The Pakistanis who slipped into the Standard Bank Triangular final with South Africa on the score of having beaten the Sri Lankans twice, have it in them to hold aloft the trophy at the end of the game if they perform as a team.
Man to man the Pakistanis are the better team. But what is lacking in them is consistency. If they can put their individual brilliance together out in the middle then the Proteas who are in full bloom can be cropped.
The match winning factor for the South Africans has been their excellent fielding. While their batting can hold its own, their bowling can be tamed by the hard hitting Pakistani batsmen, if they correctly put bat to ball with purpose.
As for the Lankans they were unfortunate to be caught on a wicket that certainly wasn't good for this type of game. All pitches produced for the early games were first rate. But the curator of this wicket in Bloemfontein earned minus marks with a wicket that made a mockery of the game.
Instant cricket requires that a wicket fair to both sides be prepared so as to give the sides a fair go. In this instance the wicket was a nightmare to batsmen as proved by the low scores.
As for the South Africans they had nothing to lose even if they were beaten. As for the Lankans they had to win. But in fairness to them it must be said that their winning streak was stalled on an unfair wicket. Anyway there is no excuse for their batting debacle.
What we could not understand was the necessity to play a double wicket tourney so as to appease the crowd as the game ended early. The South Africans must understand that they cannot have the cake and eat it.
On the one hand they want the crowds to pack the parks. And then they starve them and frustrate them by preparing wickets that brings an early end to the game. Cricket fans flock from far away places to see masters of the game perform. Then they must be allowed to take in the full action.
The Lankans would not have been faulted if they had refused to indulge in the double wicket tourney just to please the organisers and fool the spectators.
Good that Sanath Jayasuriya and Aravinda de Silva two of the game's best entertainers refused to be drawn into the action. The double wicket turned out to being sad sack and the spectators left mumbling who knows what.
Back to the final and one thing is certain and that is that the Pakistanis have it in them to take sweet revenge. The wicket here is certain to be a good one and the side playing the correct cricket will be the victors.
The Pakistanis spearheads Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis are better than Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock if they fire all cylinders. They can be devastating as they have proved at times. Pakistani must bring in Younis for this game. Because as partners Akram and Younis have the artillery to shoot down the South African batsmen.
The Pakistani batsmen can all score. They have been depending too heavily on Ijaz Ahmed and Inzamam Ul Haq. It is time that batsmen of the calibre of Afridi, Anwar, Mahmood, Razzak, Youhana and skipper Latiff made runs.
Akram can use the long handle and score a lot of runs. But he must do it with more purpose.
As for the South Africans they will pin their hopes on Kirsten, Cullinan, Kallis, Cronje, Rhodes and Rindle (if he plays) Kirsten has not been in good nick. But he is the batsman for the big occasion. If he strikes then the Proteas are in for a good score.
With the sides equally matched it is the side that fields best that will win. And in this aspect the Proteas have the best fielders in the world Jonty Rhodes to inspire and motivate them with his brilliant work.