Pakistan confident of bouncing back

KIMBERLEY - After a drubbing at the Aussies hands, Pakistan flew into this small laidback diamond-mining town on Eid day to prepare for their match againt Namibia on Sunday.

The weather forecast for the match is rather grim as rain is forecast. On Friday morning threatening clouds hung about and after a stormy night the wind was still strong as the Pakistan team went through a solid work out at the De Beers Diamond Oval, something they have been doing throughout, without relaxing even for a day.

The match against Namibia is expected to be more or less a kind of walkover, but Pakistan would still want to get the maximum four points, instead of sharing the tally with the minnows.

But for all practical purposes, the fixture is a work out for the tougher one coming up against England next Saturday, and then after another easy game, sandwiched in between against Holland, the big one, the real needle match against India come March 1.

This placid mining town, famous for its diamonds on which De Beers has a monopoly, is home to 300 Pakistani expatriates, and a whole lot more Indians, all rooting for them instead of the other side. So far they all remain quite disappointed with Pakistan's performance. But not unlike skipper Waqar Younis, most of them do feel that Pakistan was too good a side to not to bounce back.

While talking to this scribe during nets, Waqar was pretty confident that Pakistan would from now on make steady progress. "The defeat was bad; every defeat is bad. We haven't lost any heart. Our morale is not low. We know we can play better [than we did against Australia]. But then we are not the only side to have suffered in this World Cup. There have been many other big upsets", said Younis.

He attributed the setback to Andrew Symonds' remarkable innings. We had things pretty much under control at 146 for five. Then there was this extraordinary innings. That was something you could've expected off Ricky Ponting, but not from Symonds. Still a sizable knock or two, and we could have made a fist of it. But you have no worries. We have too much talent and experience to not to have a say on this World Cup", said Younis.

Saeed Anwar was still not hundred per cent. He has a problem with throwing, but otherwise he was shaping well at the nets, said Younis, reflecting his frame of mind that the bearded opener had a vital role in the team, and none of his understudies were able to fulfil it.

The opening pair, however, is not the only problem for the Pakistanis. The right team combination and appropriate strategy both continue to elude them, something that has continued to bug them since the three-nation Tangiers way back in August, 2002.

In the Aussie fixture, it was quite apparent that apart from a sensational Symonds, Pakistan was undone because they lacked six quality bowlers, and once a couple of the regulars were carted around the park, Waqar had no fallback other than Younis Khan, which was no fallback either. Saqlain Mushtaq, a quality off-spinner (a type of bowling against which the Aussies are generally not comfortable) with nearly 300 wickets under his belt, may have made a difference. But he was not there. Waqar hinted that he may from now on be a regular selection.

What the Pakistan think-tank needs to look at is also Abdul Razzaq's form. It has been rather uninspiring for some time, and injuries and lay-offs haven't helped. Though Azhar Mahmood too has been through similar predicaments, yet he is bowling and batting well enough in the nets to merit a case for inclusion.

What Pakistan requires - not against Namibia, but tougher oppositions - is application, right combinations, mental toughness etc. And it also needs to recall Imran Khan's pep talk on the eve of their departure for South Africa, the crux of which was that 'no match is over until it's over'.

Had Waqar Younis remembered that he would have acted less churlishly in the face of Symonds' onslaught, and maybe his maintaining his cool would have resulted in a better chase and a less embarrassing outcome.