Pak sans Akram look to extend winning run

Pak sans Akram look to extend winning run
KULDIP LAL

GALLE, JULY 4: Resurgent Pakistan are favoured to win a fourth successive One-Day title when they clash with South Africa and hosts Sri Lanka in the Singer Cup tri-series starting here on Wednesday.

Pakistan are riding high under the new management of captain Moin Khan and coach Javed Miandad after resounding wins in Sharjah, the West Indies and Bangladesh over the last four months. The winning streak has been topped by a 2-0 Test win over Sri Lanka on the current tour, which avenged the loss to Sanath Jayasuriya's men in Pakistan in February.

``It's a dream I hope will not end,'' said Moin, brushing aside suggestions that the players will be tired after being on the road since March. ``You can never be tired of winning. We have paced ourselves well and are fresh for the latest challenge,'' he said ahead of the series opener against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium.

Both Sri Lanka and South Africa have first-hand experience of Pakistan's golden run. The Sri Lankans were thrashed in the Asia Cup final in Dhaka last month before succumbing in the recent Test series. South Africa, under disgraced former captain Hansie Cronje, lost to Pakistan in the Sharjah Cup final in March.

In between, Pakistan defeated Zimbabwe and the West Indies in the tri-series in the Caribbean, but narrowly lost the Test series against Jimmy Adams' men. With three of the four top teams in world cricket on show, the tournament promises exciting fare despite the absence of veteran stars.

Pakistan will be without their in-form all-rounder Wasim Akram, who opted out for personal reasons after becoming the first bowler to claim 400 wickets in both Test and One-Day cricket. Sri Lanka have dropped both Aravinda de Silva and Arjuna Ranatunga, heroes of their World Cup triumph in 1996, following their lean patch in the Tests against Pakistan. South Africa have lost the experienced Cronje and dashing opener Herschelle Gibbs to the match-fixing scandal, while pace spearhead Allan Donald took a break from international cricket to play a full season for his English county Warwickshire.

``The veterans will obviously be missed but One-Day cricket is a young man's game,'' Moin said. ``All three teams are well-matched to promise some great cricket.''

It's a sentiment shared by rival captains Shaun Pollock of South Africa and Sri Lanka's Jayasuriya. Pollock hoped the series will overshadow the raging match-fixing scandal, saying: ``Cricket needs a good and exciting tournament to win the fans over again.'' Jayasuriya said his team was determined to make amends for the recent losses against Pakistan. ``We have the potential to win the tournament in our backyard,'' he said.

The tournament will move to Colombo after the first two matches in this southern sea-side town, with the top two teams in the double-leg league qualifying for the final on July 14. It will be South Africa's first overseas assignment since the Cronje scandal broke in April, but Pollock was quick to remind of the stunning 2-1 win at home over world champions Australia the same month.

``That win showed our determination to put aside the odds and fight it out,'' he said. ``It's not easy to forget the Cronje episode, but we will not be burdened by it.'' South Africa's first match will be against the hosts at Galle on Thursday.