DAMBULLA, Sri Lanka, 21 May 2003 — Shoaib Malik hit an impressive 74 as Pakistan beat New Zealand by 22 runs in a crucial match here yesterday to join their opponents in the final of a triangular one-day series. Needing 204 to win, New Zealand were comfortably placed at 160-4 before crashing to 181 all out in a collapse triggered by fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami.
Akhtar and Sami each grabbed three wickets after leg-spinner Danish Kaneria (3-31) had done the damage in the middle overs in only his fifth international. Pakistan will now clash with New Zealand in the final on Friday.
New Zealand finished the round robin matches with 13 points from four games, followed by Pakistan (12) and Sri Lanka (11).
Each team posted two wins, but New Zealand and Pakistan qualified by virtue of earning more bonus points than the hosts. Pakistan raised the level of their performance thanks to Malik as they posted the highest total in the six matches of the tournament, which have been played on bowler-friendly tracks.
“The plan was to stay at the wicket as long as possible,” said man of the match Malik. “I relied on singles and twos in the beginning before going for shots. The pitch was better than the ones used earlier in the tournament,” he said.
Akhtar, Kaneria and Sami then built on Malik’s effort to fashion their team’s win with 11 balls to spare.
Kaneria removed Scott Styris (46), Chris Nevin (28) and Chris Cairns (28) to set Pakistan on a course toward victory before Akhtar and Sami finished the job.
Sami trapped Chris Harris (24) leg-before just when the batsman had threatened to take the match away from Pakistan with a 47-run stand for the fifth wicket with Styris.
“Credit should go to the boys as they played positive cricket in a big match,” said Pakistani captain Rashid Latif. “Akhtar and Sami bowled really fast today as we expected fireworks from them in this game. Kaneria took wickets at right time. Malik batted impressively and was involved in a good stand with (Abdul) Razzaq,” he said.
Malik, 21, was in the limelight in the morning session as he emerged the highest scorer of the tournament with his second half-century in 39 matches. Put in to bat, Pakistan were struggling at 61-4 before Malik played a vital innings. Debutant Yasir Hameed (25), Younis Khan (26) and Razzaq (23) also chipped in.
Malik, who put on 71 for the seventh wicket with Razzaq, set the stage for the closing-overs onslaught with his sensible 72-ball knock which contained one six and eight fours. Pakistan plundered 76 in the last 10 overs, with Akhtar hoisting Styris over long-on for a six during his unbeaten 22-ball 18.
Pakistan were off to a poor start against New Zealand fast bowlers Daryl Tuffey and Kyle Mills, losing openers Mohammad Hafeez (3) and Taufeeq Umar (2) in the space of two runs and five balls. Hameed and Yousuf Youhana (17) appeared to have steadied the innings with a 47-run stand for the third wicket before left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori (3-35) struck to put Pakistan on the back foot. Malik then counter-attacked to ease the pressure, hitting two successive fours off Harris and then swinging Vettori over mid-wicket for a six to help his team set a competitive total.
Akhtar Could Face Ban for Ball-Tampering
Meanwhile, Akhtar could face a four to eight match ban for alleged ball tampering during the tie against New Zealand. The incident was brought to the attention of the third umpire Gamini Silva after television pictures showed close-up shots of Akhtar apparently scratching the quarter seam of the ball.
Akhtar was called for a hearing after an official inquiry by match referee Gundappa Viswanath. Viswanath, who had requested television evidence after the match, said he would announce his decision today.
“The umpires advised me to view television clippings, believing that the condition of the ball may have been changed,” Viswanath said after the one-hour hearing. “I will make my decision tomorrow,” he added.