Equal teams vie for Asian supremacy

By Vijay Lokapally

DHAKA, JUNE 6. What could be the novelty when two sub-continent teams clash in a final? It could be the intensity of the players to achieve their goal, the involvement of the spectators or the furious pace of the game and the excitement that comes with it. It may appear an explosive package of action-packed cricket but may also end up as a grand disappointment.

When Pakistan takes the field, it is often regarded the favourite. The most unpredictable side in the business today, Pakistan can raise its game by many notches but also suddenly appear mediocre, eventhough the danger of the team being inconsistent under the guidance of coach Javed Miandad appears remote.

When Sri Lanka takes the field, the opposition cannot take things for granted. Though it may not appear a formidable team on paper, it can actually play like one, given its ability to perform beyond its potential on big occasions.

So the stage, one would reckon, is ideal for a cracker of a contest as the seventh edition of the Asia Cup enters the concluding phase. A lively final would be a fitting tribute to the enthusiasm of the citizens of Dhaka, who have contributed immensely, with their sporting support, to make the venture a success.

It would not be easy to pick a winner for the simple reason that the teams are evenly balanced. Pakistan has a string of heavyweights but Sri Lanka has a list of some of the meanest youngsters on the circuit.

Sri Lanka has been managed quite professionally by Dav Whatmore, a hard taskmaster from Australia. Pakistan too has a very crafty brain in Javed Miandad, who may not take down notes like the Aussie but can come up with a tactical masterpiece at the right time.

Miandad's influence on the team has begun to show. The panic buttons have been shut out and the team is riding on a wave of confidence under his guidance. Discipline had been the team's major casualty in the past and Miandad's return to the job has ensured that the players do not indulge in any internecine action.

The Sri Lankans are a modest bunch and it is a quality which often helps them achieve what they set out for. Their strength is their collective pursuit and leading the army is the battle- scarred Aravinda de Silva, who revels in playing the big innings on big occasions.

Can Aravinda tame the wily Wasim Akram? Can Abdur Razzaq fox the lethal Sanath Jayasuriya? Questions which can make your imagination run wild with prospects of watching some dazzling stuff if both the teams play to their potential. It does not always happen though!

The Sri Lankans have prepared their schedule carefully. A meaningful camp at home led to an eventful triumph in Pakistan before the team rested and took stock of its wares. Restricted participation in one-day cricket has kept the players fresh and raring.

In comparison, Pakistan has been hopping around the globe non- stop. The journey began with the trip to Australia in two phases, followed by the series at home against Sri Lanka. The Pakistanis were off to Sharjah soon and from there to the West Indies.

The Pakistanis landed here, from the West Indies, a day before their first match and a day after the tournament fly to Sri Lanka. At the end of the tedious schedule there, the Pakistanis have a stop at Singapore for a tri-series in August.

Quite amazingly, the Pakistanis have managed to keep themselves motivated, and refreshingly fit. No compromise with commitment is the warning from Miandad and the team has remembered it at every step. And none better than Yousuf Youhana, who has sparkled in every match and staked the biggest claim to emerge the `man of the tournament'.

The contest here is for the best team of the tournament. Who will be the giant of the sub-continent, as the organisers have projected the Asia Cup. A tournament which has not really got its due, having struggled to even carve a fixed slot, of being held once in two years, for itself.

The fittest and the richest in talent shall stand on the podium on Wednesday night. Incidentally, the city was lashed by heavy rains on Tuesday. There is little to choose between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The toss, considering the weather, could be a vital factor but not the deciding one. That will depend on which team possesses the better temperament. And of course the will to win!

The teams (from):

Pakistan: Moin Khan (Capt.), Imran Nazir, Saeed Anwar, Yousuf Youhana, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Abdur Razzaq, Azhar Mahmood, Wasim Akram, Mohammad Akram, Arshad Khan, Mohammad Wasim, Shabbir Ahmed and Shoaib Malik.

Sri Lanka: Sanath Jayasuriya (Capt.), Aravinda de Silva, Marvan Atapattu, Mahela Jayawardene, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Chaminda Vaas, T.M. Dilshan, Upul Chandana, Kaushalya Weeraratne, Nuwan Zoysa, Muttiah Muralitharan, Russel Arnold, Indika de Saram and Sajeeva de Silva.

Umpires: Messrs S.K. Bansal and A.V. Jayaprakash. Third umpire: Syed Mahbubullah.

Match Referee: Mr. John Reid.

Hours of play: 2 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.; 6.15 p.m. to 9.45 p.m.

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