Sport - Cricket

Pakistan hopes to continue Sharjah form

Karachi April 20. Pakistan hopes to carry on its winning Sharjah Cup form as it takes on a depleted New Zealand in the first of three one-day internationals starting on Sunday at the National Stadium here.

``Sharjah's triumph was remarkable and we hope that the winning form stays against New Zealand,'' captain Waqar Younis said.

Pakistan, which thumped Sri Lanka by 217 runs to lift the Sharjah Cup in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, starts the home series against the Black Caps as favourites.

``One-day cricket is all about playing well on the particular day so we don't believe in the favourite tag and do not consider New Zealand as push-overs,'' Younis said.

Organisers say they expect a full house with tickets sold out two days before the first game in Karachi since England beat Pakistan in October 2000. The tourists are under tight security following threat to Western interests in Pakistan by Islamic extremists angry over Islamabad's cooperation with the US-led war in neighbouring Afghanistan.

New Zealand, beaten by Pakistan in both its Sharjah league games, has fitness worries over middle-order batsman Craig McMillan and wicketkeeper Chris Nevin with a decision on their participation expected later.

McMillan twisted an ankle while Nevin carries a hamstring injury from Sharjah.

But captain Stephen Fleming said his team would put up a fight. ``Ours is a young side but we hope to put up our best against a formidable Pakistan side that played really well in Sharjah,'' Fleming said.

Blistering heat in Pakistan is also a worry for the tourists but Fleming maintains that the 35 degree celsius temperatures are bearable. ``We are professionals and once we are in the ground we should combat everything including the heat,'' he said.

The second one-day game is scheduled for Rawalpindi on April 24 and the third in Lahore on April 27.

The teams (from):

New Zealand: Stephen Fleming (captain), Craig McMillan (vice captain), Nathan Astle, Chris Nevin, Chris Harris, Lou Vincent, Robbie Hart, Jacob Oram, Brooke Walker, Matt Horne, Andre Adams, Ian Butler, Daryl Tuffy, James Franklin and Scott Styris.

Pakistan: Waqar Younis (captain), Inzamam-ul Haq (vice captain), Shahid Afridi, Imran Nazir, Misbahul Haq, Faisal Iqbal, Younis Khan, Yousuf Youhana, Rashid Latif, Wasim Akram, Yasir Arafat, Abdur Razzaq, Mohammad Sami, Shoaib Akhtar, Shoaib Malik and Saqlain Mushtaq. — AFP

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