da lvbet： When Pakistan and the West Indies meet next, after the final ODI at Karachi tomorrow, it will be for the opening game of the 2007 World Cup in Jamaica in just under three months time
Osman Samiuddin in Karachi15-Dec-2006
Inzamam-ul-Haq in the nets at Karachi on the eve of the match © AFP
When Pakistan and the West Indies meet next, after the final ODI at Karachi tomorrow, it will be for the opening game of the 2007 World Cup in Jamaica in just under three months time. Signs emerged at Multan during the last ODI that cricket’s premier tournament is looming on the minds of both sides, as line-ups were changed, experiments made and players tested.Pakistan went about the experiments with greater zeal, though ultimatelypaying the price for them and it is unlikely, injuries permitting, that theywill do so again with the same gusto. “We experimented in Multan and wefelt that it was right to do it then as opposed to in the final game,”said Bob Woolmer, the Pakistan coach, at the National Stadium.Their batting struggled in Multan, though they were, for various reasons,without their immense middle order trio of Younis Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq andMohammad Yousuf for the first time since 2004. The captain is “98%certain” to play tomorrow, having almost fully recovered from a fingerinjury. Yousuf is in Karachi and also likely to play, as is Abdur Rahman,who has been so impressive in the two games that he has played so far.Woolmer insisted that there were still some positives to be drawn.”We were without our middle three in Multan and the loss was disappointingbut we can take positives from that in Yasir Hameed’s batting and MohammadSami as well,” Woolmer explained. “We have learnt a lot from that game andwill be coming out in Karachi firing on all cylinders.”His opposite number, Bennett King, will no doubt hope his side does thesame and a drawn series here will nicely bookend a long, arduousthree-month road trip from which some light has emerged.”We made the final of two big competitions and onlylost to a high-quality side on each occasion. So as far as ODIs areconcerned, the results are very encouraging,” King told reporters.And the medium-term implications of a good finish are not lost on him. “Itis important that we finish the series on a good note with Pakistan beingin our World Cup pool. From our perspective, when we played Pakistan athome to where we are now, there has been a lot of improvement. We area dangerous force in ODI cricket. We found some good form the other night inMultan and we’re looking forward to this match.”Shivnarine Chanderpaul, whose return to the top of the order proved socrucial then, is fit to play despite struggling at various points throughhis innings but Jerome Taylor’s inclusion, after being rested at Multan,is not as certain as might be expected from a bowler who has made such animpression. “We’ll see how Jerome pulls up in the morning. In thesubcontinent, with illnesses and injuries, it’s a day-to-day thing. We’repretty sure of what side will play but we’ll see. The wicket looks prettyflat and there isn’t as much moisture to help the fast bowlers. We’relooking forward to it and will pick the best side for the match.”Much of the talk of both men though was geared towards forthcomingchallenges. Pakistan head off to South Africa for a full series in Januaryand the West Indies to India for a series of one-day internationals in thesame month. Soon after that comes the face-off at Sabina Park. In whichcase, tomorrow becomes the first of numerous dress rehearsals for the realthing.