Pakistan gather the firepower

I'll go flat out against the Indians," Shoaib Akhtar told reporters on the eve of the first one-day international at Karachi. "I've been waiting for this match for a long time." More flat than flat out, Akhtar went for 55 runs from 10 overs, and picked up the wickets of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid.

Akhtar, famous for mouthing off before big matches, was conspicuously low-key one day before his 100th ODI, at his home ground, Rawalpindi. After being chased repeatedly, he consented, and told reporters, "Obviously, it's an honour for me to represent the country in 100 matches. But for me, the most important thing is that we should win tomorrow. I know I didn't bowl well in Karachi, but I have performed against all teams -- including world champions Australia -- so I see no reason why I should not perform against India." Perhaps the Pakistan team realises that the time for mind games is over. They are 0-1 down and words will not help at this stage. It's what happens on the field that counts.

The Indian camp, though, had worries of their own. Akhtar or no Akhtar, they were more concerned with the fact that Sourav Ganguly was suffering from a fever. Ganguly came to the Pindi Stadium, but did not take part in the practice. There was worse news still, as Ashish Nehra was ruled out of the second one-dayer with a swollen ankle. Nehra, who bowled a fine last over to deny Pakistan victory at Karachi, had inflamed his left ankle. Irfan Pathan is likely to take Nehra's place in the playing XI. On the bright side, India will have the services of VVS Laxman, who missed the first one-dayer after injuring his knee in the nets.

Pakistan had no such problems, and if the manner in which Inzamam-ul-Haq tonked the ball around in the nets was any indication, they were relaxed and confident. Javed Miandad, their coach, never seems nervous, but even by his standards the pre-match press conference was a relaxed one. When one journalist asked if the bowling was a concern, as over 600 runs were scored in the first match, he turned to a section of the press, winked, and said "Has someone scored 600 runs in 50 overs of a one-dayer?" He could well be adopting this attitude since his team is strengthened by the return of Shabbir Ahmed, the fast bowler. "Shabbir bowled in the nets today, and fielded too. God willing he will play tomorrow," said Miandad. Shabbir is likely to replace Rana Naved-ul-Hasan who, despite taking three wickets at Karachi, was erratic and expensive.

The return of Shabbir gives the Pakistan pace attack further firepower, as Akhtar and Mohammad Sami attempt to get their act together. The two fast bowlers spent some considerable time in the nets working on the no-ball problem that dogged them in the first match. Simon Taufel, one of the elite-panel umpires standing in this series, took up his position in the nets, as though it were an actual match situation, and was seen signaling no-balls, and talking to Pakistan's bowlers.

But Shabbir's comeback means that Pakistan's attack will be a potent one, despite the fact that the pitch looks similar to the one for the first one-dayer: hard, light-coloured, with just a smattering of grass on it. Even if the pitch is on the slower side, Pakistan's quick men have enough pace, and all bowl what cricketers call a "heavy ball". If only they can add discipline to this, they will ensure that 300-plus scores are the exception rather than the rule. And once they do that, the pressure will be back on the Indians.

Pakistan (probable): 1 Yasir Hameed, 2 Imran Farhat, 3 Yousuf Youhana, 4 Inzamam-ul-Haq (capt), 5 Younis Khan, 6 Abdul Razzaq, 7 Shoaib Malik, 8 Moin Khan (wk), 9 Shoaib Akhtar, 10 Mohammad Sami, 11 Shabbir Ahmed.

India (probable): 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Sachin Tendulkar, 3 Sourav Ganguly (capt), 4 VVS Laxman, 5 Rahul Dravid (wk), 6 Yuvraj Singh, 7 Mohammad Kaif, 8 Irfan Pathan, 9 Murali Kartik, 10 Zaheer Khan, 11 Lakshimpathy Balaji.