khan will be the reserve umpire and another international Iftikhar Malik will be the TV replays umpire. Cammie Smith of the West Indies is the match-referee. The Sheikhupura Stadium has a capacity of 15,000. The match should not be delayed by dew because the whale super-sopper has been rushed from Gujranwala to Sheikhupura which mops it up.

Pakistan has a more experienced and balanced combination, with a sprinkling of talented youngsters. Form of some players is worrying the cricket lovers. Yet ateam comprising fine batsmen like Saeed Anwar, Aamir Sohail, Azhar Mahmood, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Yousaf Yohanna, Wasim Akram and Shahid Afridi should put up a big total in the Sheikhupura match. Pacemen Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar and Azhar Mahmood along with spinners Saqlain Mushtaq, Aamir Sohail and Shahid Afridi can restrict Zimbabwe to a low score. An improved display of fielding and catching can tilt the game in Pakistan's favour now that the spirit of the players is high after a win in the first match.

Zimbabwe also has a bunch of talented cricketers, who can rise to great heights just as they did in the international matches against Sri Lanka and India at Sharjah. Any team having batsmen like Neil Johnson, Flower Brothers, Alister Campbell, Murray Goodwin and Craig Wishart and bowlers like Heath Streak, Paul Strang, Andy Whittal and Endo Brandes can surprise even the strongest teams of the world on its day.

Pakistan: Aamir Sohail (captain), Saeed Anwar, Ejaz Ahmad or Hasan Raza, Inzimam-ul-Haq, Yousaf Yohanna, Shahid Afridi, Azhar Mahmood, Moin Khan, Wasim Akram, Saqlain Mushtaq, Shoaib Akhtar.

Zimbabwe (announced by Dave Houghton): Alistair Campbell (captain), Andy Flower, Grant Flower, Eddo Brandes, Mark Goodwin, Paul Strang, Craig Wishart, Andy Whittal, Neil Johnson, Heath Streak, Craig Evans, 12th man: Henry Olonga.

Sale of tickets for the one-day international has been good and a large crowd is expected to watch the limited-over match on Sunday. On Saturday, the Sheikhupura Stadium pitch was shaved off the thick grass which was seen during a visit to the ground on Friday.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made. Besides the local police, SMS, a company of private guards known as Sutlej, has been deployed to ensure that no untoward incident takes place during the match. Special security will be ensured for members of both the teams and officials.

Source :: Dawn (https://dawn.com/)