Final: Pakistan v Zimbabwe at Sharjah, 10 Apr 2003 Wisden CricInfo Live Report

Final: Pakistan v Zimbabwe at Sharjah, 10 Apr 2003
Dileep Premachandran

Pakistan innings: 25 Overs, End of match,
Pre-game: Toss & Teams,
Zimbabwe innings: 25 overs, Close,

PAKISTAN TAKE THE CUP
The classy elegance of Yousuf Youhana and the true grit of Taufeeq Umar combined to lead Pakistan to a facile eight-wicket victory in the Sharjah Cup. Coming together with the team in a spot of bother, they added 144 for the third wicket to put the game to bed with 14.4 overs to spare. Youhana’s 61 was especially imperious, though Taufeeq’s 81 did his future claims no harm at all - a display that made up with determination what it lacked by way of style.

Heath Streak had given Zimbabwe hope with two wickets, only for Taufeeq Youhana to extinguish it with a commanding batting display. Streak struck early, getting Mohammad Hafeez to play a loose stroke outside off stump. Craig Wishart pouched the catch at first slip and Pakistan were 10 for 1. Faisal Iqbal came in next but made just 6 before flicking a Streak delivery straight to Gavin Rennie at midwicket (28 for 2).

Youhana though started confidently and Zimbabwe compounded their problems with some erratic and wayward bowling. Andy Blignaut was the chief culprit and Umar cashed in with some super shots on the legside. Once Streak left the attack, the sting went too and Sean Ervine was greeted with two hits to the boundary ropes.

With Taufeeq then dropping anchor, Youhana decided to up the ante, playing two gorgeous straight drives off Douglas Hondo before thumping Ray Price for six over long-on. Presumably, the Thursday nightlife in Sharjah/Dubai was worth getting off work early for.

Once both batsmen crossed fifty, the shots were played with more of a flourish and before you knew it, it was all over. Truth be told though, this match was won for Pakistan by an inspired opening burst from Mohammad Sami, who confounded the Zimbabwe batsmen with his extra pace and bounce. Despite a superb, gritty innings of 74, in adverse circumstances, from Tatenda Taibu, Zimbabwe were shot out for 168.

Taibu’s partnerships with Ervine - who made a defiant 25 - and Dion Ebrahim gave the total some respectability but Sami’s early burst of 3 for 20 from six overs meant that they were always behind the eight-ball.

Zimbabwe’s tale of woe started as early as the third ball of the innings, which Wishart tickled through to Latif behind the stumps. Rennie pulled Umar Gul for four soon after but he had no answers to the pace of Sami. A delivery that left him a shade had him marooned to the crease, and the outside edge was gleefully accepted by Latif, for his 200th dismissal in ODIs (19 for 2).

Douglas Marillier, who had earlier survived a vociferous appeal for leg-before, didn’t stick around very long either. Sami set him up with a short one, and the next ball sent the leg stump for a triple somersault (22 for 3). Marillier made 14.

Much rested on Grant Flower, but he made just seven before a crude hoick off Shoaib Malik went straight to Younis Khan at short square leg (36 for 4). Taibu, who nudged and pushed the ball around, while scampering through on those little legs, rebuilt the innings with Ervine, who announced his intent with a superb cover-drive off Malik.

Two fours in an over off Abdul Razzaq and a sweep for four off Malik saw the run rate go up a notch, but that was spoilt by a poor decision from umpire Jayaprakash. Ervine went for another sweep off Malik, and the ball ballooned off his pad to Latif behind the stumps. Latif’s appeal was loud and Jayaprakash’s finger went up in a trice (82 for 5).

Ebrahim and Taibu then added 40, taking the score to the respectability of three figures before a reckless shot signalled the beginning of the end. Ebrahim flayed at a wide one from Danish Kaneria and the ball flew off the leading edge to Malik at point (122 for 6).

