The Hindu : Bhatti guides Pakistan to title triumph

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 15, 2002

Sport

Sport - Cricket

Bhatti guides Pakistan to title triumph

By K. Keerthivasan

CHENNAI DEC. 14. Muhammad Ashraf Bhatti can see only through one eye. But that has not deterred him from coming to his team's aid during crunch situations. The 24-year-old Sociology graduate has been one of the consistent performers for Pakistan. In the summit clash of the Petro World for the blind against South Africa, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, here, on Saturday, Bhatti came up with a match-winning knock (87 not out, 96b, 5x4) to guide his team notch up a five-wicket win and lift the World Cup.

The key to the Pakistanis win was the way in which they restricted South Africa, put in to bat, to 255. Those primarily responsible for the Proteas collapse were the B1 (totally blind) players- Muhammad Waqas, Sulman Elahi and Muhammad Shahbaz- who bowled 24 overs between them while conceding 123 runs and claiming four wickets.

Key batsman and opener Rory Field, fresh from his century in the semifinal, was unlucky to be run-out for 7 runs, when a direct hit from Muhammad Fayaz caught him short. Twenty-year-old fellow opener Adrian Maartens who impressed with his unbeaten century in the opening match against England disappointed getting bowled by Waqas. Thereafter wickets kept tumbling and South Africa found itself at 86 for five at one stage. Nathan Meyer justified his late inclusion scoring a patient 59 (67b) while adding crucial 96 runs with Riaan Liebenberg (51, 50b), which enabled the Proteas to recover.

After Riaan and Meyer dismissal by the 32nd over, the African team could not push the scoring rate and ended up with a modest total of 255.

Pakistanis excelled in fielding, giving no chances to the batsman to go for a casual second run. They made sure that every run of their opposition was earned.

Fielding being their important facet too, the Proteas knew that they had to do exceptionally well in that sector if they wanted to wrest the World Cup. Four close-in players (all B1) ensured that most of the sweep shots were blocked. Soon the pressure began to show up. Losing three wickets for 74, Pakistan was in a spot. And in came Bhatti.

Running quick between the wickets and hitting boundaries whenever it seemed that the run-rate was rising, Bhatti put on 76 runs for fourth wicket with his captain and mentor Abdul Razzaq (30, 25b). More crucial was his unbroken 56-run stand with Muhammad Fayaz (25 not out, 23b, 3x4) that helped Pakistan finish the match in style.

However, for captain and coach Rory Field, the final would have evoked memories of the 1998 crunch match when he and his brother Scot scored unbeaten centuries as South Africa posted a 10-wicket win over Pakistan to take the title.

Rory said that his fielders dropped four catches- all coming from Bhatti's blade) and that proved to be crucial in the final analysis. Acknowledging that his team has not been good in conceding extras Rory said, "We did not bowl that much extras today."

Man of the match Bhatti is no new face, and has been a part of the team, that toured South Africa two years ago, and England in August this year. He was very successful in England scoring three unbeaten centuries in the four ODIs.

When Bhatti led the Pakistan team in the victory lap, mind went back to the 1999 Test match when the team led by Wasim Akram did something similar to a thunderous applause.

It has been the fighting and the never-say die spirit that made Pakistan a winning unit. The contest also provided exhilarating and interesting moments, which prompted the chief guest and former Sri Lankan skipper Arjuna Ranatunga to say that National associations in the sub-continent should come forward to help visually challenged cricket. He also said that more current and former International cricketers should do their bit to help the cause of blind cricket. Ranatunga later gave away the prizes.

At the prize distribution function, both the teams were presented with JAWS (Job Access with Speech) software.

The scores (final): South Africa 255 for eight in 40 overs (Nathan Meyer 59, Riaan Liebenberg 51, Petrus Le Roux 34 not out) lost to Pakistan 256 for five in 37.2 overs (M. Ashraf Bhatti 87 not out, Muhammad Shahbaz 28, Abdul Razzaq 30, Muhammad Fayaz 25 not out). Man of the match: M. Ashraf Bhatti.

Special prizes: Man of the tournament: Nathan Foy (B1-England); Man of the tournament (category wise): B1 (totally blind): Timothy Guttridge (England); B2 (partially blind): Rory Field (South Africa); B3 (partially sighted): M. Ashraf Bhatti.

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