Pakistan looking to salvage pride

Road-weary Pakistan will look to salvage the series and what remains of their shattered pride when the second and final Test against South A...

Road-weary Pakistan will look to salvage the series and what remains of their shattered pride when the second and final Test against South Africa starts in Cape Town on Thursday.

Waqar Younis’s team have experienced the full gamut of emotions on their roller-coaster tour of southern Africa.

Pak veterans hope to
make a difference

Islamabad: After getting a place in the World Cup squad, a relieved former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram said he was looking forward to give out his best to help the side win the event. Wasim, a veteran of four previous World Cup campaigns including the only time Pakistan won the title in 1992, said given that he was approaching the end of his career he would like nothing better then to see Pakistan win the title.

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“It has been an honour to play in four World Cups and lead the side in two of them..” The fast bowler said though he plans to quit after the World Cup, he made it clear that he had not made his mind as yet. Another former Pakistan captain Saeed Anwar,said he was on the verge of announcing his retirement from international cricket when he was not selected for the tour of Zimbabwe and South Africa late last year. The left-hand opener, who has become a devout muslim and sports a long beard, however, added he believed that faith had reserved a big role for him in the World Cup campaign.

“When I was not picked for the tours of Zimbabwe and South Africa, I thought about quitting the game. But my my religious leaders told me that the nature had something else in mind for me.” AFP

They strode unchallenged through Zimbabwe, winning both Test matches and all five One-Day Internationals, Inzamam-ul-Haq in the process becoming the second Pakistani to reach 6,000 Test runs while Yousuf Youhana enjoyed a spell as the most prolific one-day batsman in the world.

Waqar, meanwhile, left Zimbabwe needing one wicket to join compatriot Wasim Akram as the only bowlers to take 400 wickets in One-Day Internationals.

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He had since reached that mark but has had little else to celebrate. In South Africa, Pakistan were stopped in their tracks by a team that has regained their composure following the mauling they were dealt by Australia last season.

Under new coach Eric Simons and guided by a fresh selection panel led by Omar Henry, South Africa rediscovered the uncompromising approach and solid basics that had made them the closest rivals to the mighty Australians in recent seasons.

Shaun Pollock, never the most natural of captains, made significant progress towards coming to terms with his role. Fast bowler Makhaya Ntini matured into a consistent threat and, together with steadily developing opening batsman Graeme Smith, gave South Africa a glimpse of a future beyond veterans Allan Donald and Gary Kirsten.

South Africa’s resurgence was sealed when they bounced back from losing the second One-Day International against Pakistan to win the series 4-1.

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The chinks in Pakistan’s armour were clear by the time they limped into Durban for the Boxing Day Test. The most glaring of these was the confusing status of Express bowler Shoaib Akhtar, who had been ordered home by team management to recover from a knee injury.

Instead, Shoaib remained in South Africa and found the time to socialise with visiting Bollywood film stars.

There was little surprise when South Africa wrapped up a 10-wicket win just 90 minutes into the fourth day. The result would have been more embarrassing for Pakistan had 60 overs not been lost to bad light during the first three days.