SHARJAH, 9 April 2003 — Mohammad Sami snared four wickets and Shoaib Malik cracked a blistering half century as Pakistan thrashed Kenya by 143 runs in the Sharjah Cup yesterday. Pakistan, who have won all three of their group games, will take on Zimbabwe in tomorrow’s final. Malik hammered a brisk 76 as Pakistan scored 106 off the final 10 overs to post 286 for eight — the highest score in the tournament so far.

Inspired by their batsmen, Pakistan’s bowlers then sliced through the Kenyan order to dismiss them for 143 in 31.4 overs. Sami was the spearhead, snapping up two early wickets as the surprise World Cup semifinalists slumped to 31 for four by the seventh over.

Only Maurice Odumbe offered any worthwhile resistance, scoring 54 off 65 balls which included six fours, four of which came in one over from seamer Umar Gul. After Odumbe’s dismissal Kenya, still needing 150 runs off 131 balls, folded meekly apart from a fighting 27 from Hitesh Modi. Sami returned to take the last two wickets in one over.

Earlier, Pakistan had built their innings around a 72-run stand for the sixth wicket between Malik and skipper Rashid Latif after they had struggled to 150 for five by the 35th over. Latif made 38 off 31 balls with two fours and two sixes, but it was Malik who blew away the Kenya attack, hitting six fours and a six in his 58-ball knock.

Pakistan rested Younis Khan and Abdul Razzaq to give their reserves — Misba-ul Haq and Naveed-ul Hassan — a chance to cement their places in the team. Haq exploited the opportunity, scoring 42 after openers Mohammed Hafeez (36) and Taufeeq Umar (17) put on 45 runs.

Faisal Iqbal (23) and Yousuf Youhana (18) made fine starts, but failed to covert them into big innings. Pakistan’s lower order enjoyed themselves, hammering 64 runs off the last five overs with Mohammad Sami slamming 12 off just four balls.

Lara and Waugh Ready

to Prove Their Points

Brian Lara and Steve Waugh will have contrasting points to prove as West Indies tackle world champions Australia tomorrow in Georgetown at the start of a Test series to relish.

The 33-year-old Lara, back in charge of the team after Carl Hooper’s demotion, will be looking to prove himself as a leader.

Waugh, 37, axed from the one-day side as a front-line player but whose captaincy skills are unquestioned, will be keen to show he can still contribute with the bat in his world-record 157th Test appearance.

Their places in the limelight, following larger-than-life exploits in the past two series in the Caribbean, were already assured, but the absences of Hooper, Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath have underlined their pivotal roles.

Hooper, sacked as captain last month after West Indies were knocked out of the World Cup in the first round, has left his selectors guessing over whether he will retire.

Warne, meanwhile, is serving a 12-month drugs ban while McGrath will return for the second half of the four-Test series after spending time with his sick wife.

Australia will also have to do without specialist batsman Damien Martyn (broken finger), while the West Indies, in some disarray themselves, are without a full-time coach following Roger Harper’s post World Cup departure.

The Australians, fresh from retaining the World Cup under the captaincy of Ricky Ponting, will be seeking to go back to the top of the world Test standings after being usurped by South Africa.