Pak’s farewell plan: Four pacers on a green carpet

The ground staff at the Pindi Cricket Stadium are rolling what could still remain a greentop when the Test begins on Tuesday, but Pakistan a...

The ground staff at the Pindi Cricket Stadium are rolling what could still remain a greentop when the Test begins on Tuesday, but Pakistan are fast running out of seamers to take advantage of belatedly delivered tracks. Ahead of the decider, Mohammad Sami’s inclusion in the playing eleven has become doubtful due to back trouble.

In fact, the injury may be no bad thing for Pakistan, as they prepare for their 50th Test match against India. After all, any despair over losing Shabbir Ahmad and Abdul Razzaq to injury before the Lahore Test evaporated when Umar Gul came in and in 12 long overs determined the direction of the entire match. Perhaps, that is the bigger regret for the hosts. Gul never recovered after that burst on the first day — and Shabbir and Razzaq too are not fit to return to the side.

Sami may play yet. But four youngsters are lining up for a chance to parade their skills on the big stage. Of them, only Fazl-e-Akbar has had a Test outing. The Peshawar-born 23-year-old debuted in Durban in 1997/98 but his bid for a slot is based on spectacular performances in first class cricket.

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Rao Iftikar Anjum, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Abdur Rauf are all unknown Test commodities for the visitors. Naved-ul-Hasan had a bowl at the Indians in the one-day matches last month, not with much success, but Pindi on a green pitch could be another contest. Rao’s challenge is said to be centred on his outswinger, whose lethality is often compared to Aquib Javed’s.

Indian coach John Wright, for one, refused to take any consolation from the prospect of injuries keeping Pakistan’s frontline pacers on the reserve benches. Didn’t one Umar Gul come in to fill the gap created by an injured seamer?

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