Match Report: Pakistan vs Australia

No one likes Australia or at least playing against them. They play hard and they play dirty. They trash talk and they are biased. Even their commentators glorify their players to such an extent that it is nauseating. I have always had fun seeing Australia lose. It was personally gratifying to see Chris Cairns smack them around in the New Zealand win. It however also meant that Australia would be fired up and desperate. So for any Pakistan fan this game meant trouble and anxiety. Some time ago I wrote that if Pakistan were to win the world cup it would be via the will of their captain. The quality of a good captain is that his will transcends to all the team members. Wasim Akram's will has made its appearance in this tournament before but if this match was any indication it seems to have been stamped on his players too. Eleven strong willed talented cricketers are a very scary proposition for any opposition.

Australia won the toss and put Pakistan in on a responsive wicket or at least that is what Steve Waugh hoped. Wasim mentioned before the game that anything over 200 would be good. Wasti was played in place of Afridi and Ijaz in place of Malik. I disagree with having a talent of the caliber of Afridi on the bench. Australia went with 4 bowlers as they brought in Raefel and Martyn in place of Lee and Dale. It is imperative for Pakistan's chances that Saeed Anwar gets back in to form. He did exactly that with a pull off Raefel followed by an exquisite back foot drive on the up. Another couple of glorious on drives and the Saeed we have all known to love was back. He mis-hit a Raefel delivery but that ended up over the point boundary as well. When it looked as if he was settling down for a big score, he was unlucky to nick a Raefel delivery down the leg side to the keeper. Pakistan were 32/1 in 7.4 overs and Anwar had left for 25 off 23.

Wasti had started well enough with a good cover drive but drove McGrath straight to Steve at gully to leave for 9 off 31 balls. Ijaz was immediately LBW to Fleming and Pakistan were tottering at 46/3. To Ijaz's credit he walked even before this LBW decision. After that the revival started. Inzi settled down with a good flick for a boundary and then a majestic cut for another four. Razzaq as always took him time to play himself in and then a straight drive signaled that he was well set. Inzi's running has always been under question but on this day I do not think he was at fault. Maybe the first incident was Inzi's fault but not the rest of them. Razzaq flicked one fine to long leg and ran the first one hard. Inzi had his back to Razzaq and Razzaq jut blindly ran without paying head to Inzi. They were both at the same end but a direct hit and then a ricochet gave Inzi just enough time to run to the bowling end. The third umpire was called but Inzi made it. He was animated and mad at Razzaq and I thought that was partly justified. Razzaq smashed Raeffel over mid off for another boundary as the biased Australians continued bashing Inzi's running. I must mention that Bill Lowry is one guy I respect out of the Australian lot. The rest and especially Tony Greg is biased even though he is an Englishman. A lightening fast square cut by Inzi off Steve and a flat straight six dancing down the wicket by Razzaq off Warne and Pakistan were bustling. Warne finally got Razzaq at deep mid off but he had made 60 off 99 by that time and Pakistan were well placed at 164/4.

Youhana came in and looked in great touch. He played on of the best innings in this tournament. The Australians had played just four bowlers in this game and had to use their part timers now. Martyn was brought on and was greeted by Youhana with a square drive for four. Warne pitched one short and Yousuf carved him to the boundary and in the next Lehman was gloriously cover driven for four by Inzi. Pakistan were on fire. Youhana moved towards his off stump and picked Martyn up over wide mid wicket for a Viv Richards like shot for four. Inzi danced down the wicket to Lehman and he pitched it short to avoid being lofted. Inzi just smashed it over mid wicket for four and the shot reminded one of the flick off Patel against New Zealand in the semi final in 1992. Youhana was run out as Inzi played one to short fine leg, which was never a run. Pakistan were 215/5 in 44.4 and Youhana had made a fantastic 29 off just 15 balls. McGrath was brought back on for his final spell and he got the beating of his lifetime. He pitched one short to Inzi who played a perfect hook shot. The ball hit the roof of the stands and came bouncing down. Inzi was hit on the foot with a McGrath yorker and Wasim ran without waiting for a yes or a no. Inzi in pain could not get back in his crease and was run out. It was unfortunate but he had played very well for his 81 off 104. Pakistan were 226/6. McGrath tested Moin with a bouncer and he too hooked him. The ball hit the top edge and even then cleared the fence. Fleming came back and got smashed over cover for four by Wasim. Moin then played an exquisite flick 6 off Fleming. Wasim was caught behind off Fleming for 13 off 12 but Moin was on fire by that time. Azhar ran himself out in the last over to give Moin the strike and that was vital. Moin hit a front foot flick over mid wicket for 6 off McGrath and inside edged the last ball to fine leg for four to finish with an amazing 31 off 12. Pakistan had scored 275/8 off 50 and the fifth Australian bowler had given 79 off 10 overs. McGrath had worse figures so in hindsight the fifth bowler did not do too badly.

