On a long sun-bathed day in a tri-nation tournament marred throughout by rain Pakistan missed the top honours against world champions Australia by a close margin of 17 runs. It was a case of misfortune.
Were the Australians clear winners of the Videocon cricket triangular in Amstelveen or they were aided by the English umpire, David Shepherd, in at least two clear misjudgements in which his finger went up to give marching orders to shipper Imzamul Haq caught behind when TV replays showed he was not out and vice-captain Yousuf Youhana was a bat-pad case of his verdict?
A balanced critic like Omar Kureishi has hit out at Shepherd and thought that he over-stepped his position to favour Australia. Kureishi suggested that at the age of 63 it was time for Shepherd to call it a day.
Both Chief Selector Wasim Bari and former selectors' head Salahuddin Sallu lambasted Shepherd for his umpiring role at Amstelveen which deprived Pakistan of a deserving victory, whatever may be the might and all-round strength of Australia.
The wicket was playing tricks. The ball bounced on it, then shot through and turned viciously. The Australians, including their opener and top-scorer, Matthew Hayden, had gone into the shell and were finding it difficult to break open. They were extra-wary against deliveries swinging in or out. The batsmen were in a tight spot to exhibit positive resistance. The score was moving at a snail's pace.
All the Pakistani seamers-Shoaib, Sami and Shabbir had pushed the Australians to the wall. Only Hayden, Lehmann and Symonds gave some semblance of respectability to the Australian score card. Still a target of 193 was attainable even though the strip was nasty.
Pakistan's young openers were excruciatingly slow against bowlers of the calibre of McGrath, Gillespie and Brett Lee whose attack got plenty of energy from the turf yet the batsmen had the overs to approach the target. The under-dogs were in control of the situation till Shahid Afridi was run-out in a sorrowful mixup with Youhana. The dismissal of Afridi without showing his usual gutsy strokes more or less turned the wheel of the duel towards Australia.
Two run-outs, the earlier one of the confident - stroking Shoaib Malik, by sure - targeting Symonds were severe blows to Pakistan.
The bat-pad catch by keeper Brad Haddin of Youhana came as the most severe cut by the aging umpire, Shepherd. But what Pakistan can do? Protest against the umpiring decision in a report of the match to the International Cricket Council. Everything was lost by the erring umpire, standing in the middle with a big belly, maybe with a poor eye-sight, as many have pointed out.
There was still some chance as long as Razzaq and Youhana were together, facing the Australian bowlers assuredly and trying to assuage the earlier damage and slowly and steadily making an attempt to reach the needed score. What should have been a six against left-armed Lehmann went into the ambitiously-waiting hands of Mike Clark fielding at long-on.
This was perhaps the end for confusion in the tail-enders ensued and Pakistan lost the final by just 17 runs. What was needed was tough nerves near the last moments.
The spectators had glum faces. They had enjoyed a thriller but went disappointed. The boys, happy when India was overwhelmed by Pakistan, did not converge onto the field to greet the winners.
Pakistan has yet a warm-up match against Australia today in England. Let us hope there is a reversal of the harm done at Amstelveen.
Bob Woolmer, the coach, has a big task on hand: correct the running between the wickets of the batsmen. The two run-outs of Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi blew the chances of Pakistan in the tri-nation final.
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