South Africa and Pakistan to meet in Sharjah final

Perhaps Sourav Ganguly's ascent to the throne of Indian cricket is not the answer to all India's cricketing problems. After a good series win at home, Ganguly brought the Indians to Sharjah with high expectations. When the teams take the field today in Sharjah, Ganguly and company will be watching from the comforts of their homes.

Hansie Cronje has a buoyant team under him. A thoroughly professional showing by the South Africans saw them win the first three games they played and qualify for the finals. Experimenting in their very last game, South Africa gave all their youngsters a chance. This saw Pakistan pull a game back just before the finals.

Imran Khan told the Pakistanis in 1992 to play like 'cornered tigers.' They did, and the World Cup was theirs. The Pakistanis have been at their dangerous best when they are down. Some people would opine that the reverse could be said of the South Africans. In many a series the South Africans have cleaned up the opposition in matches leading up to the knock out phase and then been vanquished. Under pressure, the South African all round depth seems to flounder.

However, generalisations are often futile. In the final of the Coca Cola Cup 2000, a few factors will come to the fore. Jacques Kallis has been the back bone of the batting. If he gets stuck in to the bowling and seal out at least one end, it gives strokemakers like Herschelle Gibbs, Hansie Cronje and Lance Klusener a chance to free their arms and give the ball a fearful thump. If all this does happen, the Pakistanis will not be standing back and watching. The fast bowlers at Moin Khan's disposal are among the most lethal in world cricket. Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis over the years have established themselves as an awesome strike force. Even they might have to take a back seat when the Rawalpindi Express charges down the pitch. Shoaib Akhtar decimated the South African middle order in one over of raw pace in the last game.

When they lock horns later today, it will be a case of South African batting solidity versus Pakistani bowling variety. Neither team has an outright psychological edge, that. Whoever steals the initiative, will in all likelihood walk away with the Coca Cola Cup 2000.