Australia started disastrously as Akram was too quick for Glichrist. His stumps got rattled on the third ball and Aussies were 0/1. Shoaib was fast but a little wayward. Mark Waugh flicked him for four with consummate ease. When they both settled down they looked good. Ponting charged Akram to hit him over his head for four and then drove Azhar off the back foot for another four. Mark Waugh flicked one that was not too far up for a boundary and Australia were in business. At 56/1 Inzi dropped a sitter at slip of Ponting off Azhar. Had Inzi caught this, I feel Australia would have crumbled but instead in the very next over by Azhar Ponting let loose. He hit Azhar over mid on, edged him past slip, cover drove him and hit a fantastic pull for boundaries in one over. Mark Waugh then joined the act and straight drove Saqlain and cut him through point for two great boundaries.

Pakistan were on the back foot and Razzaq was brought on. This immediately paid dividends as Waugh played a pathetic shot angling his bat to play one to third man when a slip was in place. Moin dove to his right to pull off a great one-handed grab and Australia were 91/2 with Waugh gone for 41(49). I like Mark as I feel he is the gentleman in the Waugh family and a good guy. Rejuvenated the Pakistanis put their foot on. Ponting swept Saqlain and Saeed pulled off a blinder at short fine leg. Lehman came in a foolishly tried a paddle sweep, which Moin caught diving forward at silly mid on. Australia were in dire straits and needed a long partnership. They had the best men for the job with Steve and Bevan at the crease. They pushed and plodded along. Steve was not in good nick but Bevan was in great touch. Steve's confrontation with Shoaib was a treat to watch. Shoaib got the better of him but Steve kept his mouth going. Bevan wanted to join the act and Shoaib asked him to f off. It was great to see this young Pakistani fast bowler letting the world know that he did not take crap from anyone. Not even the trash talking Aussies. Shaded of Waqar indeed! The umpire surprisingly started warning Shoaib for whatever reason. The bias was apparent. Then Shoaib bowled a great inswinger to Steve that hit him half way up the pad. It would have broken the middle stump half way up had it not hit Steve's pad and the umpire ruled that not out. Clearly getting back at Shoaib for the obscenity he had shouted in reply to Steve and Bevan's trash talk. I think that is inexcusable and the umpire should be reprimanded for putting personal feelings above and beyond his job. Bevan then got the Aussies on track with a slog 6 over mid wicket and 4 through point to take Australia to 201/4 off 38.2.

Enter the great Wasim Akram. He got Bevan at gully playing a weird looking push to on. Ijaz caught it and Wasim had that look in his eyes. The same look he had when he hugged Ijaz in the world cup final in 1992. Bevan had gone for a well played 61 off 60 balls. Steve hoiked Saqlain for a 6 over wide mid on to make it interesting at 227/5 off 42.4. I should say that Pakistan never let the required run rate come down and so always had the match in their control. But the commentators kept talking about this great run chase. The game was not ever over for God's sake. What run chase? Australia had not won the game. The bias was overflowing. Shoaib came back and bowled Steve neck and crop with a Waqar like inswinging yorker and did not even bother to look back at Steve as he spun around with his hands in the air. Australia were 238/6 in 44.5. Steve left for 49 off 65. Ijaz produced a fantastic fielding effort at point to run the annoying Warne out. Raeffel top edged Saqlain to Wasim and Australia were 251/8. The required 13 off the last over and Akram was bowling. He had his outswinger going. Martyn for two off the 2nd ball to point but was clean bowled with a beauty off the 3rd ball. McGrath was beaten comprehensively off the 4th ball and the 5th was an inswinging that rattled his stumps. A great over by Wasim and game over. 265 all out. Akram had 4/40 and Saqlain 3/51 but Inzi was rightly the man of the match.

Akram calmly talked about the need to play 5 specialist bowlers in every game. Something I have believed in from the start. It was great to see the cocky Australians lose, maybe this would get them down from their high horse. The Pakistanis are looking good and Wasim's will is coming to the fore. The point is to keep this momentum going and not lose focus. Saeed looked good and was unlucky and Inzi is back in form. The guns are blazing, the desire is there and all that is required is execution down the stretch.