Hafeez then chipped in with two wickets, trapping Streak leg-before for 0 - going for the paddle sweep - and taking a superb diving catch to send back Blignaut (127 for 8). Kaneria’s flipper did for Price and Zimbabwe were tottering at 133 for 9. Taibu though finished with a flourish - spanking Sami for two fours in the penultimate over and adding 35 for the final wicket with Douglas Hondo - and remained unbeaten on 74 at the end, receiving a word or two of congratulation from the Pakistanis as they left the field.

Taibu’s pocket-sized heroics notwithstanding, the target was unlikely to ask questions of any batting line-up, even one as brittle as Pakistan’s. So it proved. After a World Cup to forget, Rashid Latif and his refashioned side celebrated the early days of the renaissance with a trophy, that too in the 2000th one-day international to be played.

PAKISTAN ON THE WAY
Heath Streak gave Zimbabwe some early hope with two wickets, but Taufeeq Umar and Yousuf Youhana more or less extinguished it with a commanding batting display as Pakistan sauntered towards the 169 required for victory. After 25 overs, they were 115 for 2 and within touching distance of the trophy.

Streak struck early, getting Mohammad Hafeez to play a loose stroke outside off stump. Craig Wishart pouched the catch at first slip and Pakistan were 10 for 1. Faisal Iqbal came in next but made just 6 before flicking a Streak delivery straight to Gavin Rennie at midwicket (28 for 2).

ZIMBABWE SET MEAGRE TARGET DESPITE TAIBU EFFORTS
Zimbabwe’s batsmen had no answers to a fiery opening spell from Mohammad Sami, and despite a superb, gritty innings from Tatenda Taibu, they were shot out for 168 in the final of the Sharjah Cup.

Taibu’s partnerships with Sean Ervine – who made a defiant 25 – and Dion Ebrahim gave the total some respectability, but Sami’s early burst of 3 for 20 from six overs meant that they were always struggling. After a World Cup to forget, it appeared that Rashid Latif and his re-fashioned side would celebrate the early days of the renaissance with a trophy later in the evening – and in the 2000th one-day international.

Taibu finished with a flourish, spanking Sami for two fours in the penultimate over and adding 35 for the final wicket with Douglas Hondo. He remained unbeaten on 74 and received a word or two of congratulation from the Pakistanis as they left the field.

Zimbabwe’s tale of woe started as early as the third ball of the innings, which Craig Wishart tickled through to Latif behind the stumps. Gavin Rennie pulled Omar Gul for four soon after, but he had no answer to the pace of Sami. A delivery that left him a shade had him marooned in the crease, and the outside edge was gleefully accepted by Latif, for his 200th dismissal in ODIs (19 for 2).

Douglas Marillier, after surviving a vociferous appeal for leg before, didn’t stick around for long either. Sami set him up with a short one, and the next sent the legstump for a triple somersault (22 for 3). Marillier had made 14.

Much rested on Grant Flower but he made just seven before a crude hoick off Shoaib Malik went straight to Younis Khan at short square-leg (36 for 4). Taibu, who nudged and pushed the ball around while scampering through on those little legs, rebuilt the innings with Ervine, who announced his intent with a superb cover-drive off Malik.

Two fours in an over off Razzaq and a swept boundary off Malik saw the run rate go up a notch, but that was spoilt by a poor decision from umpire Jayaprakash. Ervine went for another sweep off Malik, and the ball ballooned off the back pad to Latif, whose appeal was loud, and Jayaprakash’s finger went up in a trice (82 for 5).

Ebrahim and Taibu then added 40, taking the score to three figures before a reckless shot signalled the beginning of the end. Ebrahim flayed at a wide one from Danish Kaneria and the ball flew off the leading edge to Malik at point (122 for 6).

