Pakistan eye ruthless win over Hong Kong
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
By Khalid Hussain
KARACHI: Pakistan aim to achieve a ruthlessly one-sided victory over minnows Hong Kong in the Asia Cup opener here at the National Stadium today (Tuesday).
Skipper Shoaib Malik will elevate himself up the order and will open the innings with the in-form Salman Butt in a match that Pakistan should easily win even after fielding their second string players.
But the hosts, still haunted by the ghosts of a nightmarish defeat to underdogs Ireland in a crucial World Cup match in 2007, are unwilling to take any chances against Hong Kong, a side that has played just two One-day Internationals in its history and doesnt seem capable of achieving a big upset.
A Pakistan official told The News that the final eleven will be decided only after a meeting this afternoon, just hours before the start of the day-night international. But it has been learnt that Pakistan will be fielding their best eleven against Hong Kong in a bid to help their players warm up for Thursdays big game against title contenders India.
With Kamran Akmal, who has been opening the innings for Pakistan in recent times dropped for the Asia Cup, Malik has decided to open with Butt. Pakistan have the option of playing young opener Nasir Jamshed but Malik wants room for an extra all-rounder which is why he would be opening the innings.
Pakistans middle order will remain the same with Younis Khan followed by the experienced Mohammad Yousuf and Misbah-ul-Haq. Shahid Afridi will come next followed by young all-rounder Fawad Alam.
It would be an important game for young stumper Sarfraz Ahmed, who will be keeping the wicket. Pakistan are hoping that Sarfraz will succeed where Akmal has failed in recent times and will do a neat job behind the stumps.
With Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif out because of their off-the-field exploits, Sohail Tanvir the IPLs best bowler will have to shoulder the pace responsibilities with Umar Gul and Rao Ifitkhar Anjum.
Pakistan have selected uncapped off-spinner Saeed Ajmal in their squad but he will have to wait for his international debut. Pakistan have won their last ten games on home soil and Malik says that the hosts aim to continue the winning spree during the entire course of the tournament.
While Pakistan are likely to rely on specialist pacers and spinning all-rounders like Malik, Afridi and Fawad, Hong Kong, who have not played an ODI since 2004, would be looking to their seasoned slow bowlers to work out a miracle this evening. Medium-pacer Afzaal Haider and spinners Nadeem Ahmed and Najeeb Amar can pose a challenge for Pakistani batsmen on the low and slow National Stadium wicket.
Their English coach Aftab Habib is hoping his team will achieve what seems like impossible.
Cricket is a funny game and we should remember there were lots of upsets in the 2007 World Cup so we must give it our best to upset Pakistan, he says.
Squads: Pakistan Shoaib Malik (captain) Salman Butt, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Fawad Alam, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul, Rao Iftikhar Anjum.
Hong Kong Tabarak Dar (captain), Afzaal Haider, Ashish Gadhia, James Atkinson, Toby Brown, Hussain Butt, Irfan Ahmed, Courtney Kruger, Roy Lamsam, Munir Dar, Nadeem Ahmed, Najeeb Amar, Skhawat Ali, Waqas Barkat (wk), Zain Abbas.
Umpires: Tony Hill (New Zealand), Brian Jerling (South Africa). TV umpire: Amiesh Saheba (India). Match referee: Alan Hurst (Australia).
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