MULTAN, 30 September 2004 — Pakistan captain Inzamam ul-Haq is confident his revitalized team can win their first home One-Day cricket title ahead of their opening tri-series match against outsiders Zimbabwe today.
The hosts’ real Test is expected to come against Asian champions Sri Lanka, the third team in the series in which all sides face each other twice before the top two playoff in the Oct. 16 final.
Pakistan has never won a home One-Day tournament after failing in the 1987 and 1996 World Cups and in a tri-series in 1994 and a four-team tournament in 1997.
“I am confident that we will win our first home One-Day title and although we know Zimbabwe are ranked outsiders due to missing their key players we will not take them lightly,” said Inzamam, whose side has shown improvement under new English coach Bob Woolmer.
Since Woolmer’s arrival in June this year, Pakistan won four of their five matches in the Asia Cup in July in Sri Lanka followed by a runners-up finish to Australia in a tri-series in Amstelveen, Holland.
They also came close to beating Australia in a one-off limited overs international at Lord’s before losing to the West Indies in the semifinal of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Trophy in England.
“We have shown improvement but the real thing is (finding) the winning finish where we have shown weakness and need to overcome that problem,” said Inzamam.
“We lost to Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup and now need to beat them to win the title,” said Inzamam, who last week became only the second batsman after India’s Sachin Tendulkar to score 10,000 One-Day runs.
Pakistan have included two uncapped players in batsman Bazid Khan, son of former captain Majid Khan, and pacer Rao Iftikhar in their 15-man squad for the series.
Zimbabwe, mired in turmoil after a rebellion by 15 white players including captain Heath Streak and the suspension of their Test status, drew a two-day tour opener in Pakistan before suffering an innings defeat last week in a four-day match against the Pakistan Cricket Board Patron’s XI.
“We are a young team but we can take inspiration from our good showing against Sri Lanka in England earlier this month where we gave them a run for their money,” said Zimbabwe captain Tatenda Taibu, who, at 20 years of age, became the youngest international captain in April this year.
“We have set targets for ourselves so its a process of learning to overcome what happened in the last six months,” said Taibu. “Pakistan and Sri Lanka are tough teams but pressure will be on them and we need to capitalize on that,” he added.
Meanwhile, Shabbir Ahmed has been told he can play cricket again in two weeks after undergoing knee surgery in South Africa. Ahmed missed this month’s Champions Trophy in England and had to return home.
“The Pakistan board sent me to Cape Town for treatment and a specialist there did immediate surgery on my right knee,” Ahmed said yesterday. “He now says I can recover in two weeks time (and) I am very hopeful of making a comeback against Sri Lanka.”
Pakistan will play Sri Lanka in a two-Test series starting on Oct. 20, though the 28-year-old will miss a triangular One-Day series that also involves Zimbabwe.