Mohammad Hafeez then chipped in with two wickets, trapping Heath Streak leg-before for 0 – going for the paddle sweep – and taking a superb diving catch to send back Andy Blignaut (127 for 8). Kaneria’s flipper did for Ray Price, and when Hondo’s slog found Yousuf Youhana in the deep, it was all over, Taibu’s pocket-sized heroics notwithstanding. The target was unlikely to ask questions of any batting line-up, even one as brittle as Pakistan’s.

ZIMBABWE ROCKED BY SAMI SALVO
Zimbabwe were waging a grim rearguard action under the late afternoon Sharjah sun after Mohammad Sami ripped through the top order in an inspired spell at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Sami bowled a fast and furious opening spell of six overs for 20, picking up the wickets of Craig Wishart, Gavin Rennie and Grant Flower, before Tatenda Taibu and Sean Ervine – who made a defiant 25 before being wrongly given out – injected some normalcy to the proceedings.

Zimbabwe’s tale of woe started with the third ball of the innings, which Wishart tickled through to Rashid Latif behind the stumps. Gavin Rennie pulled Umar Gul for four soon after, but he had no answers to the pace of Sami. A delivery that left him a shade had him marooned to the crease, and the outside edge was gleefully accepted by Latif, for his 200th dismissal in ODIs (19 for 2).

Douglas Marillier, who had earlier survived a vociferous appeal for leg before, didn’t stick around very long either. Sami set him up with a short one, and the next ball sent the legstump for a triple somersault (22 for 3). Marillier made 14.

Much rested on Grant Flower but he made just seven before a crude hoick off Shoaib Malik went straight to Younis Khan at short square-leg (36 for 4). Taibu, who nudged and pushed the ball around, while scampering through on those little legs, rebuilt the innings with Ervine, who announced his intent with a superb cover-drive off Malik.

Two fours in an over off Razzaq and a sweep for four off Malik saw the run rate go up a notch but that was spoilt by a poor decision from umpire Jayaprakash. Ervine went for another sweep off Malik, and the ball ballooned off the back pad to Latif behind the stumps. Latif’s appeal was loud and Jayaprakash’s finger went up in a trice (82 for 5). That left Taibu to bail out the water, with only Ebrahim, Streak and Blignaut left on deck.

ZIMBABWE BAT IN FINAL
Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat first, in what was the 2000th one-day international match in ODI history. The conditions looked to be perfect for batting and Streak's lengthy practice session with the coin earlier in the day ensured that Zimbabwe got first use of the placid surface. History though was against Zimbabe, who have only ever won twice against Pakistan - the last time was November 1998 at Sheikhupura.

Pakistan started overwhelming favourites to win and offer some solace to supporters still reeling from the team's worst-ever performance in the World Cup. Straightforward victories in the group matches put smiles on some faces but the opposition has been so poor that any talk of corners being turned will have to wait until they play the likes of Australia, India (if ever) and South Africa.

For Zimbabwe, a place in the final itself would be regarded as a bonus, after a tumultuous World Cup campaign that saw them lose their only world-class player, Andy Flower. Heath Streak and his boys have performed above expectations here but like Pakistan, they face an uncertain future.

Zimbabwe made no changes to the team that made the final but Pakistan brought back Abdul Razzaq and Younis Khan for Naved-ul-Hasan and Misbah-ul-Haq.

Teams
Pakistan 1 Mohammad Hafeez, 2 Taufeeq Umar, 3 Faisal Iqbal, 4 Yousuf Youhana, 5 Younis Khan, 6 Shoaib Malik, 7 Rashid Latif (capt, wk) 8 Abdul Razzaq, 9 Danish Kaneria, 10 Mohammad Sami, 11 Umar Gul.

Zimbabwe 1 Craig Wishart, 2 Douglas Marillier, 3 Gavin Rennie, 4 Grant Flower, 5 Tatenda Taibu (wk), 6 Sean Ervine, 7 Dion Ebrahim, 8 Heath Streak (capt), 9 Andy Blignaut, 10 Ray Price, 11 Douglas Hondo.

Dileep Premachandran is assistant editor of Wisden.com in India.