The Pakistan cricket squad to play in the six-nation Asia Cup and confront the comparatively stronger outfits of India and Sri Lanka has been announced. There were surprises over the inclusion of Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar, Moin Khan, the wicket keeper, and the daring opening batsman, Imran Nazir, overlooked for about an year by the selectors.
Presumably the choice of the violent speed merchant was due entirely to the advice of the newly-installed English coach, Bob Woolmer, who considered him to be an essential commodity if at all Pakistan can have a chance against the bookies favourite, India. The home cricket board had dismissed him as a persona non grata due to his misdemeanours on and off the field and his absence as a key bowler from the crucial deciding Test match against India in Rawalpindi. But one man cannot tilt the course of any match. There were other reasons for Pakistan's stumble. Then India, the experts are agreed, are the second best set in the world after world champions Australia and they have a natural and gifted batting line, vehemence and aggression from the first ball.
Woolmer had seen Shoaib Akhtar in action in the English county matches, where he was playing for Durham and thought that because of his great pace and a wider range of artifice he could be a match-winner. Cricket observers may be remembering the way he harassed such a sound and organized Indian batsman as Laxman. He could not settle down against the furious speed and low trajectory of the Rawalpindi bowler, who has day by day also developed into an assured flogger as a batsmen. The PCB high-ups had day in and day out indulged in an abominable character assassination of a world class speedster. But then the selectors' choice and the opinion of the technocrat Woolmer could not have been flung to the winds. Woolmer's stress was on fitness and form. And the bowler has reportedly passed that test.
The trio comprising Shoaib, Mohammad Sami and Shabbir, with the seam bowling or reverse swing, would hopefully constitute a reliable combination to unnerve any batting-line, howsoever resourceful it may be in technique.
One is sorry about the recurring back injury to Umar Gul and he will be missing from the selected lot as a rhythmical, though accurate, medium-pacer.
Danish Kaneria would provide the necessary variety with Shoaib Malik aiding and assisting him as an off-spinner. India appears better placed in spin with Harbhajan Singh taking his rightful place in his country's 14-man lineup. Pakistan, with Saqlain Mushtaq or Shahid Afridi in the entourage for Colombo, would have proved equal in strength to India in the spin department but what one say if the PCB hierarchy has its own ideas about team selection and combat with India. A two-side slow attack with veteran Anil Kumble at India's disposal will be a difficult and ticklish proposition in the Sri Lankan one-dayers.
Moin Khan was on the point of being omitted but perhaps his better batting and confident stroke-making have forced the selectors and the captain to retain him for a tournament, in which Pakistan would enter the fray as the defending champion.
The recall of Imran Nazir, a stylist as a batsman and a brilliant fielder, should be welcomed. It is another thing that the tour management will in a fix to choose an opening batsman.
Pakistan's batting, though good enough on paper, usually had not come up to the mark, particularly in important competitions. That is why the deliberate omission from the selected lot of Asim Kamal, a success against the Indians, is regrettable. It may weaken the middle order for Younus Khan is an uncertain quantity as was seen against the tight bowling of the Indians.
Fielders too had been slow and ponderous and had been missing 'sitters' in the ring round the stumps. It is still not known what abracadabra has been prounced by coach Woolmer to make them more alert on the field.
Pakistan may have a semis tussle against India. One can only hope for the best from the Pakistani bunch. No prediction, please!