A highly spirited and professionally fit England team will take on the hosts Pakistan in the first of the three-Test series at Multan Cricket stadium on Saturday.
Meanwhile, chief selector Wasim Bari has announced a 16-member squad for the Multan, which on paper look balanced.
Praising the performances of Mohammad Asif, Yasir Arafat, Mohammad Irshad and Najaf Shah in the three-day match, Bari said the selectors were keenly watching their mettle and match temperament.
He, however, assured that these youngsters, who had bright future, would tried as and when required, but ruled out any change in the team announced for the Multan fixture.
The team, led by Inzamam-ul-Haq, comprises Younus Khan (vice-captain), Mohammad Yousuf (Youhana), Arshad Khan, Asim Kamal, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Sami, Rana Naveed-ul-Hassan, Kamran Akmal (wicket-keeper), Danish Kaneria, Salman Butt, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Mushtaq Ahmed, Hassan Raza and Shabbir Ahmed.
However, the final line-up will be known before the start of the Test.
Unmindful of the weather conditions and lesser playing hours in Punjab, the ad hoc administration of the Pakistan cricket Board (PCB) did not anticipate the bearing on the results and fixed all the three Test and four of the five One-day Internationals (ODIs).
INZAMAM'S RESERVATIONS:
Even Inzamam expressed his reservations, saying as the winter season in Punjab starts, it will reduce the playing hours because of morning fog, dew and murky light before sunset.
In this situation, it will be difficult for the bowlers to operate stipulated minimum over in a day, he opined, and ruled out the possibility of spinners "dominating the Tests to increase the chances of keeping up with over rates."
He also rejected the notion of total dependence on spinners, and stressed the need for well-balanced pitches.
Anyhow, let the first Test get under way after which one can see how the team performs on home ground before the home crowd as British coach Bob Woolmer has repeatedly claimed the present team is much more mentally strong to face the Ashes heroes.
An optimistic Inzamam-ul-Haq has said his boys are determined to defeat England, who have won the Test series 2-1 in 2000.
Reposing confidence in his battery of fast bowlers, Inzamam said Pakistan's attack, comprising Shoaib Akhtar, Shabbir Ahmed, Mohammad Sami and Rana Naveed-ul-Hassan, was capable to destroy the world's strongest batting line-up.
"Our spinners are second to none. We have veteran Mushtaq Ahmed, young Danish Kaneria, besides Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik, who will be creating difficulties for the visitors," he opined.
SHOAIB AKHTAR'S FACTOR:
About Shoaib Akhtar, the Pakistan captain said he was satisfied with the fitness level of the paceman, but was of the view that if he wants to make himself inevitable for the team, he still has to work hard to justify himself as a match-winning bowler.
Shoaib Akhtar should also realise that the current series is the last opportunity for him to earn a permanent berth in the team.
So the situation demands of him to mend his ways and convert his pledges he made to skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq and PCB Ad hoc Committee Chairman Shaharyar M. Khan into commitment and secure a "passport to the 2007 World Cup."
Anyhow the current series will prove a turning point for Shoaib Akhtar's cricketing career. It is hoped that he would stick to the words given to Pakistan Cricket Board Ad hoc Committee Chairman Shaharyar Khan and skipper Inzamam and prove himself a disciplined gentleman cricketer
Inzamam is very well aware of the shortcomings and weaknesses of his team and is worried about the opening pair.
Despite the fact that Pakistan team has not played international cricket for the last over four months, even then he is determined to give tough time to the visitors.
At the same time, England captain Michael Vaughan, has vowed to repeat the same performance, which his team has given against Australia.
OPENERS DILEMMA:
After the exit of Aamir Sohail and Saeed Anwar, Pakistan's batting actually started from the middle order, as the openers never gave a solid foundation to their team.
It is true that Pakistan, having a battery of pacers like Mohammad Sami, Shabbir Ahmed, Umar Gul and Rana Naveed-ul-Hassan, besides speed merchant Shoaib Akhtar, have a psychological edge over the visitors, but the openers play a vital role in cashing on the achievements of the bowlers.
True that Pakistan's pace attack has reached a fearsome level, but it all depends on the ground fielding to respond to the "fast and furious" spells of the pacers positively.
Correct, the fast bowlers win matches, but it is necessary for them to maintain line and length and restrict the opponents to a meagre total.
The first Test gets under way on Saturday. The match will indicate the selection criterion and the selectors' vision and foresightedness and above all the behaviour of the wicket.
However, if Pakistan succeed in drawing the series, it will be a big success of the skipper and coach. But it is possible only if Pakistan play with the intention to defeat the visitors on their home soil and before the home crowd.
Meanwhile, England's former captain is of the view that with the inclusion of two regular spinners, Mushtaq Ahmed and Danish Kaneria, besides change spinners Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik, Pakistan will prepare spinners wickets, hence the England captain should play with two spinners, Ashley Giles and Shaun Udal.
CONTRADICTORY STATEMENTS:
Earlier, contradictory statements regarding by PCB Ad hoc Committee Chairman Shaharyar Khan and chief selector Wasim Bari regarding the team's selection indicated lack of co-ordination among those who matter in Pakistan cricket.
Shaharyar Khan, after watching the first day's play in the four-day trial match at the Gaddafi Stadium, said that the squad would be announced on October 29 after the end of the trial match.
But the following day chief selector and former Test wicket-keeper Wasim Bari announced that the team for the first Test would be named after the three-day fixture between the PCB Patron's XI and Michael Vaughan's men. Bari argued that Pakistan were still passing through the process of trial matches, he would, therefore, examine all aspects properly before finding the 15 best players for the first Test and that would take time.
Referring to Inzamam's view that a six-month long lay-off from international cricket was a grey area of his team before meeting England, Bari said: "I don't believe that the players like Inzamam, Mohammad Yousuf (Youhana) or Younus Khan need such practice matches to get into rhythm," but added that Asim Kamal definitely required outings.
Bari was also inspired by recent performance of Hassan Raza, hinting the middle-order batsman may find a place in the playing eleven. "Hasan has been performing consistently in the recent past and he will be considered when the selectors discuss various possibilities," he added.
It is interesting to note that the PCB Ad hoc Committee Chairman does not rely on any of his hand-picked army of advisors and makes things complicated for his "advisors."
The selection of the team is solely the responsibility of the selection committee, of course, with the consultation of the skipper, but Shaharyar feels that he has the authority to interfere even with the selection process and put unnecessary pressure on the selectors.
It would be better for the national cricket if he leaves the tasks to those who have been assigned the particular job, especially the selection of the team.
Though coach Bob Woolmer is satisfied with the fitness level of the team, he should not under-estimate England, whose performance in the practice matches was below standard, but they will definitely look a different side in the Test and One-day Internationals (ODIs) and will not allow smooth sailing to their hosts. All said and done, the current series will expose the coaching level of Woolmer, who so far has made only statements and claims.
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