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Pakistan shine as Mushtaq cleans up

Pakistan (112-1) beat UAE (109) by 9 wickets

Pakistan's defence of the World Cup was delayed further yesterday by the weather, but not by the United Arab Emirates. In a game reduced to 33 overs per side, Pakistan won their opening qualif- ier in Gujranwala with nine wickets and 15 overs in hand, to in- flict upon the UAE their third and largest embarrassment.

Although their opponents were mainly compatriots, Pakistan were at their aggressive best from the moment Wasim Akram chose to bowl first. No line-and-length containment or attempt at nega- tivity here: wicket-taking balls rained down on a pitch damp yet bouncy, and on hapless batsmen.

Not only the Persian, or Arabian, Gulf separates these teams, but one of talent as well. Salim Raza swung Wasim for a six out of the half-filled ground and hit 22 from 20 balls, but thereafter the UAE innings could gain no momentum.

Pakistan's whole effort was distinctly united, for all the pres- ence of three former captains in the side and a fourth, Ramiz Raja, in their party. In fielding and physical fitness they ap- peared in good shape too, Javed Miandad as trim as any as he made a catch and a run-out to mark his sixth World Cup.

If Akram led from the front by making the ball swing and seam, and by varying the paceindecipherably, Mushtaq Ahmed was the man of the match. He enjoyed the bounce, offered some leg-breaks ini- tially and cleaned up with his googly.

But the main attraction - as Javed never got to the wicket - was Waqar Younis, and if he was not quite back to his speed of the early 90s, he was closer to it than for a long while. What is more, he swung the new ball out at sharp pace, before returning with the more familiar reverse-inswingers, one of them swung dar- ingly for six by Shaukat Dukanwala.

The most varied and penetrative attack in the World Cup was completed yesterday by the less extravagant talents of the fast- medium Aqib Javed and the flat left-arm spinners of Aamir Sohail.

When batting, the latter got himself out with an over-ambitious flick, but the remaining runs were smartly knocked off by Saeed Anwar, the left-hander who has hit eight hundreds in one-day internationals, only one fewer than England combined; and by Ijaz Ahmed, Salim Malik's brother-in-law. As a team, Pakistan look to be a good bet to become the first host country to win the cup.