Pakistan can’t afford to be complacent

A good performance will also help cement Bangladesh’s claim for Test status, which will come up before the International Cricket Council this month. They have a good batting line-up and opener Javed Omar, Habibul Basher, skipper Aminul Islam and Akram Khan have all made decent contributions in the first two matches.

But it will need a brilliant performance from their bowlers also if they are to upset Pakistan’s applecart. Pakistan, with needle contests against archrivals India and defending champions Sri Lanka next in line, cannot afford to be complacent and nothing less than a title triumph will be acceptable to their fanatical fans in the wake of the Justice Qayyum report on match-fixing.

Coming into the tournament after winning the tri-series with West Indies and Zimbabwe in the Caribbean recently, Pakistan has a well balanced side with the best bowling attack among the four teams participating despite the absence of express paceman Shoaib Akhtar and Waqar Younis.

In Wasim Akram, Abdur Razzaq and Mohammed Akram they have a pace attack capable of troubling the best batsmen in the world and though Arshad Khan and Shoaib Malik are not as good as Mushtaq Ahmed and Saqlain Mushtaq, they have shown much promise and can help maintain pressure through tight line and length.

Though their batting looked a little suspect in the West Indies, the return of prolific left-hander Saeed Anwar and all-rounder Azhar Mahmood will be a big boost for the talented side led by Moin Khan.

Anwar, who holds the world record for the highest individual score in one-dayers, and Mohmood missed Pakistan’s West Indies tour due to injuries. Anwar underwent a knee operation while Mahmood was suffering from a groin injury.

In Anwar’s absence, Pakistan’s top order struggled in the Caribbean as both Afridi and Imran Nazir could not stitch big partnerships and the return of the elegent left-hander in his usual position will cure some of the problems for Moin Khan.

Azhar Mahmood has become an integral part of the Pakistan limited overs team because of his prowess with the bat and ball and his return will strengthen the middle order and take some load off the beefy Inzamam-ul Haq.

Skipper Moin Khan will also be hoping that his players would be able to change gears successfully as they go into the tournament a couple of days after a hard-fought three Test series against West Indies which they lost 0-1 — West Indies snatching a one-wicket victory in the thrilling final Test.

Moin Khan will hope for another good performance from veteran Wasim Akram, who bowled his heart out in dragging his team to the doorsteps to victory singlehandedly. Apart from the strong Pakistan bowlers, weather, which has caused trouble in the earlier matches, will also hold key and any disruption could determine Pakistan’s chances in the final analysis as there is no rest day for the match.

Rain postponed the first match while the second between India and Bangladesh had to be carried over to the next day. Any more intervention from the elements could prove decisive. (PTI)

Teams (from)

Pakistan Moin Khan (captain), Saeed Anwar, Mohammad Wasim, Imran Nazir, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Yousuf Youhanna, Abdur Razzak, Azhar Mahmood, Wasim Akram, Mohammad Akram, Shabbir Ahmed, Shahid Afridi, Arshad Khan and Shoaib Malik.

Bangladesh: Aminul Islam (captain), Javed Omar, Shahriar Hossain, Habibul Basher, Akram Khan, Naimur Rahman, Khaled Masood, Mohammad Rafique, Enamul Haque, Hasibul Hossain, Monjurul Islam, Mushfiqur Rahman, Safiuddin Ahmed, Khaled Mahmud.