Pakistan, moving on a snail's pace and batting discreetly after having lost five early batsmen for a small score of 47, beat Sri Lanka by four wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the scheduled three-match one-day series. The strip of the Premadasa Stadium of Colombo was far too sluggish and slow to make quick scoring in a limited-overs engagement.
Most of the Pakistani top-order batsmen were out to injudicious or wrong choice of strokes. However, it cannot be denied that on the difficult pitch when the deliveries were not coming onto the bat, even polite drives, were well nigh impossible. Besides, the Sri Lankan fielders gave nothing away; the boundaries were few and far between.
Still the supporters of the Pakistani outfit at the venue and those watching the duel in this country at their houses were stunned that a meagre target of 131 set by the islanders had become difficult to be reached. Some of the players thought it was an easy trot like Younus Khan's irresponsible run-out. The experimentation of openers also was a big cause of hot waters into which the visiting pack had fallen.
The touring management, including coach Bob Woolmer, would point to the miserable nature of the wicket and the sizzling heat and high humidity which frustrated good stroke-making. The pacers could not get the ball sufficiently upto the bat for its safe treatment. It was in totality a bowler's day who had full ascendancy over the batsmen. As far as the onlookers were concerned they considered it a drab affair; a duel of dull negation.
Many lamented the struggle the Pakistan squad had to make at the Premadasa Stadium to overtake the meagre score of the Sri Lanka in an international competition. They debated among themselves if the national set will bat in the same sorry way at next year's World Cup in the Caribbeans. It was the second time in the Pearl Islands after the first fixture was washed out because of torrents of rain that Pakistan was in an appalling situation. India had earlier a comfortable victory over Pakistan in the one-dayers and had wrapped up the series by 4-1; and this on the latter's own backyard. Pakistan's performance is saddening to put it correctly.
What was the visitors score in the first match on the same venue? A below par display of batsmanship had produced 201 runs, which the Sri Lankans would hve struck in a jiffy. Only three players viz Mohammad Yousuf, Younus Khan and Abdul Razzaq had exhibited some guts to give a coating of respectability to the total. Still they were in danger of stumble when heavy downpour fell on the field to rescue them. The Pakistan batting was insecure, if not incompetent.
One finds coach Bob Woolmer having said that even 201 was a challenging total for the Sri Lankans but that appears to be a theorical overstatement, considering the way the national fielders are spilling catches and are unable to cut and save boundaries. They are too inept and slow in this important department of cricket confrontation.
On a bowler-friendly pitch the Sri Lankans were in a pitiable condition. They were seven for 56 against the controlled and hostile seam bowling of Navedul Hasan (3/23). Iftikhar Anjum (2/13) and Abdul Razzaq (2/19). Even spinner Afridi (2/28) harassed the home batsmen. It was an attack that was, time and again, trying to seek out the bat's edge. The Sri Lankans were troubled by the remarkable Pakistan bowling, except Tillakaratne Dilshan who remained assured and technically sound to score a defiant and unbeaten 48.
In the Pakistani turn of batting the Sri Lankan bowling, though without the experienced Vaas, proved effective and the visiting upper order made a beeline to the dressing room as if having forgotten the first principles of batsmanship. It was when Razzaq and Yousuf joined together and latterly when Kamran Akmal came to partner Razzaq that the Pakistani side came into its own and was in a position to ride out the storm. A four, a six and a four by Razzaq off Nuwan Kulasekara demonstrated to all and sundry a manly cricket which sealed the fate of the match and Pakistan took an unbeatable lead of 1-0.
Sri Lanka are to face a ticklish problem in the one-dayers' fight for even if the series is levelled they will stay at No 7 in the ICC rating and will have to go through the qualifying process for the Champions Trophy this October-November in India. Many cricket watchers are of the view that Sri Lankan medium-pacer Lasith Malinga's bowling was of a questionable nature. He never completed a full delivery during his suspect action. Can't the umpires on the field or the third umpire take a notice of it. Why Shabbir of Pakistan should be ruled out on technical grounds.
Comments
Comments are closed.