The Hindu : Pakistan thrashes New Zealand

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 26, 2004

Sport

Sport - Cricket

Pakistan thrashes New Zealand

By Sanjay Rajan

DHAKA, FEB. 25. Confidence is that quiet, assured feeling you have when you are certain of achieving what you have set out for. When Pakistan decided to field first in its Super-League Group II day/night contest against New Zealand at the Bangabandhu National Stadium here on Wednesday, it was a pointer that the co-favourite of the ICC under-19 cricket World Cup was looking ahead - far ahead.

Confident of its strengths in all departments - it remains the only team to have not lost a match so far - and certain about taking New Zealand in its stride, it was looking at experiencing batting under lights, its only opportunity so far in the tournament, ahead of its semifinal and possibly the final, both of which are to be played under lights.

Its variety in bowling came to the fore in the afternoon when it restricted New Zealand to 181 for eight in the allotted 50 overs. Thereafter, skipper Khalid Latif (90) and Adnan Zaheer (72 not out) turned it into a no-contest with a 123-run second-wicket stand for an eight-wicket victory.

Going by the talent on view, it seemed that Aaqib Javed, the former Pakistan paceman and coach of the team here, was not off the mark when he said that the new-ball attack of Md. Riaz Afridi and Ali Imran Pasha, leg-spinner Mansoor Amjad and off-spinner Tariq Mahmood have it in them to make it to the senior grade in a couple of years.

The Peshawar-born Afridi and the Gujranwala-bred Pasha have the build and the aggression. Fine-tuning and an extra yard of pace are what they possibly need.

It was due to left-handed opener Peter Carey's counter-attack that New Zealand reached 50 in the 11th over. The other opener Bradley-John Watling had a reprieve early when Jahangir Mirza dropped him at slip off Pasha.

The spinners were too got on to the job and choked the batting. You know that the fielding side is on top when the bowlers begin hurrying through their overs. Off-spinner Salman Qadir bowled with precision, Amjad turned his leg-breaks a long way and Mahmood had his off-breaks darting back like a spitting cobra. Of course the pitch was affording turn and bounce. Only those five bowlers operated. New Zealand disintegrated mentally.

Opener Latif struck the ball powerfully, his 85-ball knock studded with 13 boundaries and a six. Adnan Zaheer was equally murderous in approach, his 94-ball essay comprising 12 hits to the fence.

In all, it made for a pitiable sight, really, that of men thrashing boys. It was Pakistan's second win and has qualified for the semifinals.

In the other Group II match at the BKSP ground, skipper Alastair Cook notched up a second straight undefeated century in the Super-League phase to lead England to a six-wicket win over Zimbabwe and a place in the semifinals. It was the former champion's second win in two matches. England meets Pakistan in its final league fixture on February 27 to decide the topper. New Zealand takes on Zimbabwe in an inconsequential contest on the same day.

The scores: New Zealand: B.J. Watling c Latif b Mahmood 38, P. Carey b Amjad 33, L. Chrisp c Haider b Pasha 25, B. Wilson c Ali b Mahmood 38, D. Flynn b Amjad 5, S. McKay c Mirza b Pasha 12, A. Devcich (run out) 1, B. Findlay (not out) 13, S. Eathorne (run out) 0, C. Smith (not out) 1; Extras (b-1, lb-6, w-8) 15. Total (for eight wkts., 50 overs) 181.

Fall of wickets: 1-59, 2-90, 3-125, 4-151, 5-152, 6-153, 7-177, 8-177.

Pakistan bowling: R. Afridi 10-1-37-0, I. Pasha 10-0-50-2, S. Qadir 10-0-36-0, M. Amjad 10-0-22-2, T. Mahmood 10-2-29-2.

Pakistan: K. Latif c Watling b Smith 90, A. Ali c Watling b Findlay 11, A. Zaheer (not out) 72, M. Jahangir Mirza (not out) 5; Extras (w-4, nb-2) 6. Total (for two wkts., 34.2 overs) 184.

Fall of wickets: 1-33, 2-156.

New Zealand bowling: C. Smith 5-1-29-1, B. Findlay 7-1-41-1, T.A. Davis 4-0-28-0, S. McKay 5-0-25-0, S. Eathorne 4.2-0-35-0, A. Devcich 7-1-15-0, L. Chrisp 2-0-11-0.

Brief scores of other matches:

Super-League Group II: Zimbabwe 218 for nine in 50 overs (B. Taylor 45, C. Ervine 25, C. de Grandhomme 37, T. Bresnan three for 34, D.A. Stiff three for 41) lost to England 219 for four in 49 overs (Alastair Cook 108 not out, L.J. Wright 79), at BKSP.

Plate Group II: Ireland 265 for nine in 50 overs (W. Porterfield 42, E. Morgan 44, K. O'Brien 51, S. Wells 28, R. Rankin 39 not out) bt Canada 110 in 34.3 overs (A. Keshvani 29), at MAAS.

Uganda 78 in 33.3 overs (N. Hossain five for 30, E. Haque Jr four for 18) lost to Bangladesh 79 for six in 19.5 overs (Nazimuddin 28, I. Emmanuel six for 37), at CDS.

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