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LAHORE: Pakistan shaken
by India's come-back has little choice left as they clash with
their arch-rivals in a make or break fifth and final day and
night international match here today (Wednesday).
With the series locked at
2-2, the deciding match has turned into a final and pressure
has shifted on the home side to salvage its pride for
producing favourable results to win the series.
Skipper Inzamam
Even the Pakistani skipper
Inzamam is under pressure ahead of the match and wants to see
his side winning no matter even if he fails in the role of a
batsman. "Even if I get a zero in the match but if my teams
win, I will not mind", he added.
Inzamam said, in the present
scenario the series becomes equally important for both the
sides as all depends on the outcome of the deciding match. The
home captain fumed at his bowlers and said their sloppy
bowling and giving away too many extras were worries for him
and he does not want a repeat of the same in the coming match.
"I do not know what they are
doing, but enough is enough and they must stand up now and
show improvement to help the team to bring desired results,"
he maintained.
India won the opening match
at Karachi by 5 runs and Pakistan followed up victories at
Rawalpindi by 12 runs and at Peshawar by 4 wickets. India won
the fourth day at Lahore by 5 wickets.
Inzamam said before the
start of the series, it was a general impression that it would
be a contest between Pakistani bowlers and Indian batting but
with the consistent performance of the home batsmen now it is
a competition between batsmen of both sides.
Dravid Speaks
Indian Vice Captain, Rahul
Dravid said that his team has established edge over their
opponents after equalising the series but refused to dub his
side favourites. "We do not consider ourselves are favourites
to win the series, but obviously in the recent past we have
good performances against Pakistan and our track record is
better than them," he said.
He said, he is optimistic
about his sides victory in the crucial match and he expects
the players to play to their full potential which is the only
way to thwart their opponents. "What I need is to see the
players more focused on the game to achieve the ultimate
objective," he said adding "We are improving step by step in
the series and it is the time to show more consistency."
The Indian vice captain said
he was happy to receive bulk of extra runs from the Pakistani
bowlers in the previous matches. "We will be having no
compliant if we receive (extras) again in the deciding match,"
he said a lighter mood. He said India will be fielding the
unchanged side which won on March 21.
Youhana promises to
improve
Pakistani Vice Captain, Yousaf Youhana promises to come up
with improved performance when his side plays India in the
crucial one day international in Lahore Wednesday.
"I have no hesitation to say
that so far performance is not good and I must improve and I
am up to it," he said here Tuesday.
He said as a vice captain
responsibility also falls on his shoulders to be role model
for his fellow colleagues. "It would be nice and memorable if
I show a performance to lead the team to victory in the
deciding match," he said.
Youhana said, the Pakistan
team is under pressure as it is playing in its own backyard
and hopes are high and people want to see it winning. "Victory
would help lift the morale of the team," he said. He defended
the inclusion of Shahid Afridi in the team and said he was
included because the team needed a sixth bowler.
Quaid's Grandson arrives
to watch final
The grandson of the Father of the Nation and founder of
Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah arrived in Lahore
Tuesday to watch the fifth and final one day international
between Pakistan and India here today (Wednesday).
Nusli Wadia who came
alongwith his wife Maureen and two children was received at
the Lahore Airport by the Chairman, Pakistan Cricket Board,
Shaharyar M Khan. PCB Chief told that Wadia who is a Mumbai
based leading businessman is on the visit of Pakistan on the
invitation of PCB.
"I have long time family
relations with them and my grandfather was the friend of
Quaid-e-Azam and we are honoured and happy to have his
grandson with us," he said. He said after watching the match,
Wadia will be visiting Karachi on March 25 to visit the
mausoleum of his late grandfather to pay homage. He would
leave for Mumbai on March 26 from Karachi.
More than 1000 Indians
arrive to witness final Indo-Pak ODI
More than 1000 Indian cricket fans crossed into Pakistan by
Wagha border on Tuesday to witness the final One Day
International match being played between India and Pakistan at
Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore Wednesday.
Talking to newsmen at the
Wagha border, the Indian visitors said that they were happy
over the fulfilment of their long time desire to visit
Pakistan especially Lahore. They said that the exchange of
delegation would lend warmth and depth to the relations
between the two neighbouring countries. Those who arrived by
Wagha border on Tuesday included an eight member delegation of
Indian showbiz website and five member delegation of Phagwara
Rotary Club.
The ongoing Indian cricket
tour of Pakistan has attracted thousands of cricket fans from
India including businessmen, bankers, industrialists and
Bollywood actors and actresses. The inflow of cricket fans
from different parts of Pakistan and India to Lahore has
resulted in 100% occupancy of rooms in all the major hotels of
the city besides leading to a brisk business at Gowalmandi and
Old Anarkali food streets and shopping centres.
400 foreign journalists
including 150 Indians, arrive to cover ODI
Four hundred foreign journalists including 150 from India have
come to cover the fifth and final One Day International.
Indian Minister for Broadcasting and Information Ravi Shankar
Parasad also has arrived to watch the Pakistan India match at
Qaddafi Stadium Lahore.
The visiting Journalists
have appreciated the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting,
Pakistan for making elaborate arrangements besides
facilitating them in large number. They thanked the Ministry
for making arrangements to help them ensure extensive and
smooth coverage of the match. They were appreciative of the
unprecedented hospitality of Pakistanis which they extended to
the visiting Indian people and their team.
Squads for the 5th ODI
PAKISTAN:
Inzamam-ul-Haq (captain), Yasir Hameed, Shahid Afridi, Yousuf
Youhana, Younis Khan, Moin Khan, Abdul Razzaq, Shoaib Malik,
Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Sami, Shabbir Ahmed, Rana Naveedul
Hasan, Saqlain Mushtaq, Imran Farhat and Taufeeq Umar.
INDIA: Sourav Ganguly
(captain), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid,
Yuvraj Singh, Muhammad Kaif, Zaheer Khan, Laxmipathy Balaji,
VVS Laxman, Irfan Pathan,Hemang Badani and Murali Kartik.
Field Umpires: David
Shepherd (England) and Nadeem Ghouri. TV umpire: Zamir
Haider. Reserve Umpires: Muhammad Nazir Jr. Match
Referee: Ranjan Madugalle.
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