PakistanTimes [PakistanTimes.net]

 Sports

  Home  

 About Us

  Contact Us 

  Archives   

  Advertise
  Editorial Board  

 Free Subscription  

  Top Story

  Editorial

  Metro

  Kashmir

  Business

  Sports

  Scoop

  Societal

  Health

    Cartoon

 

Shaken Pakistan vows to win ‘decisive clash’ against India
Pakistan Times Sports Desk


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.

   
 
 
 
 

 

 

Discuss at PT Forum

 
 
 

 

FAOR Web Creations
Maintained by: 
FAOR Web Creations.

  

Home | About Us | Contact Us | Free Subscription | Advertise | Editorial Board | Archives

Copyright © 2003-2004 TIMES Group of Publications All rights reserved.
Technical courtesy: IT Wizards