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Gritty Pakistan beats India

By K. Keerthivasan

Pakistan's Muhammad Fayaz (extreme right) celebrates with coach Nafees Ahmad after defeating India in the Petro World Cup cricket for the Blind in Chennai on Sunday, even as captain Abdul Razzaq (third from left) shares his joy with Ghulam Farid and Amir Ishfaq. — Photo: Vino John

CHENNAI DEC. 8. How many teams would have fielded the way the Pakistanis had done today. How many teams would have shown the courage and the spirit to come back when the chips were down.

At the CPT-IP grounds, here, on Sunday, Pakistan gave a new meaning to the aspect of fielding as it romped home to a 31-run win over arch rival India in an evenly matched encounter of the Petro World Cup cricket for the blind here. This is India's second successive defeat.

Chasing 259, India fell short losing all its wickets with 4.2 overs remaining. Six Indians became victims to the Pakistan fielders. Man of the match Muhammad Fayaz 67 (69b, 1x4) not only put on a crucial 87-run partnership with Amir Ishfaq (45, 69b) for the third wicket in 14.2 overs, but also effected two run-outs and took a fine one-handed catch.

With openers M. Ashraf Bhatti and star performer against Sri Lanka Sulman Elahi falling early, the onus fell on the bespectacled Fayaz and Ishfaq. Fayaz, who had a Miandad-like stance, played sensibly to take his team to 211 before he was adjudged leg-before-wicket to Sushil Gourd. But it was mainly due to Fayaz's stoic display, Pakistan was able to muster 258.

The talk going around was that India would reach the target quite convincingly. Ramkaran Sharma and Rajendra Verma started on a flourish. Ali Gohar's fine throw caught the captain Sharma short and his dismissal signalled Indians' collapse. Soon Verma and Manvinder Singh followed the same route. With the score reading 81 for three, the repair job was left to Sekhar Nayak — called Virender Sehwag — and Sanjeev Dalal. Sanjeev popped one to wicket-keeper Tariq Samuel and then Nayak's brief stay came to an end with a direct throw by Bhatti from mid-on.

As long as Sushil Gourd was there, hope lingered. The 22-year-old Delhi lad ran hard, doing whatever he could do to the best of his abilities. Giving him company was the wicket-keeper batsman Vishal Kumar. The two added 98 runs for the sixth wicket in 15.4 overs. Sushil (43, 47b, 1x4) skied one to Shairq Yaseen.

The last batsman who had the ability to turn the tide around was Vishal (52, 65b, 2x4) and once he was run-out (fielder Fayaz), the match was as good as over. The tail wagged but did not have the pluck to finish the contest. As the last batsman Pratap Singh Bisht (his runner) was caught short on the crease, Pakistan players ran to hug their man Fayaz who was chiefly responsible for the team's memorable win.

"I dedicate this victory to the Chairman of Pakistan Blind Cricket Council. Our fielding proved to be the major weapon, then it was our bowling," said the 32-year-old Fayaz, who works for PBCC and making his debut in the Petro World Cup. Fayaz belongs to B3 category, otherwise called the partially sighted.

Skipper Abdul Razzaq said his team knew that Indians were good against fast bowlers, and that's why he used his slow bowlers. "That was a deliberate tactic," he added.

S. Africa loses

At SPIC-YMCA, defending champion South Africa suffered its first defeat when it was pipped by one run by a resilient Australia. N. Haydar once again came up with a match-winning knock of 91 (84b, 7x4).

The scores:

Pakistan 258 in 39.5 overs (M.A. Bhatti 30, Amir Ishfaq 45, M. Fayaz 67, M. Nawaz 36) bt India 227 in 35.4 overs (Rajendra Verma 30, Sushil Gourd 43, Vishal Kumar 52).

Australia 280 for five in 40 overs (C.J. Backstrom 72 not out, N. Haydar 91) bt South Africa 279 in 37.4 overs (Riaan Liebenberg 35, Petrus Le Roux 49, Pieter van der Berg 57).

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