Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 21, 2007
ePaper
Google


Citi Bank


Sport
News: ePaper | Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous | Engagements |
Advts:
Classifieds | Jobs |

Sport - Cricket Printer Friendly Page   Send this Article to a Friend

An emotional match for Pakistan in more ways than one

Zimbabwe has to win to a have sliver of a chance to prosper


  • Wednesday's match would be Inzamam's last ODI
  • Inzamam says team owes it to memory of Woolmer

    PHOTO: AFP

    DOING IT FOR BOB: The best tribute Pakistan can give its late coach Bob Woolmer is a good win against Zimbabwe.

    KINGSTON: The colourful and controversial Inzamam-ul-Haq brings the curtain down on his one-day career here on Wednesday as Pakistan ends its tragedy-hit World Cup with a match against Zimbabwe.

    Professionally shattered by the defeat against Ireland and personally devastated by the sudden death of coach Bob Woolmer in the aftermath of the loss, the 37-year-old is left playing only for pride.

    Inzamam has told his misfiring team that it owes it to Woolmer's memory to win in style on Wednesday.

    "He was always helpful to the players and his feelings were with them," said Inzamam. "He was a very good coach but a super human being. Because of this he had a lot of respect from the team.

    Brave coach

    "After the match against Ireland he was upset but he said to me and to all the players that these things happen in cricket. He was brave and knew how to handle the situation when everybody was feeling down.

    "He will be well remembered. Now we are in trouble because we are out of the World Cup. But over the last three years our win ratio has been very high."

    Younis Khan, the man widely expected to take over from Inzamam as skipper, said that the whole team is still shocked by the events of the weekend.

    "Every Pakistani wanted us to do well at this World Cup and we are very sorry we let them down," said Younis.

    "After we beat West Indies at home everybody expected us to win the first match against them here and we should have won it."

    Zimbabwe, which arrived at the World Cup in another state of crisis after disposing of all their senior players, has one point in Group D to its name following a last ball tie against Ireland.

    Monday's defeat against the West Indies means that only victory against Pakistan will be enough to keep it in the competition.

    Even if it achieves that, it would then have to hope that Brian Lara's side defeat Ireland in the last group game to leave second round qualification to be calculated on run rates.

    "We were trying for a win (against the West Indies) to put us in a better position to reach the Super Eights, but I thought the guys fought well which was good, so we will have to get it in our next game," said Zimbabwe's 21-year-old skipper Prosper Utseya.

    The teams (from): Pakistan (from): Inzamam-ul-Haq (capt.), Azhar Mahmood, Danish Kaneria, Imran Nazir, Kamran Akmal, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Sami, Mohammad Yousuf, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Rao Iftikhar, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Umar Gul, Yasir Arafat and Younis Khan.

    Zimbabwe (from): Prosper Utseya (captain), Gary Brent, Justice Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Keith Dabengwa, Terry Duffin, Anthony Ireland, Friday Kasteni, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Christopher Mpofu, Tawanda Mupariwa, Edward Rainsford, Vusimuzi Sibanda, Brendon Taylor, Sean Williams.

    Umpires: Brian Jerling and Simon Taufel. TV: Ian Gould. Match referee: Chris Broad.

    Printer friendly page  
    Send this article to Friends by E-Mail



    Sport

    News: ePaper | Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous | Engagements |
    Advts:
    Classifieds | Jobs | Updates: Breaking News |

  • Citi Bank

    Sportstar Subscribe


    News Update


    The Hindu Group: Home | About Us | Copyright | Archives | Contacts | Subscription
    Group Sites: The Hindu | The Hindu ePaper | Business Line | Business Line ePaper | Sportstar | Frontline | Publications | eBooks | Images | Home |

    Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu